Items related to The Yacoubian Building
Synopsis
This controversial bestselling novel in the Arab world reveals the political corruption, sexual repression, religious extremism, and modern hopes of Egypt today. All manner of flawed and fragile humanity reside in the Yacoubian Building, a once-elegant temple of Art Deco splendor now slowly decaying in the smog and bustle of downtown a fading aristocrat and self-proclaimed "scientist of women"; a sultry, voluptuous siren; a devout young student, feeling the irresistible pull toward fundamentalism; a newspaper editor helplessly in love with a policeman; a corrupt and corpulent politician, twisting the Koran to justify his desires. These disparate lives careen toward an explosive conclusion in Alaa Al Aswany's remarkable international bestseller. Teeming with frank sexuality and heartfelt compassion, this book is an important window on to the experience of loss and love in the Arab world.
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About the Author
Alaa Al Aswany was born in 1957. A dentist whose first office was in the Yacoubian Building, Al Aswany has written prolifically for Egyptian newspapers across the political spectrum on literature, politics, and social issues.
Humphrey Davies earned his doctorate in Near Eastern Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. He is the translator of Thebes at War by Naguib Mahfouz (AUC Press, 2003). He was awarded the 2010 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation for his translation of Yalo by Elias Khoury.
Review
"Top of my list is The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswamy (Harper Perennial). The book has been a best seller in its native Egypt and throughout the Arabic world since publication in 2002. Set in downtown Cairo at the time of the 1990 Gulf War, it reveals modern Egyptian life through the eyes of a diverse range of characters an aristocratic playboy, a gay newspaper editor, a religious zealot, childhood sweethearts all of whom live in the same apartment building. Cairo hasn't been so vividly - or sexily - evoked since Naguib Mahfouz's Palace Walk. " --The Guardian
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- PublisherFOURTH ESTATE
- Publication date2007
- ISBN 10 0007243618
- ISBN 13 9780007243617
- BindingHardcover
- LanguageEnglish
- Edition number1
- Number of pages272
- Rating
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The Yacoubian Building
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1. Seller Inventory # G0007243618I3N00
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The Yacoubian Building
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1. Seller Inventory # G0007243618I4N00
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The Yacoubian Building
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers, United Kingdom, London, 2007
ISBN 10: 0007243618
ISBN 13: 9780007243617
Used
Paperback
Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. An international bestseller, The Yacoubian Building is a mesmerising and controversial novel that is at once an impassioned celebration and a ruthless dissection of a society dominated by bribery and corruption. The Yacoubian building once grand, but now dilapidated stands on one of Cairo's main boulevards. Taha, the doorman's son, has aspirations beyond the slum in the skies, and dreams of one day becoming a policeman. He studies hard, and passes all the exams, but when he is rejected because his family is neither rich nor influential, the bitterness sets in. His girlfriend, Busyana, finds herself unable to earn a living without also providing sexual services for the men who hire her. When Taha seeks solace in a student Islamic organisation, the pressure mounts, and he is drawn to actions with devastating consequences. The Yacoubian Building follows Taha's trajectory from innocence to tragedy. The people whose lives orbit his the inhabitants of the building are also facing their own difficult choices. From those living in squalid and cramped conditions on the rooftops, to the homosexual editor of Le Caire newspaper and a womanising aristocrat, all of the contradictions in Egyptian society are here. Religious feelings live side-by-side with promiscuity; bribery and exploitation alternate with moments of joy and elation; modernity clashes with the vision of a more ancient society. Alaa Al Aswany's mesmerising novel caused an unprecedented stir when it was published in Egypt. It is at once an impassioned celebration and a ruthless dissection of a society dominated by bribery and corruption. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR001352377
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The Yacoubian Building
Seller: AwesomeBooks, Wallingford, United Kingdom
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. The Yacoubian Building This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780007243617
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The Yacoubian Building
Seller: Reuseabook, Gloucester, GLOS, United Kingdom
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Hardcover. Condition: Used; Very Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine. Seller Inventory # CHL1463097
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The Yacoubian Building
Seller: Bahamut Media, Reading, United Kingdom
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780007243617
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The Yacoubian Building
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers Limited, 2007
ISBN 10: 0007243618
ISBN 13: 9780007243617
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Better World Books Ltd, Dunfermline, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # GRP63489283
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The Yacoubian Building
Seller: HALCYON BOOKS, LONDON, United Kingdom
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. ALL ITEMS ARE DISPATCHED FROM THE UK WITHIN 48 HOURS ( BOOKS ORDERED OVER THE WEEKEND DISPATCHED ON MONDAY) ALL OVERSEAS ORDERS SENT BY TRACKABLE AIR MAIL. IF YOU ARE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UK PLEASE ASK US FOR A POSTAGE QUOTE FOR MULTI VOLUME SETS BEFORE ORDERING. Seller Inventory # mon0000561715
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The Yacoubian Building
Seller: Low Brow Books, South Yarra, VIC, Australia
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Octavo, xii+256 pages, hardback with dustjacket, a very good copy. Seller Inventory # ABE-1692406572974
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The Yacoubian Building - SIGNED
Published by
Fourth Estate, 2007
ISBN 10: 0007243618
ISBN 13: 9780007243617
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Seller: Mungobooks, Poole, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Included. 1st Edition. 1st edition, 1st printing hardback in unclipped dustjacket. Signed by the author on the title page with no other inscriptions. Book in VG+ condition, slight pushing to spine ends, jacket with a couple of closed tears and a sticker ghost top right front. Not a book club edition, ex library or a remainder. Scans available on request. Signed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # ABE-1729341026763
Quantity: 1 available