Thought Palace. The Cairo Trilogy, Part Two

Author: Naguib Mahfouz, Chen Zhongyao, Lu Yingying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: Naguib Mahfouz is a Nobel Prize laureate, and the Cairo Trilogy is one of his major works. Through the different fates of three generations of a family, the novel depicts the various changes in Egyptian social and historical history from 1917 to 1944. Each volume focuses on the life of one generation, with the title of the book reflecting the residence of that generation. The work resembles a folk painting of modern Egypt. The second volume, Palace of Desire, primarily portrays the life of the second generation of this family. The eldest son continues to live a dissolute life with no aspirations; the younger son, determined to fight for the independence of his homeland, chooses to study at a normal school while harboring doubts about religion but lacking a specific goal. Meanwhile, the blow of a failed love affair leaves him pessimistic and despondent, spending his days indulging in alcohol and the thrill of chasing women. Aisha's husband and two sons also die of typhoid fever. The work reflects the hesitant and confused mindset of the Egyptian people at the time.