Mohamed Mustagab (1938-2006), born in the Upper Egyptian town of Dayrut, was general director of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo, and wrote prolifically in the latter half of the twentieth century, receiving numerous prizes. From the Secret Life of Numan Abdel Hafez was chosen as one of the top hundred novels from the Arab world in the last century. Humphrey Davies is the translator of a number of Arabic novels, including The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany (AUC Press, 2004). He has twice been awarded the Saif Ghobash-Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation.

Mohamed Mustagab (1938-2006), born in the Upper Egyptian town of Dayrut, was general director of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo, and wrote prolifically in the latter half of the twentieth century, receiving numerous prizes. From the Secret Life of Numan Abdel Hafez was chosen as one of the top hundred novels from the Arab world in the last century. Humphrey Davies is the translator of a number of Arabic novels, including The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany (AUC Press, 2004). He has twice been awarded the Saif Ghobash-Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation.

Mohamed Mustagab (1938-2006), born in the Upper Egyptian town of Dayrut, was general director of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Cairo, and wrote prolifically in the latter half of the twentieth century, receiving numerous prizes. From the Secret Life of Numan Abdel Hafez was chosen as one of the top hundred novels from the Arab world in the last century. Humphrey Davies is the translator of a number of Arabic novels, including The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany (AUC Press, 2004). He has twice been awarded the Saif Ghobash-Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation.