Although Egypt boasts a long history and tradition of literature, from ancient Egypt until today, very few modern writers come to mind when perusing modern local literature. One prominent writer, still publishing engaging and slightly controversial material, however, is Alaa Al Aswany. A dentist turned writer, the Egyptian author is most well-known for best-selling novels The Yacoubian Building and Chicago among other pieces of non-fiction and fiction works which have been translated into 37 languages. Indeed, famed novelist and revolutionary Al Aswany’s provocative work has earned him memorable features in the The Times and Foreign Policy magazines. His work of fiction is deemed popular although his articles and work of non-fiction are considered niche. Indeed, following the 2011 revolution and political instability the following years, Al Aswany’s books were blacklisted. As a result, “The Dictatorship Syndrome”– which heavily questions the system of dictatorship and its prevalence worldwide – came to be; it captures the essence of his non-fiction work and is relevant to a non-Arab and Arab readership considering the global political climate today. “What was the difference between a youth who has grown up in China or Egypt and…
The Dictatorship Syndrome: Al Aswany’s ‘Medical’ Report of a Syndrome Affecting Humanity
November 3, 2020
