 My heart skipped a beat when I heard that Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz lay critically ill in a hospital bed. Now that he seems to be making a recovery, I can sigh with relief. The man I illustrate with piercing eyes that see Egypt as it is. He is the master storyteller. He paints a realistic picture of the country he loves, and of Cairo and the ancient Gammaliya district he was born in. I can see ancient Egypt in his wizened features. Long live Mahfouz. parent page (24 - 30 August 2006, issue #809) |