Nadia Wassef

This tells of a Cairo book store that aimed to break the mould. Set up by 3 women, this was always going to be a different environment. The books si structured in sections of the store, with something about the books and philosophy behind the section then is uses that as a launch pad into discussions on running a book store, staff issues, corruption, the problems encountered, language, culture, family and anecdote.
It is full of interest and I discovered a lot that I'd not considered. My only caveat is that there is little joy in this book. The venture started out as one of those "if you could do anything, what would you do" conversations. So if running a book store is your dream, surely that should bring you some joy. It feels a lot like the pressure of the business elements and the associated staff and monetary issues sucked the joy from the experience. This might be a warning for those who follow their dreams.… (mehr)

A memoir from Nadia Wassef about her experiences co-founding one of the best-known bookstores in Egypt, roughly chronological but arranged around themes like "Egypt Essentials" and "Pregnancy and Parenting." This wasn't really what I'd expected going into the book, and Wassef is such an obliviously abrasive narrator in so many ways that I didn't enjoy Shelf Life very much. Unlike many other GoodReads reviewers, I didn't care about Wassef's use of profanity—it's frequent, yes, but if you find yourself clutching your pearls over how many times she uses the word 'fuck' here, I would gently suggest you never visit Ireland or you'll find yourself having a fucking stroke. It's how she spoke about many of those around her that bothered me. If my employer ever handed me a uniform with the pockets already sewn up in it out of the presumption that I'm likely a thief? I would be walking out of there ASAP.… (mehr)