Yusuf Idris

Yusuf Idris, also spelled Yusof Idris (Arabic: يوسف إدريس; May 19, 1927 – August 1, 1991) was an Egyptian writer of plays, short stories, and novels.

Idris was born in Faqous. He originally trained to be a doctor, studying at Cairo University. He sought to put the foundations of a modern Egyptian theatre based on popular traditions and folklore; his main success in this quest was his most famous work, a play called "Al-Farafeer" (الفرافير) depicting two main characters: the Master and the Farfour (poor layman). For some time he was a regular writer in the daily newspaper Al-Ahram.

From the English edition of The Cheapest Nights:

"While a medical student his work against Farouk’s regime and the British led to his imprisonment and suspension from College. After graduation, he worked at Kasr el Eini, the largest government hospital in Egypt. He supported Nasser’s rise to power but became disillusioned in 1954 at the time when his first collection of stories The Cheapest Nights was published … Yusuf Idris’ stories are powerful and immediate reflections of the experiences of his own rebellious life. His continuing contact with the struggling poor enables him to portray characters sensitively and imaginatively".

He married Raja al-Refai, with whom he had three children. His daughter Nesma is also a published writer.

• Idris, Yusuf: The Cheapest Nights and Other Stories 1978, Peter Owen, London, (First UK edition), translated by Wadida Wassef, .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#bf3c2c)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#bf3c2c)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}ISBN 0-7206-0518-0 (in the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works)
• Idris, Yusuf: The Sinners 1984, U.S.A., (First English Language Edition.) (many reprints) ISBN 0-89410-393-8
• Idris, Yusuf: Rings of Burnished Brass 1992, American University in Cairo Press, ISBN 977-424-248-3 (translator: Catherine Cobham)
• Idris, Yusuf: City of Love and Ashes 1999, American University in Cairo Press, ISBN 977-424-501-6

Idris won the 1997 Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature for his novel City of Love and Ashes.

• Youssef Idrees Archived 2023-03-02 at the Wayback Machine from Egypt state information service.
• "Yusuf Idris of Egypt, Playwright, Dies at 64", New York Times, August 3, 1991.