Egypt on the Brink: From the Rise of Nasser to the Fall of Mubarak

by 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.

Genres: History, Middle East, Egypt, Nonfiction, Politics, Africa, Historical

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Tarek Osman is the author of Islamism: A History of Political Islam from the Fall of the Ottoman Empire to the Rise of ISIS and Egypt on the Brink. He wrote and presented several BBC documentary series including "The Making of the Modern Arab World" and "Islam Divided: Sunni-Shia". Tarek has spent two decades researching Middle Eastern politics and societies, and is a regular contributor on the Arab and Islamic worlds at leading newspapers worldwide.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why I didn't like this book: 1) It depicts Egyptian Christians in a very negative perspective, as money-hoarders and pure capitalists. He explains the dogmatic difference between Coptic Orthodox Christians and Catholics in error - describes Copts as monophysites and then goes on to explain what monophysitism is and gets that wrong, too! 2) Osman starts his discussion of the attacks on Christians by militant Islamic groups with a sort of justification for the attacks, namely a 2005 play that villagers found insulting to Islam - this, of course, is despite the fact that attacks preceded the play by decades. 3) He is very encouraging of a Muslim Brotherhood state in light of the revolution, and gives them credit for the success of the revolution in providing "critical mass" to the protests.

[Bob Uva · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading about the activists who used Facebook and then researched non-violent protesting techniques to protest the behavior of the authoritarian Mubarak regime, I wanted to understand how such an autocrat, entrenched in power and with the support of the military, could with apparent ease be forced to resign. I reviewed reader comments on a few books and chose this one by an Egyptian author.

Osman provides a brief historical survey of the nation but then concentrates on the 20th century developments, from their liberal experiment in the 20s through 40s to the 1952 revolution and the establishment of Nasser as a personification of the state, to the failed wars with Israel and the al-infitah movement over the latter part of the century. I was impressed with the author's ability to relate economics, politics and culture so that instead of reading as a traditional historical narrative of Egyptian governments (called 'projects', in translation, by the author), the book reveals how Egyptian writers and culture were changing.

I did not gain a lot of understanding of why Mubarak resigned, partly because the book was written, and then published, before the 2011 Arab Spring. But I do have a better understanding of the power structures in Egyptian society, of how Egyptians went from a predominantly Christian to a predominantly Muslim people, and of the ordinary Egyptian's suffering.

If you are looking for a relatively short study of Egypt in the 20th century with some insight into where the country could be headed in our century, I would strongly recommend this book.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what I felt about AUC leaving Tahrir:
"The retreat from city centres to peripheral areas is also part of a wider change in Egyptians' relationship with their land. Egypt's urban constellations (mainly Cairo and Alexandria, but also Al-Mahala, Tanta, Al-Zakazeek and Asyut) and their surrounding areas are in constant flux with both population growth and internal migration (mainly from Al-Sayeed and the remote parts of the Delta--now around 800,000 annually). Egyptians were increasingly condensed in the centres as well as fragmented at the peripheries. Between the 1960s and the 2000s, Cairo grew from 6 million inhabitants to more than 15 million. The city's density, at more than 1,000 individuals per square kilometre, is among the highest in the world, and Alexandria is not far behind. The exuberance, energy and waves of creativity that characterized Cairo and Alexandria throughout the twentieth century were giving way to suffocating crowdedness, domineering compactness and stifling closeness. At the same time, the rich and the middle class were deserting the city centres and the old neighbourhoods for new suburbs, opting for gated communities on the outskirts, detached not only from the over-crowding and the increasingly ailing infrastructure, but also from the historic neighbourhoods and quarters that have witnessed and shaped Egyptians' interaction with their physical space throughout decades (and at times centuries).
"Cairo's centre, Zamalek, Garden City and Maadi were increasingly shadows of their former selves. New boutiques, restaurants and shopping centres continue to open up, but the city's centre of gravity has moved to the Sixth of October, Palm Hills, City Views, Allegria, the Fifth Settlement, Al-Obour and Al-Shorouk--new rich, immaculate and spacious communities, but lacking Cairo's and Alexandria's long and rich touches (and scars) of history.
"As a result, for the first time in Egypt's history many people live, work and socialize far from the city centre, leaving its landmarks--the centuries-old mosques and churches, the baroque buildings and palaces of Ismael Pasha, the Corniche's boulevards, the busy streets of Adly, Embaba and Shoubra--neglected. Egyptians' attachment to their physical heritage is diminishing" (200-1).

[Josh Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a relative newcomer to modern Arab/Middle-Eastern history I found the contents of this book fascinating. Osman does a great job at breaking the mid 19th century - 2013 down into digestible chunks, most of which reinforce the ideas of one another. Although I found the author rambling at times, the overall story did feel concise. Highly recommend to fellow rooks

Excited to continue my reading in this area

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely needs to be updates, since it ends in the closing months of the 2011 Revolution and doesn't look much at Morsi or Sisi. Would love to read more about those years.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to Egyptian society across the board. Osman's mixed approach draws on history, political science, economics, sociology, cultural studies, etc. to try and give a comprehensive picture of where Egypt stood in 2010-2011 during the Arab Spring uprising that toppled Mubarak. The book provides good, easy-to-read background going back through the modern history of Egypt, though focusing primarily on the era since Nasser's rise to power in 1952. But it also analyzes the current (or current when the book was published) socio-cultural, economic, religious, etc. conditions and attempts to forecast possibilities for what comes next in the post-Mubarak period, with explanations of what conditions would likely prevail for the country to take specific directions.

[Marie]

A few interesting tidbits, particularly on Gamal Nasser, a recent historical figure on par with Lincoln or Martin Luther King Jr. in terms of his impact on society, and one not many Americans may be familiar with. I'd pick up another book that focused on Nasser.

At 245 pages (minus footnotes), this should be a sleek and compact coverage of Egypt's recent history. Instead, it felt like an overstuffed "The Economist" article. The author writes about how Cairo and Alexandria now have "suffocating crowdedness, domineering compactness and stifling closeness." (p. 200) So...they're crowded. He goes on for several pages to explain the highly-familiar topics of urban crowding, flight to the suburbs, and ghettos. The author also summarizes the plots to several Egyptian movies, which, while diverting, seemed odd and somewhat off-topic.

The book was published before the recent demonstrations in Egypt that led to Mubarak's fall, so that isn't covered. I just wish I could have gotten a better sense of the underlying currents that led up to that moment. Unfortunately, the relevant information is so buried under academic jargon that I walked away not knowing much more about Egypt than I had before. On the bright side, this made me grateful that I'm no longer forced to read books in the weird world of academia, where obfuscation is a desirable trait.

I'd recommend "The Economist" for those interested in learning more about recent events in Egypt. Also, "Who Hates Whom" by Bob Harris gives a quick historical overview of major world conflicts in a breezy style.

[aneez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked Tarek Osman's program on "Making of the modern Arab world" some years back which motivated me to pick his book. Meanwhile my own reference points and understandings about "middle east" went through a big change. So, when i finally picked this book up, i was a bit hesitant. I was expecting him to a-priori hold liberals in a pedestal, bash political islam and condemn the autocracy. However, I was pleasantly surprised in the more neutral tone and the critical view. The arc of political development in Egypt, the political compact that allowed autocrats to rule was well teased out. My only complain was the failure to motivate why foreign policy is a subject of special importance to ordinary Egyptians, and the reasons for the failure of Mediterranean-ism. I think one of the reasons for the latter was the stringent travel restrictions imposed by Europe; which inevitably led to the strengthening of Easternists.

[Samuel Rogers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very difficult to comprehend and its claim to be a good introductory book to Egyptian politics is not exactly accurate. The book references various events which the lay person doesn't have knowledge of and uses very few sources to back up its claims. There were moments where the author displayed genuine insight, but they were few and far between.

[Ellis Prater-Burgess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a class but it was surprisingly really good! Very informative but engaging and easy to follow.

[Karim Merhej · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 2010, right before the outbreak of the Arab uprisings and the eventual toppling of Hosni Mubarak, this book is an introduction to the modern history, politics, society and economy of Egypt. Readers unfamiliar with the country would likely find this book useful, while those with more familiarity could use it as a 'refresher' with some interesting insights.

The first chapter is an introductory chapter describing Egypt during the 19th century and the dramatic socioeconomic and political transformations brought about by Mohammad Ali (an Ottoman military commander who seized power in the early 1800s) and his descendants. Reading about the 'liberal era' of Egypt (first half of the 20th century) is particularly illuminating, as it appears so different from the Egypt of today. The author then delves into the Abdel Nasser and Arab nationalist era (early 1950s to 1970) in the next chapter, explaining how Nasser came to be seen as a larger than life figure by Egyptians and the Arab world as a whole. The author's description of the Nasser years is particularly interesting, as the geopolitical context in which Nasser emerged and acted out his domestic and foreign policies is clearly explained. The next chapter delves into the Sadat years (1970-1981) and explains what the Islamist movement in Egypt is, how it grew, and what role it played/plays in Egyptian political and social life. After an awkwardly placed chapter on Egyptian Christians, comes a chapter on the Mubarak era (at the time of writing, Mubarak was still president), explaining how that era was characterized by sleazy capitalists close to Mubarak and the regime who took control of the main levers of power, and whose actions led to extreme socioeconomic inequalities in Egypt without any modicum of genuine political reforms. The last chapter talks about the youth in Egypt - their dreams, their hopes, their frustrations, and their potential.

All in all, this book was an enjoyable read. The author is obviously passionate about his country and seeks to provide a picture that is as faithful and accurate as possible, without overly embellishing the country nor delving into orientalist tropes and stereotypes. The author scrutinizes the failed governance, corruption and cronyism that characterize the Egyptian political system head on, and when talking about the youth's potential, he is careful not to fall into generalizations (what I particularly liked is that, even though he does mention that there is a lot of talent and innovations being created by the youth, he does not generalize this and explicitly mentions that the vast majority of the youth are in dire straits). The author's conclusion is particularly apt: he states that Egypt is at a crossroads - either the political system will have to undertake significant reforms and usher in a more democratic and just system where the rights and dignities of citizens are respected, or social disturbances will take place. Needless to say, the outbreak of the Arab uprisings, and particularly in Egypt in January 2011, proves the points made by the author. It is sad that, reading this book 10 years after it was published, Egypt is arguably in a worse state than it was back then - the regime is more authoritarian than ever; the economic system continues to be skewed in favor of the wealthy and vested interests; the youth continue to struggle to find decent jobs.

[Prerna Munshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It traces the journey of modern Egypt...its founding fathers whose Eurocentric ideas distanced them from the natives. The founding fathers, who were not native Egyptians,in the final decades of their rule, even relegated Egypt to a British colony. Despite the immense modernizing efforts of the Md. Ali dynasty, Egyptians remember them mostly as foreign adventurers who devalued Egyptianism and all of this acted as a precursor to the coup of 1952.

The revolutions in Modern Egypt have been epochal, each ushering in a strikingly different political climate, reinventing Egypt in their own terms. The coup of 1952 lead by the Free Officers’ Movement gave Egypt its guiding light in the form of Nasser and his particular ideology widely known as Nasserism. The impression which he left on the minds of Egyptians continues to this day. The common man of Egypt had suffered in the hands of feudalism for centuries; Nasser’s socialistic land reforms were a breath of fresh air. His era saw the remarkable rise of public sector, a surging economy & falling rates of inflation & unemployment something the country was severely grappling with. Nasser’s ‘Arabize & not Islamize’ outlook gained him many followers. However, Egypt never forgave him for the losses in the Six-day war against Israel. He was also known for his devious measures from controlling media to extreme political coercion. His brutalities against the Brotherhood and the Communists reduced Egypt into a police state.

Post Nasser, the public sector that once saw epic growth, became slow and corrupt. Anwar Sadat rose into power and emancipated free trade through his ‘Infitah’ policy. Once a close ally of Nasser, he ordered rampant arrests of the Nasserites once in power. However, after the victory against Israel in the Yom Kippur war, Egyptians felt that the defeat in the Six-day war had been recompensed, with the regaining of the Sinai. With the Camp David Peace Accords, Sadat brought a status quo between Egypt & Israel, the long-time belligerents. However his open door/Infitah was not received well with the Jihadists, ultimately leading to Sadat’s public assassination in 1981.
The book then charts the three decade rule of Mubarak Hosni who assumed presidentship through a single candidate referendum. Egypt, despite a long established republic, kept chasing the ideals of democracy but in vain. The authoritarian nature of the government and the increasing fundamentalism never let the Egyptian democracy to take over. Although Hosni tried to gain popularity with his schemes of affordable housing, medicine etc, his regime stressed the relations with Israel. At the same time, Egypt’s heavy dependence on the US Aid made it an almost mute spectator in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Egypt saw widespread abuse of human rights in his era. Hosni’s regime became synonymous to torture, corruption and nepotism. Egypt was again on a cusp and finally witnessed the 2011 Revolution, overthrowing Mubarak.

Apart from these significant political episodes, Osman has written about the Coptic Christians, their contribution to modern Egypt and their condition as a minority in an Islam dominated country. Later, he attempts at envisioning the challenges and opportunities for Egypt in a relentlessly changing world. While he sees immense potential in Egypt as a growing Arab force, he also bemoans the fate of thousands of Egyptian youths disillusioned with fundamentalism. But he ends the book with a note of hope and light.

Although, I have no prior knowledge about Egypt's political climate and therefore I am not the right person to judge this book but in 300 odd pages, the book charts a complex history without losing depth, nuance and balance.

Will recommend.

[Hamzah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The nature of Egypt is complex, as I have gathered from this text. Tarek Osman's style of wiring doesn't help make it any simpler. Nonetheless it is one of the few texts that narrate the history of modern Egypt in plenty of depth.

The book divides Egypt in the pre-modern era, Nasser and Arab nationalism, the islamists, the rise of liberal capitalism, Egyptian christians (very important), Mubrark's years and young Egyptians.

It is a work i'll have to reread as it is rather dense in detail. I recommend it to the individual who is heavily interested in Egypt's recent history, its economic evolution and its possible future. For another reason aside from being heavily interested and curious about modern political Egypt; this book may be difficult to finish.

[Zatayumni Zulkiply · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book to provide insight into the last 3 regimes before the Arab Spring in Jan 2011 and subsequently the eventual transfer of power to the Muslim Brotherhood in June 2012 esp for non-egyptians not familiar with Egypt's history. The author succinctly defines the identity and motivations behind Nasser, Sadat and Mobarak's eras.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book that describes how Egypt got to where it is today. Chapters are thematically grouped vice chronological which makes for interesting anecdotes and a narrative style rather than the paper dry style of typical history. Informative and interesting.

[Jeremy Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth a read. Finished in Cairo. Borrowed from Ingmar

[Marwan Shamsia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good reads like a page turner. It needs an updated version after a decade from its initial publishing

[Matt Alonso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good summary of Modern Egyptian history. I really understand the context of my fatherland!

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book lacked coherent flow and was written in passive-voice, vague prose. Its flashes of insight were buried and its main themes hard to discern. Ultimately forgettable.

[Luckngrace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Osman's history of Egypt told me that Nassar was the best, most fair and forward-looking leader, even if he did favor the Soviets in order to finance the great Aswan dam. After Nassar's death, Islamic powers began to smother innovation and forcing Christians out of the country. The book also gave me things to think about when considering America's role in the Middle East. For instance, America helped revolutionaries push Mubarach (a dictator who should have left power long ago) out of office knowing there is a good chance the Muslim Brotherhood might seize power. The MB hates Christians and America. Should we be driving off dictators who have been loyal to America when it may jeopardize the lives and future of America and the West? Yes, we do want women everywhere to be educated and treated with respect, but should the welfare of foreign women supersede the protection of our own homeland from terrorism and the Islamic purpose of forcing the world into and Islamic caliphate and Sharia law? I hope our diplomats are looking at these questions from all sides and placing priority on America's needs (although at times we have been pushy for our own ends).

[Omar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informational and descriptive depiction of Egypt and Egyptian society from the post-colonial Egypt, to the liberal capitalist system under the national democratic party and Hosni Mubarak. This book covers a wide variety of subjects, such as the extensive political changes that underwent Egypt from the westernization of the Wafd, to Nasser's Arab socialism, and the Infitah under Sadat, which shifted Egypt into the free capitalist market.

Furthermore, this book goes in-depth about the social dilemmas of Egyptian society, from overpopulation, corruption, poverty, and a rising youth increasingly hostile to the insufferable conditions within Egypt. Sectarianism is discussed extensively as well, from the rise of political islam and its relation with a Christian minority maneuvering towards isolationism as a result of Islamist involvement within politics.

Overall anyone interested in learning about Egyptian politics should pick up this book. A good starting point to understanding the complicated politics of Egypt as well as its importance within the middle east.

[Frank Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Arab Spring has brought new attention to Egypt as it leads the region in a popular revolt against corruption and repression. If there was one thing many of us realized as we sat glued to our televisions and computer screens watching the protests and rallies is that we really do not understand modern Egypt. If you want to get an excellent in-depth political view of this is fascinating country, then this is the book to read. Obviously written before the uprising, it explains clearly what Nasser created and how, instead of empowering the peoples of Egypt, the country slid deeper into a stranglehold of nepotism and corruption. It also explains Egypt's foreign policy and her critical role in maintaining peace in the region. Well worth the read.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written shortly before the uprisings that would drive Musharraf from office, this history of modern Egypt covers the 19th century to the present, with a focus on Egypt's future prospects. The author is a better thinker than a writer, and the writing style is a bit elementary, but the book is a good introduction to modern Egypt. I thought the sections on Egypt's Christians and Egyptian young people were especially strong. The author seeks to highlight positive developments in Egypt (such as the growth of entrepreneurship among young Egyptians), but is also honest about the many challenges facing the country. Interestingly, he discusses the growing influence of Salafists in Egyptian society, something that I thought was not widely known at the time of his writing.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is good background reading when trying to understand events unfolding in Egypt. It is a startling fact that 75 percent of Egypt's population is under the age of 35. The stark divide between rich and poor adds fuel to the fires of discontent in this young population. Tracking events in Tahrir Square made me want to explore Egypt's recent history, and this book was a good start for me. Looking at other reviews in the press, it is a highly regarded viewpoint and sheds light on the twists and turns in Egypt's political, social, religious, and economic arenas.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the event that have been unfolding in the Middle East this Spring, this is a must read. The author gives a detailed and very useful account of Egyptian society and politics from its independence from the Ottomans, through the Monarchy, up to Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak. This book was publish in 2010. As a result, the author, a Cairene Egyptian, speaks of the situations right up to the recent revolution with personal clarity and insight.

[Daniel Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a macro-view snapshot of pre-Arab Spring Egypt, you could do worse. Given what happened in the Arab Spring and its aftermath, I was hoping for more in this book on the role of the military. To be fair to the author, he devotes some of his concluding chapter to that subject, but it still feels like there's a gaping hole in the otherwise admirable collection of themes he addresses: Islamism, the youth/age imbalance, the contrast in leadership styles between Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak, etc.

[Roberta (Bobbie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The brink of what? Mubarak's death. Will Egypt become more closely associated with political Islam or with the liberal capitalism of the current regime which has lost touch with the people? Will Gamal Mubarak reach for the presidency despite his aloofness from the populace? How will the overwhelmingly young Egyptian population respond to Mubarak's death?

[فهد · Rating 3 out of 5]

التزم المؤلف بما وعد به في المقدمة ؛ هذا ليس سردا لتاريخ مصر الحديث بل محاولة لفهمه ، الكتاب -فيما عدا قسوته على التيارات الإسلامية- اعتبره جيد ولكن المزعج جدا والمحبط ان يكون المؤلف عربي يكتب بلغة اخرى ونعاني نحن من الترجمة السيئة والمرهقة

[Frank Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite helpful to understanding how we have gotten to where we are today in Egypt.

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly accessible guide to modern Egypt up to the prelude of revolution.