A number of Egyptian literary critics agree that diary writing remains the most appropriate literary form of what they call "transitional literature" that reflects Egypt's incomplete revolution. This form of literature is closely followed by poetry, they said. Critic Mohamed Badawi said the transitional period can be defined as the transition from one system to another system and from one life style to another life style. According to Badawi, writers are incapable of producing great works during this period but are capable of producing diaries, poems and notes that chronicle the change. According to Badawi, the monitoring of this political transition is not the objective of literature. He mentioned the book "Ten Days Rocked the World" by John Reid, which chronicled the most important events of the Russian Revolution. Badawi said it was an excellent and much admired diary. He expects similar writings to emerge now in Egypt, but he said the great novels on the revolution will come later. Critic Sayed Bahrawy said work written during great events like revolutions come as a reaction to the events. He said after some time has passed, writers can look at the events with greater depth and clarity and produce better books. "I expect in the next year or two to see books that express our current state very well," said Bahrawy. Bahrawy added that it is not the role of literature to capture reality; its role is to recreate. Writers have the role of contemplating and analyzing events before writing about them, he said. Critic Haitham al-Haj Ali said literary works produced during the last five years can be considered to have contributed in bringing about the current stages of transition, as revolutions don't suddenly happen but occur in stages. Satirical literature that emerged in the last few years and works by young writers in general can be considered part of this phase, and represent a new rebellious literary movement, said al-Haj.
