Born into a working-class Coptic family in the provincial town of Tanta, in Egypt’s lush Nile Delta, Yusuf Tadrus is fascinated from a young age by light and shadow, spending his time drawing, making toys out of discarded objects he finds in the alley, and dreaming of becoming an artist and stepping into a broader world.
As he grows into adulthood, he hones his talent, but his ambitions are checked: by the responsibilities of family, marriage, and work; by his own lack of self-confidence, his ambivalence, and at times his recklessness; and by society’s expectations and prejudices.
Adel Esmat provides an intimate glimpse into Egyptian Christian life and, with sensitivity and honesty, tells of the struggles faced by an artist who seeks to remain true to his calling.
Tales of Yusuf Tadrus
A Novel
Born into a working-class Coptic family in the provincial town of Tanta, in Egypt’s lush Nile Delta, Yusuf Tadrus is fascinated from a young age by
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Mandy McClure
Mandy McClure is the translator of Arab Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide (AUC Press, 2008) and Tales of Yusuf Tadrus by Adel Esmat (Hoopoe, 2018), and co-translator of The Traditional Crafts of Egypt (AUC Press, 2016). She lives in Cairo.
