In 1988, Professor Sture Allén of the Nobel Prize committee in Stockholm delivered the Award Ceremony Speech for Naguib Mahfouz's nomination, Egypt's prominent Nobel prize-winning novelist. In an interview with Youm7's English Edition, Professor Allén spoke about the Nobel Prize and the great Egyptian novelist whose centenary is celebrated this year. * What do you think makes Naguib Mahfouz's writing unique? - His excellence appears to be the result of his synthesis of classical Arabic tradition, European inspiration, and personal artistry. * What is your favorite Naguib Mahfouz work and why? - This is difficult question, not because I have no favorite, but because of the secrecy in which he wrote. Writing a novel as a spiritual history of mankind, which is what was done in The Children of the Alley, is a first-rate achievement. Let me tell you that there are several books that are my favorites. One of them is the Cairo Trilogy. Miramar is also very interesting and written differently. It is quite different. I do also like his novel “Adrift on the Nile.” * How would you describe Naguib Mahfouz as a person, based on his writing? - As a worthy Nobel laureate, and dedicated to his versatile literary undertaking. I think that he loved his country. This combination of loving his country and his honesty makes him very characteristic. * Naguib Mahfouz received the Nobel Prize because of his support for Sadat's Camp David peace treaty with Israel in 1978, how true is that? -It is a rumor, don't believe it. It is just rubbish. This rumor is incredible. Nobel Prize in literature is a literary prize. But the peace prize is very different, it is political.
