“On this day in 2022, the first widespread English translation for Koddous’ book, I Do Not Sleep, was released,” Google Doodles said, adding that the Egyptian late best-seller got his first English translation decades later, for his 1950s popular novel that was turned into a film in 1960. The film starred Egyptian screen legends Faten Hamama and Omar Sharif.

Born on 1 January 1919 to Lebanese-born Egyptian actress and journalist Fatima Yusuf (Rose El-Yusuf) and veteran  Egyptian actor Mohamed Abdel-Koddous, Ihsan Abdel-Koddous graduated from the law school in 1942 and trained as a lawyer for a short period of time before joining his mother’s weekly magazine Rose El-Yusuf as a reporter.

He later joined Al-Akhbar newspaper where he worked for several years and proved himself as a distinguished reporter. Abdel-Koddous then moved to Al-Ahram newspaper and eventually became its editor-in-chief.

An outspoken critic of different Egyptian governments and politicians since the pre-1952 revolution royal era, Abdel-Koddous was imprisoned three times.

In 1944, he started writing film scripts, short stories, and novels.

Abdel-Koddous wrote over 600 short stories and 20 novels, many adapted into successful films and TV shows. Many of his books were translated into German, French, Ukrainian, and Chinese.

Love, politics, social behaviour, spirituality, and religion were among the common themes of the novels Abdel-Koddous wrote.

His novels were known for having strong female characters, such as in I Am Free, advocating for women’s equality and independence. 

Abdel-Koddous received several awards for his writings, including first prize for My Blood, My Tears, My Smile, Best Screenplay for The Bullet is Still in My Pocket, an Order of Merit of the First Class from the president, and shortly after his passing in 1990, an Order of the Republic of the First Class.

Ihsan Abdel-Koddous died on 12 January 1990 after suffering a stroke.