In 2002, Nadia Wassef, her sister Nihal and friend Hind founded the first independent bookstore, Diwan, in Cairo. They were young and fearless, they didn't have a business plan, but they didn't have fear either. Nadia, Nihal and Hind did not yet know what difficulties they would face. In the years that followed, the trio experienced all the hardships of doing business in a patriarchal country: blazing a path through harassment and discrimination, wooing oppressive bureaucrats, and figuring out the rules of Egyptian censorship on the go. And when Diwan finally achieved success (ten branches, more than a hundred employees and many fans), a revolution broke out in Egypt. This book is a frank memoir and a daring business novel, a fascinating story about modern Egypt and an unusual guide to Cairo, but above all, an inspiring story about overcoming any obstacles for the love of a life's work.