Amazon.com: The Map of Love: Ahdaf Soueif: Books
The Map of Love: A Novel and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more

Buy Used
Used - Good See details
$17.35 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Kindle Edition
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
The Map of Love
  
Start reading The Map of Love: A Novel on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Map of Love [Paperback]

Ahdaf Soueif (Author)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition --  
Hardcover --  
Paperback $10.88  
Paperback, 1999 --  

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Product Details

  • Paperback
  • Publisher: Anchor (1999)
  • ASIN: B001K79SUA
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,546,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

77 Reviews
5 star:
 (34)
4 star:
 (22)
3 star:
 (7)
2 star:
 (7)
1 star:
 (7)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (77 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book to be savored, May 7, 2000
This review is from: The Map of Love (Hardcover)
I came across A Map of Love quite by accident. I knew nothing of the author and found myself totally entranced from the first paragraph. The first chapters were a little confusing until I was able to sort out who were the characters and who was the narrator. I found the writing style to be crystal clear and as smoothly flowing as a gentle streams luring you into its embrace. It is the story of a young English widow who goes to Egypt at the turn of the century and there meets the love of her life. The story is recounted by her great niece who at the same time interweaves the story of the family in the 1990's. It is skilfully done. Egyptian politics both at the turn of the century and today create an interesting and enlightning backdrop for the stories giving the reader an view not normally found in todays current events. I not only enjoyed the book but heartily recommend it, not only as a great love story but as an insightinto the private life of an Egyptian family.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars "Salamu Aleikum" - Peace be upon you, November 25, 2000
Listed among the entries for the Booker Prize, Soueif's novel "The Map of Love" is a narrative of relationship between Britain and Egypt in the last century and a story of cross-cultural love. With innovative techniques, the author draws a parallel between the Egypt of early 1900 and the end of the century, carving the present out of the past. The past is represented by the story of an English woman (Anna Winterbourne) who identifies herself with Egyptian struggle against English occupation and married an Egyptian nationalist (Sharif al-Baroudi). The present is represented by Isabel (Anna's great granddaughter) who is determined to find the roots of her Egyptian ancestry.

Drawing upon different time lines, with interrelationships, and the use of different narrators, Soueif's novel requires an active and attentive reader. At times excessively romantic and with sugary characters, the author compensates with strong, critical, and biased (understandbly so) politics. There are no kind words for Zionism, imperialism, colonialism, and fundamentalism. In her quest to understand Egypt as a nation the author leaves the reader with the underlying notion that things have not changed much during the country's past century. Despite all the "isms" to be blamed for the country's present state of affairs, internal struggle for power is the epicenter.

A passionate, culturally enlightening story, with a beautiful symbolic artifice: the legend of Osiris, Isis, and Horus.

"Salamy Aleikum!" (Peache be upon you)

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent treatment of Egypt past, present, and future, September 6, 2000
By A Customer
I read an advance copy, and there may be subsequent changes in the published version, but this book is definitely on my gift-giving list for Xmas 2000. In a lilting and effortless style, this page-turner by Soueif captures much that we need to know about the 20th century history of the Middle East -- while retelling the romantic tale of Valentino's 'The Sheik'. But it does SO much more than revisit the heyday of the 'naughty Orient': it explains, analyses, and criticizes a welter of stereotypes, and charts territory for better poliitcal and gender relations in all of the countries upon which it touches.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Sharif Basha, Sir Charles, Shukri Bey, Zeinab Hanim, Lord Cromer, Isma'il Sabri, Sett Hanim, Ya'qub Artin, Lady Anna, Mustafa Kamel, Umm Aya, Ya'qub Basha, Sharif Pasha, Sheikh Muhammad, Baroudi Bey, Qasim Amin, New York, Upper Egypt, Milton Bey, Sett Amal, Harry Boyle, James Barrington, Ahmad Hilmi, Our Lady, Husni al Ghamrawi
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:


What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 

Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   





Look for Similar Items by Category