4th Estate: Books for the Independent Reader

Alaa Al Aswany

Alaa al Aswany was born in 1957. He is a dentist by profession, and for many years practised in the Yacoubian Building, which was to form the setting for his bestselling novel of the same name. He has written prolifically for Egyptian newspapers on politics, literature and social issues and his second novel, ‘Chicago’, was published by Fourth Estate in 2008.