Trained as a dentist in Egypt and Chicago, it took him 9 years to earn his degree from Chicago National University where he spent 17 years in his life, al-Aswany has contributed numerous articles to Egyptian newspapers on literature, politics, and social issues. His second novel, The Yacoubian Building, an ironic depiction of modern Egyptian society, has been widely read in Egypt and throughout the Middle East. It has been translated into English, Danish, Finnish, French, Norwegian, Greek and Dutch, and was adapted into a film (2006) and a television series (2007) of the same name.
Chicago, a novel set in the city in which the author was educated, was published in January 2007.
Al-Aswany participated in the Blue Metropolis in Montreal, June 2008, and was featured in interviews with the CBC programme "Writers and Company".
Kostyal, Karen, "Alaa Al Aswany: Voice of Reason" (Interview with the author), National Geographic Interactive, nd.
Mishra, Pankaj. "Where Alaa Al Aswany Is Writing From", New York Times Magazine, April 27, 2008.
Salama, Vivian, "A Tale of Some Egyptian: As Yacoubian Building Heads West, the Author Discusses the Story's Message", Daily Star Egypt, December 8, 2005.
Alaa Al Aswany interviewed by Jonathan Heawood, English PEN at the London Book Fair, 2008, podcast [1]
Watch a video interview with Alaa al Aswany talking about Chicago on The Interview Online
Interview with Alaa al Aswany at the World Book Club [2]