About this title: Centred around the residents of one of the hustling, teeming back alleys of Cairo: Kirsha, the cafe-owner with a scandalous predilection for young boys, Hamida, the matchmaker's daughter, and Zaita, the cripple-maker - who maims and disfigures people who wish to become beggars.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Good. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Book has appearance of light use with no easily noticeable wear. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Very Good. 0686678923 Very GoodThree titles in one book: Midaq alley, The Thief and the dogs, and Miramar., minor wear. No marking in text. -7, read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Anchor Books
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780385264761ISBN:0385264763
Description: Fine. No dust jacket as issued. Like new, crisp and clean, no highlighting or evident wear. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 304 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Edition: 2nd Us ed.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Three Continents Press
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780894106583ISBN:0894106589
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Ex-library. There are library stamps, stickers and a pocket; illustrated wraps are also creased and soiled. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 246 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
"Midaq Alley is populated by many people who are struggling to make it and a few who are moderately well off. There is Zaita, the cripple maker, Husnaya, the bakeress, Kirsha, the druggie pervert, Abbas, the barber who has the misfortune to fall in love with Hamida, a smoldering beauty with a temper to match, and Mrs. Afify, a miserly widow who wants to remarry.
Wonderful picture of Egyptian life during WWII.
What fascinated me most was the presence of Islam and its interpretation by the residents of Midaq Alley. Americans receive such a narrow view of Islam and muslims, making the people seem one-dimensional and without the capacity to think. The characters are well-developed and the activities in the alley will keep you turning the pages of this gem of a read."
"An interesting look into the lives of the residents of one particular alley in Cairo, Egypt, during World War II. I enjoyed the examination of relationships, histories, dreams and struggles found among the diverse cast of characters -- sort of a "slice of life" in a part of the world where we tend to not think about individual lives -- and I found it interesting that all the female characters were uncharacteristically strong and domineering, but I was disappointed in the dangling story lines (not that every novel should neatly conclude plots, but I think this one needed more). The book at first had several interesting and interweaving story lines, but ultimately only chose one to follow through on with any depth."
Naguib Mahfouz was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1911 and wrote many books about the city including The Cairo Trilogy and Sugar Street. He was also the first writer to be rewarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in Arabic. His novel, Midaq Alley, presents an interesting story about life in Cairo as well. The story is composed of many distinct characters with bizarre lives that all unite in Midaq Alley. The differentiated characters exercise very different personalities which result in drama and unpredictable actions. Midaq Alley also reveals numerous aspects of Egyptian culture within the lives of the colorful characters.
This novel has no direct plot and it displays more of a soap opera or sitcom view rather than a book with one main goal and one protagonist with a conflict. The story of each character adds onto the disorder in the alley and each chapter exhibits a different story and character. For example, right after Hamida's story with Ibrahim, Salim Alwan is brought right back from his heart attack and his entirely different life is told. It is very quick and Mahfouz skips flowingly from person to person. This set up is interesting because it is new and refreshing and it is more exciting to read about a variety of stories instead of just one. The unpredictable elements that provide the reader with an unexpected twist are absorbing because it is difficult to predict the outcome. These components make the reader curious about the result and maintain the reader's desire to learn more about the characters and their lives.
The novel can be confusing at times when too many things are happening at once. There are also times when too many characters are involved and it is unclear who is speaking to whom. The novel can also become overwhelming due to the large amount of characters and plots. For instance, Kirsha's life has nothing to do with Hamida's and they barely affect each other at all. So when the author talks about one and then the other, it makes the book more complicated and harder to follow. The separating and merging of different stories is hard to comprehend at times when an excessive amount of detail or action is being told. This confusion also consists of the diverse characters with similar names that occasionally come together and at other times come apart. Mahfouz could have made the chapters more distinct and organized so the reader could follow the storyline more easily. The major weakness of this novel is that it may cause confusion which appears when too many things occur at once.
Although the novel can be confusing, overall, it is a captivating tale. Most of the characters connect or relate to each other somehow, for example, Abbas and Alwan's life cross eventually so the novel does unite most of the characters. The lives of the characters come to life and the story as a whole is intriguing. The surprises from the culture alone are fascinating and the surprises from the abnormal characters are even more entertaining. Anyone who enjoys surprises, amusing dramas or stories, and strange, yet inquiring characters would enjoy this novel."
"Nauguib Mahfouz, born in Cairo in 1911, witnessed the transition from traditional to modern life as his family moved to a European-style suburb. Mahfouz transformed his observations into a novel where he used satire to teach lessons to the reader. In his novel, Midaq Alley, the reader is enlightened about the time through character conflicts, both emotional and verbal, and one is able to view how love, greed, modernization, and religion affect the society.
It was interesting how each character has a different personality and character traits-- naïve, selfish, lazy, and even temperamental-- which affect their individual views on society. The personalities Mahfouz incorporated demonstrate conflicts present in current society, today, which the reader can use to compare and contrast.
Even though the book was interesting, it seemed as if there was excessive information which made it easier for the reader to foreshadow future events in the plot. The conclusion of the novel was not surprising if the reader pays attention to detail.
Despite the excessive information, the vivid description and set-up of the novel provides a clear picture in the readers mind. In each chapter, the setting changed, and one is taught about a different character. Midaq Alley is a captivating book for those who want a different spin in literature."
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