Description
In the narrow, bustling lanes of old Cairo, life in Midaq Alley unfolds with the steady rhythm of daily commerce—shops opening at sunrise, closing at sunset, and neighbors meeting one another in the constant flow of the market. Over the course of a single year, a vivid cast of Egyptians—among them a dissolute café owner and other struggling souls—navigate the pressures of poverty, desire, pride, and survival as the world around them shifts toward the end of World War II. With Mahfouz’s keen eye for human contradiction and his quietly incisive storytelling, the novel turns an ordinary street into a living portrait of community, fate, and moral compromise. Rich in atmosphere and character, it explores how people endure hardship through routine, relationships, and the stories they tell themselves—until those stories are tested by change.
Available Editions
paperback
Anchor
Published Jan 1, 1992
308 pages
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Details
First Published
1989
Language
eng
Translation
From: ara
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz.