Escape to Aswan

“"One ever feels his two-ness," wrote W.E.B DuBois in 1903, lamenting he was both African and American, yet felt neither. This sentiment perfectly captures Salma, Amal Winter's protagonist. Winter’s narrative is elegantly written, complex yet very relatable. Her voice and characters are authentic. In one fascinating read, she provides us with a Michelin guide to the magic that is Cairo and the simplicity of the rural south; a primer on the political intrigue that involves the class and religious tensions of today's Egypt; and the hope of a renewed Arab Spring in this important country."

—John Zogby, Senior Partner, John Zogby Strategies, pollster, trend spotter, and author, We are Many; We are One

“Having read books from every region of the world except the Middle East, Escape to Aswan opened up a whole new world of intrigue for me.”

— Jim McDermott, U.S. Congressman (ret)

"Recipe for a good read: a quarter cup of John Le Carre, a tablespoon of Khalid Hou dash of Clive Cussler, a Teaspoon of Robert Ludlum, with an unfolding love story, mixed into the historical and current settings of the Middle East.

You know you have stepped into a different world from the first page. As the pages turn you can't put it down, and then you are gripping the book and starting to wonder who the good guys are and who are the bad ones. When the book ends your first question is "Where is the sequel"?"

—Margaret McCormack, Geography and Middle East Lecturer, Butte College. California

"This thrilling action-filled adventure novel is a fictional narrative set-in real-life circumstances in today’s Egypt. I was touched by the author’s first-hand descriptions of the lives of upper- and lower-class Egyptians and struck by the extremism and cruelty of both the government and its resistance.”

— Mariquita West, M.D. member, Academy of American Poets

“ Loved the book! It’s a riveting read that takes you inside Egypt as you've never experienced it before. Amal Sedky's keen insights into cross-cultural conundrums are equally fascinating and her ability to weave emotions, actions, events, and desires into a vibrant kaleidoscope is magical."

—Mike Ryan, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

“A tour de force! A suspense thriller, an action movie, a travelogue, a social commentary. A complex love affair, and for me, a remembrance of things past.” 

—Carol ElShaieb, Egypt Tours

"This culturally complex thriller features multilayered characters and tense action."

"The characters are complex, and Sedky-Winter avoids genre stereotypes by rendering messy but relatable relationships torn between any number of options..."

"The action spills from bustling Cairo to the poverty of southern Egypt, where Salma learns just how privileged she is and how cruel her father really can be... While the action resolves neatly, the relationships afterward are complex: Murad, Paul, and Salma aren't heroes or villains, and Sedky-Winter succeeds in portraying them as believable people forced to make unbearable decisions."

—Booklife Review

"In this incredible debut, Amal Sedky Winter creates a brilliant tale focusing not just on the prolific corruption and poverty of Egypt, but also on the resilience and kindness that the women of Egypt embody."

"Best of all, the women are not depicted in a way that would be a caricature or exacerbated depiction of their grueling lives. Instead, they are portrayed with grace, love, and honesty that is rarely afforded to deeply religious women. They exist alongside their religion, not as a portrait of it."

—Alison Norquist, Arab America Contributing Wr