The Thief and the Dogs- The Thief and the Dogs is one of the earliest surrealist, existentialist novels by Naguib Mahfouz. It is considered one of his most celebrated works and a landmark in Arab literature in general, as it introduced for the first time the stream of consciousness narrative technique to Arab narrative. It has also been adapted for Egyptian cinema in a famous film by Kamal El Sheikh. Published a decade after the 1952 Revolution which converted Egypt from a Kingdominto a republic with a nationalist, anti-imperialist agenda, the novel is also considered an expression of disappointment and disillusionment with the new regime.