Al Aswany stood out among the throngs, and not just because at 53 he was decades older than most. Al Aswany waited four years to begin writing so that he could see events more clearly and allow them to spark his imagination. Al Aswany says he is deeply saddened by Egypt’s last decade, though at peace with himself and his convictions. “He said, ‘The bread is for everybody but anyone who asks for more than what we offer will get the stick,’” Al Aswany says. “This book could be useful here because people must understand that you need to defend the idea of democracy,” Al Aswany says.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 10, 2021 12:56 UTC