Café Riche

In Café Riche: An Eye Over Egypt, Maisoon Saker tells the tale of one such place that has hosted many remarkable events over the past century. The book intertwines a vibrant collection of memories from political movements and social changes, highlighting patterns of unfiltered reality and mapping a journey from its inception in 1908 to the present. Within these walls, café patrons have occasionally been immortalized in portraits, their legacies a blend of triumph and struggle, with prominent figures like Naguib Mahfouz mingling alongside writers who could barely afford a cup of tea. Dreamers arriving from the countryside, eager to leave their mark on the city, gathered around the café’s tables, bearing witness to aspirations that either blossomed or faded against a magical backdrop. Within the same walls, ideologies, philosophies, and historical boundaries collided, forging connections that reached every corner of the globe. (Taha Ziada)