Khairy Shalaby’s novel centers on Rowdy Salih, the attendant who keeps the pipes filled in Hakeem’s hash den, a hidden meeting place for Cairo intellectuals, artists, writers, and drifters. Through the den and its regulars, the novel follows comic and tragic lives from the aftermath of 1967 through the shocks of the 1970s, building a portrait of street culture, political disillusionment, and unruly survival.
Reviews
“Twelve years on from the first publication of The Hashish Waiter in Arabic, its hero Rowdy Salih can be seen as a precursor of the millions of Egyptians who finally rose up and said ‘Enough’ and ‘No’ in the 2011 revolution.” — Banipal Magazine (Full review)
“The translation by Adam Talib is zesty and enjoyable; Talib is resourceful in rendering into English the author’s rich prose style peppered with dialect, slang and hashish-related jargon.” — Banipal Magazine (Full review)
“[…] a fascinating visit to a world about which the Michelin Green Guide has been sadly silent.” — Rain Taxi (AUC Press)
“The novel is particularly timely for its look at the fraught relationship between Egypt’s people and its foreign policy.” — Egypt Independent (Full review)