Naguib Mahfouz Abdelaziz Ibrahim Ahmed Al-Basha was an Egyptian writer who won the 1988 Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish Academy praised him as a writer "who, through works rich in nuance – now clear-sightedly realistic, now evocatively ambiguous – has formed an Arabian narrative art that applies to all mankind." Mahfouz is regarded as one of the first contemporary writers in Arabic literature, alongside Taha Hussein, to explore themes of existentialism. He remains the only Egyptian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Throughout his prolific career, Mahfouz published 35 novels, over 350 short stories, 26 screenplays, numerous op-ed columns for Egyptian newspapers, and seven plays, spanning from the 1930s to 2004. All his novels are set in Egypt and recurrently feature the concept of "the lane" as a microcosm of the world.

His most celebrated works include The Cairo Trilogy and Children of Gebelawi. Many of Mahfouz's works have been adapted into both Egyptian and international films, making him one of the most widely adapted Arab authors. While his literature is predominantly classified as realist, existential themes frequently emerge.