Book description
Over the past few months I have delivered lectures, presentations and
interviews on the Egyptian Revolution. I have had overflowing houses
everywhere, been stopped by old ladies in the street and had my hand
shaken by numerous taxi drivers and shopkeepers. And all because I m
Egyptian and the glitter of Tahrir is upon me. They wanted me to talk to
them, to tell them stories about it, to tell them how, on the 28th of
January when we took the Square and The People torched the headquarters
of the hated ruling National Democratic Party, The (same) People formed
a human chain to protect the Antiquities Museum and demanded an official
handover to the military; to tell them how, on Wednesday, February 2nd,
as The People defended themselves against the invading thug militias and
fought pitched battles at the entrance to the Square in the shadow of
the Antiquities Museum, The (same) People at the centre of the square
debated political structures and laughed at stand-up comics and
distributed sandwiches and water; to tell them of the chants and the
poetry and the songs, of how we danced and waved at the F16s that our
President flew over us. People everywhere want to make this Revolution
their own, and we in Egypt want to share it. Ahdaf Soueif - novelist,
commentator, activist - navigates her history of Cairo and her journey
through the Revolution that s redrawing its future. Through a map of
stories drawn from private history and public record Soueif charts a
story of the Revolution that is both intimately hers and publicly
Egyptian. Ahdaf Soueif was born and brought up in Cairo. When the
Egyptian Revolution of 2011 erupted on January 25th, she, along with
thousands of others, called Tahrir Square home for eighteen days. She
reported for the world s media and did - like everyone else - whatever
she could. Captures the intoxicating romance of the weeks when
anything seemed possible. Soueif writes with verve and passion, offering
the authentic voice of the liberal Egyptian who risked everything
because she wanted her country to have freedom and democracy Daily
Telegraph Conveys what it felt like to be in Tahrir Square, to face the
police on the Nile bridges, to stumble into makeshift hospitals filled
with bloodied youths. [Ahdaf Soueif] has an eye for ephemera at the edge
of a vast stage. The reader gets a visceral sense of the dislocation the
revolutionaries felt in their own city ... In years to come it will be a
reminder to liberals - now once again in the opposition following the
recent election victory of Egypt's Islamists - of their most glorious
hour. It should serve as a heartening reminder of what they are capable
of achieving when united and courageous The Economist Bursts of
lyricism, poetry and love illuminate the factual account and political
commentary, and it works beautifully ... The immediacy is palpable. Read
this book -- Louisa Young Independent There are many records of the
Egyptian revolution, but Cairo takes us on a more intimate journey; one
that goes far beyond the 18 days of Tahrir Square ... [Ahdaf Soueif]
speaks of her own story but also speaks for thousands, perhaps even
millions of other Cairenes ... Compelling Guardian 'Soueif is a
political analyst and commentator of the best kind' London Review of
Books Over the past few months I have delivered lectures,
presentations and interviews on the Egyptian Revolution. I have had
overflowing houses everywhere, been stopped by old ladies in the street
and had my hand shaken by numerous taxi drivers and shopkeepers. And all
because I m Egyptian and the glitter of Tahrir is upon me. They wanted
me to talk to them, to tell them stories about it, to tell them how, on
the 28th of January when we took the Square and The People torched the
headquarters of the hated ruling National Democratic Party, The (same)
People formed a human chain to protect the Antiquities Museum and
demanded an official handover to the military; to tell them how, on
Wednesday, February 2nd, as The People defended themselves against the
invading thug militias and fought pitched battles at the entrance to the
Square in the shadow of the Antiquities Museum, The (same) People at the
centre of the square debated political structures and laughed at
stand-up comics and distributed sandwiches and water; to tell them of
the chants and the poetry and the songs, of how we danced and waved at
the F16s that our President flew over us. People everywhere want to make
this Revolution their own, and we in Egypt want to share it. Ahdaf
Soueif - novelist, commentator, activist - navigates her history of
Cairo and her journey through the Revolution that s redrawing its
future. Through a map of stories drawn from private history and public
record Soueif charts a story of the Revolution that is both intimately
hers and publicly Egyptian. Ahdaf Soueif was born and brought up in
Cairo. When the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 erupted on January 25th,
she, along with thousands of others, called Tahrir Square home for
eighteen days. She reported for the world s media and did - like
everyone else - whatever she could.
