CHICAGO BY Alaa Al Aswany

Chicago by Alaa Al Aswany – a book to widen your horizons

 I bought this book in Dublin but took it with me on my recent trip to Seattle and read it while I was there.  The title and cover attracted me.  I lived in Evanston, just north of Chicago, for a year, 1958 to 1959.  I was attending Northwestern and earned my Master’s Degree in Geography.  I had some feeling for Chicago but hardly had time to really explore and enjoy the city.  Since that time I have touched down in O’Hare many times but still haven’t spent time seeing the many sights that Chicago has to offer.  I always seem to be travelling on to somewhere else.

This book offered a picture of a Chicago I never knew.  It is Chicago as seen from the experiences of a number of recent immigrants from Egypt.  It is actually more about Egypt and Egyptians and the immigrant experience rather than the city of Chicago.  A fascinating topic and a very interesting read.

For a New York Times review of this book, follow this link.