Mahmoud Salem

Mahmoud Salem (Arabic: محمود سالم‎; 1931 - 24 February 2013) was an eminent Egyptian author who was known for children books and mystery series.

Mahmoud Salem
محمود سالم
Born1931
Alexandria
Died24 February 2013 (aged 82)
Cairo
OccupationJournalist
LanguageArabic
CitizenshipEgyptian
EducationHigh school
PeriodLate 1960s - 2000s
GenreChildren literature
Detective fiction
Mystery fiction
Notable worksThe 13 Devils
The Five Adventurers

Early life and education

Salem was born in Alexandria in 1931 as a son of a naval officer.[1][2] He was raised in different cities in Egypt.[3]

He first attended a military college, but left it due to his membership to a leftist group during the late 1940s.[1] Then he joined Cairo University's faculty of law.[1] However, he again left his studies.[1]

Career and activities

After leaving his studies at the faculty of law, Salem began to work as a journalist.[1] During the 1950s, he worked for the state-run daily Al Gomhuria, firstly as military reporter during the Suez war and then, as head of the crime section.[3] During the 1960s he worked for the Radio and Television Magazine and then, for the children’s magazine Samir where he began to write detective and mystery fiction.[3] He fled the country and lived in Lebanon when he was forced to exile due to his support for the Nasserist views in the 1970s.[3] Until his last days, he published weekly political articles in the newspaper, Al Tahrir.[4] One of his latest articles published on 22 February 2013 involved criticisms against the Muslim Brotherhood.[4]

Works

Salem was the author of many well-known books in Arabic, targeting children and adolescents. Total number of his books is nearly 300.[5][6] One of his books is the 13 Devils written by him while he was in exile in Lebanon.[3] It was series of mystery novels, in which 13 characters from different Arab countries deal with plots of foreign intelligence service.[3] In 2007, one of his stories was filmed.[5] The Five Adventurers, a mystery series, is about the adventures of five children.[2]

Death

Salem died in Cairo at the age of 82 on 24 February 2013.[5]

gollark: It must be a sword because it's enchanted with Sharpness, silly.
gollark: Although that is marginally worse than my own sword.
gollark: Because of things.
gollark: Those are basically lost technology now.
gollark: It is, yes.

References
  1. Saad, Mohammed (25 February 2013). "Pioneering children's author Mahmoud Salem dies at 84". Ahram Online. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  2. "Departure of Egyptian Mystery Author Mahmoud Salem". Alowais. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  3. "Prominent fiction writer Mahmoud Salem dies at 84". Egypt Independent. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  4. "Egyptian author Mahmoud Salem dies age 84". Daily News. 25 February 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  5. "Salem passes away". Poetry News Agency. Cairo. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  6. Patterson Iskander, Sylvia (1993). "Arabic Adventurers and American Investigators: Cultural Values in Adolescent Detective Fiction" (PDF). Children's Literature. 21: 118–131. doi:10.1353/chl.0.0266. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
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