The Arrogant Years: One Girl's Search For Her Lost Youth, From Cairo To Brooklyn (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
I loved this author's first book, Man in the White Sharkskin Suit, which was one of my favorite books of the last few years, but was somewhat leery about reading this book, as I had heard people say that it wasn't nearly as good. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the book. However, too me it felt like a bunch of short stories put together to make a novel. Any one of the chapters could have probably stood on its own. Although I am Jewish, I am very unfamiliar with the Jewish people who lived in Egypt, Syria, Morocco, etc. The book gave me a lot of insight into what life was like in Egypt for the Jews a few years ago, as well as what happened when the community was forced to disperse. I also appreciated the author's personal struggles with her health. The book made me appreciate how lucky I was to have the kind of childhood I had. Read it...you will find it interesting. There are major aspects of this memoir that I really enjoyed, particularly the first half of the book the describes her mother's life in Egypt. The author really penetrates the beginning of her mother's life, which for me was the most interesting part of the book. And I loved the author's reflections on her early childhood years after she moved to the US and the interactions with those in her synagogue. But unfortunately those insights don't really carry through to the reminder of her mother's life, such as her marriage and transition to the US.
What do You think about The Arrogant Years: One Girl's Search For Her Lost Youth, From Cairo To Brooklyn (2011)?
Did not enjoy as much as I enjoyed The Man in the Sharkskin Suit, but still interesting reading.
—a7lam
Excellent portrayal of Egyptian Jewish child relocating to New York
—nadymoreno
