The SinnersThe Sinners, a novel by the contemporary Egyptian writer Yusuf Idris, focuses on the discovery of a baby's corpse. An intense desire to bring the killer to justice arouses the local peasants, and gives them the excuse to pry into the lives of the entire community. The primary suspects are a group of indigent migrant workers, and the question of their guilt or innocence soon reveals other kinds of truths. The best-known novel of one of Egypt's leading writers, The Sinners is an evocative account of life in pre-revolutionary Egypt, taking a hard look at the social mores and taboos of peasant society. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abd al-Muttalib Abdallah Afifa Ahmad Sultan Arabic Arabic language Arabic literature Arafa asked Aziza baby basket became began big farm boss Cairo camp canal chief clerk child Commissioner Fikri Afendi commissioner's cotton worm daughter donkey Dumyaan eggs Egyptian estate land estate's everything eyes face father feddans field forbidden gallabiya Gharabwa girl greetings hand happened heard heart husband Khawaaga knew laborers landowner laugh letter Linda look Mahboob mattock Mesiha Afendi migrant woman migrant workers mother mouth Nabawiya neighbor never night once overseers peasants piasters scream Sheikh Abd al-Waarith Sheikh Abu Ibrahim shelter sick silence Sinners smile spite stared stood stop story strange sweet potato talk tarboosh tell thing thought threshing floor threshing machine told took truck Umm al-Hasan Umm Ibrahim Umm Safwat Usta Muhammad village voice wanted wife women word Yusuf Idris Zakiya