If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English

This Graywolf Press African Fiction Prize-winning book is set in post-revolution Cairo. Richly beguiling, it cleverly experiments with form and meaning. Using koans, tools in the Buddhist tradition that ask questions with no discernible answer, Naga encourages deep engagement with her narrative. This is not just a tragic romance or flirtation with identity crisis. The characters are flawed and unreliable in the way fabled cities sometimes are. For the truth, we must look beyond our own biases.