Does this man have a death wish?
Socially committed Egyptian novelist, essayist, and short story writer who explored the problems of traditional and modern Egyptian society; author of thirty-two novels, thirteen collections of short stories, screen plays, and several stage plays; awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988.
Darwin's theory of evolution deeply influenced Mahfouz's thinking and made him abandon traditional beliefs. The concept of evolution became the center of his understanding of history, society, and civilization. Mahfouz's reaction to Darwin is represented in the Cairo Trilogy in the experiences and thoughts of the young Kamal.
In 1994, 82-year old Mahfouz survived a terrorist attack (stabbed several times in the neck) by Islamic religious fanatics who have targeted him for his criticisms of their fundamentalist ideologies.