Last updated: 9 november, 2009 - 17:07 GMT
Alaa Al Aswany
To play this content JavaScript must be turned on and the latest Flash player installed.
Harriett Gilbert talks to acclaimed Egyptian writer Alaa Al Aswaany about his bestselling novel 'The Yacoubian Building'.
The Arab-world’s No. 1 bestseller for five years running after it was published in 2002, 'The Yacoubian Building' interweaves the stories of a group of diverse characters who live and work in downtown Cairo.
It is moving study of politics and power, sex and revenge.
Centred on the apartment building of the title, which still stands in Cairo today, the novel offers a compelling yet daringly scathing portrayal of life in modern Egypt since the Revolution of 1952.
More about: click The Yacoubian Building
More World Book Club
~RS~a~RS~worldservice~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~23~RS~){kind=small}
bbc.co.uk navigation
BBC links
BBC © 2012 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.