Laughter in the Dark

“Told with an insider’s perspective—El Rashidi writes with equal authority when chronicling the revolution and analyzing song lyrics—this is a persuasive appraisal of the connection between art and politics.” —Publishers Weekly “A brief, pungent dispatch from the vibrant youth music scene pushing against authoritarian dictates in her country.... A vivid journalistic report.” —Kirkus Reviews “Laughter in the Dark is a brilliantly composed portrait of Egypt’s answer to hip-hop—and how it functions as a musical genre, economic engine and cultural force amid the restrictions of an increasingly authoritarian regime. Meticulously reported and elegantly written, it’s a must-read for any global citizen.” —Zack O’Malley Greenburg, author of Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office “In Laughter in the Dark, Yasmine El Rashidi provides a brisk, brilliant and brave portrait of young Egyptians simmering under the weight of President Abdel Fattah el Sisi’s repressive dictatorship and reveals the stark inequality between the rulers and the ruled.” —Basharat Peer, author of A Question of Order: India, Turkey and the Return of Strongmen “2011 brought revolutionary dreams to the forefront of Egyptian politics, but subsequent years have been cruel to those dreams. But if we move from day-to-day politics to generational change we see something very different: a repressive regime face-to-face with irrepressible cultural efflorescence. Yasmine El Rashidi guides us to look far from the headlines and consider the creative energies that make Egypt more than a site of dashed hopes.” —Nathan J. Brown, professor of political science and international affairs, George Washington University “Fascinating and surprising! A beautifully written musical voyage into a unique genre, a celebration of hiphop, a portrait of a surging youth culture and its ability to change the world.” —Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The World: A Family History