Overview

The first major account of the life of an extraordinary soldier and statesman, King Hussein of Jordan. Throughout his long reign (1953—1999), Hussein remained a dominant figure in Middle Eastern politics and a consistent proponent of peace with Israel. For over forty years he walked a tightrope between Palestinians and Arab radicals on the one hand and Israel on the other. Avi Shlaim reveals that Hussein initiated a secret dialogue with Israel in 1963 and spent hundreds of hours in talks with countless Israeli officials. Shlaim expertly reconstructs this dialogue from previously untapped records and first-hand accounts, significantly rewriting the history of the Middle East over the past fifty years and shedding light on the far-reaching impact of Hussein’s leadership.

Full Product Details

9781400078288

Table of Contents

Reviews

A powerful, richly researched history. . . . Fascinating. . . . Passionately engaged. . . . Nuanced and human. . . . Shlaim's blow-by-blow account of Hussein's career reads as a somberly addictive saga. . . . King Hussein's whole life was spent in foreign affairs, and his story becomes the story of the Middle East over half a century. <br>-- New York Review of Books <br> King Hussein was a leader of remarkable vision, commitment and humanity. . . . Shlaim brilliantly lays out Hussein's search for tranquility for his country and his neighbors, and the obstacles his negotiating partners put in his way. <br>-- The Washington Post<br> <br> An absorbing diplomatic chronicle. . . . [Shlaim's] authority, and tenacity, are undeniable. . . . His narrative is gripping. . . . Shlaim details every move, much like a crime reporter covering an interminable gang war, marveling at the young boss's ability to play for a draw or make his own luck. . . . Step by step, he guides us through the opportunities the players did not miss a chance to miss. <br>-- The Nation <br> Excellent. . . . A particularly valuable account of Hussein's relations with Israel and the Palestinians. <br>-- The New York Times Book Review <br> Shlaim is an Iraqi-born academic, reared in Israel and long resident in Britain, who writes about the Middle East with exceptional wisdom and insight. . . . [He] tells the story extremely well. <br>--Max Hastings, Sunday Times (London) <br> The most authoritative biography of [King Hussein]. . . . He emerges from under Shlaim's microscope as honest, fundamentally decent and, in a region noted for its brutality and treachery, notably merciful and kind. In his personal dealings, most strikingly with the Israelis, he was especially gracious. . . . Without his relentless diplomacy (conducted often along those secret channels), the region might be even bloodier than it is already. <br>-- The Economist <br> A thrilling, masterful biography. <br>--Simon Seb

A powerful, richly researched history. . . . Fascinating. . . . Passionately engaged. . . . Nuanced and human. . . . Shlaim's blow-by-blow account of Hussein's career reads as a somberly addictive saga. . . . King Hussein's whole life was spent in foreign affairs, and his story becomes the story of the Middle East over half a century. <br>-- New York Review of Books <br> King Hussein was a leader of remarkable vision, commitment and humanity. . . . Shlaim brilliantly lays out Hussein's search for tranquility for his country and his neighbors, and the obstacles his negotiating partners put in his way. <br>-- The Washington Post<br> <br> An absorbing diplomatic chronicle. . . . [Shlaim's] authority, and tenacity, are undeniable. . . . His narrative is gripping. . . . Shlaim details every move, much like a crime reporter covering an interminable gang war, marveling at the young boss's ability to play for a draw or make his own luck. . . . Step by step, he guides us through the opport

Author Information

Avi Shlaim was born in Baghdad in 1945, grew up in Israel, and studied at Cambridge University and the London School of Economics. He is a Fellow of St. Antony’s College and a professor of international relations at the University of Oxford. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2006. His books include Collusion Across the Jordan: King Abdullah, the Zionist Movement, and the Partition of Palestine (winner of the Political Studies Association’s 1988 WJM Mackenzie Prize); The Politics of Partition; War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History; and The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World. He lives in Oxford.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available