Jason Brownlee's "Playing with Fire" meticulously examines the internal power struggles within the Egyptian regime preceding the 2011 uprising. The book centers on the contentious plan for Gamal Mubarak to inherit the presidency from his father, Hosni. Brownlee compellingly argues this succession project created fatal divisions, pitting a new guard against the established military and security elite. This infighting fatally weakened the authoritarian state, making it susceptible to the mass protests that ultimately toppled the long-standing ruler. It's a critical analysis of the self-inflicted wounds that led to the collapse of a seemingly entrenched regime.