Humphrey T. Davies [ 27/Feb/12 ]

Jerry Guirguis interviews Mr. Humphrey T. Davies live-to-air from Cairo-Egypt on 96.5FM - Egyptian radio show [ Monday 27th Feb 2012 ].

6:30pm - My special guest tonight is Mr. Humphrey T. Davies, a leading translator of Arabic literature into the English language and twice winner of the Banipal Prize. He studied Arabic at Cambridge University, obtaining a first class degree, and pursued further studies at the American University in Cairo and at the University of California, Berkeley, where he completed his PhD in 1981.^[1]

Humphrey Davies' first published translation was a short story by Sayed Ragab, which appeared in Banipal magazine in 2000. Since then, he has translated several well-known works of Arabic literature, including Alaa Al-Aswany's international bestseller The Yacoubian Building.

Humphrey Davies: Translations of Arabic Literature

همفري ديفيز: ترجمات من الادب العربي

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نجيب محفوظ: كفاح طيبة

Naguib Mahfouz Thebes at War (Kifah Tiba): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2003), paperback 2006; New York, Anchor Books/Random House, paperback (2005); New York, Everyman’s Library/Alfred A. Knopf (2007).

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علاء الاسواني: عمارة يعقوبيان

Alaa Al Aswany The Yacoubian Building (‘Imarat Ya‘qubiyan): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2004); paperback, New York, Harper Perennial/Harper-Collins (2006); London, 4^th Estate/Harper Collins (2007), paperback Harper Perennial/Harper-Collins (2007), Selected by the Society of Authors, London, as one of the fifty outstanding translations of the past fifty years.

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إلياس خوري: باب الشمس

Elias Khoury The Gate of the Sun (Bab al-Shams): London, Harvill-Secker, (2005); winner of British PEN Club’s “Writers in Translation” award; winner of the inaugural Banipal Trust Prize for Arabic Literature in English Translation, 2006); New York, Archipelago Books (2006).

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أحمد العايدي: أن تكون عباس العبد

Ahmed Alaydi On Being Abbas El Abd (An Takun ‘Abbas al-‘Abd): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2006);Books; London, Arabia Books (2008).

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جمال الغيطاني: متون الأهرام

Gamal al-Ghitani Pyramid Texts (Mutun al-Ahram): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2007).

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حمدي الجزار: سحر أسود

Hamdy el-Gazzar Black Magic (Sihr Aswad): American University in Cairo Press (2007)

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جمال الغيطاني: المجالس المحفوظية

Gamal al-Ghitani The Mahfouz Dialogs (al-Majalis al-Mahfuziya): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2007).

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يوسف الشربيني: هز القحوف بشرح قصيد أبي شادوف

Yusuf al-Shirbini Brains Confounded by the Ode of Abu Shaduf Expounded (Hazz al-Quhuf bi-Sharh Qasid Abi Shaduf): Leuven, Peeters Editions (Vol. II: Translation,

Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 160, 2007).

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محمد مستجاب: ديروط الشريف ومن التاريخ السري لنعمان عبد الحافظ

Mohamed Mustagab Tales from Dayrut (Dayrut al-Sharif and Min al-Tarikh al-Sirri li-Nu‘man ‘Abd al-Hafiz): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2008).

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جورج البهجوري: أيقونة فلتس

Georges Bahgory Bahgory: an Egyptian Artist’s Words and Pictures (selections from Ayqunat Faltas): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2008).

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علاء الاسواني: نيران صديقة

Alaa Al Aswany Friendly Fire (Niran Sadiqa): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2009).

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عفت يحيى

Effat Yehia I’ve Had Enough!(Fawda al-Mashaʽir) (Three one-act plays). Cairo, Dar Al-Ain (2009).

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إلياس خوري: يالو

Elias Khoury Yalo (Yalu): London, MacLehose Press (2009). Winner, Banipal Prize for Arabic Literature in English Translation 2010.

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خالد البري: الدنيا أجمل من الجنة

Khaled al-Berry Life Is More Beautiful than Paradise (al-Dunya Ajmal min al-Janna): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2009)

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بهاء طاهر: واحة الغروب

Bahaa Taher Sunset Oasis (Wahat al-Ghurub): London, Sceptre/Hodder and Stoughton (2009); Cairo, Dar El Shorouk (2010). Runner-up, Banipal Prize for Arabic Literature in English Translation 2010.

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إلياس خوري: كأنها نائمة

Elias Khoury As Though She Were Sleeping: London, MacLehose Press (2011)

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مريد البرغوثي: ولدت هنا ولدت هناك

Mourid el Barghouti Born Here, Born There (Wulidtu Huna Wulidtu Hunak): London, Bloomsbury Press (2011)

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نجيب محفوظ: زقاق المدق

Naguib Mahfouz Midaq Alley (Zuqaq al-Midaqq): Cairo, American University in Cairo Press (2011)

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فارس الشدياق: الساق على الساق

Faris al-Shidyaq Leg over Leg (al-Saq ‛ala al-Saq): New York University Press, Library of Arabic Literature (forthcoming).

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Q1] I’ve heard from another translator that the art of translating is similar to that of Chef, who has been asked by a meat eater to cook him something, but the chef has only vegetables. Then he has to present it back to the meat eater. Is that how you feel ?.

Q2] what is it about Egypt that made you stay there for 35 years ?.

Q3] Did you meet Egyptian authors ?.

Q4] what is it about these particular authors that drove you into translating their works ?.

see below audio interview file or you can request a hard copy via email to; JerryGuirguis@bigpond.com

Thank you for listening;