The book begins with the legend of Nasser, who, as a student, was once ordered by his teacher to strike a classmate for failing to answer a question correctly. When Nasser refused, the enraged teacher commanded his classmates to punish him. He endured sixty blows to his hands. That day, Gamal Abdel Nasser became the natural leader of his class. The students played or stopped at his will. It was there, the author argues, that the legend of Nasser was born—the legend of an uncompromising defender of justice, whatever the cost. This legend would remain essential to his character throughout his life, driving him to take courageous positions even in the face of the most virulent criticism and devastating wars.
The book ends with the grandest legend of all: the eternal conflict between good and evil, between God and the devil. This is the legend of Isis and Osiris, where Isis, after Osiris's death, gives birth to the son of God, a figure who, across various traditions, appears as a hero or prophet, gifted with supernatural power to fight an equally supernatural force—Set, the devil—who must be vanquished so that justice may prevail.
Mohsen Abdel-Aziz's book explores the destinies of significant figures in politics, literature, and the arts. By introducing the concept of "personal myths," the author invites the reader to uncover the intimate narratives that have shaped the lives of 39 extraordinary individuals. The book is built on the premise that each person, consciously or unconsciously, constructs a personal myth that guides their actions, choices, and legacy. This myth—a fusion of genetic imprint, lived experience, and unconscious desire—acts as an internal compass, leading them toward particular goals and determining the course of their existence. The author argues that, in each life, a defining event occurs at an early age, a pivotal moment that crystallizes this myth. "As soon as a human being is born, he pursues his myth, or rather, it is his myth that pursues him," writes Abdel-Aziz.
Combining psychology, history, and analysis, the book draws inspiration from Nietzsche's concept of "eternal return," in which events and choices are destined to repeat indefinitely. These recurring incidents shape the trajectory of a life, giving rise to a myth that is both cause and effect. This idea also echoes Jung's theory of the collective unconscious, where archetypes guide human behaviour.
To illustrate his thesis, the author cites the example of the Egyptian geographer and scholar Gamal Hamdan, who chose a life of strict seclusion. In his reclusiveness, Hamdan sought to embody the myth defining his entire existence—the myth of the map. His life was dedicated to mapping geographical territories and Egypt's intellectual and social course.
Similarly, Anwar Sadat's childhood impersonations of Gandhi and his classmates on the rooftop of his family's home foreshadowed the life of a charismatic leader who would forever perform on the world stage. He was a man of multiple personas: the pious peasant in an abaya, the stern general in uniform, the affable everyman on a bicycle, and even the humble man shaving in his underwear. Like the mythical hero described by Joseph Campbell, Sadat embarked on a journey in pursuit of his dream, overcoming obstacles, encountering the woman who would aid him, and becoming the companion of a hero—Nasser—before ultimately becoming a hero himself, first in war, then in peace.
A life conceived as theatre could only end theatrically. Sadat, dressed in his military uniform and surrounded by his men, was assassinated on live television. He died as heroes do—on stage, in the full glare of history.
Souad Hosni's childhood was shaped by rupture. Her parents' divorce at an early age condemned her to eight years of shuttling between two homes. She became torn and would remain so all her life. Contradiction became her legend. She was, naturally, the actress of duality, the screen's Cinderella, playing characters split in two, often more than one in a single film. Even when she played a single role, her character underwent enormous transformations.
Her body, too, would later split. She suffered a spinal fracture. Then, as she faded into oblivion, depression and loneliness took hold. She fell from a sixth-floor balcony, or perhaps she was pushed. Even in death, division persisted: was it suicide or murder?
The book is divided into three parts, offering a fresh reading of Egyptian history, unconcerned with strict chronology. The first part is devoted to contemporary figures, particularly those from the post-1952 revolution era. It features myths such as Naguib Mahfouz's window or the legend of the boy of Om Kalthoum. The second part moves back in time, covering Egypt from Muhammad Ali to the 1952 revolution, tracing the foundational myths of figures such as Saad Zaghloul, portrayed as the gambler, and Refaa al-Tahtawi, the light traveller. The final section is devoted to ancient Egypt and the myths that shaped the lives of figures such as Plotinus and Cleopatra.
The author does not explicitly justify his selection of figures or historical periods. Yet, there is a common thread: a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism—or, at the very least, a shared struggle against the forces of darkness and ignorance.
In the introduction, Abdel-Aziz describes his method, explaining that he has sought to prove his thesis—that myth-making is an intrinsic part of human nature—by positioning his figures at the border between reality and imagination. His account, he states, lies somewhere between historical fact and pure fiction.
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