Book Log 2018 #23: Revolution for Dummies by Bassam Youssef

Bassam Youssef was a doctor in Egypt, and didn't see himself as being particularly political. All that changed during that country's uprising during the Arab Spring of 2011, when Youssef created and starred in a TV program that, much like The Daily Show and its cousins, used humor as a platform for critiquing the government and the ruling class.

Even with the changes that appeared to be in the air, doing this could get you into trouble. Youssef was charged with crimes, interrogated, and had his TV show shut down. Worried for his own safety, he fled Egypt.

These events (and more) are covered in this book, which provides both a personal history of the uprising and a look at how an authoritarianism survives, even when the people at the top change. It's an eye-opening book for those of us who live in a (somewhat) stable democracy, and who only saw the most basic coverage of what happened during the various Arab Spring protests.  It's also very funny, which makes it easy to see why the government wanted to shut him down. Bullies like nothing less than being laughed at.