Maria Golia, City of Sand

[Hafiz]

I wonder if anyone has read the above book. I hope many have. If not I can recommend it as a beautifully written description of modern Cairo with nods to its past and monuments. What stands out is her desire to understand the complexity and subtlety of Cairo life for both rich and poor and to put it in a social and political context. Her approach might be a bit novelistic and anecdotal but there is a spine of analysis to it. She is no apologist for all things Egyptian.

She has a deep interest in and empathy for Egyptians and a desire to understand and explain - this is rare in a popular work. The writing style is accessible, clear and elegant. The book is not long.

Its a bit out of date - published in 2004.

The TLS and Egyptian magazines have praised it.

Scholars on Cairo mention her as a help and an influence - which gives the book some weight.

[Who2]

The author Maria comes to Luxor from Cairo quite regularly and is a well known political journalist...

[Hafiz]

When you see her, if you know her, please tell her that her book on Cairo if liked a lot, even in Australia.