The Republic of False Truths: A novel

Alaa Al Aswany

Aug 2021 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Peter Ganim

About this audiobook

A "glorious, humane novel" (The Observer) about the Egyptian revolution, taking us inside the battle raging between those in power and those prepared to lay down their lives in the defense of freedom—this globally-acclaimed narrative from one of the foremost writers in the Arab world is still banned across much of the region.

Cairo, 2011. After decades under a repressive regime, tensions are rising in the city streets. No one is out of reach of the revolution. There is General Alwany, a high-ranking member of the government's security agency, a pious man who loves his family yet won't hesitate to torture enemies of the state; Asma, a young teacher who chafes against the brazen corruption at her school; Ashraf, an out-of-work actor who is having an affair with his maid and who gets pulled into Tahrir Square through a chance encounter; Nourhan, a television personality who loyally defends those in power; and many more.

As these lives collide, a new generation finds a voice, love blossoms across class divides, and the revolution gains strength. Even the general finds himself at a crossroads as his own daughter joins the protests. Yet the old regime will not give up without a fight.

With an unforgettably vivid cast of characters and a heart-pounding narrative banned across much of the region, Alaa Al Aswany gives us a deeply human portrait of the Egyptian Revolution, and an impassioned retelling of his country's turbulent recent history.

Ratings and reviews

This is a real portrait of a whole community under unbearable repression. Egypt is supposed to compete with the developed world, but remains where freedom of speech is prohibited in the 21 century. From 1954 when Nasser started collective punishment the Egyptian people are still in search of a ray of a light under the glorious sun. This book brings to the light the long years the Egyptian citizens endured the worst hell in the earth. God help us all. I met Egyptian teachers in Yemen who shave their beard when they go on vacation home. To that extent. Veiled women throw it before entering the Cairo airport. When I requested an Egyptian friend to get me a book from Egypt, he said : I am not allowed to take books with me. My money only is permitted.

About the author

ALAA AL ASWANY is the author of numerous works of fiction and nonfiction, including the novels The Yacoubian Building, the best-selling novel in the Arab world for more than five years, with more than a million copies sold around the world; Chicago, named by Newsday as the best translated novel of 2006; and, most recently, The Automobile Club of Egypt. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages and published in more than one hundred countries. He has received several international awards, including the Grinzane Cavour Prize, and in 2016 he was appointed a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France. Originally trained as a dentist, he retains his own dental practice in Cairo. Translated by S. R. Fellowes.