A Long Night at Abu Simbel

by Penelope Lively

Three short stories, the first of which focuses on a group of people trapped in an Egyptian airport without a tour guide. The second looks at a woman's outrage when a cat impregnates her kitten, and the third examines the end of an affair. All three explore beneath the veneer of good behaviour.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Egypt

58 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Penelope Lively is the author of many prize-winning novels and short-story collections for both adults and children. She has twice been shortlisted for the Booker Prize: once in 1977 for her first novel, The Road to Lichfield, and again in 1984 for According to Mark. She later won the 1987 Booker Prize for her highly acclaimed novel Moon Tiger.

Her other books include Going Back; Judgement Day; Next to Nature, Art; Perfect Happiness; Passing On; City of the Mind; Cleopatra’s Sister; Heat Wave; Beyond the Blue Mountains, a collection of short stories; Oleander, Jacaranda, a memoir of her childhood days in Egypt; Spiderweb; her autobiographical work, A House Unlocked; The Photograph; Making It Up; Consequences; Family Album, which was shortlisted for the 2009 Costa Novel Award, and How It All Began.

She is a popular writer for children and has won both the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Award. She was appointed CBE in the 2001 New Year’s Honours List, and DBE in 2012.

Penelope Lively lives in London. She was married to Jack Lively, who died in 1998.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting little interlude as I try and get back my rhythm of reading - This is another of the penguin short book this time a book of 3 short stories of human observations. I do not want to give away any spoilers but I have to say the first had me rapt as you witnessed the interactions and reaction of a group of people and how things can change and switch so quickly at the slightest of events only the change back again almost as quickly.

The other two stories are equally as cutting in their observations of the human character although from different perspectives and focuses.

[Nadine Rose Larter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweetish collection of some stories that involve cats. Which I suppose is why there is a cat on the cover? This book is tiny which is kind of what drew me to it I will admit. Like "look how cute and tiny the book I'm reading is". I might be a silly human. But I do love short stories. And this book had three of them in it so that was lovely.

[Daren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit underwhelmed by this book. Three short stories, taken from the authors bookPack of Cards, as a Penguin 60.

The first (title) story was very amusing - anyone who has ever travelled in a group situation, with people chosen only due the fact they want to do the same 'trip', will find the story replicates common situations. A travel guide who reaches the end of her tether and simply leaves - a group of people used to be led and having their cares attended to.

The other two stories, just fell outside of my interest. The writing style was ok, but it didn't hold me to a story I found no amusement with.

Ends up at a high 2 stars for me.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/4869265

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t so keen on ‘The Emasculation of Ted Roper’, but I really enjoyed ‘Pack of Cards’ (an allusion to Alice in Wonderland) because it’s a brilliant take-down of snobbery. This is what I thought about the titular story:
https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/09/09/f...

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title story was my least favourite in the book. The small-mindedness of all of the fairly wide cast of characters was depressing. The other stories featured more appealing characters, and were therefore much more enjoyable.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite writing. Now I know exactly what to do if I'm stuck with a whiny tour group. And I know what to do if I'm a member of one.

[Mx Józef · Rating 4 out of 5]

would've been two stars without 'pack of cards'

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three short stories.
Abu Simbal, the Tom cat story and the lover who visits grandmas library.
Very much a snapshot of English society in about the 1960s. I didn’t enjoy them.

[The Contented · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The short story about the unused home library was great; A long night at Abu Simbel was atmospheric - the cat one was junk

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ejoyabloe trio of short stories.

[j · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love cats

A Long Night at Abu Simbel 3/5
The Emasculation of Ted Roper 3.5/5
Pack of Cards 3.5/5

fun read also

[Helena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little odd book, quick read! I liked the last of the three noveles, Pack of Cards, best!

[Coenraad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another major discovery for me in the Penguin 60s series. Lively is a well-known author with a Booker prize to her name, yet these are the first texts of hers that I've read. Delicious. In the title story, 'A long night at Abu Simbel', a tour guide, pushed beyond her limits, leaves her tour group stranded in Egypt. The narrative focuses on how the group copes with adversity. 'The emasculation of Ted Roper' shows feminism at work in a small rural community - and its success! In the final story, 'Pack of cards', Nick is the outsider, the boyfriend who is of a lower social rung and therefore never quite good enough for Charlotte. The tone in all these stories is incisive yet relaxed - delightfully wry. Not quite so strongly ironic and funny as Saki, not quite as obliviously and shallowly entertaining as Wodehouse, Lively depicts a slightly more modern society and delves into serious levels of social existence. I will surely ensure much more Lively reading in future.

Penelope Lively skets groepe karakters en hul interaksie met mekaar vaardig en presies, tog met 'n gemaklike aanslag. Die humor wat sy inskryf, verdoesel 'n diepe erns. Haar verhale in hierdie boekie stel my diep tevrede: dis vermaaklik en maklik om te lees, maar geensins oppervlakkig nie. Ek sal graag die res van haar oeuvre wil leer ken in die toekoms.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Long Night at Abu Simbel - a tour group spend the night at Abu Simbel airport. (3.5 stars)

The Emasculation of Ted Roper- four women get there own back on the village curmudgeon. (4 stars)

Pack of Cards - Nick finally gets to see his girlfriend’s grandmothers famous library. (4 stars)

I thought this was a solid collection of short stories. I picked it up from a charity shop a few weeks ago. It was originally published as part of the Penguin 60’s in 1995. The original price on the back of the book was 60p, I paid 99p - inflation I guess.

I enjoyed the 3 stories. To start with I thought they were going to feel like generic stories but they all have twists and moments in them that surprised me. I think they were all great in their own ways. I think my only issue was that there were so many characters in the first story.

I have two more of he Penguin’s 60 that I got from the charity shop which are also small anthologies, so they are also on the list for Anthology Month! I am also going to keep an eye out for more of the collection!

[Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to get ahold of another Lively book. I checked this from the Penguin 60's series at the local library to make my book list less of a sausage-fest, something I think we can all consider doing. "A Long Night..." contains 3 short stories that are as classically candid as Maugham's or Waugh's, as her writing seems devoted to interpersonal relationships and shared, common experiences.

[Malvina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone thoughtfully tucked a secondhand version of this little book into a gift for me. I was delighted to read the three short stories: A Long Night At Abu Simel, The Emasculation of Ted Roper and Pack of Cards. Each very different, each an incisively comic, uncomplimentary commentary on slices of human behaviour. Vastly entertaining.

[Angus]

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