Alaa Al Aswany

Behind the elegant façade of a once-grand Cairo apartment building lies a society fractured by corruption, poverty, and unfulfilled dreams. Its residents include a disillusioned journalist, a young man whose ambition to become a police officer is crushed by class prejudice, a wealthy businessman pursuing forbidden pleasures, and an ageing aristocrat haunted by a vanished past. As their lives intersect, the building becomes a microcosm of modern Egypt, exposing the hypocrisies of its ruling class and the quiet desperation of those struggling to escape their circumstances. Bold and provocative, The Yacoubian Building offers an unforgettable portrait of a nation caught between tradition, repression, and the desire for change.

Cairo, 2011. After decades under a repressive regime, tensions are rising in the city streets. No one is out of reach of the revolution. There is General Alwany, a high-ranking member of the government's security agency, a pious man who loves his family yet won't hesitate to torture enemies of the state; Asma, a young teacher who chafes against the brazen corruption at her school; Ashraf, an out-of-work actor who is having an affair with his maid and who gets pulled into Tahrir Square through a chance encounter; Nourhan, a television personality who loyally defends those in power; and many more. As these lives collide, a new generation finds a voice, love blossoms across class divides, and the revolution gains strength. Even the general finds himself at a crossroads as his own daughter joins the protests. Yet the old regime will not give up without a fight. With an unforgettably vivid cast of characters and a heart-pounding narrative banned across much of the region, Alaa Al Aswany gives us a deeply human portrait of the Egyptian Revolution, and an impassioned retelling of his country's turbulent recent history.

Alexandria, 1964. Under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egypt is undergoing a political transformation that threatens the city’s cosmopolitan spirit. At the elegant waterfront restaurant Artinos, a diverse circle of friends gathers each evening to discuss art, love, justice, and the future of their country. Among them are Lyda, the restaurant’s owner; Carlo, a charismatic Italian bartender; Anas, a painter; Abbas, a liberal lawyer; and Chantal, the owner of Alexandria’s most popular French bookshop. United by their affection for the city they call home, they struggle to reconcile their ideals with a regime that increasingly demands obedience and suppresses individual freedoms. As businesses are nationalised, suspicions deepen, and political pressure intensifies, their friendships and convictions face an unprecedented test. Through the intertwined lives of these characters, Alaa Al Aswany captures the twilight of a multicultural world, exploring how authoritarianism transforms society and how ordinary people navigate the painful collision between personal loyalties and political power.