Fouad al-Tikerly
Encyclopedia
Fouad al-Tikerly was a prominent Iraq
i novelist and writer
, who was, perhaps, best known for his groundbreaking novel
, al-Rajea al-Baeed, which is translated to The Long Way Back. Al-Tikerly was one of the last surviving members of a group of well known Iraqi novelists from the 1970s era.
Al-Tikerly was born in Baghdad
in 1927. In school, he was friends with Abdul-Wahab al-Bayati. He graduated from the University of Baghdad
's law school
in 1949. He was employed at the Ministry of Justice of Iraq for 35 years. He became an Iraqi judge
in 1956 before later becoming the head judge of the city of Baghdad's Court of Appeals
. Al-Tikerly developed a reputation for fairness as a judge.
Al-Tikerly moved to Paris
, France
, in 1964 in order to attend postgraduate law school. He later returned to France briefly during the 1980s. Al-Tikerly retired from the law in 1983 in order to devote more time to his novels.
Al-Tikerly published his most noted novel, al-Rajea al-Baeed (The Long Way Back), during the 1970s. The novel depicted the suffering and trials afflicting four generations of a Baghdad family under several oppressive Iraqi government regimes in the years after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy
, including that of Saddam Hussein
. Al-Tikerly's novel was one of the few to openly criticize the Iraqi government without punishment. Al-Tikerly had no political affiliation, and was not connected to the Baath Party
or the regime
of Saddam Hussein.
Al-Tikerly moved to Tunisia
in 1990 after the death of his wife. He later remarried to a Tunisian woman.
The government of the United Arab Emirates
awarded al-Tikerly with the Owais Prize for Arabic-language novels and literature
in 2000.
at a hospital in Amman, Jordan, on February 11, 2008, at the age of 81. He and his family had been living in Jordan for the previous three years in order to escape the violence which swept Iraq following the 2003 Iraq War. He was survived by his Tunisian wife and novelist as well 'Rachida Turki' and their son and three daughters from an earlier marriage.
President Jalal Talabani
praised al-Tikerly "as an author and judge as well a president's adviser after the tyrant regime was ousted."
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i novelist and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, who was, perhaps, best known for his groundbreaking novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, al-Rajea al-Baeed, which is translated to The Long Way Back. Al-Tikerly was one of the last surviving members of a group of well known Iraqi novelists from the 1970s era.
Al-Tikerly was born in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 1927. In school, he was friends with Abdul-Wahab al-Bayati. He graduated from the University of Baghdad
University of Baghdad
The University of Baghdad is the largest university in Iraq and the second largest Arab university following the University of Cairo.- Nomenclature :Both University of Baghdad and Baghdad University are used interchangeably....
's law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in 1949. He was employed at the Ministry of Justice of Iraq for 35 years. He became an Iraqi judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in 1956 before later becoming the head judge of the city of Baghdad's Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
. Al-Tikerly developed a reputation for fairness as a judge.
Al-Tikerly moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in 1964 in order to attend postgraduate law school. He later returned to France briefly during the 1980s. Al-Tikerly retired from the law in 1983 in order to devote more time to his novels.
Al-Tikerly published his most noted novel, al-Rajea al-Baeed (The Long Way Back), during the 1970s. The novel depicted the suffering and trials afflicting four generations of a Baghdad family under several oppressive Iraqi government regimes in the years after the fall of the Iraqi monarchy
Kingdom of Iraq
The Kingdom of Iraq was the sovereign state of Iraq during and after the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. The League of Nations mandate started in 1920. The kingdom began in August 1921 with the coronation of Faisal bin al-Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi as King Faisal I...
, including that of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. Al-Tikerly's novel was one of the few to openly criticize the Iraqi government without punishment. Al-Tikerly had no political affiliation, and was not connected to the Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
or the regime
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
of Saddam Hussein.
Al-Tikerly moved to Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
in 1990 after the death of his wife. He later remarried to a Tunisian woman.
The government of the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
awarded al-Tikerly with the Owais Prize for Arabic-language novels and literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
in 2000.
Death
Fouad al-Tikerly died of pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
at a hospital in Amman, Jordan, on February 11, 2008, at the age of 81. He and his family had been living in Jordan for the previous three years in order to escape the violence which swept Iraq following the 2003 Iraq War. He was survived by his Tunisian wife and novelist as well 'Rachida Turki' and their son and three daughters from an earlier marriage.
President Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani
Jalal Talabani is the sixth and current President of Iraq, a leading Kurdish politician. He is the first non-Arab president of Iraq, although Abdul Kareem Qasim was half Kurdish....
praised al-Tikerly "as an author and judge as well a president's adviser after the tyrant regime was ousted."