In his new book, Salmawy documents some of his memories of Naguib Mahfouz, based on his personal relationship with the great Nobel laureate from the 1970s until his death on August 31, 2006. He also accompanied him and supervised the publication of his books and articles for a period of more than twenty years. Salmawy was Mahfouz's personal envoy to receive the Nobel Prize on his behalf, and he delivered his speech before the Swedish Academy and the Prize Committee. He also publishes, for the first time, some of the documents, papers and recordings he holds regarding the giant of the Arabic novel, Naguib Mahfouz. The book contains much that has not been published before about Mahfouz's private life, his works, his meetings and his personal conversations on various issues and topics. Throughout its 400-plus medium-sized pages, Salmawy recounts many secrets and mysteries as an eyewitness and one of Mahfouz's closest associates. The book is divided into three chapters, each of which is almost an independent book. The first chapter covers the details of the meetings that took place between Mahfouz and a number of prominent international and Arab figures in literature and politics, such as his meeting with the famous Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, the South African writer Nadine Gordimer, the famous American playwright Arthur Miller, the great Egyptian scientist Dr. Ahmed Zewail, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1998, the great writer Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, the Prime Minister of Spain, and other public figures who sought out Naguib Mahfouz.

The second chapter includes some of Salmawy's previously unpublished writings about Naguib Mahfouz, which revolve around the most important literary and public issues related to him, his life, his works, and what was written about him.

Salmawy devotes the third chapter to Mahfouz's official speeches, delivered on his behalf at international and regional events, representing and deputizing for him in delivering them. Chief among them is the speech he delivered at the Swedish Academy's 1988 Nobel Prize ceremony, in addition to a rare interview with him about his life of reading and writing, published for the first time. The book concludes with an appendix containing some rare photos of Mahfouz that brought him together with the writer and others on various occasions.