Algerian writer Ahmed Taibaoui was awarded the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature 2021 for his novel 'The Disappearance of Mr. Nobody' (Ikhtifa’ al-Sayyid La Ahad).
The virtual award ceremony, held on March 31, hosted via Zoom by AUC Press marketing director Suzan Kenawy, was attended by shortlisted authors, publishers, AUC Press director Michael Duckworth, and distinguished cultural figures in Egypt. Most of the attendees spoke in Arabic.

Presented by the American University in Cairo president Francis Ricciardone, the award was decided by the members of the award committee, Shereen Abouelnaga, Humphrey Davies, Thaer Deeb, Samah Selim, and Hebba Sherif. In their citation for the award, the judges remarked “Taibaoui plays with the poetics of noir fiction to offer a bleak and haunting critique of the postcolonial Arab State and its myths. . . . Despite the novel’s darkness, its satirical language—at once both concise and poetic—and its well-crafted plot, which draws on police-fiction elements, compel the reader to read it to the end, only to discover that almost all the characters are “Mr. Nobody.”

Reflecting on the Naguib Mahfouz Medal submissions over the years, Michael Duckworth emphasized "how important this body of work is to AUC Press" and praised the contribution of the translators. "This year's shortlist is outstanding," said Duckworth. "We are very grateful to the judges. We rely on their advice." He concluded his remarks by saying "AUC Press is making a real impact on bringing these authors to the wider world."

To read more about this year's winner and the Naguib Mahfouz Medal [ Ссылка ]

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