Stories Of Egyptian Society

Unabashedly a political novel more than a social commentary, Alaa Al Aswany's 'Friendly Fire' was banned from Egypt for the longest time. There're critics who lash out at his 'privileged life' that's vastly different from the characters he writes about. While the 17 stories don't call out a definitive criticism about officials or the government, the cornerstone of each story touches on the bureaucracy, system and 'enforced' adherence to social norms and expectations. (Read reviews here, here and here.)

In the preface of this book, he tells you why and how he gets his materials and inspiration, and makes no attempt to soften his contempt of the previous governing regime in Egypt. He has no qualms beginning the compilation with the heaviest story of all- 'The Isam Adb el-Ati Papers' which follows Isam's childhood and his life till his free will has been reined in and confined, mincing no words in its scathing criticism of Egyptian society.

As a reader who doesn't live in Egypt or understand much of its politics, I can assume that it does reflect facets of Egyptian society, and perhaps the thoughts of half the population, in view of Egypt's dramatic political movements, and its first veiled news anchorwoman Fatma Nabil on state television Channel 1. I could only imagine how such a book would be received in Singapore.

One story about young love left me hooting with laughter. In part two of 'An Old Blue Dress and A Close-fitting Covering for the Head', (part one of the story was just sad, of misplaced emotions and a woman's choice to reject a man's insincere offer of marriage in favor of an abortion) the chaste young woman and all, distraught over a kiss, was the toughest negotiator about her bridal settlement and jewelry. 

...and said to my mother in her magical, dulcet voice that sum of twenty thousand pounds wasn't nearly enough, and spoke of young women related to her whose settlements had reached as much as sixty or even seventy thousand. Then she ended by saying, politely but firmly, that she couldn't possibly accept less than thirty. 

And I nudged my mother eagerly to agree.

All the protagonists are everyday familiar people on the streets, with a job and a family to feed. I'm particularly taken by 'An Administrative Order', a tale of Uncle Ibrahim, who was a cleaner in the hospital. He was careful about cleanliness and personal hygiene and somehow, the doctors chose him to be the coffee/tea-maker who made good tips on top of his paltry salary. He was cheerful and kind, and "made a habit of selecting one of the hospital's penniless patients and making coffee for him for nothing." Somehow, because of an unexplained 'administrative order', he had to be posted to the front gate of the hospital; within three months of the new posting, he became a cynical, hardened security guard.

The third month, Uncle Ibrahim changed greatly. He stopped greeting the doctors as they entered in their cars. He took to sitting on his seat by the gate and holding his black coat tightly closed. His face acquired a fixed expression and his looks turned hard and unrelenting. 

Those who were present at the scene say that the old lady had wanted to enter the hospital to visit her sick son. Because visits were not permitted at that hour of the morning and because she kept on insisting, Uncle Ibrahim stood, went over to her, looked at her for a while, and proceeded to beat her up.