If americans could watch the yacoubian building and see how. In yacoubian building, a richly layered tale of life in. The yacoubian is a luxury apartment building which was built in cairo in the late 30s. Erected in the mid 1930s in cairos newly europeanized centre, the building is an. For example, stephanie selvick argues that the egyptian novel and film adaptation of the yacoubian building marwan hamed, 2006 connect to nonwestern narratives that restrict the films representations within the framework of social stereotypes. Among the contemporary residents of the yacoubian building is haj azzam, a strictly religious, self. The movie depicts 21stcentury egyptian society as morally bankrupt, while also looking at topics that are usually taboo in muslim societies e. The yacoubian building film marwan hamed, 2006 the late egyptian writer naguib mahfouz wrote what was perhaps the definitive work of arabic literature in the 20th century. Aug 27, 2006 an actual downtown cairo landmark called the yacoubian building is the books unifying element, housing all strata of egyptian society.
Its a sort of reverse upstairs, downstairs building, with the more wealthy living in multi room apartments on one of the ten floors, while the poor live in small tin huts on the roof. Egyptian novel the yacoubian building was published in arabic in 2002 and voted. Feb 22, 2005 robert siegel talks with the creative minds behind the yacoubian building author alaa al aswany and fatherandson team, screenwriter wahid hamed and director marwan hamed about sex, religion. The essentials for chicken coop building chicken coop building. Jul 05, 2012 the oncechic, now rundown, building serves as a metaphor for cairos own deterioration particularly in the 2003 arabic language novel the yacoubian building by alaa al aswany.
Sex is big in this book, but not graphic sex, but rather sex seems to be pervasive in the lives of many of the residents, so do not let that put you off on this book. The yacoubian building is an egyptian film based on the novel of the same title by author alaa. Jun 17, 2009 the yacoubian building film marwan hamed, 2006 the late egyptian writer naguib mahfouz wrote what was perhaps the definitive work of arabic literature in the 20th century. The yacoubian building distinguishes itself both as the most expensive egyptian film ever made and, despite its nearly threehour running time, one of the most watchable. An actual downtown cairo landmark called the yacoubian building is the books unifying element, housing all strata of egyptian society. The yacoubian building is entertaining and does offer a good overview of contemporary cairo life, but with its many stories and its simplifications can feel more like it skims the surface than truly explores the many hidden depths even as it shares so many intimacies. Based on the book, an awardwinning film was made in 2006 also entitled the yacoubian building directed by marwan hamed. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany goodreads. The yacoubian building by alaa alaswany 2006 not even past. Museum of fine arts, today and various dates through jan. Nov 06, 2009 interview with the young and taleneted film director marwan hamed and famous star youssra regarding the movie yocoubian building writen by author alaa al aswany. M arwan hameds version of the bestselling novel by alaa al aswany is a portmanteau account of a handful of characters living in an apartment building in.
The yacoubian building is adapted from a novel of the same name by alaa al aswany, which took the arab world by storm upon release in 2002. The book focuses mainly on the residents of the yacoubian building, a oncechic but now rundown edifice that acts as a metaphor for cairos own deterioration. Editions of the yacoubian building by alaa al aswany. Mohamed emam, sameh selim, marwan hamed, adel adeeb, imad adeeb. The yacoubian building omaret yakobean 2006 rotten tomatoes. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It has been years since an egyptian film aroused as wideranging public interest as the yacoubian building. Though this is sometimes strained, it holds up well enough, and though the characters represent different classes and backgrounds, they are also individuals. Really enjoyed this book which contains snapshots of some of the residents of the yacoubian building, and once we are introduced to them we follow them for a period of time. The yacoubian building is fastmoving and actionpacked, with drama in every scene and shifts between the different strands used to provide tension.
The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany librarything. The yacoubian building in cairo, has seen better days. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the yacoubian building. The yacoubian building is the sort of dense neighbourhood novel which, though quite out of. The yacoubian building is the sort of dense neighbourhood novel which, though quite out of style when set in london or.
In egypt was born marwan isni imam, the yacoubian building torrent free. The yacoubian building omaret yakobean 2006 rotten. The yacoubian building provides a glimpse into the complicated lives of residents of an egyptian building. Director marwan hamed right, 27, on the set of the yacoubian building. Project muse lgbt transnational identity and the media ed. The yacoubian building is a novel about modernday cairo, using the residents of the building as a broad crosssection of egyptian society. Through their various exploits, we learn about businessmen, politics, closet homosexuality, students, entrepeneurs and families living hand to mouth. Interview with the young and taleneted film director marwan hamed and famous star youssra regarding the movie yocoubian building writen by author alaa al aswany. Set in the late 20th century egypt, after the egyptian revolution of 1952, the yacoubian building started filling up with people from egypts lower class, while some others from the upper and middle classes stayed put. At the dawn of the 21st century, the yacoubian still has charm and a reputation for elegance, but is beginning to show clear signs of decay, and the rooftop laundry facilities now double as flats for the less fortunate.
Aswany brings those who live and work there vibrantly alive. In their stead, a new breed of cairenes has moved in. Tragicomic, passionate, shockingly frank in its sexuality, and brimming with an extraordinary, embracing human compassion, the yacoubian building is a. American readers coming to this novel will find it a vibrant and descriptive primer illuminating the various forces in. The taboo subjects the yacoubian building touches made the film a sensation inside egypt. Enjoy a screening of the sprawling, starstudded epic based on the bestselling novel of the same name. The yacoubian building imaret yacoubian, 2006 and cairo exit alkhoroug, 2009 are. Download the yacoubian building ebook pdf epub joshua rodriguez. Chief armenian in egypt, hagoub yacoubian, built a residential building. Sep 03, 2007 the yacoubian building is a novel about modernday cairo, using the residents of the building as a broad crosssection of egyptian society.
In one scene he goes to protest being asked to donate 25% of the proceeds of a business scheme to the powersthatbe, only to be required to sit and wait to. The yacoubian building notes of a spurkahye finally come home. Alaa al aswanys the yacoubian building 2002, which became a bestselling egyptian and arab novel worldwide in the past decade, owes its title to the ambition of an armenian millionaire who wanted immortality through a building that bears his name. Mar 06, 2016 alaa al aswanys the yacoubian building 2002, which became a bestselling egyptian and arab novel worldwide in the past decade, owes its title to the ambition of an armenian millionaire who wanted immortality through a building that bears his name. Arabic literature the yacoubian building essay 2203 words.
Alaa alaswanys and wahid hameds the yacoubian building when wahid hameds cinematic. Yacoubian building is an edifice in cairo, egypt, built in 1937. The embassy in the building audible download audio books. The yacoubian building 2006 the yacoubian building 2006. In the course of this unforgettable novel, these disparate lives converge, careening inexorably toward an explosive conclusion.
Therefore, marwan hameds omaret yakobean the yacoubian building in english turns out to be even more important. Tragicomic, passionate, shockingly frank in its sexuality, and brimming with an extraordinary, embracing human compassion, the yacoubian building is a literary achievement of the first order. This was the beginning of the end for foreigners and jews. A rare and penetrating look into modern egyptian society can be found in alaa al aswanys novel, the yacoubian building. Set in an actual building in downtown cairo, the controversial bestseller weaves together the lives of several characters to create a daring social critique. The yacoubian building by alaa al aswany, 9780007243624, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free prime shipping. The yacoubian building is a true literary blockbusterthe bestselling novel in the middle east for two years and the inspiration for the biggest budget movie ever produced in egypt, according to national geographic. It was a luxury apartment building and it was beautiful. If americans could watch the yacoubian building and see how their morality is from ifs 3009 at florida state university. The yacoubian building, an immense scandal when first published because of its sexual frankness, has topped bestseller lists for two years and is now a film with a hollywoodsize budget. Alaa alaswany is the bestselling author of three previous books published in arabic. Set in an actual building in downtown cairo, the controversial bestseller weaves together the lives of.
1484 1318 147 296 531 548 1073 958 564 800 861 1119 1653 141 1120 241 431 1539 33 529 1358 497 733 1308 466 353 816 1435 535 1183 570