Palace Walk: a trilogy - Naguib Mahfouz

A recommendation from a friend who came into my life as a fellow- traveler on the motherhood journey. We met because our 8 month olds clicked and we remained friends - even though we don't talk for years we pick up right where we left off. She is one of the best book recommenders I know, and she recommended the trilogy.

All 3 books were unputdownable.

A layered look into Egypt's paradigm shift - political, cultural and otherwise. It is set in during and just after WW1. The story unfolds through the lens of the members of the El-Gawad family. Every member of the family that we follow in the story reflects the external conflict and the internal dilemma of a changing culture.

Growing up in India and possessing a high level of sponge-ness type of personality (absorb all that I saw and heard) I had seen patriarchy and misogyny on so many levels. The discomfort of it I could never voice cause the behaviour highly normalised then, and moderately normalised now. I see deeper than others (when it comes to patriarchy & misogyny), I tolerate a lot less than many women around me, though I have learned to tone down my response in order to not be called all the wonderful names they reserve for women like me. The indignation started showing up in me only my late thirties and now it is a full blown intolerance. The only thing I have learned is the last year is to keep it to myself.

The book brings alive the casual-ness of a patriarch in the way he rules (read terrorises) the household and the way religion is used to subdue the rest of the family. The reality was that, between man (with wealth, a position in the world, some amount of power) and religion the rest of the humans (women, children and the 'lesser' men) were controlled. I believe we all are hypocritical at some point in some ways throughout our lives, but the patriarch's sense of entitlement is highlighted so well that you feel the need to bop him on the head and say, 'buddy, seriously?'. It doesn't even occur to the family to say something - it is so embedded. As an adult I have been asked so many times, why didn't I say something as a child? It is humanly impossible, believe me I have tried. So like the many women before me I do what I need to quietly - and accept being called challu (manipulative) - and mind you, it is not strangers that say this about me. The biggest patriarchs and misogynists are my family, I was one too till I wasn't.

The idea of revolt was so far from the minds of the oppressed (El - Gawad), it really reflects how humanity over the centuries has evolved. Oppressor and the oppressed - the ugly/unfair dance of the ages - do read, 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed' by Paulo Freire, gave me a better understanding of the psyche.

The prose is a delight to read and his ability to convey the intangible influencers of the times is superbly laid out. Goosebumps. Especially the third book. Loved reading the books, Egypt became more familiar and a kinship was formed.