Yahya Taher Abdullah
Encyclopedia
Yahya Taher Abdullah (born in Karnak
in 1938, died April 9, 1981) was an Egyptian
writer.
Abdullah grew up in Upper Egypt
but moved to Cairo
in 1964 at the age of 28. One of the first to recognize his talents was the writer and editor Edwar al-Kharrat
who arranged a monthly stipend for him. Nonetheless, Abdullah lived a meagre existence. He gained renown in literary circles for live readings of his stories, and published several novellas and short story collections. He had no formal literary training, but was widely regarded as one of the top young Egyptian writers of the 1960s. He died in a car crash in the Western Desert
in 1981.
In his memoirs, the translator Denys Johnson-Davies
describes his acquaintanceship with Abdullah and his struggle to publish the author's short stories in English. That first collection, eventually published as part of the Heinemann Arab Authors series, was called The Mountain Of Green Tea and is still available from the AUC Press
. More recently, The Collar and the Bracelet was translated by Samah Selim
and published by the AUC Press in 2009. Selim won the Banipal Prize for her translation. The Collar and the Bracelet was also adapted for the screen by the famous realist film director Khairy Bishara in 1986.
Karnak
The Karnak Temple Complex—usually called Karnak—comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II . Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some...
in 1938, died April 9, 1981) was an Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
writer.
Abdullah grew up in Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
but moved to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
in 1964 at the age of 28. One of the first to recognize his talents was the writer and editor Edwar al-Kharrat
Edwar al-Kharrat
Edwar al-Kharrat is an Egyptian novelist, writer and critic. He was born in Alexandria to a Coptic Christian family. He studied law at Alexandria University and worked briefly in banking and insurance. He was also actively engaged in left-wing politics and spent two years in jail from 1948–50...
who arranged a monthly stipend for him. Nonetheless, Abdullah lived a meagre existence. He gained renown in literary circles for live readings of his stories, and published several novellas and short story collections. He had no formal literary training, but was widely regarded as one of the top young Egyptian writers of the 1960s. He died in a car crash in the Western Desert
Western Desert
Western Desert may refer to:* Libyan Desert, located in the northern and eastern part of the Sahara Desert. It occupies Egypt west of the Nile , eastern Libya and northwestern Sudan alongside the Nubian Desert.* Western Desert cultural bloc or just Western Desert is a cultural region in...
in 1981.
In his memoirs, the translator Denys Johnson-Davies
Denys Johnson-Davies
Denys Johnson-Davies is an eminent Arabic-into-English literary translator who has translated, inter alia, several works by Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz, Sudanese author Tayeb Salih, Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish and Syrian author Zakaria Tamer.Davies, referred to as “the...
describes his acquaintanceship with Abdullah and his struggle to publish the author's short stories in English. That first collection, eventually published as part of the Heinemann Arab Authors series, was called The Mountain Of Green Tea and is still available from the AUC Press
AUC Press
The AUC Press was established in 1960 and reorganized in 1984. It is the Middle East’s largest English language publishing house. Its goal is to support the cultural exchange mission of its parent university....
. More recently, The Collar and the Bracelet was translated by Samah Selim
Samah Selim
Samah Selim is an Egyptian scholar and translator of Arabic literature. She studied English literature at Barnard College, and obtained her PhD from Columbia University in 1997. At present she is an assistant professor at Rutgers University...
and published by the AUC Press in 2009. Selim won the Banipal Prize for her translation. The Collar and the Bracelet was also adapted for the screen by the famous realist film director Khairy Bishara in 1986.