Chicago: A Novel, is a very interesting fictional story of Egyptian students who come to attend the University of Illinois Medical School. The book is set in today's world, and the students must navigate the American dichotomies of openness and competition. How much assimilation should the characters allow themselves? The often painful history of Chicago is included, juxtaposed with commentary on modern Egyptian life and psyche.  The book is very helpful to understand the upheaval going on Egypt in early 2011.