BOOK REVIEWS

Author: Ahmed Toughan
Preface: Anwar Al-Sadat
Publisher: Dar Al-Tahrir (Cairo) - 1957

When it comes to the history of contemporary Arab political cartoons, Ahmed Toughan is among the most notable artists caricaturists. The recent octogenarian has left a lasting mark on political satire in the region during the past 60 years. A forefather of political cartooning in the region, he is recognized by his peers and his many followers as an incisive critic and artistic narrator of history. At the age of 80, Toughan remains a most colourful character whose prolific career continues unabated. In a recent Megastars issue we featured him and offered a glimpse into his unique life. In this issue we revisit the 1950s to examine and present one of his early works of political expression entitled Kadaya Al-Sho'ub (Issues of Nations).

Ahmed Toughan, the long-time art consultant of Cairo's colossal Dar Al-Tahrir publishing house and cartoonist of Al-Gomhorriya daily newspaper in Egypt since 1953, was born in December 26, 1926 in Minya province in upper Egypt. He also worked for both Ros Al-Yusif weekly magazine and Akhbar Al-Yum weekly newspaper. He is a member of the Arab Writers Union, Syndicate of Fine Art, Egyptian Cartoonists Committee, and Egyptian Syndicate of Journalists. He was the recipient of many awards, including the Head of Arab Cartoonists (1987), Human Rights Award (1988), and Grand Medal of Fine Art (1997). Toughan is considered among the most revered of political cartoonists in the Arab World. His most recent book was about the Palestinian struggle for their freedom was published by the High Council of Culture in 2004.

During his long and eventful career, Toughan authored ten books covering a large number of topics. These include manuscripts about his frequent travels to Algeria and Yemen. However, the common themes that underlies much of Toughan's cartoons are national, regional and global issues, with particular interest in issues relating to human rights and world peace. Many consider Toughan, who was influenced by Saroukhan, Rakha and Zuhdy, as the continuation of legacy and lineage of star Egyptian cartoonists which began in ancient times with the Satirical Papyrus. There is no doubt that his long friendship with another satirical writer, the "Naughty Boy" Mahmoud El-Saadany, left a mark on his cartoons and writings. In July 1996, he was the first cartoonist to present the events occurring in Afghanistan with the coming to power of the Taliban regime. In addition to being a cartoonist, Toughan is also a novelist, poet, political writer, philosopher and fighter.

His first book, Issues of Nations, was published in 1957, about the struggles against imperialism--a year after President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. The preface of his first book was written by his old friend, Lieutenant Colonel, Anwar Sadat, who was the founder with Colonel Nasser, Dr. Taha Hussein and Toughan of Al-Gomhorriya daily newspaper. Dr. Taha Hussein, the leading writer, was the founder of both Alexandria and Ain Shams universities. One of his major achievements as Minister of Education before 1952, was abolishing school fees. Following the death of President Nasser, Anwar Sadat became president of Egypt in 1970 and was assassinated 25 years ago on October 6, 1981.

Issues of Nations (In Arabic: Kadaya Al-Sho'ub) includes a compilation of more than 200 political cartoons previously published in Al-Gomhorriya daily newspaper between 1953-1957, presenting the struggle for Arab independence and liberation movements in Egypt and other developing countries. Most notable is the introduction of this book, by then Lt. Colonel Anwar Sadat where he described Toughan as "An artist's shaped by pain." Sadat, who later became President of Egypt in 1970, wrote the story of his first meeting with the gifted artist Toughan in the summer of 1948 at one of the Nile River cafes in Giza, soon after his release from a 31-month jail sentence. In it he explains his admiration in the life story of his friend Toughan's continuous fight against imperialism. The cover of the book shows a cartoon which depicts nuclear warfare as as an open mouthed beast with sharp fangs impatiently awaiting to be spoon-fed the Earth.

The Ambassadors Research Foundation is considering translating this valuable book to both English and French, since it represents a unique perspective on the history of the fight of intellectuals from developing countries against colonialism in the mid-20th century. For more about the author, he was profiled in the MEGASTARS section of a past issue of The Ambassadors Magazine, at www.ambassadors.net/archives/issue9/megastars.htm.

Preface by Lt. Colonel Anwar Al-Sadat (1957)

Introduction by Ahmed Toughan (October 1957)

Published in Al-Gomhorriya on February 16, 1955. This cartoon depicts the meeting of African and Asian leaders in Bandong to discuss peace. Some identifiable world leaders including Egypt's Nasser and India's Nehru are seated in a circle with a smoking pot in the center. The caption below reads: The real head of the Bandong Conference?!!

Published in Al-Gomhorriya on December 18, 1953. This cartoon's caption reads ironically: The Imperialism whose sun does not set. The cartoon represents the British colonial empire melting and wearing under the radiance of the sun labelled "Awareness of the People."

Published in Al-Gomhorriya on May 1, 1955. It represents John Paul (or the UK) ignoring the Iraqi politician Nour El-Said, as he pleads with him for help with the baby which represents the Baghdad Coalition.

Published in Al-Gomhorriya on October 19, 1956. It represents a British soldier being told by his superior, "your father died defending the Trading Co. in India, and your uncle died in Malaya for the Rubber Co., so you are from a very reputable family that defended its country"! This represented the lack of interest of soldiers in participating in the British wars at that time.

As Toughan celebrates his 80th birthday, his 11th book entitled, With The People (Ma'a el-Naas), which tackles the social issues of the people, will be published by Madbouli Publishers (Cairo).

Talaat I. Farag & Adel Iskandar, "Toughan & Toughanism: The exceptional story of a fighter for human virtue, equity and empowerment, " MEGASTARS section, The Ambassadors Magazine. Vol. 4, Issue 1 (Jan 2001). URL: http://ambassadors.net/archives/issue9/megastars.htm

Talaat I. Farag, "Satirical Papyrus and Modern Cartoonists (Part II): Saroukhan and the History of Egyptian Cartoons," FEATURES section, The Ambassadors Magazine. Vol. 7, Issue 1 (Jan 2004). URL: http://ambassadors.net/archives/issue15/features2.htm

The Ambassadors Research Foundation, "Memoirs of a Cartoonist on the Palestinian Issue," BOOK REVIEW section, The Ambassadors Magazine. Vol. 6, Issue 2 (July 2003). URL: http://ambassadors.net/archives/issue14/review2.htm