<p><em>ThatSmell</em> is Sonallah Ibrahim’smodernist masterpiece and one of the most influential novels written in Arabicsince WWII. Composed after a five-year term in prison, thesemi-autobiographical story follows a recently released political prisoner ashe wanders through Cairo, adrift in his native city. Living under house arrest,he tries to write of his tortuous experience, but instead smokes, spies on theneighbors, visits old lovers, and marvels at Egypt’s new consumer culture. Publishedin 1966, <em>That Smell</em> wasimmediately banned and the print-run confiscated. The original, uncensoredversion did not appear in Egypt for another twenty years.</p><p>For this edition, translator Robyn Creswell has alsoincluded an annotated selection of the author’s <em>Notes from Prison</em>, Ibrahim’s prison diaries—a personal archivecomprising hundreds of handwritten notes copied onto Bafra-brand cigarettepapers and smuggled out of jail. These stark, intense writings shed unexpectedlight on the sources and motives of Ibrahim’s groundbreaking novel. Alsoincluded in this edition is Ibrahim’s celebrated essay about the writing andreception of <em>That Smell</em>.</p>