In 2002, Egyptian culture was languishing under government mismanagement, and books were considered a luxury, not a necessity. Undaunted, Nadia Wassef joined with her sister, Hind, and their friend, Nihal, to found Diwan, a fiercely independent bookstore in Cairo. They were three young women with no business degrees, no formal training, and nothing to lose; ten years later, Diwan had become a rousing success, with ten locations, 150 employees, and a fervent fan base. Telling this unlikely but inspiring story, Wassef also profiles the store's devoted coterie of unforgettable customers.