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Autumn Quail
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Wikipedia article
'Autumn Quail' is a novel by the Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. It is considered to be one of his more philosophical works. The novel looks at foreignness, the past, and the everchanging reality through the character Isa Al-Dabbagh. The novel was adapted into a film in 1967, and the film was directed by Hussam Addein Mustafa. The novel was translated into English in 1985 under the title Autumn Quail.
Summary
The story opens on Black Saturday. The main character, Isa, is a government employee and a member of the Wafd party. After being close to getting promoted to a much higher position and marrying ((Salwa)), the daughter of a Pasha, the revolution uprises and changes his life; he gets fired and his engagement gets broken off, leaving him crippled. He goes to Alexandria where he meets the prostitute ((Riri)), who lives with him before he kicks her out upon finding out that she is pregnant. Then, he marries a rich infertile divorcee. Throughout the novel, he suffers from boredom and depression, and he finds solace in gambling. After a while, he runs into ((Riri)) and with her a young girl, his daughter. In the end, he sits in the dark next to Saad Zaghlouls statue before a strong young man holding a flower comes to talk to him and leaves. Isa follows the footsteps of the young man leaving behind him his loneliness and darkness.
Criticism
The hero is in a state of personal alienation and conflict between what is happening and what has happened to him in the past. The scholar Mahmoud Amin compares this novel and Mahfouz's previous novel (The Thief and The Dogs), saying that the latter represents the consciousness of a rebel attempting to change a rigid reality, whereas Autumn Quail represents a changing reality clashing with a rigid consciousness. He also thinks that the novel published after Autumn Quail, The Search, is a continuation of and elaboration on some of the aspects of Autumn Quail. Additionally, he states that the title of the novel refers to the materialistic and moral immigration of the protagonist in his attempt at finding warmth.
Complete Works
Novels
* Three Novels of Ancient Egypt: Khufu's Wisdom (1939), Rhadopis of Nubia (1943), The Struggle of Thebes (1944).* Cairo Trilogy: Palace Walk (1956), Palace of Desire (1957), Sugar Street (1957).
* Cairo Modern (1945)
* Khan Al-Khalili (1945)
* Midaq Alley (1947)
* The Mirage (1948)
* The Beginning and The End (1949)
* Children of Gebelawi (1959)
* The Thief and The Dogs (1961)
* Autumn Quail (1962)
* Zaabalawi (1963)
* The Search (1964)
* The Beggar (1965)
* Adrift on the Nile (1966)
* Miramar (1967)
* Mirrors (1972)
* Love in the Rain (1973)
* Karnak Caf (1974)
* Stories from Our Neighbourhood (1975)
* Heart of The Night (1975)
* Respected Sir (1975)
* The Harafish (1977)
* Arabian Nights and Days (1979)
* Love and the Veil (1980)
* Wedding Song (1981)
* The Final Hour (1982)
* The Journey of Ibn Fattouma (1983)
* Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth (1985)
* The Day the Leader was Killed (1985)
* Morning and Evening Talk (1987)
* The Coffee House (1988)
Short Stories
* Whisper of Madness (1938)* God's World (1962)
* Notorious House (1965)
* Beneath the Umbrella (1967)
* The Pub of the Black Cat (1969)
* A Story Without a Beginning or an Ending (1971)
* The Honeymoon (1971)
* The Crime (1973)
* Love above the Pyramid Plateau (1979)
* The Devil Preaches (1979)
* I See What The Sleeper Sees (1982)
* Secret Organizing (1984)
* Morning of Roses (1987)
* The False Dawn (1988)
* The Final Decision (1996)
* Echoes of Forgetting (1999)
* The Sympathetic Youth (2001)
Other Written Works
* A translation into Arabic of James Baikie's Ancient Egypt (1932)* Echoes of an Autobiography (1994)
* Before the Throne (2009)
* Dreams of the Rehabilitation Period (2004)
Film Adaptations
* Al-Ikhtiyar (The Choice)* Al-Tut Wal Nubut (The Stick and The Berries)
* Al-Juu (The Hunger)
* Al-ub Tatal Maar (Love in The Rain)
* Al-ub Fawqa Haabatal Haram (Love above the Pyramid Plateau)
* Al-arafish
* Al-al Ismuhu Naira (The Solution's Nazira)
* Al-Khadima (The Maid)
* Al-Sarb (The Mirage)
* Al-Sukkariya (Sugar Street)
* Al-Samman Wal Kharif (Quail and Autumn)
* The Beggar (Al-Shaat)
* Al-Sharida (The Fugitive)
* Al-ariq (The Search)
* Al-ariq Al-Masdud (Blocked Road)
* Al-Futtuwa (The Youth)
* Cairo 30
* Al-Karnak (Karnak Caf)
* Al-Liu Wal Kilab (The Thief and The Dogs)
* Allahu Akbar (God is Great)
* Al-Muttaham (The Accused)
* Al-Mujrem (The Criminal)
* Al-Munibun (The Guilty)
* Al-Masul Wal Qunbula (The Intoxicated and The Bomb)
* Al-Muarad (The Chased)
* Al-Muntaqim (The Avenger)
* Al-Nasir Salauddin
* Al-Nimrud (The Nimrud)
* Al-Hariba (The Runaway)
* Al-Wash (The Monster)
* Ena Talamia (We Are Students)
* Imbrauriyet Mim (M's Empire)
* Asad Allahu Masauka (Have a Good Evening)
* Adiqu Al-Shayan (The Devil's Mates)
* Amiratu ubbi Ana (My Love's Princess)
* Ana urra (I Am Free)
* Ahlu Al-Qimma (The Peak's People)
* Ayuub
* Bidaya Wa Nihaya (The Beginning and The Ending)
* Bayn Al-Sama'I Wal Ar (Between The Sky and The Land)
* Bayn Al-Qasrayn (Palace Walk)
* Bir Al-irmn (The Well of Deprivation)
* Taqiq (Investigation)
* Tawidahu (Monotheism)
* Tharthara Fawqal Nile (Adrift on The Nile)
* 3 Qia (3 Stories)
* Thamanul urriya (The Price of Freedom)
* Jaaluni Mujriman (They Made Me a Criminal)
* Jamila
* Khan Khalili
* Khua Baidatal Mada (Long-term Plan)
* Khayal Al- shiq (The Lover's Imagination)
* Darb Al-Mahabil (Way of Idiots)
* Dalal Al-Mariiya (The Egyptian Dalal)
* tal Wajhayn (The Two-Faced)
* Ruba Wa Sukayna (Ruba and Sukayna)
* Zuqaqul Madaq (Midaq Alley)
* Sair Al-Nisaa' (The Women's Enchanter)
* Samara Al-Amir
* Shahd Al-Malika (Shahd The Queen)
* Shayun Min Al-Ab (A Taste of Torture)
* aib Al-ura (The Picture's Owner)
* uwar Mamnua (Forbidden Pictures)
* Arul ub (Love and the Veil)
* Fatawat el usseinia (Al-usseinia's Prescripts)
* Fatawat Bulaq (Bulaq's Prescripts)
* Qahir Al-alam (The Darkness Defeater)
* Qasrul Shawq (Palace of Desire)
* Qia Baladi (My Country's Cats)
* Qalbul Layl (Heart of The Night)
* Laka Yawmun Ya alim (A Day For You, Tyrant)
* Lamul Baar (In A Flash)
* Layl Wa Khawana (Night and Traitors)
* Mujrimin Fi Ijaza (A Criminal on Holiday)
* Min Falaka Wa Isanak (From Your Kindness and Benevolence)
* Miramar
* Nisaa Al-Jaza'ir (Algerian Women)
* Nuur Al-Uyun (Light of My Eyes)
* Wamatu r (A Stigma)
* Wakalatul Bala (Date Dealership)
TV Series
* Al-Aqdr (The Fates)* Al-Bqi Min Al-Zamani Satun (The Final Hour)
* Al-Jarima (The Crime)
* Al-Dunya Al-Jadida (The New World)
* Al-Rajalu Allai Faqada akaratuhu Marratayn (The Man Who Lost His Memory Twice)
* Al-Samman Wal Kharif (Quail and Autumn)
* Al-arafish (Season 1)
* Al-arafish (Season 2)
* Al-Qarar Al-Akhir (The Final Decision)
* Al-Liu Wal Kilab (The Thief and The Dogs)
* Al-Mamura (The Earth)
* Afraul Qubba (Wedding Song)
* Meshir
* Baynal Qasrayn (Palace Walk)
* adith Al-ab Wal Masaa (Morning and Evening Talk)
* aratal Mutaram (Respected Sir)
* ilm Nif Al-Shahar (Midnight's Dream)
* awadith Muthira (Thrilling Incidents)
* Khan Khalili
* (abaul Ward) Morning of Roses
* Ar Al-ub (Love and the Veil)
* Fi Qalbul Layl (In The Heart of the Night)
* Esmiti Wa Naibi (My Destiny)
* Qashtamar (The Coffee House)
* Qasrul Shawq (Palace of Desire)
* Nuur Al-Qamar (Moonlight)
* Baynal Sama Wal Ar (Between The Sky and The Land)
Plays
* Al-ala Al-diya (Status Quo)* Al-Liu Wal Kilab (The Thief and The Dogs)
* Al-Najat (Survival)
* Bidayatun Wa Nihaya (The Beginning and The Ending)
* Baynal Qasrayn (Palace Walk)
* iakayt aritna (Stories from Our Neighbourhood)
* Khan Khalili
* Zuqaqul Madaq (Midaq Alley)
* Esmiti Wa Naibi (My Destiny)
* Qahwatul Tuta (The Tuta Caf)
* Miramar
Other Dramatic Works
* Al-Jarasu Yarin (The Bell Rings)* Al-ub Fawqa Haabatal Haram (Love above the Pyramid Plateau)
* Al-aflul Akhir (The Last Party)
* Al-Khawf (The Fear)
* Al-Sarb (The Mirage)
* Al-Shar Mabud (Sacred Evil)
* Al-Shaykh Muarram
* Al-Ghurfa Raqam 12 (Room 12)
* Al-Miaf (The Coat)
* Al-Nashwa Fi November (Ecstasy in November)
* Awlad aritna (Children of Gebelawi)
* Ayyam Al-ub Wal Junun (Days of Love and Ecstasy)
* Baytun Sayi Al-Suma (Notorious House)
* Zala Al-Shar (Eradication of Evil)
* Zakariya
* Zuhurun La Tabal (Unwilting Flowers)
* Saibatul Ima (Inviolabile Woman)
* Ar Al-ub (Love and the Veil)
* Qablal Rail (Before Leaving)
* Qashtamar (The Coffee House)
* Qasrul Shawq (Palace of Desire)
* Miramar
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