Safa Abdel Al Moneim
Safa Abdel Moneim | |
|---|---|
| Born | Safa Abdel Moneim Mahmoud Zayed December 27, 1960 Cairo, Egypt |
| Occupation(s) | Author, Novelist, Educator, Scholar |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | Novels and short story collections in Egyptian Arabic; folk literature scholarship |
| Notable work | Within the Spirit's Beauty, At Night When He Left, My Granny Apple |
Safa Abdel Moneim (; born 27 December 1960) is a distinguished Egyptian author, novelist, educator, and scholar specializing in folk literature. Her body of work comprises nine short story collections alongside twelve novels. Among her prominent publications are Within the Spirit's Beauty (), a novel written in colloquial Egyptian Arabic that has been translated into both English and Italian, and the short-story anthology At Night When He Left (). Her most recent novel is titled My Granny Apple. Additionally, she has contributed research articles to numerous newspapers and periodicals.
Biography
Born Safa Abdel Moneim Mahmoud Zayed on 27 December 1960 in Cairo, she completed her secondary education at Al Helmeya High School in 1986 and later obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Ain Shams University.
Her literary journey commenced with short stories performed at a youth center in Shubra El Kheima and published within Qalyoubia region newspapers. In 1983, she was awarded first place in a national short story contest organized for youth centers. Her debut collection of short stories, Hikayat Al'lail, appeared in 1984 and was subsequently featured in cultural and youth center seminars. Drawing inspiration from writers like Anton Chekhov and Yusuf Idris, she co-facilitated weekly literary forums alongside her late spouse, poet and author Magdi El-Gabri, between 1990 and 1998. Since 2009, she has held the position of school principal, an experience she depicted in her novel Journals of a School Principal. Abdel Moneim is affiliated with the Writers Union of Egypt, Cairo Atelier, the Egyptian Society for Folk Literature, and the International Pen Club. She also delivers lectures at the General Authority for Cultural Palaces.
Novels
- Granny Apple (), 2020
- Journals of A School Principal (), 2020
- A Peacock Above The Tree (), 2020
- The Edge of Soul (), 2019
- Merit Filter (), 2009
- A Female Artist's Home (), 2009
- He Called Her "Innana" (), 2008
- Whom She Saw (), 2008
- Like a Witch (), 2008
- The Wind of Simoom (), 2003
- Within the Spirit's Beauty (), 2001
Short-story collections
- Sure, It's Really Fine (), 2020
- The Lady of the Place (), 2013
- At Night When He Left (), 2009
- Fantasy of a Female (), 2010
- In a Way or Another (), 2009
- Girls and Girls (), 2000
- Friendly Little Things (), 1996
- That Cairo Tempts Me with Its Bare Legs (), 1991
- Tales of The Night (), 1984
Encyclopaedias
- Children Songs Encyclopaedia, 2008
- Contributor to Describing Egypt Now Encyclopaedia, 2008