A description by Cairo-born psychiatrist of a return to his native city.It is aimed at giving readers an impression of what this ancient city is like today.It relates encounters and incidents in and around Cairo and evokes memories of a lost world.Covering some prominent sites, it also includes out of the way places not often seen by tourists. The term Mamnou'of the title means 'forbidden'It can be viewed as a metaphor for the city which is simultaneously both exciting and irritating but always warm and engaging.It is a cross between a tourist guide, a travel diary and a memoir