Before the Throne
Before the Throne by Naguib Mahfouz, published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on July 3, 2012, is a reprint edition comprising 176 pages. This novel presents a unique narrative where nearly sixty leaders from Egypt’s history, spanning from the time of the Pharaohs to the twentieth century, are summoned to judgment in the Court of Osiris in the Afterlife. Through this extraordinary premise, Mahfouz explores the legacies of these figures, including the unifier of Egypt from 3000 BC and Anwar Sadat, the president assassinated in 1981.
Readers will find a thought-provoking examination of Egypt’s past as these historical leaders defend their actions before divine figures like Osiris, Isis, and Horus. The narrative delves into the consequences of their decisions, with those who served the nation honored in paradise, while others face condemnation. This work reflects Mahfouz’s insights into the enduring qualities of his country, tracing five thousand years of history and its impact on the present. Translated from Arabic by Raymond Stock, this edition offers a literary exploration of themes relevant to both history and identity.
Official synopsis Publisher
Nearly sixty of Egypt’s past leaders—from the time of the Pharoahs to the twentieth century—are summoned to judgment in the Court of Osiris in the Afterlife, in this extraordinary novel by Nobel Prize–winning author Naguib Mahfouz.
Before the Throne calls forth a parade of those who have shaped the modern nation of Egypt—from the ruler who first unified Egypt in 3000 BC to Anwar Sadat, the president assassinated by religious extremists in 1981, and including figures as various as the famous pharaoh Ramesses II and the medieval vizier Qaraqush. As they defend their decisions under questioning by Osiris, Isis, and Horus, those who acted for the nation’s good are honored with immortality in paradise while those who failed to protect it are condemned either to the inferno or to “the place of insignificance.” Full of Mahfouz’s unique insight into his country’s timeless qualities, this provocative work skillfully traces five thousand years of Egypt’s past as it flows into the turbulent present.
Translated from the Arabic by Raymond Stock
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