The 2013 Middle East Reading Challenge

Hosted by: Maphead

Aim: “Read as many books as you'd like. Eligible books include those which are written by Middle Eastern writers, or take place in the Greater Middle East, or are concerned with the Greater Middle East and with historical and contemporary Middle Eastern issues.”

My Goal: Diplomat level: 5 to 10 books

Comments: As with other challenges, I have picked some books that I already own to read as part of this challenge. While there are no imposed categories, the challenge host gives ideas and suggestions about what to read as part of the challenge. I have included their suggested categories in brackets.

My tentative book list:

Ahmed Khaled Towfik, Utopia (translated fiction)
Anne-Marie Drosso, Cairo Stories (short story collection)
Rafik Schama, The Dark Side of Love (written by the MENA author, set in the MENA countries)
Olivia Manning, The Levant Trilogy (set in the MENA countries)
Robin Wright, Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East (explores historical and contemporary MENA issues)
Lord Edward Cecil, The Leisure of an Egyptian Official (a memoir)