Cairo: The Mother of the World

Herbert L. Smith
Wheatmark (2008)
ISBN 9781604940930
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (10/08)

 

Herbert L. Smith describes his fascination for the ancient city of Cairo in his book “Cairo: The Mother of the World.”  With a population of over 16 million people, Cairo is the largest city in Africa and in the Middle East. The city was founded in the seventh century.

Smith describes Cairo in this way: “…Cairo today is a great tapestry that has taken centuries, even millennia, to blend together, and will continue to enlarge as long as the city lives.” 

For three years in the 1990s Smith lived in Cairo working as an educational mentor to teachers. His story is not meant to be a tourist guide, but rather, he invites the reader to join him in his downtown apartment for a visit. He freely shares many of his unique experiences in adjusting to the Cairene way of life.

In the evening, looking out the window of his 15th-floor reception room we can see the city lit up with neon lights, the Radio building, the Ramses Hilton, and the Cairo Tower, “all glowing amid diffused lights.” From his window we can also see across the Nile to see the Nile Hilton Hotel, the Cairo Museum, and the Tahrir Square.

The book is arranged topically rather than chronologically. His first chapter titled simply “Ramblings” establishes his assignment in Cairo, his first impressions and some history of the city. Future chapters continue this casual style of writing as Smith takes the reader with him on his adventures in the heart of the city that tourists never see. He also gives insights and background to the city through stories of guiding visiting friends on tours of the city.  The Nile River, the Aakkara and the Giza Pyramids are all beautifully described.

As a Christian educator myself I was particularly interested in Smith’s coverage of the education system, the schools, and Smith’s role as an educational mentor. I also gained new insight into the religions of Cairo. Islam and Christianity are the only religions permitted for Egyptian citizens. The Coptic Orthodox Church is the indigenous Christian Church in Egypt. Smith visited All Saints Cathedral and soon became an active part of the church community as organist and committee member.

Smith brings a humorous look at the call to prayer. “…I lived in a quiet area of the city…except for five times a day when the call to prayer was broadcast forcefully from the mosque on the street behind…I did, however learn to sleep through the earliest call, a half hour before dawn every morning.”

Gridlock on the streets, leaping from Metro buses between stations, crowded sidewalks, and narrow stairs all become a way of life in the city. Smith describes the architecture of Cairo, the churches, cathedrals, and mosques. He tells of the ambiance of the hotels, the opera house, and of his awe of the pyramids.

“Cairo: The Mother of the World” is Herbert L. Smith’s story of his complete captivation with the eternal qualities of the city.

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