Cairo - My city, our  revolution by Ahdaf Soueif

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Ahdaf Soueif speaking my heart of Cairo; a must-to-read for all those who shared and the revolution and those who missed it!
Favorite quotes from the book:

 "This is a revolution that's chosen to work peacefully and legally- and it's paying a price for peace and legality." Page 86

"Children for whom the Midan had brokered a truce with their cruel live and who'd found shelter in the central garden between the tents; the revolutionary shabab had held classes for anyone who wanted to learn to read and write. shared their food with them and given them responsibilities: the children spread mats and connected wires and held lights ans cameras." Page 109

About "The Battle of the Camel": "It's OK it's OK, she shouts and laughs. 'They attacked us with horses and camels but we've captured them and the kids are having rides on them in the Midan and everything's fine." Page 129

About the spirit of the Midan: "The courtliness with which the people accept the offer of a biscuit! The bow! The hand on the chest! We're all princes here, our manners are impeccable. " Page 161

"I believe that optimism is a duty; if people had not been optimistic on on 25 January, and all the days that followed, they would not have left their homes or put their wonderful, strong, vulnerable human bodies on the street. Our revolution would not have happened." Page 186

"There are fights one doesn't pick; you find yourself in the middle of it and you have to perform." Page 188

"Tahrir is a myth that creates reality in which we've long believed." Page 190

"The shuhada's parents are not in search for justice for justice will not bring back the shaheed; their search is for a dream that gives meaning to their sacrifice; for a happy ending to a story that includes their suffering." Page 190

"We made a city square powerful enough to remove a dictator. Now we must re-make a nation to lead others on the road to global equality and justice." Page 194

"Inclusive, inventive, open-source, modern, peaceful, just, communal, unified and focused. A set of ideals on which to build a national politics." Page 194






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