The latest addition to my website is Ashraf El-Ashmawi‘s اال>سيدة الزمالك، (The Lady of Zamalek). This novel covers Egypt from the beginning of World War II to almost the end of the twentieth century, focussing on Abbas Mahalawi, a young Egyptian, who, initially, looks as though he is going be a young man made good but soon turns out to be a young man made bad, as he makes lots of money and gains power by totally unscrupulous means, starting with his involvement in a historical robbery and murder. Corruption, lying, cheating, bribery, fraud, using and misusing family members and friends and murder are his stock in trade. He is surrounded by a host of characters, including some historical characters (both King Farouk and Nasser make an appearance), nearly all of whom are as corrupt as he is. The women often do badly, forced into marriages they do not want, but Abbas’s sister Zeinab turns out to be as unscrupulous as her brother and even his daughter, Nadia is not averse to cheating and deception. It is a fascinating portrait of a totally corrupt and immoral society.