Egypt on the Brink From the Rise of Nasser to the Fall of Mubarak Tarek Osman

Tarek Osman's lively account of Egypt, its recent history, and myriad internal conflicts and frustrations, was published in November 2010 to immediate acclaim. Within months, the Egyptian people had risen in protest against the regime and President Mubarak was forced to resign. In this fully revised and updated edition, Osman tells the extraordinary story of the February 2011 protests, and discusses their implications for Egypt and the rest of the world.

Extract

Our free download, Crisis in the Arab World, contains extracts from this book

Born and raised in Egypt, Tarek Osman was educated at the American University in Cairo and Bocconi University in Italy. His writings appeared in a number of publications in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Middle East.

"Osman writes with a focused and uncluttered style which will retain the interest of even the most general reader." -Joyce Tyldesley, Financial Times

"This updated edition follows the post-revolution events, balancing the likely strength of hi-tech young liberals, the Muslim Brotherhood and the army. But the sharp analysis of Egypt’s youth revolt, and its collision with a corrupt elite, still stands. Osman captures a generation 'animated by a passion to escape the failure it feels it has inherited'. Now that passion has borne rich fruits."—Boyd Tonkin, The Independent

"A well researched and closely argued book." -John R. Bradley, Literary Review

"Short, readable, clear, and passionately written. A good introduction to Egypt's story." -Boston Globe

"Osman paints a colourful and convincing picture of the decline of Mubarak’s rule……A compelling account of how the various combustile ingredients of revolution came together, awaiting the final spark."—Gerald Butt, Times Literary Supplement

"Tarek Osman writes with feeling, backed up by an impressively broad list of sources as well as sharp critical insight and astute judgement." -The Economist

"Timely, lively and authoritative book... it takes stock of every major force at work with a shrewd strategic eye." -The Independent

"Osman weaves the tale of an increasingly divided and oppressed land and examines the social, cultural, and economic factors that have led to a perfect revolutionary storm." -Foreign Policy

"It is hard to imagine a timelier book than Egypt on the Brink... an elegantly written and insightful analysis of the fissures and discontents of contemporary Egypt." -Middle East Journal

Watch the related video

Osman discusses the major factors that will come in to play with Mubarak out of power

Related links

Interview with Foreign Policy
Article in the Financial Times
Articles in OpenDemocracy
Article in The Cairo Review
Interview with FiveBooks