--- product_id: 5207256 title: "Children of the Alley: A Novel" price: "29660CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/5207256-children-of-the-alley-a-novel store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # Set in Cairo 400+ pages Award-winning author Children of the Alley: A Novel **Price:** 29660CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📚 Dive into a world where every alley tells a story! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Children of the Alley: A Novel - **How much does it cost?** 29660CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/5207256-children-of-the-alley-a-novel) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Timeless Themes:** Explore universal themes of identity, belonging, and resilience. - • **Complex Characters:** Meet a diverse cast that reflects the struggles and triumphs of urban life. - • **Engaging Narrative:** Get lost in a gripping story that keeps you turning pages late into the night. - • **Literary Masterpiece:** Experience a novel that has captivated readers and critics alike. - • **A Journey Through Cairo's Streets:** Immerse yourself in a rich tapestry of culture and history. ## Overview Children of the Alley is a celebrated novel by Nobel Prize-winning author Naguib Mahfouz, set against the vibrant backdrop of Cairo. This compelling narrative weaves together the lives of its characters, exploring deep social and philosophical themes that resonate with readers across generations. ## Description The tumultuous alley of this rich and intricate novel (first published in Arabic in 1959) is inhabited by a delightful Egyptian family, but is also the setting for a second, hidden, and more daring narrative: the spiritual history of humankind. The men and women of a modern Cairo neighborood unwittingly reenact the lives of their holy ancestors: from the feudal lord who disowns one son for diabolical pride and puts another to the test, to the savior of a succeeding generation who frees his people from bondage. This powerful novel confirms again the richness and variety of Mahfouz's storytelling and his status as "the single most important writer in modern Arabic literature" ( Newsweek ). Review: Fast-Paced Story About Great Religious Leaders - This book is a fictional retelling of the history of the great religious leaders of the Middle East, including Moses, Jesus and Mohammad, and a scientist to represent the modern era, when God is supposedly dead. The story is a bit predictable, because you know who the players are in advance, but Mahfouz plays with their histories enough to provide some surprises, and the way he interprets the temperament of the great spiritual leaders is designed to be entertaining and leave you wondering what will happen next. The writing is quite good, better than in many of his books, though I don't know how much of this is Mahfouz and how much is the translator. The book is fast-paced, and I found myself turning pages quite rapidly as the heroes appear on the scene, take on the bad guys, and effect spiritual enlightenment which never lasts long. I have read many Mahfouz books, and this one is a gem. I found it on a list of great world literature, and I agree with whoever made that list; this story is excellent. Highly recommended! Review: The Divine Comedy reenacted - Mahfouz rewrote the religious history of mankind in an Egyiptian poor neighbourhood setting. The great greek writer Kazansakis did the same in few of his books specially in his novel "Christ recroosified". Great writers can't find better dramatic themes than the suffering associated with religions which constitute the everlasting struggle between good and evil. Great writers like Mahfouz are philosophers by nature who have overall prespective and still observe all details and penetrate it to the real essence of things. Mahfouz is trying to tell us that inspite of all religions, philosophers, prophets and sages, throughout the long history of mankind, still goodness and virtue can't gain a footing in our lives. The reason is that everything revolves around the human nature which consists of good and evil kneaded together. The human being will accept the call for virtue, love, philanthropy from religion but next day finds himself jeolous, hateful towards his brother and kills him, then mourns him for the rest of his life, then comes new religion and the divine comedy repeats itself. Even without God or religions and stanging on the soilid ground of science, still humans are unable to be happy, content and virtuous. The children of the alley is the story of the humanity stemming from God (Gabalawi) and his son Adam (Adham) and his three grandchildren, Moses(Gabal), Christ (Refaa) and Muhammad (Qassem) then follown by sience represented by (Arafa). the book is well written, easy to read and gets us emotionally invelvod. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #509,566 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3,380 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction #14,000 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 250 Reviews | ## Images ![Children of the Alley: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81lAeyv1PsL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fast-Paced Story About Great Religious Leaders *by R***G on December 16, 2016* This book is a fictional retelling of the history of the great religious leaders of the Middle East, including Moses, Jesus and Mohammad, and a scientist to represent the modern era, when God is supposedly dead. The story is a bit predictable, because you know who the players are in advance, but Mahfouz plays with their histories enough to provide some surprises, and the way he interprets the temperament of the great spiritual leaders is designed to be entertaining and leave you wondering what will happen next. The writing is quite good, better than in many of his books, though I don't know how much of this is Mahfouz and how much is the translator. The book is fast-paced, and I found myself turning pages quite rapidly as the heroes appear on the scene, take on the bad guys, and effect spiritual enlightenment which never lasts long. I have read many Mahfouz books, and this one is a gem. I found it on a list of great world literature, and I agree with whoever made that list; this story is excellent. Highly recommended! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Divine Comedy reenacted *by K***N on June 28, 2013* Mahfouz rewrote the religious history of mankind in an Egyiptian poor neighbourhood setting. The great greek writer Kazansakis did the same in few of his books specially in his novel "Christ recroosified". Great writers can't find better dramatic themes than the suffering associated with religions which constitute the everlasting struggle between good and evil. Great writers like Mahfouz are philosophers by nature who have overall prespective and still observe all details and penetrate it to the real essence of things. Mahfouz is trying to tell us that inspite of all religions, philosophers, prophets and sages, throughout the long history of mankind, still goodness and virtue can't gain a footing in our lives. The reason is that everything revolves around the human nature which consists of good and evil kneaded together. The human being will accept the call for virtue, love, philanthropy from religion but next day finds himself jeolous, hateful towards his brother and kills him, then mourns him for the rest of his life, then comes new religion and the divine comedy repeats itself. Even without God or religions and stanging on the soilid ground of science, still humans are unable to be happy, content and virtuous. The children of the alley is the story of the humanity stemming from God (Gabalawi) and his son Adam (Adham) and his three grandchildren, Moses(Gabal), Christ (Refaa) and Muhammad (Qassem) then follown by sience represented by (Arafa). the book is well written, easy to read and gets us emotionally invelvod. I highly recommend this book and give it five stars. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ On the plus side the author is an excellent story teller with some points about religion *by S***N on October 4, 2016* I thought that the book started a bit slowly, and the allegories were a bit heavy handed. On the plus side the author is an excellent story teller with some points about religion, science, and politics that are still valid 60 years later. Good sense of place. ## Frequently Bought Together - Children of the Alley: A Novel - Palace Walk: The Cairo Trilogy, Volume 1 - Palace of Desire: The Cairo Trilogy, Volume 2 --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/5207256-children-of-the-alley-a-novel](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/5207256-children-of-the-alley-a-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-07-21*