An Egyptian Woman by Fawzia Assaad

This novel was written and originally published in French in 1975. The Arabic version, translated by Ahmed Osman, was published in 1997. It also appeared in English in 2004, titled Layla an Egyptian Woman.

The novel depicts the effects of the 1952 revolution and the Arab-Israeli conflict on an Egyptian Christian woman. It portrays the daily and political life of Egyptians, exposed by the struggle of Egyptian women for emancipation, and sheds light on the customs, stories and religious rituals of Coptic Egyptians. Although it was first published 48 years ago, it is just as relevant today.