Out of Egypt: A Memoir

Rating:
Summary: speak, memory
Review: A really absorbing memoir, reminiscent in some ways of Nabokov's "Speak, Memory". Neither sentimental nor self indulgent, clear-eyed, humorous, yet moving and truly interesting. Having lived in Egypt myself around the same time (albeit in Cairo, not Alexandria), I was touched by recognition of places and types: a world "gone with the wind". That is of course very personal, but I believe this book should appeal to any one with a little curiosity about other places, people, times.

Rating:
Summary: A charming family chronicle
Review: Aciman's memoir of his multiethnic, multiglossic family in Alexandria starts out a bit confusingly: he purposefully (and perversely) hides just how certain characters are related to one another, and to himself, in the opening sections, which makes things a bit confusing. But once he enters as a character himself in the book, things straighten out and the reader can immerse himself or herself in the sights and sounds of mid-century Alexandria. The characters (mostly his family members and servants) are charmingly original, and really come to live. Oddly, though it takes his introduction into the narrative for the memoir to straighten itself out, Aciman's own character is kept occulted in this memoir, and most of what we see him do is misbehave. Aciman clearly and wisely learned from Proust (his admitted model) never to sentimentalize himself--a mistake other memoirists often commit.

Rating:
Summary: speak, memory
Review: Andre Aciman has written a brillant portrait of a doomed and now vanished world .This memoir is filled with melancholy, energy, feeling and true wit.His style is simple, silken and elegant. The truely amazing thing about the book and the reason I could not put it down were the characters.Rich, vivid ,full fleshed very much like Dickens.Very funny very moving . Buy this book now.

Rating:
Summary: out of egypt
Review: Andre Aciman has written a brillant portrait of a doomed and now vanished world .This memoir is filled with melancholy, energy, feeling and true wit.His style is simple, silken and elegant. The truely amazing thing about the book and the reason I could not put it down were the characters.Rich, vivid ,full fleshed very much like Dickens.Very funny very moving . Buy this book now.