Egypt
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Yusuf Idris
Faqus (Sharkia), Egypt
Archival Overview
Egyptian physician, novelist, and playwright revered as the undisputed master of the modern Arabic short story, celebrated for 'The Cheapest Nights' and his revolutionary avant-garde play 'The Farfoors'.
Biographical Record
Yusuf Idris (1927–1991) trained as a medical doctor at Kasr al-Aini Hospital in Cairo and was repeatedly imprisoned for anti-monarchist student activism. Practicing medicine in the working-class slums of Cairo, Idris observed human suffering, poverty, and sexual taboos with surgical precision.
In 1954, his debut short story collection Arkhas Layali (The Cheapest Nights) stunned the Arab literary world with its psychological realism and mastery of Egyptian colloquial rhythm. In 1964, he revolutionized Arabic drama with Al-Farafir (The Farfoors), abolishing the conventional Western proscenium stage to recreate indigenous folk marketplace theater. Nominated multiple times for the Nobel Prize, he championed freedom of thought.
Key Life Milestones
Publication of The Cheapest Nights (Arkhas Layali)
Published the foundational collection that established social and psychological realism in modern Arabic fiction.
The Farfoors (Al-Farafir)
Premiered the historic drama breaking the fourth wall and resurrecting native Egyptian popular folk comedy.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialCairo, Egypt