Mahfouz Ailing

Naguib Mahfouz, who has been hospitalized since July 16, had seemed to be doing better last week, but I am told by a reliable reader that the Nobel winner is again in critical condition. We send him best wishes for a full recovery.

Update: A reader from Cairo writes in to say that “{Mahfouz’s] condition does not look good as he still has some internal bleeding” and that “the obituaries are already being written.” This is very upsetting.