Raouf Mosaad
I was born in Port Sudan, Sudan, on March 20, 1937, to Egyptian parents. My father was an Evangelical Protestant pastor, and I was the youngest of three boys and also had an older and a younger sister. Some of my siblings emigrated from Egypt and some stayed, but all have passed away. I studied at the secondary section of Assiut American College, and graduated from the Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, Department of Journalism in 1960.
I was arrested along with dozens of others on charges of joining a communist organization and stood before a military trial where I was sentenced to four years and a fine of one hundred Egyptian pounds. I was then deported to the Kharga Oasis prison, until I was released by a presidential decree in April 1964.
In August 1964, I travelled to Aswan with two communist colleagues I met in the Oasis prison, Kamal El-Qalash and Sonallah Ibrahim, to write a joint book about the High Dam, titled "The Man of the High Dam." I then traveled to Poland and studied theatrical directing. I worked in Baghdad for 3 years at the Cinema and Theater Foundation, and a further 3 years in Beirut at As-Safir newspaper, and the magazines Lotus and Beyrouth Al-Massaa.
I returned to Egypt in 1982 and, with Shohdi Atiya El-Shafaie' widow, founded Shohdi Publishing House where I worked for seven years, before settling in Amsterdam.
I have written five novels, a book about Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, and two plays.
I was arrested along with dozens of others on charges of joining a communist organization and stood before a military trial where I was sentenced to four years and a fine of one hundred Egyptian pounds. I was then deported to the Kharga Oasis prison, until I was released by a presidential decree in April 1964.
In August 1964, I travelled to Aswan with two communist colleagues I met in the Oasis prison, Kamal El-Qalash and Sonallah Ibrahim, to write a joint book about the High Dam, titled "The Man of the High Dam." I then traveled to Poland and studied theatrical directing. I worked in Baghdad for 3 years at the Cinema and Theater Foundation, and a further 3 years in Beirut at As-Safir newspaper, and the magazines Lotus and Beyrouth Al-Massaa.
I returned to Egypt in 1982 and, with Shohdi Atiya El-Shafaie' widow, founded Shohdi Publishing House where I worked for seven years, before settling in Amsterdam.
I have written five novels, a book about Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, and two plays.
