Sugar Street (part three of The Cairo Trilogy) (Naguib Mahfouz, 1956)

Overall comment spanning parts 1-3 - I really liked this. Length (trilogy format) allows author to develop the family characters. Story line nonetheless compact. Brings out a variety of characters, viewpoints, interests, behaviors; brings out the transition in Egypt from traditional ways to 20th century modernity; excellent with dialogue and especially with showing thoughts, reactions, emotions internal to each character.  And it's set in a part of the world that is not normally the subject of novels as least as far as I've encountered. I hope I learned something as well as enjoying the story, though the latter would be sufficient.

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Specific to part 3 - 

(328 pages_

The next generation is growing up.  Yasin's son (Ridwan) getting well-connected; he takes after his father in looks.  We start seeing the parts of the story through the next-gen eyes.

It's now the 1930s. Egyptian nationalists still desiring to throw out the English but now Nazis and Italian fascists are recognized threats.

Khadija's son Ahmad - admires Kamal - disconnecting from traditional religion to Khadija's dismay - good discussions about how that happens.

Ahmad's brother is part of a group of young men who belief in a holy man - circa p. 1064 - a discussion of Egypt (or Arab world writ large) in relation to other countries - this sounds remarkably similar to today's conversations. "True belief" and faith (fundamentalist Islam) against materialistic cultures that won't stand.

This brother is in the "Muslim Brotherhood"; Ahmad seems himself as a Communist.

The health of the father (Sayyid) continues to deteriorate even though he is only in his early 60s; same is happening to his three closest friends - presumably a message about the effect of their habits.

Aisha's sadness.

Ahmad in love with fellow sociology student, then a co-worker.  Kamal getting older, still resistant to marriage. Lots of discussion of his thoughts on not getting married; reverberations from youth.

Throughout parts 1-2, Kamal is working as a writer - but lots of reflections by him and conversations with others about the value of his work - tends to be abstract/pure thought of limited interest.  How long to stick with this? Kamal continues teaching.  Ahmad writes for a magazine.

World War II arrives.

Role reversal - Sayyid is confined to the home (and then to his bed), Amina (the mother) is able to leave every day (visits mosques and her nearby relatives).

There is an air raid - more intense than those that preceded it - author does a really good job communicating this.  The father is forced to walk down the stairs and to a sheltered area, this is very hard on him.  The author does a really good job communicating this also. Sayyid's passing within a day or two - the author does a really good job with this.  Sayyid with outsize influence despite (or in part because of) his domineering and wayward ways - a core of family care that everyone noticed and relied on.

Author does a good job voicing the views of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Communists - same rhetoric as always.  Authorities dislike.

I like that he doesn't wrap up with some tidy resolution of Kamal's marriage or professional status or beliefs.  The world is changing, Amina on her last days, on it will somehow go.

Palace of Desire (Part two of The Cairo Trilogy) (Naguib Mahfouz, 1956)

(445 pages)

[The names of the three sections are names of streets in old Cairo where characters live and much of the action takes place.]

Part 2 of the trilogy starts with the family very sad because of Falmy.

Amina (mother) affected most; she is aging rapidly, still mostly confined to her house but at least can go to the cemetery and mosque pretty much when she wants.

Father is also aging and getting some health scares - had seemed indestructible but behaviors (resumed after a several-years break) take a toll.  Author explores how aging felt to the father, did a good job.

Some looks at the daughters (Khadija, Aisha) who married the brothers.

Yasin not very good at marriage, impulsive, somehow genuinely likeable throughout.

Yasin's tastes overlapping with his father's.  Which creates situations.

Much focus on Kamal (youngest son) - he's growing up, getting educated, falling in love, has a best friend who is brother of his love interest.  Best friend and his sister move out of Egypt, Kamal loses his previously strict faith as he progress in his studies.  The author does a good job exploring how these losses affect Kamal. Modernity invading traditional ways.

Kamal tries alcohol, runs into Yasin in a brothel.

The father has a major health scare toward the end of this work and vows to change his ways.

Aisha's family is stricken with typhus.

The revolutionary leader so admired by Falmy and Kamal passes away as the book ends.  Another loss.

Palace Walk (part one of The Cairo Trilogy) (Naguib Mahfouz, 1956)

(533 pages)

This is the story of a family residing in Cairo.  Story line begins around 1915 - in the midst of WWI.  Not a big direct effect on Cairo, but Australians are occupying certain sections, English are running things, and Egyptian nationalism is roused by the trends affecting so much of the world in those days (Wilsonian self-determination sentiments and the like).

The political stuff gets much less attention than the family.

This first book spends a lot of time introducing the family members.

Father - Sayyid - extremely strict at home (conservative Islam, nationalist politics), boisterous and charming when with his friends.  Highly respected by all family members, admittedly they don't know much about what he does when he goes out with his friends every single evening (wine, women, song). He is a jerk in many ways but strong person, completely loyal as he understands it.

Mother - Amina - dominated by Sayyid but a nice human being.  Not allowed to leave the house except on a supervised basis to visit her mother every now and again. Feel sorry for her.

Yasin - eldest son (different mother than Amina).  He repeats a lot of Sayyid's behaviors. Lacks self-control.

Khadija - eldest daughter - caustic.

Aisha - next daughter - less development of her character - beautiful, likes singing, dislikes conflict.

Falmy - middle son - diligent student, headed for law school, deeply involved in politics.

Kamal - youngest son.

A technique that I really like - the author can convey what it's like when a character in a stressful situation has all sorts of thoughts running through his or her head - fear, humor, non sequitur, absurdity, practicality, etc.  When Sayyid is going to help folks filling the ditch; when he is waiting outside Aisha's delivery room, when Yasin is visiting his mother, etc.

Falmy as the vehicle for discussing political events in Cairo at the time.

Onto part 2!

The Writing of the Gods - The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone (Edward Dolnick, 2021)

I had previously read a lot about Napoleon (and his "savants") in Egypt but this still was a useful take.  The understandable ensuing craze for things Egyptian.  (Reading "The Ambassadors" by Henry James right now - protagonist visits a house with a history, including items from Napoleonic era - including a sphinx figurine, of course.)

Thomas Young and Jean-Francois Champollion are the key workers on the project.  It was really difficult!

Reiterated some ideas that appeared in this book (about deciphering Linear B) in an interesting way - this author made more of an effort to explain the decipherer's challenges in terms of challenges encountered in dealing with the English language - helpful.

A good way of describing the incredible importance of writing in human development (if it started rather humbly largely to record transactions) - can speak across distance and time!  Things can be remembered in large measure.

The idea of speaking as something babies learn - long evolutionary history - writing came along so much later, no one learns it without being taught.

The art of deciphering - discussed the skillset in similar terms as the fellows that made the breakthrough contributing to US success in Battle of Midway (per here) - some folks have gut instinct to go along with knowledge of languages, ability to comprehend and retain complex visual fields - seems like you can't get there without educated guesses; and that successful decipherers may not even be able to fully explain how they do it.

The Alexandria Quartet (Lawrence Durrell, four parts released 1957-1960)

(884 pages)

Setting in this part of the world - Alexandria in particular.  Distinguishing it from Cairo - which is more African/Egyptian - Alexandria founded by a Greek, sited on Mediterranean, more European-focused.  

Be that as it may - I'm always fascinated by the mix of ancient groups happening here, evolving over time.  Islam as vast majority; Coptic Christians (Hosnani family featured), Jews, etc.Multiple ethnicities, religions, crossovers.

Favorite parts are set on the Hosnani lands - the "country squire" life, Egypt-style. Can see how the author would be a successful travel writer. Much liked the descriptions.

Also liked the descriptions of the (Brit) Foreign Service life.  The changes in the 20th century as government is turned back to the Egyptians.

Book 3 - shifts perspective - nice change of pace with a relatively longer read.

A couple of writers as key characters - writers writing about writers is not new and can be tedious - thought this generally was handled well, effective way to handle retelling of events from >1 perspective (in books 1-3).

Angst over love - a lot of this.  Overlapping relationships.

Darley - lead character, I'd say

Pursewarden - writer, a key voice

Pombal - Darley's oft-roommate

Justine - married to Nessim but a history; lost a daughter

Melissa - dancer, simple

Nessim; his brother Narouz; their mother Leila - wealthy, influential, politically active; Coptic Christians

Mountolive - connects with Leila; rises through Foreign Service

Scobie - an odd Brit character; comic relief?

Clea - artist