The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif

The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif (2000)
Read: September - October

I think we picked this up in a ‘charity shop run’ in Buxton and were pleased that it had been nominated for some literature prizes and seemed a popular choice (although the presence of multiple copies of the same book in charity shops might at first seem a ‘bad sign’ as so many people are getting rid of it, we take it as meaning that the book was popular to start off with and many copies bought initially even if they weren’t kept).

I was looking forward to reading a book that was both set in contemporary Egypt and the time of the British occupation. However I found this book really hard going and difficult to read and it was almost a chore to finish it. I’m sure that tiredness at the start of the year played a part in my experience of the book, but I think too that it was difficult to follow the characters and the narrative as the text jumped from one to another. I’m sure that part of the narrative structure was to have the two sets of stories echoing each other, but actually this made it complicating, rather than complimenting.

Reading the letters written by Anne as she navigates her way through the city she loves, Cairo, to be with the man she is drawn to, despite the protocols of the day, is enjoyable and reveals much about the time. This story was more engaging and interesting that the one set in the present as her descendent, Isabel, tries to piece together the story and find her own way through Egypt. The most interesting aspect of the book was reading about the interactions between the British and the Egyptians during this time, and what contact was permitted, what was frowned upon and the difficulty of courtship, marriage and life as a couple across the divide.

 

Overall though I found this book to be difficult and not as enjoyable or enlightening as I’d hoped.

Cleopatra's Needle: Two Wheels by the Water to Cairo by Anne Mustoe

Cleopatra's Needle: Two Wheels by the Water to Cairo by by Anne Mustoe
Read: October 2011

We bought this about a year ago I think when we were (as we still are!) in our phase of buying books about travel and/or the Middle East. It looked a good buy as it also invovled cycling and travel through Europe. The author seems to be quite an adventur-ess as she has done this sort of stuff before; cycling through Europe to Asia and all over France.

As you'd expect, it takes quite a while to get by bike to Egypt, so I don't know why I felt a little dissapointed that 90% of the book wasn't about Cairo. She tried to theme the ride by linking to Cleopatra along the way, but this didn't lend itself to many anecdotes along the way. The main theme therefore was water - as she cycled by canals and rivers. To her dissapointment the theme of water was also apparent in the weather she encountered as it rained heavily in the UK when she was riding and for most of the trip. Whilst she obviously couldn't help the weather I did find it tiring to have her complain about it every chapter and to constantly be writing about all the days she wasn't going to ride because of the weather being so bad and her clothes needing to dry. She wasn't overly tied to the aim of riding the whole way and often took a lift or a coach with her bike of course) to catch up the days. It seemed odd to stick to the schedule more than to the idea of the trip.

What was interesting in the book was seeing how you fuction as a lone female traveller. All the meals she would eat by herself, or exploring that she would do on her own and have no one to share it with. Communication was also interesting as she sometimes would manage to have the time in the evening to get online and email people, but otherwise she was travelling without making contact back home. The trip was cut in two after the events of 9/11 and that was a reminder of the fear and uncertainty that people had at that time.

This wasn't the book I was hoping it would be, but I did read it and although I didn't always like the writing style or the decisions made on the trip, she is clearly a very fit and determined and resourceful lady!