Ahmed Fadl Shablool is an Egyptian poet, novelist, and researcher born in Alexandria in 1953 with more than 85 published books in a variety of fields. He graduated from the Faculty of Commerce, Alexandria University in 1978. He received the prize of the Supreme Council of Culture - Literary and Critical Studies Division in 1999 for his research "Children's Literature Technology” and the State Incentive Award for Literature in 2007. In 2019 he was awarded the State Prize for Excellence in Literature. He received an honorary doctorate in arts in 2020.
In January 2022 his novel "The Last Night in the Life of Mahmoud Saeed" received the Jury Appreciation Certificate for the Arab World Novel Prize in Paris .
Memberships and Service:
Member of the Supreme Council of Culture – Poetry Committee since 2022, and the Narrative and Storytelling Committee since 2024.
Member of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Writers’ Union and Chairman of the Awards Committee.
Member of the Atelier (Artists and Writers Group) in Alexandria.
Member of the Story Club in Cairo and President of its Alexandria branch.
Vice President of the Arab Internet Writers Union (2005–2009).
Worked as Managing Editor and Publishing Director at Al-Daira Media Company in Riyadh (1987–1991).
Worked as an editor and language proofreader in the Scientific Publishing and Printing Department at King Saud University in Riyadh (1991–1998).
Worked as an editor and literary researcher at Al-Arabi magazine in Kuwait (2010–2013).
Worked as the Cultural Programs Officer for Al-Babtain Cultural Channel, broadcasting from Kuwait (2013–2016).
Served as Head of the Cultural Section at Middle East Online, a London-based network, for over twenty years (2000–2021).
Editor of the "My First Novel" series published by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage for young adults, translated from French in 2009.
Secretary-General of the Ahmed Mubarak Poetry Prize, organized by the Cultural Development Fund of the Ministry of Culture.
Publications:
Poetry:
"Traveler to God" – 1980 – Faros Book Series, Alexandria.
"And the Sea Is Lost" – 1985 – Talents Series, issued by the National Center for Fine Arts, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Cairo.
"Two Birds Burning in the Sea" – 1986 (co-authored with poet Abdel Rahman Abdel Mawla) – Arab Creativity Series, Egyptian General Book Organization, Cairo.
"The Mechanical Bird's Song" – Three editions:
First edition: Contemporary Voices Series, Zagazig, 1996
Second edition: Egyptian Forum for Creativity and Development, Alexandria, 1999
Third edition (electronic): Arab Thinker Publishing House, 2024
"The Bird and the Open Window" – 1999 – Manarat Al-Iskandariya for Publishing and Distribution, Alexandria.
Second edition (electronic): Arab Thinker Publishing House, 2024
"Emigrant Alexandria" – 1999 – Writers’ Union and Zewail Publishing House, Cairo.
"Another Sun.. Another Sea" – 2000 – Supreme Council of Culture, Cairo.
"The Water is Ours, and the Roses" – 2001 – New Writings Series, Egyptian General Book Organization.
"Another Sea" – 2003 – A selection of poems translated into French, translation by: Sherine Mahmoud. Egyptian Publishing and Distribution House, Alexandria.
"He Walks Between Two Rivers" – 2005 – Egyptian General Book Organization, Cairo.
"A Woman Made of Poppies" – 2009 – Masterpieces of Poetry Series – Dar Al-Taliaa Publishing, Cairo.
"Remnants from the Corners of Your Candle" – 2012 – Egyptian General Book Organization, Cairo.
"Hide Inside My Chest" – 2017 – Egyptian General Book Organization, Cairo.
"The Notebook of the Mind" – 2024 – Creative Sabbatical Series, Supreme Council of Culture, Cairo (in both print and electronic editions).
Novels:
"Editor-in-Chief: The Passions of an Autobiography", published by Alaan Publishers and Distributors, Amman, 2017, and by Hasnaa Publishing and Distribution, Alexandria, 2017.
A related book was also published titled "Editor-in-Chief: The Biography of the Novel and the Novel of the Biography" (which includes twenty scholarly studies and articles by Arab critics), prepared by the Moroccan critic Dr. Mustafa Shamiya, published by Alaan Publishers and Distributors in Jordan, 2018.
The critic Dr. Hafez Al-Maghribi wrote a chapter about it titled "The Novella as a Site for Genre Intersections – The Novel Editor-in-Chief: The Passions of an Autobiography by Ahmed Fadl Shabloul as a Model" (pp. 15–77), in his book "The Seduction of Narrative and the Taming of Criticism – Analytical Studies of Narrative Genres", published by Dar Kafa’at Al-Ma’rifah, Amman, 2022.
The Passionate Water – Ghorrab Publishing and Distribution, Cairo, 2018.
The Passionate Color – Alaan Publishers and Distributors, Amman, 2019; Hasnaa Publishing and Distribution, Alexandria, 2018.
The Last Night in the Life of Mahmoud Saeed, Cairo, 2020 – Dar Al-Hilal Foundation.
Adapted into a short feature film titled The Painter – screenplay and dialogue by Dr. Fawzi Khodr, 2022.
Translated into French in 2022 and into English in 2023.
The Passionate Stone, Cairo, 2020 – General Egyptian Book Organization.
Adapted into a television septet titled Zomorrod the Passionate, screenplay and dialogue by Dr. Fawzi Khodr, 2021.
The Last Night in the Life of Naguib Mahfouz, Cairo, 2021 – Ghorrab Publishing and Distribution, Cairo.
Translated into English in 2022.
Fox, Fox – Ghorrab Publishing and Distribution, Cairo, 2022.
The Compassionate One – Ghorrab Publishing and Distribution, Cairo, 2023.
Nights of Al-Karma – House of Wisdom Cultural Industries Group, Cairo, 2025.
To Be a Prince of Poets – Manazel Publishing and Distribution, Damietta, 2025.
Plays:
- The Trial of Biden and Netanyahu. A Poetic Vision of the Documentary Play by Mohamed El-Sayed Eid. Dar Gh0rab for Publishing and Distribution, Cairo, 2024.
- Naguib Mahfouz: The Beginning and the End. Creative Sabbaticals. Supreme Council of Culture, 2025.
Children's Literature:
- Trees of the Street, My Sisters, 1995, 1st ed. Al-Basheer Publishing and Distribution House, Amman. 2nd ed. Al-Obeikan Library, Riyadh, 2005. (I assigned a poem from it, "My Book is a River of Information," to ninth-grade students in Saudi schools.)
- A Talk of the Sun and the Moon, 1997 - Poetry, Cairo: Qatar El-Nada Series, General Authority for Cultural Palaces, Cairo.
- Pierre the Wise Speaks, 1999 (a simplification of some of Tawfiq El-Hakim's works for children). Cairo: Ain Saqr Series, General Authority for Cultural Palaces, Cairo.
- Airplane and City 2001 - Poetry - Cairo: Qatar Al-Nada Series, General Authority for Cultural Palaces.
- The Stones Family 2003 - Simplified Research - Cairo: Qatar Al-Nada Series, General Authority for Cultural Palaces. Adapted into a children's cartoon, produced and directed by the Alexandria Culture Branch 2009.
- Alaa and the Sea 2009 - Poetry - Cairo: Qatar Al-Nada Series, General Authority for Cultural Palaces.
- Dialogue with the Queen of Fruits 2011 - Children's Story - Kuwait: The Little Arab Book.
- Circles of Life 2011 - Poetry. Cairo: General Egyptian Book Organization.
- "Was I a Child?" - Poetry Selections - 2012, Kuwait: The Little Arab Book.
- I Love Life 2017 - Poetry - Dar Al-Hilal, Cairo (The Hilal Book Series for Boys and Girls).
- I and Here. 2020. Poetry. The Egyptian General Book Organization (Sanabel Series).
- The Angry Planet. 2024. A novel for young adults. The National Center for Children's Culture, affiliated with the Supreme Council of Culture.
- Mahmoud Said, Pioneer of Fine Arts. (Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Humanity Heritage Series for Young People) 2024.
- Poetic Plays for Young Adults. The Supreme Council of Culture, Cairo 2025.
Literary and Critical Studies:
- Voices from Contemporary Poetry, 1984, published by Dar Al-Matbouat Al-Jadida, Alexandria.
- Issues of Modernity in Poetry and the Short Story, 1993, published by the Arts, Literature, and Social Sciences Authority, Alexandria.
- Aesthetics of Poetic Texts for Children, 1996, 1st ed., published by the Arab Company for Publishing and Distribution, Cairo. 2nd ed., published by the Arab Press Agency, Cairo, 2017.
- Internet Writers... Writers of the Future (three editions), first in 1997, published by Dar Al-Miraj for Publishing and Distribution, Riyadh; second in 1999, published by the Arab Company for Publishing and Distribution, Cairo; and third in 1999, published by Dar Al-Wafa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- From the Papers of Dr. Haddara, 1998, published by the Pharos Book Series for Literature and Arts, Alexandria.
- Saudi Voices in the Short Story, 1998, published by Dar Al-Wafa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- Views on the Poetry of Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, 1998, in collaboration with poet Ahmed Mahmoud Mubarak. Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- Children's Literature in the Arab World - Issues and Opinions, 1998. Dar Al-Wafaa for Dunya Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria. Second edition 2023.
-Literary and Linguistic Studies Branch, 1999). Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- Life in the Novel, 2001. Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- Darwish's Bridge and Amal's Commandments, 2003. Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- Reclaiming Alexandria, 2003. Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- The Electronic Publishing Revolution 2004 - Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- On the Shores of Monday in the Short Story and Novel 2005 - Publications of the Monday Symposium, Alexandria.
- The Woman as a Narrator - Readings in the Short Story and Novel 2007 - Arab Press Agency, Cairo.
- Poets Inhabited by the Clouds - 2008 - Arab Press Agency, Cairo.
- Children's Literature Between Poetics and Digital Media - 2009 - Dar Al-Talaqi, Cairo.
- Paper Books that Paved the Way for the Digital Revolution 2015 - Digital Culture Series, General Authority for Cultural Palaces, Cairo.
- In the Company of Farouk Shousha 2017. Dar Ghurab for Publishing and Distribution, Cairo.
- "Horizons and Depths - Twenty Egyptian Novels." 2017 Arab Press Agency, Cairo.
- "Ocean and Gulf - Twenty Arab Novels." 2018 Arab Press Agency, Cairo.
- The State of Arabic Poetry Today. 2021. 1st ed. Dar Al-Adeeb for Publishing and Distribution, Cairo. 2nd ed. Dar Al-Mufaker Al-Arabi, Cairo, 2022.
- The Era of Naguib Mahfouz. 2022. Horus International Foundation, Alexandria.
- Naguib Mahfouz Without a Coat. 2022. Dar Al-Aan Publishers and Distributors, Amman.
- The Book of Scents. 2023. Dar Al-Aan Publishers and Distributors, Amman.
- Mystical Literature in Poetry, Short Stories, and Novels. Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria, 2024.
Travel Literature:
- I Saw Paris. 2005. Dar Al-Wafaa Printing, Publishing, and Distribution, Alexandria.
- From Istanbul to Cordoba, 2006 - Dar Al-Wafaa, printing, publishing, and distribution house, Alexandria.
- In Travel Literature: Seoul, London, Limassol, and Other Journeys, 2023. Dar Al-Mufaker Al-Arabi for Publishing and Distribution, Cairo.
Electronic Publishing:
- The Philosopher. A collection of poetry. Electronic Publishing House (Arabic Books), Cairo, 2005.
- I Saw Paris (in Travel Literature). Electronic Publishing House (Arabic Books), Cairo, 2005.
- The Child and War in the Space of Arabic Poetry. Damascus University. Damascus University Electronic Forum Library.
Participation in encyclopedic works with others:
- Directory of Conferences of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al-Daira Media Company, Riyadh, 1989.
- Dictionary of Saudi Writers and Authors. Al-Daira Media Company, Riyadh. 1st ed. 1990.
- Al-Babtain Dictionary of Contemporary Arab Poets. Abdul Aziz Saud Al-Babtain Foundation for Poetic Creativity, Kuwait. 1995.
- The International Arabic Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Works Foundation for Publishing and Distribution, Riyadh. 1996.
- Qarnfulah by Sayyidat al-Bahar (Poets from Alexandria) General Authority for Cultural Palaces, Alexandria Culture Branch, Alexandria. 1998.
- Abdulaziz Saud al-Babtain Foundation for Poetic Creativity in the Mirror of Arab Journalism, 2014.
- Abdulaziz Saud al-Babtain Foundation for Poetic Creativity... Documents and Photos, 2014.
- Aesthetics of Reception in the Encyclopedia of Classical Sudanese Poetry - Visions and Horizons - 2019.
- Naguib Mahfouz, East and West. Dar Ghurab for Publishing and Distribution, Cairo. 2022.
- Morocco in the Eyes of Its Visitors - Testimonies from the World. Dar Muqarabat in cooperation with Chouaib Doukkali University, Casablanca, 2022.
- Poet Ahmed Suwailem, Uniqueness and Adventure. Yastroun Foundation for Printing, Publishing, and Distribution. Cairo 2023.
- Horizons of Vision and Formation in Creativity in the Middle Delta (Proceedings of the Scientific Conference of the Department of Arabic Language - Tanta University - and the Central Delta Sub-Union of the Egyptian Writers Union) December 2023.
