books
5 ways to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day
Books
April 23, 2012
5 ways to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day
This year, Tunis lit the candle for UNESCO's World Book Day. Five days before the annual UNESCO-sponsored World Book and…
US ambassador observes restoration of Institut d’Egypte books
Egypt
January 18, 2012
US ambassador observes restoration of Institut d’Egypte books
US Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson visited the National Library and Archives of Egypt (Dar al-Kotob) on Wednesday to see…
Fishere breaks with his past in ‘Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge’
Books
December 10, 2011
Fishere breaks with his past in ‘Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge’
Egyptian novelist and ex-diplomat, Ezzedine Choukri Fishere, seems to be taking his literary career to new heights with his latest…
‘The Tobacco Keeper’ asks: Who is Baghdad?
Books
December 5, 2011
‘The Tobacco Keeper’ asks: Who is Baghdad?
Ali Bader’s “The Tobacco Keeper” is a complex, emotionally charged novel of masks and shifting identities. It encompasses eighty years,…
Unwelcome at ‘The Fox Hotel’
Books
December 1, 2011
Unwelcome at ‘The Fox Hotel’
“The Fox Hotel” is a great title for a children’s book, implying all sorts of amusing possibilities. Is it…
A beautiful failure
Books
November 27, 2011
A beautiful failure
There are good reasons why it is hard to assemble a credible anthology of African short stories. There are…
‘Cairo: My City, Our Revolution’ goes to Sharjah
Books
November 21, 2011
‘Cairo: My City, Our Revolution’ goes to Sharjah
During a brief visit to the 30th Sharjah International Book Fair, acclaimed Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif gave a first public…
In other words: When translation stifles local talent
Books
November 15, 2011
In other words: When translation stifles local talent
In the US and UK, the word “translation” is often an instant buzz-kill for publishers. Most consider translation synonymous with…
Artists find a new home in Al-Cabina
Books
October 30, 2011
Artists find a new home in Al-Cabina
Not so long ago, the space now colorfully occupied by the new Alexandrian cultural center Al-Cabina was a dump so…