The first time Maisoon Saqer sat down in Cairo's Cafe Riche, she was in the eye of the storm.
It was the summer of 2012 and the city convulsed with protests as part of Egypt’s roiling political crisis.
She recalls the heady experience as laying the seeds for her biggest literary triumph.
"I sat in a position where I could see the main door looking out on the main street, which was filled with protesters," she says during a session at the Frankfurt Book Fair, which ends on Sunday.
"Out of the corner of my eye, I could also see a secret passageway in the cafe leading to the street on the other side.
“I could see militants and protestors involved in the protests using that space to make an escape.
“It made me realise how sometimes you can only see what is in front of you, while in the background, there are also important things going on. This is really what I've been trying to look for within my work.”
It has been a creatively arduous search for Saqer, who sporadically found that depth in various fields such as poetry, visual arts and film.
However, it was last year that she achieved the impact she craved, with the publication of Eye on Egypt: Cafe Riche.
It is a kaleidoscopic and vibrant account of a once-discreet venue now regarded as a historic centre of Arabic literature.
The work earned Saqer this year's Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the literature category and, as a result, discussion on the book's foreign translation rights are already under way at Frankfurt Book Fair.
A book of memories
Appearing in her session via video link from her Cairo home, the Sharjah-born author says it was during subsequent visits to Cafe Riche that the novel’s ambitious concept took shape.
"In the cafe, you will see these documents and pictures that serve as memories of Egyptian history and politics," she says.
"Looking through these, I realise the book is not only about an important coffee shop.
“I didn’t want to do that because those that did in the past did it in order to beautify the place.
"Instead, I wanted to write about the history of Egypt through the small eye of the cafe.”
After a passionate introduction describing the significance of the place — from being a favoured meeting and writing spot for intellectuals and authors such as Naguib Mahfouz to being a location cited by historians where future president Gamal Abdel Nasser planned his overthrow of King Farouk in 1952 — Eye on Egypt: Cafe Riche delves into a wider discussion of Cairo’s varied geography and historical demographics.
The 654-page work then picks up steam and focuses on Cairo’s coffee culture and how venues such as Cafe Riche, founded in 1908 and named after Paris's Grand Cafe Riche, was a home for the intelligentsia, as well as cultural and political renegades.
Some of the winning anecdotes include a small performance by a promising singer called Umm Kulthum, aged 22, in 1920 and the discovery of a secret room with an old printer — believed to have been used during the 1919 revolution — in the aftermath of the devastating 1992 Cairo earthquake.
Saqer weaves them all together with a light and, at times, playful touch.
"And that's because what I am essentially doing is writing about memory and not a book purely about politics and history," she says.
"Using that approach, I found the doors opening to me, so to speak. I write about the cafe and I can see Naguib Mahfouz sitting there. I can hear Umm Kulthum performing on the small stage. I can see paintings by great Arab artists hanging on the walls.”
Saqer also gives us a glimpse into some of the famous Egyptian literary romances kindled within the intimate confines of the cafe during in the 1960s, including the eventual marriages of poet Amal Dunqul and journalist Abla Elrowainy, as well as poet Ahmed Fouad Negm and literary critic and novelist Safinaz Kazem.
“Their relationships mixed literature with the personal and that, for me, is the most beautiful thing about the Cafe Riche,” Saqer states.
UAE as a cultural capital
More than the Dh750,000 cash prize, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award gave the work and its subject international renown.
Saqer's book fair appearance on Friday was augmented by a panel conversation with Samir Grees, an Egyptian translator, and Sonja Hegasy, deputy director of Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, a German research institute focused on the Middle East.
Saqer hails the fact a book about Cairo, written by an Emirati and discussed in the world’s biggest publishing event in Frankfurt is a sign of the UAE’s prominence as an important cultural hub.
“Culture is not only about books, but also discussion, forums and continuous activities in general,” she says.
“UAE has a great history of doing that and the importance they give to the Sheikh Zayed [Book] Award, which represents the whole Arab world, shows how much they care about culture.
“Ultimately, it’s not about being in competition with other cultural capitals, but about showing how culture is always essential.”
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Disposing of non-recycleable masks
Use your ‘black bag’ bin at home
Do not put them in a recycling bin
Take them home with you if there is no litter bin
- No need to bag the mask
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Brief scores:
Everton 2
Walcott 21', Sigurdsson 51'
Tottenham 6
Son 27', 61', Alli 35', Kane 42', 74', Eriksen 48'
Man of the Match: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
