The past revisited

By Salama Ahmed Salama

Mahfouz was irredoubtable -- both in support and in opposition; he liked and disliked, loved and hated, praised and damned, was forthcoming or withdrawn in equal measure. He observed closely the machinations of politicians while endeavouring not to fall into their traps. He clashed with those in power, yet emerged unscathed. Nor did he allow himself to become mired in any particular stance. Particular enthusiasms would be regularly reconsidered. And throughout it all he suffered, like us all, from moments of frustration and apathy. Mahfouz's wide and varied experience has provided an inexhaustible well for his imagination, and in making use of this material he has always remained true to himself. The characters and events of his novels are a reflection of Egypt's social, intellectual and political life over the past decades.

At the time of publication few readers took stock of the fact that the opinions and attitudes spelled out in the novels were Mahfouz' own. Al-Naqqash, for the first time, reveals Mahfouz' conflicts and political views. The memoirs present us with his assessment of common people and of politicians, of hopes fulfilled and those foiled.

In his memoirs, Mahfouz reveals to his readers for the first time his true face. It is not solely the face of the brilliant man of letters who paints reality from a vivid imagination but of a man of more quotidian concerns, who tells people without fear, hypocrisy or inhibition, everything that crosses his mind.

He speaks about the July Revolution, its successes and its failures, about Nasser, Abdel-Hakim Amer, the Egyptian Intelligence Service and the defeat of June 1967.

Nor does he shy away from apportioning blame. He notes the absence of democracy that followed the revolution, and dwells on the difficulties he met in publishing his novels and short stories. He explains how astonished and relieved he was to learn of Nasser's protection of freedom of expression, how he changed his mind about the nationalisation of the Suez Canal, shifting from support to reservation. He explains, at length, the shortcomings in the education system, and proposes ways to improve it.

Mahfouz speaks at length on the Sadat presidency, highlighting his achievements in the October War and his success in setting the stage for democracy. Equally, he speaks of the evils of the open door policy, and of Sadat's last days as a paranoiac, self inflated leader who rejected all criticism and refused to tolerate opposition. Mahfouz makes proposals to revitalise the cultural life of the nation, and does not hesitate to express his position vis-à-vis the Camp David Accord and negotiations with Israel, sending a powerful riposte to those who have accused him of supporting peace for the sake of Israel. He expresses his views on the roots of fanaticism and terrorism, of which he has been a victim.

This truthful and frank account of a crowded life allows his readers to take a closer look at Mahfouz' ideas, and at his feelings about his own life and that of the society which inspired him and which he recreated so brilliantly in his novels.

Mahfouz is not a political figure, and consequently his account avoids the settling of old political scores. He has every right to speak his mind, and it is the public's right to hear the views of someone of his stature, someone who has made such an indelible mark on our literary and intellectual life. As readers, we must thank him for having spoken. As for his detractors, we can only hope that they listen carefully. El-Naqqash, too, deserves our gratitude for having made this marvelous publication possible.