Ahmed Abdo
Egyptian Novelist and Writer
Ahmed Abdo is an Egyptian novelist and short story writer, and a member of both the General Syndicate of the Egyptian Writers’ Union and the Veterans Association. A former officer in the Egyptian Armed Forces, he was born in Al-Sharqia Governorate, Egypt, in 1951.
Over the course of his career, Abdo has published a rich body of work that spans fiction, war literature, and political writing. His fiction is distinguished by its psychological depth, social awareness, and its engagement with Egypt’s modern history and human struggle.
Published Works
Short Story Collections
Ahmed Abdo’s early acclaim came with The Seventh Wall (Egyptian General Book Organization, 1994), followed by several collections including The Dogs of China (2007), Excavation in the Depths (2010), and Encrypted Letters (Anawin Books, Yemen, 2024). He has also written for younger readers, such as In the Shade of the Grapes (Qatr al-Nada Series, 2007).
Novels
His novels include Revelations of the Dead Sea (2006), The Navel of the Town (2015), Daughters of April 6 (2019), From the Kangaroo’s Pouch (2022), and The Possessing Spirit (2022). Through these works, Abdo explores themes of identity, revolution, and the inner conflicts of the Egyptian psyche.
War Literature
Drawing on his own military background, Ahmed Abdo has made significant contributions to Egyptian war literature. His notable works include Engraving in the Eyes of Moses (2002–2023), Foxes in Al-Dafersoir (2010), State of War (2011), and October, O Sons… Sons of October (2013). More recent titles such as The Cave of Black Manganese (2023), General Sayyidna Al-Hussein (2023), and Who Fights with One Hand? (2024) continue his exploration of courage, sacrifice, and the moral dimensions of conflict.
Political Writing
In his nonfiction, Abdo examines Egypt’s social and political transformations in books such as The January Revolution and the Search for a Path (2013), Egypt Unveils the Veil (2018), and Rabbis of Blood in the Middle East (2018).
Awards and Recognition
Ahmed Abdo’s literary achievements have been widely recognized. He has received numerous awards, including the Story Club Award (2002), the Armed Forces Award for War Literature (2003), and the Ihsan Abdel Quddous Award (2006). He also won honors from Al-Gomhuria (2009), the Veterans Association (2010), and Al-Masaa newspaper for Excavation in the Depths (2012).
In recent years, he won First Prize in the Youssef Abu Rayya Award (Writers’ Union Awards, 2023) for his novel sequence From the Kangaroo’s Pouch, and the Taha Hussein Award (2024) for his novel Bewitched By Love, presented by the Story Club in cooperation with Egypt’s Cultural Development Fund.
