Finished: Palace Walk (Mahfouz) Finally!! Real life got in the way and it seems like it took me forever to read this very good book about an Egyptian patriarch who keeps his wife and children in line through tyranny and hypocrisy. This is the first book in a trilogy. I'll probably read all three, since this was a very moving story despite the early 1900's traditions that had Sayyid Ahmad treating his sons with coldness and harshness out of his misguided idea of tough love in making them men...and keeping his wife and daughters cloistered inside their home, never allowed to show their faces outside...not even to go to worship! However, when out working at his successful store, or spending time with his life-long friends and other women at night, Sayyid Ahmad is friendly, smiling, loving and very respected by his peers. It's truly sad to see the way he treats his devoted wife, Amina, and his children, Yasin, Khadija, Fahmy, Aisha and Kamal. Both daughters are married off to brothers of the same family, and by the end of the story are pregnant and/or giving birth. I imagine their stories and those of their children will expand in the next book. The oldest son, Yasin, follows in his father's footsteps as a philanderer after his marriage. Kamal is still just a ten year old school boy going to school, but very precocious. And Fahmy is a nineteen year old university law student who has honorable ideals that end in tragedy for him as the Egyptians in his city began a revolution against the English who are in control. When English troops make encampment right outside their own home, young and foolish Kamal actually befriends the soldiers with his singing. He thinks they are friends, but for them he is just like a little pet. After the Egyptians prevail and the leader they were protesting for is finally released, Fahmy participates in a peaceful, sanctioned demonstration of happiness, but is shot down and killed by disgruntled English soldiers who didn't like being beat. Sadly, Sayyid Ahmad had spent the last several weeks furious with and not speaking to his son because he knew Fahmy defied his father and refused to swear that he would not participate in any demonstrations. Just the very morning of his death, with peace seemingly on Egypt's horizon, Fahmy had gone to his father and apologized for his defiance and his father had very gruffly replied to him. Fahmy had just been happy that his father had even spoken to him. How sad that is how he went to his death. :-( We get alot of introspection about why Sayyid Ahmad is the way he is, and it's very nice writing, but hard to fathom that people actually lived this way. I know they did though. We also see Amina and her feelings and obedience in great detail, and though we don't understand it, we do respect her. What else can she do? Anyway, I'm thinking the next book will open with the aftermath of Fahmy's death! I think I'll read a few other books before diving back into this world though!