The Cairo “Books Bike,” profiled on Qantara, is a one-woman project run by a young woman, Hadeer. Although the project has received high praise, it only operates in the wealthy New Cairo suburbs, as “they risk being subjected to police harassment at the moment they leave New Cairo” because the Books Bike lacks official permits. “Then there are the extreme price hikes of recent months, which are also affecting the book market and causing a sharp decline in sales, as well as the risk of the books being damaged by vehicle emissions and the elements,” Qantara reported.
The Cairo book scene has seen massive difficulties of late, from the currency fluctuations — which has sharply increased the prices of many books — to the shutdown of Gamal Eid’s popular Karama libraries.
