By Naguib Mahfouz
This little novella looks at the life in Egypt in the mid 1960s, the time when secret police started to crack down on civil rights with the excuse of national emergency. The story is told by a narrator who frequents a quaint cafe in Cairo, where two groups of locals, older and younger, attend regularly. During that time, members of the young group disappear and come back changed, one of them never comes back. The author later discusses his interactions with different members of the group, and thus we learn about the horrors of the secret police/deep state that occupied Egypt at the time. Considering I grew up in a neighboring country, I am amazed how little I know about it and its history. This book is a good start to learning more. [110 pp.]
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