The Palace Walk: Cairo Trilogy I, (1956) by Naguib Mahfouz, is the first novel of the acclaimed trilogy, which follows three generations of an Egyptian family. The other two novels, Palace of Desire: Cairo Trilogy II (1956) and Sugar Street: Cairo Trilogy III, (1957) complete the trilogy.

Mahfouz's Echoes of an Autobiography (1994) is a memoir written as a loose collection of vignettes from the author's personal experience.

The Early Novels of Naguib Mahfouz (1994), by Matti Moosa, introduces the Western reader to the most noted novels of Mahfouz. The study also places his stories in social, political and religious context of modern Egypt.

The Arabic Novel in Egypt, 1914-1970 (1973), written by Fatma Moussa-Mahmoud, is a concise, easy-to-read history of the Arabic novel. It provides brief overviews of the careers and work of key Arab writers.

The History of Egypt from Muhammed Ali to Mubarek (1985), by P. J. Vatikiotis, is a comprehensive, authoritative history of Egypt.

Menahem Milson's Naguib Mahfouz: The Novelist-Philosopher of Cairo (1988) provides close readings of the works of Mahfouz based on an analysis of their linguistic and literary sources.

Naguib Mahfouz: From Regional Fame to Global Recognition (1993), edited by Michael Beard and Adnan Haydar, is a collection of articles that addresses the work of Mahfouz from the perspective of both his regional importance as an Arabic writer and his international significance.