Waguih Ghali
Not much is known about Waguih Ghali. Ghali was born and raised in Cairo. His exact birth date is not known, but it is guessed he was born in the 1930’s to a upper class Coptic family in Egypt. Ghali’s family spoke English and French more than Arabic something he mirrors in his character Ram. When he was young, Ghali’s father passed away leaving Waguih behind as the poor relation to his mother’s rich family. Once he grew up he funneled his outrage at the poverty in Egypt towards the Communist party. As an adult Ghali left Egypt to study and work in Britain, France, Sweden and Germany.
“Beer in the Snooker Club” was his only novel which now appears to be an exaggerated dictation of his life. Waguih Ghali committed suicide in 1969. Much of his life in London and up until his death is described in "After a Funeral" by Diana Athill.
In "After a Funeral" Dianna Athill describes how she meet Waguih Ghali, whose alias in the novel is "Didi". According to Diana Athill, Waguih Ghali was a sweet and intelligent man. He was an Egyptian exile though and through that information she discovered a darker side to the talented writer. Ghali was an intense gambler, drinker, and womaniser. He committed suicide in the flat they shared in London. When he died he left behind a set of notebooks. In these notebooks Waguih Ghali wrote that his death was the "one authentic act of my life."
كاتب مصري، له رواية وحيدة هي بيرة في نادي البلياردو والتي كتبها أثناء إقامته في أوائل الستينيات بين برلين ولندن، ترك غالي بلده مصر في أوائل الستينيات وسافر إلى أوروبا ليعمل في وظائف غير مستقرة، منها عامل في مصانع ببرلين وعدد من الوظائف الأخرى، وهي الفترة التي بدأ فيها بكتابة روايته الأولى والوحيدة، كما عمل كمراسل صحفي وكتب تحقيقات لمجلة صنداي تايمز بناء على زيارته لإسرائيل في الستينيات، انتحر وجيه غالي في شقة الكاتبة الإنجليزية ديانا آتهيل عام ١٩٦٩
لوجيه غالي رواية وحيدة هي بيرة في نادي البلياردو والتي نُشرتْ عام ١٩٦٤ عن دار بينجوين الإنجليزية. ولا توجد معلومات حول إذا ما كان هنالك أي إنتاج أدبي آخر لوجيه غالي. وعادة ما يشار إليه كأول كاتب مصري تكون له مطبوعات بينجوين.
“It is strange. A man gets to know a woman. For a long time they are one. They have mingled their thoughts, their bodies, their hopes, their odours, their lives. They are one. And then a while later they are strangers. They are not one any more. Just as though it had never happened, as though looking at oneself in the mirror and seeing a stranger instead of one’s reflection.”
“I started to pour some of my passion into politics. I later learnt that a man who has passion in his politics is usually attractive to women.”
“A woman will never fall in love with a man who doesn’t dominate her, however slightly.”
“One only realizes the extent of his love when he thinks he has lost the one he loves; and unhappily, very often only begins to love when he feels his love is not returned.”