CAIRO — In the Cairo International Book Fair, the oldest and largest annual literary gathering in the Middle East, there is one conspicuous absence this year. ALEF, one of the regulars with a huge stand in the past, is no longer there to offer books from small publishers and budding writers. The bookstore chain closed the last of its 37 branches on Dec. 28 after allegations that it was linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. 

For Cairo’s bibliophiles, ALEF was a book lover’s paradise: a good and varied selection of books, good prices and good salespeople with a knack for finding requested books and suggesting new ones to suit customers’ taste.

“I was no great reader until I stepped into ALEF and met a salesperson who, after a few minutes of chatting, handed me a book on metaphysics, my great interest,” one reader, a college graduate, told Al-Monitor. She did not want to give her full name like others interviewed, worried about speaking positively on a bookstore linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. “After this initiation, I just kept going back for more.” 

She said she believed that people would read more with the help of salespeople and teachers, who can direct them toward what they like to read. “In that sense, ALEF was unique because they chose their team among the young people who love reading and are very cultured,” she commented. “The employees of ALEF are good at what they do, directing me to alternatives if I didn't find the book or novel that I was looking for.”