Celebrating Ihsan Abdel Kouddous

Today’s Doodle celebrates Ihsan Abdel Kouddous, an Egyptian journalist and author who wrote about current events in addition to fictional novels and short stories. On this day in 2022, the first widespread English translation for Koddous’ book, I Do Not Sleep, was released. It appealed to the masses in Arabic and across the globe when he wrote it in the 1950s, but it wouldn’t be translated into English until much later because literary critics dismissed his simple, direct style.

Kouddous was born in Cairo, Egypt, on January 1, 1919. He developed a love for reading in his youth and began writing short stories and poems at age 11. After graduating from law school, he worked as an apprentice lawyer while trying out a journalism career at a magazine founded by his mother, Rose Al-Yousef. While working here, Kouddous realized he wanted to work in the industry he was passionate about. He dove into writing articles and stories and became an editor for Egypt’s daily Al-Akhbar newspaper and editor-in-chief for news outlet Al-Ahram.

As a journalist, Kouddous covered a variety of current events. In his popular column A Cafe on Politics Street, he wrote about social issues with a conversational narrative technique, similar to discussions a person might overhear in a cafe. He was jailed several times for his controversial writings and political stances, but that didn’t prevent him from sharing his views.

In addition to his journalism, Kouddous wrote over 60 fictional books and short stories. Common themes from his books are love, politics, psychology of social behavior, spirituality, and religion. Strong female characters were central in many of his works, with books like I Am Free advocating for women’s equality and independence. 

Kouddous received several awards for his passionate writing, including first prize for My Blood, My Tears, My Smile, Best Screenplay for The Bullet is Still in my Pocket, an Order of Merit of the First Class from the president, and shortly after his passing in 1990, an Order of the Republic of the First Class.

Today, people around the world can appreciate the dozens of films adapted from his novels and enjoy his books that have been translated into German, French, English, Ukrainian, and Chinese.

Special thanks to Ishan Abdel Kouddous family for their collaboration on this project. Below Kouddous grandson, Sharif, shares his thoughts on today’s Doodle and his grandfather’s legacy.

My grandfather died on January 11, 1990, when I was just 11 years old, yet he remains a definitional presence in my life. I remember his voice, his broad infectious smile, his undeniable charisma which infused any room he entered. He was fascinated by people and their stories — from the prince to the pauper — and he thoroughly enjoyed being in the company of others, living a truly social and political life. 

As a journalist, essayist, and novelist, his impact is difficult to overstate. Anywhere I travel across the Arab world, from Egypt to Palestine, Iraq to Yemen, I am unfailingly greeted with warm embraces and open-eyes expressions of esteem when I am found to be related to THE Ihsan Abdel Kouddous.

In a career that spanned over fifty years, he produced more than 600 short stories and 20 novels and he rose to become the most prolific and popular Arab writer of the 20th century. His extraordinary work explored complex sociological and political themes in contemporary Egyptian society, breaking taboos by exploring issues such as class, morality, tradition, sexuality, corruption, and patriarchy. He also had an indelible impact on Egyptian cinema with forty-seven of his works being adapted into film — a record among Arab writers.

He was more than just a novelist. As a journalist, editor, and political thinker, he played an influential role in Egypt’s tumultuous modern history. A tireless proponent of freedom of expression, he spoke out against oppression and abuse of power, remaining committed to principles, values, and independence throughout his life. For his courageous political stances and views, he was jailed several times by successive Egyptian rulers and faced multiple assassination attempts.

He remains a towering figure in Egypt’s political, journalistic and literary history, one with a particular flair for the memorable quote. Among my favorites: “Culture represents a kind of will, the will of rebellion.”

- Sharif

Photographed: Ihsan Abdel Kouddous

Courtesy of the estate of Ihsan Abdel Kouddous

Photographed: Ihsan Abdel Kouddous with his wife and children

Courtesy of the estate of  Ihsan Abdel Kouddous

Photographed: Ihsan Abdel Kouddous

Courtesy of the estate of Ihsan Abdel Kouddous