Ahmed Fagih facts for kids

Ahmed Ibrahim al-Fagih (Arabic: أحمد إبراهيم الفقيه) was born on December 28, 1942. He is a famous writer from Libya. He writes many different types of stories, including novels, plays, and essays. He also worked as a journalist and a diplomat.

Ahmed Fagih started writing short stories when he was young. He shared them in newspapers and magazines in Libya. He became well-known in 1965. This was when his first collection of short stories, called There Is No Water in the Sea, won a top award in Libya. He has written many books, including the Gardens of the Night Trilogy and a long novel series called Maps of the Soul.

Ahmed Fagih also worked for his country as a diplomat. This means he represented Libya in other countries like London, Athens, Bucharest, and Cairo. He now lives and works in both Cairo and Tripoli.

Who is Ahmed Fagih?

Ahmed Fagih was born in 1942 in Mizda, a small oasis town in southern Libya. He went to school there until he was a teenager. In 1957, he moved to Tripoli to continue his studies. This is where he began his writing career.

In 1962, Ahmed Fagih traveled to Egypt to study journalism. He received help from a special program by UNESCO. Later, he returned to Tripoli to work as a journalist.

Early Success and Studies

In 1965, he published his first collection of short stories. It was titled There Is No Water in the Sea (in Arabic: البحر لا ماء فيه). This book won him the highest award from the Royal Commission of Fine Arts in Libya.

In the late 1960s, he went to London to study drama and theatre. He stayed there until 1972. After coming back from Britain, he became the director of the National Institute of Music and Drama.

In 1972, Fagih became the editor of an important cultural newspaper. It was called The Cultural Weekly (in Arabic: الاسبوع الثقافي). This newspaper helped many new Libyan writers get noticed. During this time, he also started a new play and drama group called The New Theatre.

Leading Cultural Roles

In 1978, Ahmed Fagih became the head of the Department of Arts and Literature. This was part of the Libyan Ministry of Information and Culture. He also helped start the Union of Libyan Writers. He was chosen as its first leader.

Later, he went back to London for a diplomatic job. He worked as a press counsellor at the Libyan Embassy in the United Kingdom. While there, he created the Arab Cultural Trust. This organization started a cultural magazine called Azure, and he became its main editor.

In 1983, he earned a special degree called a PhD from The University of Edinburgh. His studies focused on 'The Libyan short story'. In 1991, he published his three-part novel called Garden of The Night. This book won an award for the best creative work at the Beirut Book Fair. In 2000, he put together a collection of 13 short stories by Libyan writers, which was published in English.

His Books and Plays

Ahmed Fagih has written many different kinds of books. Here are some of his most famous works:

Short Stories

• There Is No Water in the Sea (1965)
• Fasten Your Seatbelts
• The Stars Vanished So Where Are You?
• A Woman of Light
• Five Beetles Trying the Tree
• Mirrors of Venice
• 30 Short Stories

Novels

• Homeless Rats
• Valley of Ashes
• Shall Present You With Another City
• These Are The Borders of My Kingdom
• A Tunnel Lit by A Woman
• The Trilogy (Garden of The Night)
• Maps of The Soul

Plays

• Gazelles