THE TIME-TRAVELS OF THE MAN WHO SOLD PICKLES AND SWEETS

The misadventures of a modern time traveler through Egypt's recent and medieval past

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 Islamiccalendar wristwatch, he bounces uncontrollably through Egypt's 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 celebrities—from Naguib Mahfouz to the founder of the city of Cairo. Khairy Shalaby's nimble storytelling brings this witty odyssey to life.

Khairy Shalaby (1938–2011) was born in Kafr al-Shaykh in Egypt's Nile Delta. He wrote seventy books, including novels, short stories, historical tales, and critical studies. His novel The Lodging House was awarded the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature in 2003.
Michael Cooperson is professor of Arabic at University of California, Los Angeles and a fellow of the Library of Arabic Literature at NYU Abu Dhabi.