Inside Egypt: The Land of the Pharaohs on the Brink of a Revolution - Softcover

Bradley, John R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 023061437X ISBN 13: 9780230614376

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 2009

Synopsis

First published in 2008 with the subtitle The Land of the Pharaohs on the Brink of a Revolution, this strikingly prophetic and critically acclaimed book caused an international media firestorm when it was banned by former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak. When the revolution it uniquely predicted took place in January 2011, Inside Egypt became essential reading for anyone wanting to understand what led to revolutionary upheaval in the Arab world's most populous country. In a new Afterword, the author explores the revolution itself, and ponders the still precarious future of a country he lived in for a decade.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

"(This) book... in a strikingly prescient way... foretold the January revolution. (It) was banned by Mubarak's regime -- and understandably so! If you want to understand how Egypt got to this crossroads, read this book."--FAREED ZAKARIA, Book of the Week (CNN)

"John R. Bradley is a writer looking for the truth in Arab countries ruled by dictators. His writing is brave and essential to our understanding of the reality behind the official, artificial image of our societies."--ALAA AL-ASWANY, Egyptian author of the international bestselling novels The Yacoubian Building and Chicago

"Essential reading for anyone interested in modern Egypt and the looming dramas of the Arab world."--United Press International

"This book caused an uproar in Egypt!"-Al-Masry Al-Youm, Egypt's leading independent newspaper

"Bradley says Western journalists mocked him when he predicted a revolution in Egypt. In his famous 2008 book Inside Egypt, he predicted the outbreak of a popular revolt against the Mubarak regime (which banned Inside Egypt from distribution in the country). He has now been transformed overnight into a star because of his book's prediction, hunted by the print media, satellite channels and international television stations."-Asharq Al-Awsat, the leading pan-Arab daily newspaper

"Inside Egypt is an informed and immensely readable addition to this literature."--Michael Burleigh, Literary Review

"Insightful and eye-opening...a must read for anyone interested in Egyptian politics."--The Daily News (Egypt)

"Among the Egyptian small English-speaking minority, those who finally managed to find  [Inside Egypt] dubbed Bradley "John Bravery" because he  put in writing what they have been saying in restricted company about the disintegration of the country.... One of Bradley's longest chapters, on torture, is particularly well documented, while religious strife, and the disastrous state of health and education, among other afflictions, are carefully exposed in all their sad reality."--Al-Ahram Weekly (EGYPT)

"This dark and sober look at contemporary Egypt... offers a compelling explanation for the anger now being seen on the streets of Cairo."--The Christian Science Monitor

"In this highly readable and thoughtful volume, Bradley provides a devastating critique of Egypt's current dictatorial government. His fluency in Egyptian Arabic allows him to see Egypt and its myriad social problems through the eyes of ordinary people who are the real victims of the pervasive corruption, torture, and other degradation of life in that country. This book is aimed at the general reader, but scholars would also benefit from the author's keen insight."--Library Journal

"John R. Bradley says that Egyptians love their country but hate the [Mubarak] regime. So does he -- and, after reading this scathing, heartbreaking, beautifully written report from the front lines, so will you."--GIDEON ROSE, editor of Foreign Affairs

"Bradley's book suggests Egypt's rupture had clear omens... and was promptly banned by the Mubarak government."--The New Yorker

"Inside Egypt is an original, brilliant, angry, subtle and highly readable expose of contemporary Egyptian politics and society."--PETER BERGEN, author of The Longest War

"A comprehensive account of an Egypt crippled by corruption, autocracy, and poverty."-The Daily Telegraph


"To the general reader, Inside Egypt is a good introduction to some of the problems rife in the most populous, Arabic-speaking country. From regime corruption and oppression, to widespread poverty and discontent, to human rights abuses and the plight of Egypt's minorities, most of the important issues are here. Bradley, formerly a Middle-East-based foreign correspondent, also provides useful insights, such as how the... regime exploits the West's fear of the Muslim Brotherhood to its advantage." --The Middle East Quarterly

"Bradley trains a sharp reportorial eye on the nearly failed nation-state in the cross hairs of world conflict.... Unlikely to win the author any friends among the Egyptian political elite, but terrifically well told and extremely sobering."--Kirkus Reviews

"What distinguishes [Bradley] from many other Western commentators is that he has gone native in the Arab world, living among Arab people and immersing himself in Arab culture. What also makes him stand out is the way he writes with a manifest determination to make a difference. [Inside Egypt] is compelling and depicts a hopelessly dysfunctional country where poverty, torture, and corruption are ubiquitous."--The New Statesman

"An interesting and eye-opening look into the minds of the average Egyptian."--The Oklahoman

"Bradley should be commended for his clear criticism of the corrupt Egyptian civilian and military elite."--Al-Quds Al-Arabi

"Through conversations with prominent and ordinary Egyptians, John R. Bradley describes the developing crisis in this key US ally. He shows the disastrous effects of successive US governments propping up the [former] repressive dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak."--Thee Socialist Review

About the Author

John R. Bradley is a widely published correspondent. Fluent in Egyptian Arabic, he is also the author of Saudi Arabia Exposed, Behind the Veil of Vice, and Tunisian Tsunami. He now divides his time between North Africa and Latin America.

Edition details

• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 023061437X
• ISBN 13: 9780230614376
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 256