Cairo Annual Book fair

     The past month has been full of events, and I'm glad I could attend all of them, for a change. I'm the kind of person who's invited to events on Facebook, and the response is "May be going" all the time, and most probably I wouldn't go.

     The Cairo book fair is an annual event awaited by bookworms and readers. They are not the only visitors though. People would go there for a hangout since it takes place during the school's mid-year holiday. The book fair accommodates all local publishing houses, bookstore chains and tents by foreign countries. There's also "Sur El-Azbakya" for used books and high copies. Also, there are discounts by almost all the sellers.

     It's true I'm into reading, but I've never been to the Cairo book fair any time before, or not any time I can remember. The place where it's held is too far from where I live, and I could never go. However, this year I decided I'd just go no matter what. I made it to this year's book fair, with Summar's company, and it was a satisfying, enjoyable and exhausting experience. It's satisfying because you'd love looking at the stack of books you've got yourself at the end of the day. It's enjoyable because books are all around you! You'd never see that much books, anywhere else in Egypt; and finally, it's exhausting because you'd keep walking for long hours, carrying all the books you've bought. It has a sour-sweet feel to it! :D

     As a way to prepare for the event I saved a good amount of money, and made a list of all the books I'd like to purchase. Summar is a regular visitor to the book fair. She didn't make lists and such because she thinks it's useless, and she's right! I mean, I bought plenty of books and I was very thrilled, then I checked my list and I only cancelled one book off it. One never sticks to a list when there's plenty of attractions around them.

So, what did I buy?!

- I bought a couple of Donald duck comic books, and these one were on my list! XD

- I bought three Agatha Christie-thrillers: Poriot investigates, Poriot early cases , and Then there were none.

- I, finally, bought "The book thief", but, sadly, the movie edition. (I hate movie editions!)

- I bought Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the shore. Since, his books are high-rated, and I have a deep affection for anything that's Japanese, I thought I'd go with that book, since almost all the reviews I checked were positive.

- I bought a few books I've already read, either as a soft copy or borrowed like To kill a mocking bird, The hunger games and Catching fire.

- I bought a short stories- Arabic book written by a relative, to support her (It was the first book I read from all those purchases, and it was really good.)

- Finally, I bought George Orwell's 1984.

     One cool thing about the book fair, is that book stores all over the country would probably have discounts while it's running, and I did benefit from that. The rest of the "Song of ice and fire" series was on the top of my list. However, I couldn't find the second book, the one I'd read next, since I've already read Game of thrones; or well, I did find it but it was too expensive and not the same edition as that of the "Game of thrones" copy I have. So, a week later, I was I the shopping mall and I found the rest of the series (or what's already published) in the book store. They were the edition I wanted, cheaper and there was a discount as well. The plan was I'd buy, only, the second and the third book, but I couldn't just leave the other two lying there; and luckily, dad was with me so he paid for them. XD

     I'm truly thrilled by the scene of the book stacks lying on the desk, and I can't wait to read all of them, and I can't wait for the mini-book club I and Summar will have since we have many common purchases!