Gamal El Ghitani on preserving 'Egyptian-ism'

Gamal El Ghitani’s writing on Egypt is first and foremost sensitive to and celebratory of the notion of the Egyptian identity vis-à-vis its history, starting with Ancient Egypt to the Mamluk era to modern day.

In his works — which include modern classics such as “The Zafarani Files,” “Zayni Barakat” and “Rinn” among many others — Egypt’s history retains an allure that has mystified him ever since he was a young boy living in the district of Gamaliya. It has also been a conduit for an analysis of how the identity of Egyptians as a people and as a nation was formed.

The Daily News Egypt