When Diwan Publishing unveiled its first editions of 12 of Naguib Mahfouz’s novels, the first tranche of a new deal with the late Nobel laureate’s estate in 2022, the reaction from the Egyptian literary establishment was visceral.
Prominent critics reportedly questioned the covers, which eschewed the traditional and folkloric imagery associated with previous editions for something more surrealistic and contemporary.
Eyebrows were further raised over the following years, when the Cairo publisher released the rest of Mahfouz’s 35 novels with updated visuals, as well as in the form of graphic novels and coffee-table books.
Speaking to The National from the Cairo International Book Fair, ending on February 3 and where Mahfouz is celebrated as the even
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