Books from Egypt
85 popular egyptian books
Travel the world without leaving your chair.
The target of the Read Around The World Challenge is to read at least one book written by an author from each and every country in the world.
All books that are listed here as part of the "Read Around Africa Challenge" were written by authors from Egypt.
Find a great book for the next part of your reading journey around the world from this book list. The following popular books have been recommended so far.
31.
La Maldición de Ra : Keops y la gran pirámide by Naguib Mahfuz ES
Description:
Mientras Keops emprende la construccion de la gran piramide, su corte se enfrenta a un grave problema que el faraon intentara resolver mediante el asesinato de un bebe. Con su habitual capacidad para sumergir al lector en el ambiente de epocas pasadas, Mahfuz recrea en esta ocasion la vida en la corte durante la IV dinastia, una de las epocas mas apasionantes del Egipto de los faraones.
32.
Les fils de la médina by Naǧīb Maḥfūẓ FR
Description:
Sur les ruines des somptueux palais fatimides a poussé la Gamaliyya, un quartier populaire du vieux Caire. De ce petit monde truculent, qui oscille au fil des rumeurs de la ville ou voltige sur les fumées somnolentes du haschisch, s'élève parfois la voix du poète populaire disant l'évasion, proférant l'illusion, tandis que se succèdent des protagonistes qui mobilisent les ferveurs du peuple et suggèrent les trois révélations. Toujours interdit par la censure égyptienne, qui l'identifia comme une scandaleuse transposition de l'histoire sainte dans la chronique familière des hommes, ce fastueux ... continue
33.
Lyrics Alley by Leila Aboulela EN
Description:
Longlisted for the Orange Prize 2011 'Haunting' Telegraph 'A story for all the senses' Aminatta Forna 'A superb family epic . . . vivid, beautifully original' The Herald Set in 1950s Sudan, Lyrics Alley is the story of the powerful and sprawling Abuzeid dynasty. With Mahmoud Bey at its helm, the family can do no wrong. But when Mahmoud's son, Nur - the brilliant, charming heir to his business empire - suffers a near-fatal accident, his hopes of university and a glittering future are dashed. Subsequently, his betrothal to his cousin and sweetheart, Soraya is broken off. As British rule is comin... continue
34.
Maryam's Maze by Mansoura Ez-Eldin EN
Description:
Maryam's Maze is an enigmatic novel by one of the most promising authors of a vibrant new generation of Egyptian writers. Set in the house of Yusuf el Tagi, Maryam's Maze relates the story of a woman struggling to find her way through the confusion of the world around her. Using the literary device of the 'double, ' Maryam's Maze narrates a story that on one level touches on universal human emotions. At the same time the inner maze of dreams and memories in which the young Maryam finds herself stirs greater resonance in issues of modern Egyptian life. Echoing themes found in her earlier short ... continue
35.
Memoirs of a Woman Doctor by Nawal el Saadawi EN
Description:
A young Egyptian woman clashes with her traditional family when she chooses a career in medicine. Rather than submit to an arranged marriage and motherhood, she cuts her hair short and works fiercely to realise her dreams. At medical school, she begins to understand the mysteries of the human body. After years of denying her own desires, the doctor begins a series of love affairs that allow her to explore her sexuality – on her own terms. Written in her twenties when Nawal El Saadawi was studying in Cairo, Memoirs of a Woman Doctor is the searing coming-of-age story of a woman striving for fre... continue
36.
Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz EN
Description:
Widely acclaimed as Naguib Mahfouz's best novel, Midaq Alley brings to life one of the hustling, teeming back alleys of Cairo in the 1940s. From Zaita the cripple-maker to Kirsha the hedonistic cafe owner, from Abbas the barber who mistakes greed for love to Hamida who sells her soul to escape the alley, from waiters and widows to politicians, pimps, and poets, the inhabitants of Midaq Alley vividly evoke Egypt's largest city as it teeters on the brink of change. Never has Nobel Prize-winner Mahfouz's talent for rich and luxurious storytelling been more evident than here, in his portrait of on... continue
37.
Description:
In her Muslim hijab, with her down-turned gaze, Najwa is invisible to most eyes, especially to the rich families whose houses she cleans in London.
38.
Description:
“I defy any woman to flick through Modestly, through Dina’s musings on bullying, eating disorders, maternity wear, contouring and feminism, and not find something they can relate to” – METRO ‘This is the story of my life. It’s about me as a Muslim Brit embracing dual identities, surviving the turbulent teens and transitioning from self-doubt to self-belief. There is a little bit of drama, lots of laughs, plenty of practical advice and a shedload of bold statements. You can’t get a Muslim woman in a hijab with no opinion, am I right?!' Dina x Guys, get ready. YouTuber and social media sensation... continue
39.
On the Incarnation by Saint Athanasius (Patriarch of Alexandria) EN
Description:
"By any standard, this is a classic of Christian theology. Composed by St. Athanasius in the fourth century, it expounds with simplicity the theological vision defended at the councils of Nicaea and Constantinople: that the Son of God himself became "fully human, so that we might become god." Its influence on all Christian theology thereafter, East and West, ensures its place as one of the few "must read" books of Christian theology for all time."--
40.
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad EN
Description:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From award-winning novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad comes a powerful reckoning with what it means to live in a West that betrays its fundamental values "[A] bracing memoir and manifesto."—The New York Times “I can’t think of a more important piece of writing to read right now. I found hope here, and help, to face what the world is now, all that it isn’t anymore. Please read this. I promise you won’t regret it.”—Tommy Orange, bestselling author of Wandering Stars and There There On October 25, 2023, after just three weeks of the bombardment of Gaza, Omar El Akka... continue