Memoirs of Chicorel

Published by Diwan, The Memoirs of Ronald Cicurel (Muthakkirat Cicurel) offers a captivating and poignant firsthand account of a bygone era in modern Egyptian history. As an heir to the famed Cicurel family—founders of Cairo's iconic landmark department store "Les Grands Magasins Cicurel"—Ronald reflects on the vibrant, cosmopolitan tapestry of mid-20th-century Cairo. The memoir journeys through his upbringing in the elegant neighborhood of Zamalek, the inner workings of his family's retail empire, and the multicultural daily life of Egypt's elites. However, it also records the dramatic political shifts, nationalizations, and social fractures that ultimately transformed the country and led to the family's departure. Written with nostalgia and historical clarity, this book serves as an invaluable socio-cultural document of Cairo's rich urban memory and Jewish-Egyptian heritage.

It grants a rare, intimate insider perspective into Cairo's legendary cosmopolitan past, detailing the rise, culture, and ultimate dispersal of one of Egypt’s most famous merchant dynasties.

Ideal for readers of historical memoirs, fans of Middle Eastern socio-cultural history, urban historians, and anyone fascinated by mid-20th-century Egyptian history and multicultural heritage.