In 2002, with her sister, Hind, and their friend, Nihal, she founded Diwan, a fiercely independent bookstore. They were three young women with no business degrees, no formal training, and nothing to lose. At the time, nothing like Diwan existed in Egypt. Culture was languishing under government mismanagement, and books were considered a luxury, not a necessity. Ten years later, Diwan had become a rousing success, with ten locations, 150 employees, and a fervent fan base.

Frank, fresh, and very funny, Nadia Wassef's memoir tells the story of this journey.

Nadia will be interviewed by Martin Latham whose The Bookseller's Tale has been praised by David Mitchell and Alan Bennett, and translated into German, Italian and Chinese.

Please note that in the event of a change to the schedule, or a cancellation, ticketholders will be refunded no later than 7 days after the event. You will be contacted nearer the time with more information related to current government guidance.

Please stay home if you’re experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19 (these are listed on the NHS website) or if you’ve recently been in contact with someone who has the virus.

If you are unable to use your tickets because you are unwell, please contact events@waterstones.com before, or on the day of the event to organise a refund. Refunds will be processed within a week of the event.