Trees walking in Alexandria

Alaa Al Aswany

Have you heard of Zarqa Al Yamamah?
- no
Zarqa' al-Yamama was an ancient Arab woman. She was known for her extraordinary eyesight, which her tribe used to scout for enemy movements. Thanks to her extraordinary eyesight, she was able to detect enemy movements early on, enabling her people to win all their wars. One day, Zarqa' al-Yamama was exploring the road and said to her people, "I see the trees moving."
No one believed her. People mocked her and accused her of growing old and senile. It later emerged that the enemies had covered themselves with tree branches and attacked her people, defeating them. They deserved the defeat because they didn't believe Zarqa' al-Yamama. An artist, like Zarqa' al-Yamama, always sees before others.
Leda smiled and said:
-And what do you see now, artist?
I said:
Trees walk in Alexandria....

**

Like his predecessor Naguib Mahfouz, Alaa Al Aswany is a universal writer who transforms Egyptian issues into human ones, beautifully illuminating our always surprising, sometimes sad, and sometimes confusing world.
The Times of London

"Alaa Al Aswany is the greatest living Egyptian novelist."
- Robert Fisk