Echoes of an Autobiography

Rating:
Summary: Autobiography of the imagination
Review: Despite its title, this is definitely not an autobiography of Mahfouz. Four things prove this: the narrator has three sons (Mahfouz had two daughters); he is sent to prison (Mahfouz never was); he works for a period outside Cairo (Mahfouz never did); he joins a Sufi order (Mahfouz assured me most emphatically that he never did). This was the last book that Mahfouz wrote. In fact he did not write it; it was put together out of pieces that he had dictated, and it is not clear how far it represents the complete work that he had in mind. I believe it should be regarded as a work of fiction, though it may be a fantasy of a life he would like to have lived. It is nevertheless a moving work, and it helps to enlarge our understanding of the author.

Rating:
Summary: Most Innovative AutoBiography book
Review: The way he wrote the autobiography is very unique. There is no pretention or any clear chronological order. It is the same way we remember our old days.

The wordings required a deep thought and expanding imagination to really enjoy the books. Sometimes funny, sometimes it is sour.

The only thing that makes the book four stars is due to all echoes at the quarter of the last pages are based on his admired Sheik. Had he ever have his own opinions at the last days of his life?