Abdel Latif El-Menawy, the Controller of Egypt's television and radio, tells the inside story of exactly how January 2011's revolution played out.
Besieged inside the State TV building for 18 days, El-Menawy was constantly in touch with the President and the ruling clique led by the President's son and heir apparent, Gamal, as well as ministers and officers at the highest levels of the Defence and Intelligence services.
"His story is the inside story of what happened. It is a magnificent, astonishing and often wryly bitter record of bumbling, confusion and missed opportunities... Abdel Latif relates it all with verve, honesty, and occasional shame and quiet pride that he played a big role in ensuring Egypt's most fateful three weeks for a generation did not end in immediate tragedy and bloodshed." - Michael Binyon, The Times