The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square (Council on Foreign Relations (Oxford))
"With meticulous historical context and the acumen of a political scientist, Cook, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, weaves together a narrative drawn from archives, interviews and his own firsthand reporting during a decade of visits to Egypt . . . What Cook has given us is a scholar's well-informed, analytical history, which offers invaluable insights to anyone interested in how Egypt came to its present impasse . . . a substantial and engaging book." --New York Times Book Review"Incredibly vivid...the single best book on Egypt"--Fareed Zakaria"[An] excellent new book."  --The Christian Science Monitor"From his wanderings on the Arab streets of Cairo (and dozens of other Arab and Turkish towns), Cook brings the revolution to life. But he does so with the depth of knowledge of someone who has understood the dynamics of Egyptian - indeed, Arab autocracy - for years."  --Slate"[A] detailed account of the build-up to revolution and how recent developments were organized . . . Cook, who is intimately familiar with Egypt and its political and cultural history, begins from Nasser's 1952 coup, providing broad context for his discussion."  --Kirkus Reviews"A timely and easily accessible account of Egypt's modern history ...  Beyond Cook's analysis of Nasser's, Sadat's, and Mubarak's struggles to stay in power, build regime legitimacy, and extend the government's reach, The Struggle for Egypt also contains fascinating chapters on Washington's relationship with Cairo and how it also ultimately helped undermine the old order ... Ultimately,The Struggle for Egyptleaves the reader less surprised by the events of 2011, which are still buffeting Egypt. Instead, one is more startled by the fact that the reign of the Free Officers and the system erected and maintained by Nasser, Sadat, and Mubarak held together for as long as it did." --Mediterranean Quarterly"Tell[s] the story of Egypt in rich detail, beginning with Nasser and on to Sadat and Mubarak."  --Nancy Youssef,Washington Week"Jumping from the chaotic byways of Cairo to the highest reaches of international diplomacy, this providentially-timed account of modern Egyptian history combines immersion journalism with insightful policy analysis. A Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Cook translates an insider's perspective for a general readership."  --Publishers Weekly"A sweeping history of modern Egypt, this timely book will appeal to foreign policy professionals, academics and the general public.  It is a reliable single source for understanding the flow and complexities of Egyptian politics, especially since the 1952 revolution."--Daniel Kurtzer, Professor, Princeton University, and former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt and Israel"The fact thatThe Struggle for Egyptis exceptionally timely should not obscure its more lasting merits: this is an accessible, knowledgeable, fair-minded and very useful examination of the last sixty years of Egypt's political history, including moments of great pride and decades of deep frustration.   Anyone pondering the challenges and opportunities confronting Egypt--and Egypt's allies--after the January 25th Revolution would do well to start with this lucid account."--Lisa Anderson, President, The American University in Cairo"Cook's timely, well-written history offers the best up to date review of Egypt's modern political history through the opening months of the revolution that brought down Hosni Mubarak. His account of how the 1952 Egyptian revolution produced the Nasserist authoritarian regime is more relevant today than ever, as is his discussion of the final years of the decaying Mubarak regime -- including intriguing new evidence about Gamal Mubarak's activities. "  --ForeignPolicy.com, Best Books on the Middle East, 2011"The Struggle For Egypt, is a timely, well-researched and lucid political history that sweeps back to the origins of the praetorian dynasty that has ruled Egypt since the 1952 military coup."  --The Economist"Cook'sStruggle for Egyptis not just another Arab Spring book but one with lasting relevance for Egypt watchers. With 30 pages of footnotes, a 40-page bibliography and a comprehensive index, it is full of useful reference material, while personal anecdotes provide local flavor and add to the overall appeal . . . Cook's exploration of the history of the regime and the dynamics it produced help place current events in context and provide important insights about how the main protagonists are likely to respond to the evolving order. Even those who know Egypt well will learn something new from this fresh presentation of events."  -- iddle East Policy"Cook is a compelling writer who has a knack for memorable openings and knows how to appeal to both a scholarly audience and the interested general reader. The treatment of the recent political changes in The Struggle for Egypt is a master-class in how popular historians can cover sudden developments while still maintaining a focus on a longer period." -- Matthew Partridge, London School of Economics (June 2012)"This is an excellent introduction to Egypt's politics and the 2011 revolution."--CHOICE"The Struggle for Egyptis obviously not a rush job written to respond to the recenthigh-profile events in Egypt. Instead, it is clearly well researched and well argued and is the result of considerable work and effort."  --Mediterranean Quarterly