Taxi [Paperback]

"Taxi’s brilliance is that it captures the point at which cabs cease to be just a means of transportation."  —Foreign Policy

Underscoring the most diverse species on the planet—the taxi driver—this striking portrait unveils the polluted, unforgiving streets of Cairo, a city that simply refuses to stand still. Bringing together 58 fictional monologues from Cairo cabbies, recreated from actual experiences while traversing the city, this novel takes readers on a roller coaster of emotions as bumpy and noisy as the city's potholed and chaotic streets. Described as an urban sociology, an ethnography, a classic of oral history, and even a work of poetry in motion, these narratives tell tales of the struggle for survival and dignity among greater Cairo’s 80,000 cab drivers. Written in a rich colloquial, this unique anthology combines poignant self-reflections with the authentic insights of the man on the street.

Khaled Al Khamissi is a journalist, writer, film director and producer, and publisher. He has worked for the National Institute for Social Studies and has written as a journalist for several Egyptian newspapers, including Al Ahram. He has written and produced scripts for drama and documentary films and is a regular participant at international film festivals.