born Dec. 11, 1911, Cairo, Egypt Egyptian writer. He worked in the cultural section of the Egyptian civil service from 1934 to 1971. His major work, the Cairo Trilogy (1956-57) including the novels Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, and Sukkariyah represents a penetrating overview of 20th-century Egyptian society. Subsequent works offer critical views of the Egyptian monarchy, colonialism, and contemporary Egypt. Other well-known novels include Midaq Alley (1947), Children of Gebelawi (1959), and Miramar (1967). He also wrote short-story collections, more than 30 screenplays, and several stage plays. In 1988 he became the first Arabic writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature