Nasser: The Last Arab

Outline

Nasser: The Last Arab (2004) is a biography of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Egyptian leader who became the most influential figure in the Arab world in the 1950s and 1960s. Said Aburish traces Nasser’s rise through the 1952 revolution, the nationalisation of the Suez Canal, his vision of Arab unity, and the defeat of 1967. The book examines both his achievements and his failures and his lasting influence on the region.

• Gamal Abdel Nasser became the most influential figure in the Arab world during the 1950s and 1960s.
• Aburish follows Nasser's rise from the 1952 revolution through the nationalisation of the Suez Canal.
• Arab unity was central to Nasser's vision and shaped how he saw Egypt's role in the region.
• The book covers the defeat of 1967 as a turning point in Nasser's legacy.
• Aburish weighs Nasser's achievements against his authoritarian tendencies and political failures rather than offering a one-sided portrait.

Said Aburish (1935–2012) was a Palestinian-born journalist and author who wrote widely about the modern Middle East. His other books include Saddam Hussein: The Politics of Revenge and A Brutal Friendship.