Alaysa Al-Sobho Beqareeb: 2008-2009 v. I: An Eyewitness Account of Egypt Before the Fall of Mubarak

Synopsis

Little did Bilal Fadl know when he started writing his new column in the popular, independent Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry alYoum that only three years later the dawn he predicted on that day would break with the downfall of the Mubarak regime. The larger part of the book concentrates on the period from July 2010 to the finale in February 2011. Coverage of the January 25 Revolution is extensive and provides a unique portrait. Critical events in the period leading up to the Revolution such as the murders of Khaled Saeed and Sayid Bilal, the rise of Mohammed ElBaradei and the 'theatrical' elections of 2010 are raw material for Fadl's reflections. If indeed no man is a prophet in his own land, Fadl may be the exception that proves the rule and as he states in the introduction, "Many of these articles provoked fierce debate in political and popular circles, and were a source of annoyance for the Mubarak regime." His role as a conduit has become semi-formalised in the post revolutionary period with both the prime minister and the Army Council turning to him and his column.