Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Novels set in Egypt?

33 replies

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 30/03/2008 10:10

On my hols next week to Egypt and would like to get some topical audio books to read whilst there. I have the Levant trilogy by olivia Manning and Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell - any other suggestions?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
yogabird · 07/04/2008 14:50

ah... mrsguy, i think i like you too - noone has ever posted anything nice like that about me before, feeling quite buoyed up at being thought of as...funny! Simply for this, you thoroughly deserve to have a fab time in Egypt, I hope you do. Or rather hope you did since if I recall the original post correctly, you are going 'next week' which is now this week, so you are there now...or as is likely, you are home now (by the time you are reading this) unless the holiday was so crap you decided to log in to mumsnet whilst away and check up on any funny posts. But it won't be crap cos Egypt is amazing.... Suffice it to say you've probably now decided that the 'funny' was a one off and that rambling lunatic was a more apt description and with that, dismissed me from your 'please post more' shortlist. You'll have to let me know!

suwoo · 05/04/2008 21:38

The sandstorm just wasn't compelling for me though, I found the overall vibe of the book to be so happy happy, that I knew they would both survive. I also didn't feel any 'electricity' between Ruby and her fella, I certainly didn't get any butterflies like when I truly connect with a couples romance.

Original poster
MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 05/04/2008 18:09

YB - lol at liking books that somoen's mum liked I know what you mean. And lol @ the trapped in the sandstomr not being boring.I fact - lol at your whole post. Please post lots more.

OP posts:
suwoo · 03/04/2008 22:27

Erm, the best books I've read recently have to have been by Jodi Picoult, which I think are verging on 'chick lit' status nowadays. Other than those, I really enjoyed 'Interpretation of Murder' by Jed Rubenfield.

jemw · 03/04/2008 20:30

yogabird, I enjoyed Iris and Ruby as well, like the story of her and the egyptian guy though I thought it was fairly clear what was going to happen to them. And liked the descriptions of old and new Egypt.

MetallicCerisePan · 03/04/2008 20:22

Death on the Nile was set in Egypt. I think.

LaundryFairy · 03/04/2008 20:17

The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje.

Not all of it is set in Egypt but the descriptions of sand and the desert are beautiful, and the book is riveting.

yogabird · 03/04/2008 20:05

oh gosh! am I becoming old to have taste that matches someone's mum?
Hang on a minute though cos, on the other hand, how could you not find the tension between her and the Egyptian guy compelling, how could you not engage with the memories and how could being trapped in a sandstorm with no food nor drink be boring? If this is tame then I'd be interested (if a bit apprehensive) in trying something exciting that you've read

suwoo · 03/04/2008 16:59

Yogabird, I see you enjoyed Iris & Ruby. My mum did and recommended it to me, I found it a little slow and boring.

Kathyis6incheshigh · 03/04/2008 16:52

You already have Penelope Lively's Moontiger, but I love her memoir, Oleander Jacaranda, about her childhood in Alexandria.

MadameCh0let · 03/04/2008 16:49

Barbara Erskine wrote something set in Egypt.

mum2oneloudbaby · 02/04/2008 16:53

how about wilbur smith river god ancient egypt v. gripping

themonkeykeeper · 02/04/2008 16:36

Would also recommend Map of Love

dingdong05 · 31/03/2008 23:38

Map of Love is a good un

Joash · 31/03/2008 23:33

Very Light - Whispers in the Sand by Barbara Erskine

saadia · 31/03/2008 18:29

Definitely Naguib Mahfouz and Yusuf Idris.

Original poster
MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 31/03/2008 18:17

Thanks to all - have ordered the Amelia Peabody and Penelope Lively (as we are very tight on luggage am jettisoning some clothes to pack 'em in - who needs knickers on hols anyway?

OP posts:
marina · 30/03/2008 21:20

Second the Yacoubian Building

also

Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie, an interesting murder mystery set in ancient Egypt

yogabird · 30/03/2008 21:18

map of love - yes!

also Iris & Ruby here it's a really good read

ahundredtimes · 30/03/2008 21:16

Death on the Nile

No really, Mahfouz is the man.

janeite · 30/03/2008 21:14

Another vote for the Amelia Peabody mysteries - they are a hoot - like The Famous Five for adults. They are real no-effort reading and I think the author is probably a bit of a daft old cat lady but they are really good fun.

gagarin · 30/03/2008 18:55

And me - The Cairo Trilogy...just fab

justabout · 30/03/2008 18:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 30/03/2008 18:50

many thanks!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
slim22 · 30/03/2008 12:32

For authentic contemporary voices:

-Map of Love and In the eye of the sun both by Ahdaf Souheif

  • Any Naguib Mahfouz
  • Yacoubian Building
Swipe left for the next trending thread