The Time-Travels of the Man Who Sold Pickles and Sweets: A Novel

Khairy Shalaby

Ibn Shalaby, like many Egyptians, is looking for a job. Yet, unlike most of his fellow citizens, he is prone to sudden dislocations in time. Armed with his trusty briefcase and his Islamic-calendar wristwatch, he bounces uncontrollably through Egypts rich and varied past, with occasional return visits to the 1990s.

Through his wild and whimsical adventures, he meets, befriends, and falls out with sultans, poets, and an assortment of celebritiesfrom Naguib Mahfouz to the founder of the city of Cairo. Khairy Shalabys nimble storytelling brings this witty odyssey to life.