- Fouad al-Tikerly
Fouad al-Tikerly (
1927 -February 11 ,2008 ) was a prominentIraq inovelist andwriter , who was, perhaps, best known for his groundbreakingnovel , "al-Rajea al-Baeed", which is translated to "The Long Way Back". cite news |first=|last=|title=Famed Iraqi novelist Fouad al-Tikerly dies of cancer in Jordan hospital
url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/11/africa/ME-GEN-Obit-Tikerly.php |work=Associated Press |publisher=International Herald Tribune |date=2008-02-11 |accessdate=2008-02-19] Al-Tikerly was one of the last surviving members of a group of well known Iraqi novelists from the 1970s era.Al-Tikerly was born in
Baghdad in 1927. [ [http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News/1-13907-Iraq-renowned-novelist-Fouad-Al-Tikerly-ends-journey.html Iraq renowned novelist Fouad Al Tikerly ends journey] ] He graduated from theUniversity of Baghdad 'slaw school in 1949. He was employed at theMinistry of Justice of Iraq for 35 years. He became an Iraqijudge in 1956 before later becoming the head judge of the city of Baghdad'sCourt of Appeals . Al-Tikerly developed a reputation for fairness as a judge.Al-Tikerly moved to
Paris ,France , in 1964 in order to attendpostgraduate law school. He later returned to France briefly during the 1980s. Al-Tikerly retired from the law in 1983 in order to devote more time to his novels.Al-Tikerly published his most noted novel, "al-Rajea al-Baeed" ("The Long Way Back"), during the 1970s. The novel depicted the suffering and trials afflicting four generations of a Baghdad family under several oppressive Iraqi government regimes in the years after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy, including that of
Saddam Hussein . Al-Tikerly's novel was one of the few to openly criticize theIraqi government without punishment. Al-Tikerly had nopolitical affiliation , and was not connected to theBaath Party or theregime of Saddam Hussein.Al-Tikerly moved to
Tunisia in 1990 after the death of his wife. He later remarried to a Tunisian woman.The government of the
United Arab Emirates awarded al-Tikerly with theOwais Prize forArabic-language novels andliterature in 2000.Death
Fouad al-Tikerly died of
pancreatic cancer at a hospital inAmman, Jordan , on February 11, 2008, at the age of 81. He and his family had been living in Jordan for the previous three years in order to escape the violence which swept Iraq following the 2003 Iraq War. He was survived by his Tunisian wife and their son and three daughters from an earlier marriage.President
Jalal Talabani praised al-Tikerly "as an author and judge as well a president's adviser after the tyrant regime was ousted."References
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