Gamal al-Ghitani

Gamal el-Ghitani
2014
Born	(1945-05-09)9 May 1945 Gihena, Egypt
Died	18 October 2015(2015-10-18) (aged 70) Cairo, Egypt
Occupation	Journalist, author, novelist
Nationality	Egyptian

Gamal el-Ghitani, (Arabic: جمال الغيطانى, IPA: [ɡæˈmæːl el ɣeˈtˤɑːni]; 9 May 1945 – 18 October 2015) was an Egyptian author of historical and political novels and cultural and political commentaries and was the editor-in-chief of the literary periodical Akhbar Al-Adab ("Cultural News") till 2011.

Life and works

Gamal El-Ghitani was born to a poor family in the town of Guhayna, Sohag Governorate in Upper Egypt and moved with his family to Cairo as a child. He began writing at a young age and had his first short story published when he was only 14. He was originally trained to be a carpet designer and received his diploma in 1962. He continued to write on the side and was imprisoned from October 1966 through March 1967 for his critical commentary on the regime of Gamal Abd el-Nasser. In 1969 he switched careers and became a journalist for the Egyptian newspaper Akhbar El Yom ("The Day's News").

Since becoming a journalist, el-Ghitani has continued to write historical fiction, and many of his stories are set in Cairo. He has also maintained an active pen about many cultural and political topics, notably the level of censorship in modern-day Egypt. In an effort to help promote the Arab literary culture, he helped found the literary magazine "Gallery 68".

In 1980, he was awarded with the Egyptian National Prize for Literature, and in 1987, the French Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 1985, he became editor-in-chief of Al Akhbar ("The News") and continued to be a contributing editor to Akhbar El-Yom's literary section. From 1993 to 2011, he was the editor-in-chief of Akhbar Al-Adab, one of Egypt's primary literary magazines. In 2005, he won a French Award for translated literature "Laure Bataillon", one of the highest French awards to be bestowed upon non-French writers. He was entitled for this award due to his giant work "Kitâb al-Tagalliyyât" or "Book of Illuminations". In 2009, he was awarded the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Ren, the award is worth about $200,000 and is one of the world's richest literary awards.

Gamal El-Ghitani was married to the Egyptian journalist Magda El-Guindy, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram's children's magazine "Alaaeddin". He has a son, Mohammad, and a daughter, Magda. He died on 18 October 2015 at the El Galaa Hospital For Armed Forces Officers Families in Cairo.

Bibliography

• Awraq Shab ‘Asha mundhu Alf ‘Am, 1969
• Ard .. Ard, 1972.
• Zayni Barakat, 1974.
• Al-Hisar min Thalath Gihat, 1975.
• Hikayat el-Gharib, 1976.
• Waqi'i' Harat al-Za'farani, 1976.
• al-Rifai, 1977.
• Dhikr ma Jara, 1978.
• Khitat al-Ghitani, 1980.
• Ketab Al Tagaliyat (3 volumes), 1983–1986.
• Muntasaf Layl al-Ghurba, 1984.
• Ahrash al-Madina, 1985.
• Ithaf aI-Zaman bi-Hikayat Jalbi al-Sultan, 1985.
• Risala min al-Sababa wal Wagd, 1988.
• Shath al-Madina, 1990.
• Risilat al-Basi'ir fi al-Masi'ir, 1989.
• Thimar al Waqt,1990.
• Asfar al-Asfar, 1992.
• Asfar al-Mushtaq, 1992.
• Ha-tif al-Maghib, 1992.
• Min Daftar al-'Ishq wal-Ghurba, 1993.
• Naftha Masdur, 1993.
• Mutun Al- Ahram, 1994.
• Shatf al-Nar, 1996.
• Hikayat Al Mo'asasa, 1997.
• Al Zowail, 2006
• Rinn, 2008

See also

• List of Egyptian authors

External links

• Gamal el-Ghitani from Egypt state information service.
• Juror's biography from the Lettre Ulysses Award
• Gamal El Ghitani profile from the Ahram Weekly
• Ghitani's page - in French - on the Adab site devoted to contemporary Egyptian literature