Palace Walk is the Nobel Prize-winning first volume of Mahfouz's monumental "Cairo Trilogy." Originally published in 1956-57, the novel is a family saga that takes place in Cairo during the period after WWI (including the 1919 revolution against the British). The Egyptian author has written 40 widely read novels, many now available in translation. Often compared to Balzac, his novels provide insight into life in Egypt. The Swedish Academy called his work rich in nuance, evocative and realistic.  (EGY04, $15.95)