The Soor El-Azbackaya zone is a little known bookseller area in Attaba
near downtown Cairo. Almost all subjects in all languages can be found within
the hundreds of ceiling-high stacks of books inside the small metal shacks run
by various used booksellers. The site stretches over 200 meters of paved
concrete right in the heart of the Attaba discount shopping area. Upon this
concrete plateau are perhaps 90 or so metal kiosks each containing a unique and
specialized collection of books, newspapers and magazines.
The site is a little known area in Cairo where foreigners and Egyptians find
used, rare, hard-to-get or specialized printed material. For example, a
tremendous amount of books can be found on the subject of Egyptian antiquities,
all at their usual below market discounted prices. As well, many of the shops
feature top magazines (fashion, travel, music, business, etc) from all over the
world including Japan, Germany, France and America. If you are on the hunt for a
certain textbook or cheap computer manual, the Soor El-Azbackaya area will
probably fill your needs. The site is also a gold mine for rare and hard-to-get
books in many languages, including old Arabic newspapers covering prominent
Egyptian events from decades past. "Sadek Library" which is run by Mr.
Ahmad Sadek says that he has the first issue of the public newspaper " AL
Ahram" and he sells it for 50 Egyptian pounds (US$12.50).
As I walked between the
shops, I found one with an interesting name "Al Raheek EL- Makhtoom".
I stopped and asked the man working there what that name meant. He said that the
kiosk was named after a book written by an old Indian writer. The name was what
that Indian writer called Prophet Mohammed. Shendy Ibrahim, manager of the Al-Raheek
El-Makhtoom shop, told me the history of the area. Shendy said, "First this
book area was in its present place but was very disorganized and it was a mess.
During the construction of the Metro subway system, the government told us to
move to the Hussein Hospital near Al-Azhar. Following the completion of the
subway system, we moved back to this location (Attaba) but under a new
organizational system set forth by the government. They supplied us with these
nice shops, which as you see are really small, metal kiosks, and set forth rules
and regulations by which we can sell these books. Now any person can easily and
quickly find the used book they are looking for."
Shendy’s shop contains an
interesting collection of used Medical textbooks in English, as well as
Engineering and Computer books. Shendy explains, "Our books come from
various sources. We sometimes buy old private libraries that their owners want
to get rid of. We sell to the public 75% cheaper than other libraries outside
Soor EL Azbakeya. We especially attract a lot of foreigners looking for unique books
on antiquities or old literary novels. I can also make a barter deal with some.
They give me their old novels and pay about L.E. 2 and get another one from the
shop. Often they take my mobile number and ask me to search for certain books
they are wanting." Mr. Shendy has been in this job for 8 years trading,
buying and selling thousands of used and new books.
Within the stacked piles of books at the Al-Raheek El-Makhtoom kiosk I found
some interesting rare collections. For example, a rare 1972 translation of the
"1001 Arabian Nights" in four volumes can be bought for 312 LE. It was
in perfect
condition. A six-volume
set of Winston Churchill’s 1954 edition of "The History of WWII" can
be purchased for 150 LE. I was amazed when I read the name of the author,
Winston Churchill. I also found books dating back to the 1800’s. I even found
an old "Encyclopedia Britannica".
The Attaba bookseller area also offers an interesting cultural blend whereby
one seller might specialize in Koran and religious books, and just a few kiosks
away sits young teenagers selling the latest fashion magazines from Europe.
Another kiosk sells only computer magazines, most of them still containing the
freebie CD-roms, which comes with the publication.
The bookseller area is open from 10 am – 9 p.m. daily. Tourist peak time is
from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9p.m. During the evenings, the
nearby Attaba area is bustling with people but the bookseller zone is always
more refined and there is always easy access to view and browse the selections
without a crowd. On Fridays, most of the kiosks are closed until later in the
afternoon after prayers. The used bookseller site is easily reached via the
underground Metro subway system. Just get out at the Attaba stop and walk up the
stairs. All the kiosks are right there about 20 meters away.
The Soor El Azbakeya area is really a rich area full of rare books, as well
as new ones. This area often passes unnoticed by tourists who come to visit
Egypt which is only a couple of minutes away from El Azhar and Khan El Khalili.
So, if you are a book lover this place is not to be missed.
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