Zanouba

Out el Kouloub (1892-1968) is an author whose voice is just becoming heard in the United States. A member of the Muslim aristocracy in Egypt, she wrote unforgettable novels, mostly about Egyptian women of varying social classes and about family life in a traditional society. Like most members of the aristocracy, she wrote in French.

In Zanouba, the reader is treated to vivid scenes of Egyptian middle-class life, starting in the 1900s. Abundant in traditional poems, songs, sayings, and rituals, the story of Zanouba enhances our understanding of certain deeply seated aspects of Egyptian life: the practices--including elaborate rituals--involved in guaranteeing the birth of a son; the jealousy and anger of the barren wife. Out el Kouloub’s lush documentation bridges past and present while telling a tale that is both believable and touching.

Out el Kouloub (1899-1968), an Egyptian author, fled Cairo in the early 1960s after Nasser came to power. She was the author of five books, including Ramza.

Nayra Atiya is the author of Khul-Khaal, which won the 1990 UNICEF prize for the best book on women, children, and development. She is translator of Ramza, also published by Syracuse University Press.