Egypt on the Brink

Tarek Osman published his prescient and internationally best-selling book Egypt on the Brinkwith Yale University Press weeks before Egypt’s 2011 uprising. He has appeared as a commentator on most major international news networks and is a regular contributor on the Arab world and Islamism for many leading newspapers and magazines worldwide. He wrote and presented the BBC documentary series 'The Making of the Modern Arab World' (2013) and 'Sands of Time: A History of Saudi Arabia' (2015), and is the political counsellor for the Arab world at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Tarek has sixteen years’ experience in political-economy advisory, strategy consulting and investment banking and management.

"Short, readable, clear, and passionately written. A good introduction to Egypt's story."—Boston Globe"Tarek Osman, a Western-educated Egyptian banker and occasional columnist, brings the eye of an intelligent amateur to the story of this country’s past half century. He writes with feeling, backed up by an impressively broad list of sources as well as sharp critical insight and astute judgement."—The Economist"Osman writes with a focused and uncluttered style [which will] retain the interest of even the most general reader."—Joyce Tyldesley, Financial Times"Strange, then, that despite continued fascination with ancient Egypt, so little aside from turgid academic tomes or breathless journalistic accounts has been published about the current condition of the most populous country in the turbulent Middle East, and among the most influential. Egypt on the Brink is a slim book, simply written and easy to understand, and it goes a long way to filling this void. . . . The author, Tarek Osman, a Western-educated Egyptian banker and occasional columnist, brings the eye of an intelligent amateur to the story of his country’s past half-century. He writes with feeling, backed up by an impressively broad list of sources as well as sharp critical insight and astute judgment."—The Economist"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"[A] well researched and closely argued book."—John R. Bradley, Literary Review"Immensely readable."—Keith Richmond, Tribune"Full marks to Tarek Osman and Yale University Press for the bull’s eye title of Egypt on the Brink."—Boyd Tonkin, The Independent"Osman, a native Egyptian, brings considerable insight to his country’s problems and analyses the changes that have occurred…This book is an excellent guide to what ought to be the leading Arab state."—North and South"This is an excellent modern history of Egypt, written by an Egyptian, which provides a useful background to recent events…..This is a book which does much to counter the somewhat simplistic and excitable journalistic coverage of the last few months, and a warning that after nearly 60 years of republican autocracy, and the longer period of colonial and semi-colonial autocracy that preceded Nasser, there is little history of democratic governance in Egypt and many challenges for the future."—Ducan Bowie, Chartist