The Last Watchman of Old Cairo

A Novel

By: Michael David Lukas

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

In this “wonderfully rich” (San Francisco Chronicle) novel from the author of the internationally best-selling The Oracle of Stamboul, a young man journeys from California to Cairo to unravel centuries-old family secrets.

“This book is a joy.” (Rabih Alameddine, author of the National Book Award finalist An Unnecessary Woman)

Winner of the American Library Association's Sophie Brody Award

Winner of the National Jewish Book Award in Fiction

Named one of the 10 best books of the year by the BBC

Longlisted for the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Fiction Prize

A Penguin Random House International One World, One Book selection

Honorable Mention for the Middle East Book Award

Joseph, a literature student at Berkeley, is the son of a Jewish mother and a Muslim father. One day, a mysterious package arrives on his doorstep, pulling him into a mesmerizing adventure to uncover the centuries-old history that binds the two sides of his family. From the storied Ibn Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo, where generations of his family served as watchmen, to the lives of British twin sisters Agnes and Margaret, who in 1897 leave Cambridge on a mission to rescue sacred texts that have begun to disappear from the synagogue, this tightly woven multigenerational tale illuminates the tensions that have torn communities apart and the unlikely forces that attempt to bridge that divide. Moving and richly textured, The Last Watchman of Old Cairo is a poignant portrait of the intricate relationship between fathers and sons and an unforgettable testament to the stories we inherit and the places we are from.

Praise for The Last Watchman of Old Cairo:

"A beautiful, richly textured novel, ambitious and delicately crafted, The Last Watchman of Old Cairo is both a coming-of-age story and a family history, a wide-ranging book about fathers and sons, religion, magic, love, and the essence of storytelling. This book is a joy." (Rabih Alameddine, author of the National Book Award finalist An Unnecessary Woman)

“Lyrical, compassionate and illuminating.” (BBC)

"Michael David Lukas has given us an elegiac novel of Cairo - Old Cairo and modern Cairo. Lukas’s greatest flair is in capturing the essence of that beautiful, haunted, shabby, beleaguered yet still utterly sublime Middle Eastern city.” (Lucette Lagnado, author of The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit and The Arrogant Years)

“Brilliant.” (The Jerusalem Post)

©2018 Michael David Lukas (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Evocative... Lukas turns the Egyptian city into a tantalizingly seductive place of mystery.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Fascinating... Blending his fictional creations with real characters... Lukas creates a thoroughly credible mystery [and] an appealing family drama.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Part mystery, part character study, yet historically accurate, this book should appeal to a broad swath of readers.” (Library Journal)

“Lukas’ lyrical novel draws readers into a classic tale of family secrets, forbidden love, and religious rivalry that spans generations.... Parallel stories...intersect at a crucial juncture as family legends unfurl, coalesce, and enlighten.” (Booklist)

losing oneself in time and place.

Fascinating tale but a bit difficult to follow. The author takes the reader from ancient past, to 19th century and to present in no particular order. This is one of a few books that I will listen to again.

Interesting layered tale.

I enjoyed the unusual subject matter and the sense of history. The narrator was perfect and added much to the story.

cute but shallow

well written, interesting potential story, great reading performance but kind of disappointing story and at the end unrealistic sentimentalism

Loved this!

Felt like I knew the characters....I could feel the heat and smells if Cairo. Great narration too.

very warm and loving book

very quick read. the author and story teller really keeps you interested and longing for the next page. very well done

exquitly written

I loved the language. I loved the story.
A very humane treatment of so many modern and ancient situations woven into a very compelling tale.

Experience

I began this book days before leaving for Cairo and finished it as I sailed on the Nile. I have been fortunate to study the Genizah history, which has come to life for me on the pages of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and sincerely recommend it even if one is not going to Egypt… however, should you be traveling there, it is a MUST!

Disorganized Hodge Podge

I so wanted to like this book. It sounded so great - Cairo, a mystery surrounding an ancient Torah scroll, etc. Although the plot sounded good, the execution just didn't work. The attempt to go back and forth between 3 different time periods/characters was jarring and confusing. I think this was because there was little feeling of connection between all of the characters. In the end, a good attempt that fell short.