This is certainly one of the best recent memoirs I've read. It is a paradigm of beautiful writing,indepth and fascinating research. The sheer power of its story captivates the reader from page one and does not let you go until you must, sadly, leave its poignantly created world. Imagine a time when Jews, Muslims, Christians peacefully co-exited in the cosmopolitan city of Cairo. Imagine the heartbreak of being forced to leave that beloved city. This book received the Sami Rohr prize for best book of Jewish literature. It deserves a place on every serious reader and writer's bookshelf.