Naguib Mahfouz passed away at the age of 94. He was the first Arab writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1988.
A few years ago, when I was fresh out of college and working for the New Jersey Law Journal as assistant editor, a co-worker passed along a copy of Palace Walk--part of the series of novels that afforded Mahfouz his Nobel. I struggled to read through it while still working, but put it down in favor of other works even though I was enjoying his work. I just didn't have the patience or desire to read anything of any importance at the time.
I came across his obit today online. And I thought about the books I brought with me to China. One among the few I carried aboard the cross-hemisphere flight was the very same copy of Palace Walk. I suppose as I finish reading a passed along copy of Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje I should pick up Mahfouz.
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