B is for Books!

With the turmoil in Egypt making international headlines for a few weeks now, interest in the country has soared. People want to learn more about this modern Middle Eastern nation – and one way they’re doing that is, of course, by reading books. But there are so many excellent books (for adults) out there, where does one start? Well, a few people are weighing in on what they think you should read:

I’d also suggest reading What Does the New York Times Think You Should Read about Egypt? by blogger M. Lynx Qualey (who also wrote the article for Al-Masry Al-Youm). In the blog post, she offers more relevant alternatives to the NYT list for Egyptian books.

If you’re interested in joining an online book group, the Middle East/North African Lit group on Goodreads.com will be reading books about Egypt and Sudan during March and April. We’re currently voting on our book choices, so stop by soon if you want to join.

Now, what about books about Egypt for kids? I’ve run across a few book blogs over the past couple of weeks whose authors were asking, searching, pleading for recommendations for children’s book about Egypt. But as far as fiction goes, no one has suggested anything other than The Day of Ahmed’s Secret. That’s because there really is nothing else to suggest, at least to people living outside of Egypt. (If you’re looking for non-fiction, there are a few more options available through Amazon.) Now, if you’re in Egypt, we’ve got a few more English language titles to choose from. Here’s a list of children’s and YA literature related to modern Egypt that I put together a few months ago. The list has titles available both internationally (through Amazon.com) and locally. And, of course, there’s always An ABC Escapade through Egypt, but I’m biased. 😉

Category : B, Products of Egypt
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