In this heady book, the author-historian combines his own journey as a student from India at Oxford with the tale of a South Indian slave who lived along the ancient Nile. It's invaluable for understanding the history of the Malabar coast and relations between the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. Not exactly historical fiction, the book artfully interweaves personal history, travel writing and philosophical meditation.  (EGY18, $18.00)