Youssef Idris was an Egyptian writer of short stories and novellas. He was born in 1927, and studied at the Faculty of Medicine, where he also started his political activism...Read more against King Farouk's regime. He wrote his first short story while at the faculty, and it was highly praised by his colleagues. He continued working in medicine until 1960, and was employed as an editor in Al-Gomhoreya newspaper in 1957. His short stories are extremely popular in the Middle East, and were also translated to many languages and adapted to numerous short films.
Spirit of Survival
Police General Hemat demolishes the psychology of rebellious youth, by using sergeant Abbas who tortures political prisoners including Dr. Shawki. When Shawki is released, Abbas s condition deteriorates after his drug addiction. His wife Nour calls Dr. Shawki without knowing that he is one of his victims.
The Joke
The play tells about three brothers Abbas the First, Abbas the Second, and Abbas the Third. Abbas the First accuses Abbas the Third of being insane so that he can seize his inheritance from the land he owns. However, the appearance of Abbas II disrupts all the plans of Abbas the First.