Cairo: The Practical Guide; New Revised Edition [Paperback]

Claire E. Francy (Author), Lesley Lababidi (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 2006

The guide described by The New York Times as 'indispensable', revised and updated for 2006, fills a vital niche for expatriates and Cairenes alike who need a helping hand to organize and enjoy the challenges of a sojourn in Cairo. The basics of daily life: finding a flat, transporting personal goods, investigating school options for children, navigating Egypt's famous bureaucracy, and the intricacies of feeding and clothing oneself and one's family from the local market are all detailed here. Advice gathered from a wide range of Cairo insiders, both native and foreign, gives the reader a cornucopia of current facts on prices, neighborhoods, product availability, work and business opportunities, and the dizzying range of cultural and leisure pursuits that Cairo is famous for. The format of this edition addresses the needs of independently minded tourists as well as residents by the inclusion of: an A to Z directory of goods, services, and interests subdivided by neighborhood; a language section on the basics of Cairene Arabic; and details on shopping and sightseeing from a resident s perspective. 'Cairo: The Practical Guide', now in its fifteenth edition, is the key to deciphering the complexities of living, working, and enjoying life in one of the world's most exciting and dauntingly complex mega-cities.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Indispensable." --The New York Times

About the Author

Claire Francy is a social psychologist and communications consultant. LESLEY LABABIDI raised three children in Cairo and is the author of Silent No More: Special Needs People in Egypt (AUC Press, 2002).

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: AUC Press; Revised edition (October 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9774160177
• ISBN-13: 978-9774160172
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,647,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Travel > Africa > Egypt > Cairo

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hilarious and insulting, June 4, 2008

By 

Caraculiambro (La Mancha and environs) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cairo: The Practical Guide; New Revised Edition (Paperback)

Insulting to the Egyptians, that is.

This is a "tell-it-like-it-is" guide to living in Cairo, so make sure it's what you want. It's not really geared for tourists so much as for Western expats who are going to be living there for a while and need advice on how to get a driver's license, pay their phone bill, get a residence permit, etc. It's geared toward long-term stays.

Sure, there are many guides out there about Egypt and Cairo, but this one is in a class of its own. It's recommended reading, in fact, for anybody interested in getting some straight talk on the culture of Arabs and the Middle East, even if you have no intentions of going to Cairo.

In fact, so blunt is this book that I'm surprised it's even countenanced by the American University in Cairo, from whose press it comes. Many passages many the Egyptians look downright backwards.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about, when the author, Clare Francy, is warning you about kissing in public:

"An Egyptian friend who gave her fiance a quick peck in the car when he told her he had finished his doctorate was spat on by the middle-aged couple in the car next to them!" (p. 139)

Actually, if you're in the market for hilarious and revealing passages like this and aren't particularly concerned about how up-to-date the information is, I advise you to see if you can get your hands on the first edition, i.e., not the "New Revised Edition." That one is much more bare-knuckled and unapologetic: they've toned things down quite a lot since then.

4.0 out of 5 stars Cairo, June 29, 2009

By 

E. SMOLINSKI "ES" (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cairo: The Practical Guide; New Revised Edition (Paperback)

This book was great for our time spent in Cairo after our tour group ended. It has every neighborhood closely identified and carefully reviewed. It was easy to get around on the metro and it also gave "fast" food restaurant reviews, which was nice if we just wanted to pop in for a quick kabob. I recommend this book if you have a long stay in Cairo.

5.0 out of 5 stars The sine qua non for those living in Cairo, July 31, 2008

By 

Cresence Eberle (Fort Salonga) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cairo: The Practical Guide; New Revised Edition (Paperback)

This has been the indispensable, indeed legendary, guide for the past three decades for anyone wishing to live successfully in Cairo. Tourists to Cairo have one experience, and resident expats have quite another. Surviving in style takes some assistance, and this book is the place to get it.

To my slight dismay, the book no longer includes some sections that, while very practical, were probably a bit politically incorrect. For instance, the chapter on how to manage your servants is no longer there.

Anyone who sets out to live in Cairo absolutely must get this volume. The map set (once included with the book, but now sold separately) should also be purchased. While I believe some other books are now trying to compete, this really is one book you cannot do without.