The fifty-seven short essays in this book set the scene for the difficulties that now threaten Egypt. They were written during 1990–1995 while Lillian Harris, a former American Foreign Service officer married to Alan Goulty, a British diplomat, lived in Cairo.

The essays explore Egypt’s cities, deserts, societies, monasteries, and circumstances in a time of widespread unrest that helped set the scene for the Arab Spring two decades later. Other essays examine life in Cairo, diplomatic difficulties, religious tensions, the problems of the poor, unrest under the Mubarak regime, and travels in many of the remoter parts of Egypt now largely off-limits to foreigners.

Dr. Harris’s travels gave her insights on many of the key themes relevant to political debate in Egypt today––the genesis of political malaise and extremism, economic fragility and the wealth gap, terrorism, threats to the environment and to Egypt’s rich cultural heritage, and perennial social issues such as the Muslim-Christian divide, women’s rights, population pressures, and leprosy. Enriching the book is the personal spiritual lens through which Lillian Harris views her experiences. She provides a unique picture of Egypt and Egyptians at a crucial period of Egypt’s modern history.