Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller

In 2002, Nadia Wassef, her sister Nihal and friend Hind founded Diwan, the first independent bookstore in Cairo. They were young and fearless; they had no business plan, but neither did they have any fear. Nadia, Nihal and Hind didn't yet know the challenges they would face. Over the next few years, the trio experienced the hardships of doing business in a patriarchal country: fighting their way through harassment and discrimination, frisking oppressive bureaucrats, and learning the rules of Egyptian censorship as they went along. And when Diwan finally succeeded (ten branches, more than a hundred employees and many fans), a revolution broke out in Egypt. This story is a frank memoir and a daring business novel, a fascinating account of modern Egypt and an unusual guide to Cairo, but above all an inspiring story about overcoming any obstacles for the love of a lifetime's work.