Person
Every book Bassem Youssef recommended on podcasts
Key facts
- Bassem Youssef has recommended or discussed 7 books on podcasts, as of January 30, 2026.
- Bassem Youssef has talked about books on 3 podcasts, as of January 30, 2026.
- Those books came up in 3 episodes, as of January 30, 2026.
- The 3 books Bassem Youssef has mentioned in the most episodes, as of January 30, 2026: By way of deception, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and Anna and Dr Helmy.
- The latest episode with a book mention from Bassem Youssef aired on January 30, 2026.
Updated
Across 3 podcasts. Every show Bassem Youssef appears on, in one place — not just one.
Bassem Youssef’s most recommended books
- By way of deception by Claire Hoy
- The Protocols of the Elders of Zion by Victor, E Marsden
- Anna and Dr Helmy by Ronen Steinke
- Barack Obama in his own words by Barack Obama
- Forcing the Hand of God by Jacquie Ream
- The Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu by Maurice Joly
- Who Is Barack Obama? by Roberta Edwards, Who HQ
Bassem Youssef is an Egyptian-American comedian, television host, actor, and former cardiothoracic surgeon. He rose to international prominence for hosting the satirical news program Al Bernameg from 2011 to 2014, which emerged following the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Youssef faced significant legal and political pressure in Egypt owing to his style of political satire, leading him to flee the country in late 2014 and relocate to the United States. Across podcast appearances on Candace, This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von, and the Lex Fridman Podcast, Youssef discussed various political and historical texts. He referenced Victor Ostrovsky and Claire Hoy's By Way of Deception regarding alleged Mossad operations, and mentioned books by Barack Obama to highlight commentary on the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also discussed historical and controversial texts such as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Jacquie Ream's Forcing the Hand of God in the context of Christian Zionism, and Ronen Steinke's Anna and Dr. Helmy.
Books recommended by Bassem Youssef
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By way of deception
By way of deception by Claire Hoy and Victor Ostrovsky is a controversial memoir detailing covert operations and inner workings within the Israeli intelligence agency.
Discussed“there is a book by a Musad agent called Victor Ostrovk it's called by way of deception that in that book he said that the Israelis the Musad knew quite well about the bombing when it's going to happen”
Where to get it
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The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion by Victor, E.
Discussed“When Henry Ford imported 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,' by the way, 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' is so popular. And for obvious reasons.”
Where to get it
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Anna and Dr Helmy
Discussed“And that book was translated into English called "Anna and Dr. Helmy."”
Where to get it
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Barack Obama in his own words
Discussed“There were many tries for peace treaties, but Obama said it best in his book. He said the problem with Israel and Palestine is that one of them is very strong and one side is very weak, and there's nothing that compels me to give you land.”
Where to get it
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Forcing the Hand of God
Discussed“There's an incredible book called 'Forcing the Hands of God.' Oh, beautiful book.”
Where to get it
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The Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu
The Dialogue in Hell between Machiavelli and Montesquieu by Maurice Joly is an 1864 political satire written by a French author that later served as a primary literary predecessor and source of plagiarism for the notorious antisemitic text, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Discussed“It was plagiarized from a satirical play called "Conversation in Hell Between Machiavelli and Montesquieu."”
Where to get it
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Who Is Barack Obama?
Who Is Barack Obama? by Roberta Edwards and Who HQ provides a biographical overview of the former president's life and career for readers.
Discussed“Is there any hope here, solutions, short-term, long-term? Obama kind of summarized this beautifully in his book.”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candace x Bassem Youssef | Candace Ep 298 | Candace | 2026-01-30 | 1 |
| Bassem Youssef | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #521 | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von | 2024-07-31 | 2 |
| #424 – Bassem Youssef: Israel-Palestine, Gaza, Hamas, Middle East, Satire & Fame | Lex Fridman Podcast | 2024-04-05 | 6 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Also, actually, there was Hollywood Babylon, too.”