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Lion of Jordan: The Life Of King Hussein In War And Peace
Avi Shlaim's Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace is the first major account one of the most important figures in the turbulent history of the Middle East.
Peace-broker, statesman, charismatic ruler and master of realpolitik, Hussein of Jordan was one of the dominant figures in Middle Eastern politics, its most continuous presence, and one of the most consistent proponents of peace with Israel.
For over forty years he was at the eye of the storm in the region, constantly negotiating between the Arab world and the Israelis, guiding his country through conflict, surviving assassination attempts and trying to fulfill his lifelong quest for peace and the survival of his dynasty. This is the first major account of Hussein's remarkable dialogue across the battle lines, and of his covert meetings with Israeli leaders. Drawing on extensive archival sources and on unprecedented interviews with Hussein, his family, and confidants, it reveals a titanic leader and a courageous man.
'A thrilling, masterful biography'
Simon Sebag-Montefiore, Sunday Telegraph Books of the Year
'The most comprehensive biography of the "plucky little king"'
Anton La Guardia, Literary Review
'A nuanced portrait of Jordan's late King Hussein ... salutes Hussein's extraordinary physical and moral courage'
Daily Telegraph
Avi Shlaim was born in Baghdad in 1945; grew up in Israel; and received his university education at Cambridge and the LSE. His books include Collusion Across the Jordan: King Abdullah, The Zionist Movement, and the Partition of Palestine (Winner of the Political Studies Association's WJM Mackenzie Prize, 1988), War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History and The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World.
Peace-broker, statesman, charismatic ruler and master of realpolitik, Hussein of Jordan was one of the dominant figures in Middle Eastern politics, its most continuous presence, and one of the most consistent proponents of peace with Israel.
For over forty years he was at the eye of the storm in the region, constantly negotiating between the Arab world and the Israelis, guiding his country through conflict, surviving assassination attempts and trying to fulfill his lifelong quest for peace and the survival of his dynasty. This is the first major account of Hussein's remarkable dialogue across the battle lines, and of his covert meetings with Israeli leaders. Drawing on extensive archival sources and on unprecedented interviews with Hussein, his family, and confidants, it reveals a titanic leader and a courageous man.
'A thrilling, masterful biography'
Simon Sebag-Montefiore, Sunday Telegraph Books of the Year
'The most comprehensive biography of the "plucky little king"'
Anton La Guardia, Literary Review
'A nuanced portrait of Jordan's late King Hussein ... salutes Hussein's extraordinary physical and moral courage'
Daily Telegraph
Avi Shlaim was born in Baghdad in 1945; grew up in Israel; and received his university education at Cambridge and the LSE. His books include Collusion Across the Jordan: King Abdullah, The Zionist Movement, and the Partition of Palestine (Winner of the Political Studies Association's WJM Mackenzie Prize, 1988), War and Peace in the Middle East: A Concise History and The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World.
698 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2007
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About the author
Avi Shlaim
27 books227 followersAvi Shlaim FBA (born October 31, 1945) is an Iraqi-born British/Israeli historian. He is emeritus professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and a fellow of the British Academy. Shlaim is considered one of Israel's New Historians, a group of Israeli scholars who put forward critical interpretations of the history of Zionism and Israel.
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August 4, 2020
#أسد_الأردن
#آفي_شلايم
عدد الصفحات : 708
الكتاب التاسع والثلاثون لعام 2020
يتحدث الكتاب عن تاريخ المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية وملوكها الثلاثة، لكن كان للملك الحسين بن طلال الملك الثالث للمملكة رحمه الله النصيب الأكبر ليس من حيث الذكر في الكتاب وحسب بل من حيث تفاصيل كل الصراعات الداخلية والخارجية سواءً العربية أو الأجنبية في سعيه لإرساء الإستقرار والسلام في المملكة والشرق الأوسط كافة والتي امتدت سنواتها لما ينوف عن الأربعين عامًا من الحكم. جمعها من خلال مصادر موثقة ومهولة العدد والتنوع كوثائق سياسية ومجلات وكتب و مذكراتٍ وسير ذاتية وغيرية لكتّاب وسياسيين عرب وأجانب مع وجود جانبٍ ضئيل من التحليلات الذاتية للمؤرخ نفسه. ليغرق القارئ بتفاصيل أحداثٍ جرت في المملكة كالتدخلات الخارجية العسكرية ضد المملكة عربية وغربية عدا عن الحراكات الشعبية الداخلية وبقراءاتٍ عدة من أكثر من زاوية عربية وأجنبية، وكيف كانت التكهنات مجتمعة على سقوط المملكة واندثارها عقب أعوامٍ فقط على نشوءها وتمزق مناطقها بين الدول المحيطة، ليظهر الحسين بن طلال شجاعته باستكمال مسيرة جده وإخراج المملكة من آتون الإنهيار ليصل بها إلى إستقرارٍ لا نظير له بين دول الشرق الأوسط.
ربما ليس من السهل تقبل قراءة تاريخنا بأقلام العدو، لكنها فرصة مواتية لكي نرى ما يرون ونقرأ ما يعرفون، إلا أني أحسست بالغُبن في قراءتي لهذا الكتاب، ليس لأن فيه مغالطات بل لأن فيه صراحة ووضوح مزعجين عن تاريخ الأردن منذ تأسيس المملكة وذكر لكثير من العلاقات الأردنية والعربية وصراعاتها السياسية مع تعتيمٍ شبه كامل عن الدور الإسرائيلي في واجهة الأحداث. فالقارئ يدرك مصداقية تلك الأحداث لأننا على إطلاعٍ وثيقٍ بها فكان يذكرها دون محاباةٍ أو تضليل لما فعلته الدول العربية من محاولاتٍ عدة للتدخل في الشأن الداخلي الأردني وإسقاط الحكم الهاشمي بها كما جرى في العراق آواخر خمسينيات القرن الماضي، وعزلة الأردن التي أطبقتها بعض الأنظمة الجمهورية عليها، كونها بنظامها الملكي تعد رجعية وتبعية لا تتوافق مع حركات النهضة الحديثة والتحرر التي دعت لها تلك الشعوب، لكنه أسقط الكثير من الأفعال الإسرائيلية الشائنة على الأراضي العربية كافة والأردنية خاصة، فبدا وكأنه يدس السم في الدسم فيظهر الحقيقة البشعة لعلاقة المملكة بأنظمة عربية ويخفي الإسرائيلية ولا يظهر منها إلا ما كان يريد إظهاره في المحادثات العربية والأردنية معهم من أجل معاهدات السلام في المنطقة. وهذا ما أزعجني في الكتاب، فلكل منا أخطاؤه ولإسرائيل وجهها المتوحش الذي لا يغطيه قناع السعي للسلام في المنطقة كما حاول شلايم إظهاره، ليبرز السؤال المهم لمَ هم يدونون تاريخنا؟ ولم نحن نعجز عن ذلك؟!
#إيمان_بني_صخر
#آفي_شلايم
عدد الصفحات : 708
الكتاب التاسع والثلاثون لعام 2020
يتحدث الكتاب عن تاريخ المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية وملوكها الثلاثة، لكن كان للملك الحسين بن طلال الملك الثالث للمملكة رحمه الله النصيب الأكبر ليس من حيث الذكر في الكتاب وحسب بل من حيث تفاصيل كل الصراعات الداخلية والخارجية سواءً العربية أو الأجنبية في سعيه لإرساء الإستقرار والسلام في المملكة والشرق الأوسط كافة والتي امتدت سنواتها لما ينوف عن الأربعين عامًا من الحكم. جمعها من خلال مصادر موثقة ومهولة العدد والتنوع كوثائق سياسية ومجلات وكتب و مذكراتٍ وسير ذاتية وغيرية لكتّاب وسياسيين عرب وأجانب مع وجود جانبٍ ضئيل من التحليلات الذاتية للمؤرخ نفسه. ليغرق القارئ بتفاصيل أحداثٍ جرت في المملكة كالتدخلات الخارجية العسكرية ضد المملكة عربية وغربية عدا عن الحراكات الشعبية الداخلية وبقراءاتٍ عدة من أكثر من زاوية عربية وأجنبية، وكيف كانت التكهنات مجتمعة على سقوط المملكة واندثارها عقب أعوامٍ فقط على نشوءها وتمزق مناطقها بين الدول المحيطة، ليظهر الحسين بن طلال شجاعته باستكمال مسيرة جده وإخراج المملكة من آتون الإنهيار ليصل بها إلى إستقرارٍ لا نظير له بين دول الشرق الأوسط.
ربما ليس من السهل تقبل قراءة تاريخنا بأقلام العدو، لكنها فرصة مواتية لكي نرى ما يرون ونقرأ ما يعرفون، إلا أني أحسست بالغُبن في قراءتي لهذا الكتاب، ليس لأن فيه مغالطات بل لأن فيه صراحة ووضوح مزعجين عن تاريخ الأردن منذ تأسيس المملكة وذكر لكثير من العلاقات الأردنية والعربية وصراعاتها السياسية مع تعتيمٍ شبه كامل عن الدور الإسرائيلي في واجهة الأحداث. فالقارئ يدرك مصداقية تلك الأحداث لأننا على إطلاعٍ وثيقٍ بها فكان يذكرها دون محاباةٍ أو تضليل لما فعلته الدول العربية من محاولاتٍ عدة للتدخل في الشأن الداخلي الأردني وإسقاط الحكم الهاشمي بها كما جرى في العراق آواخر خمسينيات القرن الماضي، وعزلة الأردن التي أطبقتها بعض الأنظمة الجمهورية عليها، كونها بنظامها الملكي تعد رجعية وتبعية لا تتوافق مع حركات النهضة الحديثة والتحرر التي دعت لها تلك الشعوب، لكنه أسقط الكثير من الأفعال الإسرائيلية الشائنة على الأراضي العربية كافة والأردنية خاصة، فبدا وكأنه يدس السم في الدسم فيظهر الحقيقة البشعة لعلاقة المملكة بأنظمة عربية ويخفي الإسرائيلية ولا يظهر منها إلا ما كان يريد إظهاره في المحادثات العربية والأردنية معهم من أجل معاهدات السلام في المنطقة. وهذا ما أزعجني في الكتاب، فلكل منا أخطاؤه ولإسرائيل وجهها المتوحش الذي لا يغطيه قناع السعي للسلام في المنطقة كما حاول شلايم إظهاره، ليبرز السؤال المهم لمَ هم يدونون تاريخنا؟ ولم نحن نعجز عن ذلك؟!
#إيمان_بني_صخر
May 21, 2022
What an amazing book. It read more like a thriller than a biography. They should make a series about his life. There was so much intrigue, drama, and life and death moments. And there are so many interesting characters, from a number of US presidents to rulers such as Saddam Hussein and Qaddafi.
Finally, what a great and humble man, and what a life.
Fully recommend.
Finally, what a great and humble man, and what a life.
Fully recommend.
Want to read
February 26, 2024صديق عدوي عدوي
لا يشكر الخائن إلا يهودي
حكام الخيانة والعمالة لو كتبتم آلاف الكتب وملايين المقالات لا يمكنكم مسح عاركم وخيانتكم ولو كتب عندكم كل أسيادكم
لا يشكر الخائن إلا يهودي
حكام الخيانة والعمالة لو كتبتم آلاف الكتب وملايين المقالات لا يمكنكم مسح عاركم وخيانتكم ولو كتب عندكم كل أسيادكم
July 8, 2020
A compelling account of King Hussein of Jordan and his long reign. It gives an insight into the King’s character but its focus is the political and the historical rather than the personal.
Hussein’s lifelong commitment to the struggle for a lasting peace is admirable and his refusal to give up on his quest when all hope seemed lost is awe-inspiring. The political intrigues of the Middle East are fascinating, especially the often volatile relations between Jordan and its Arab neighbours. Particularly interesting is the account of the Hussein’s relationship with Saddam Hussein and how the King acted during the Gulf War.
Very detailed, this biography is thorough to a fault, perhaps spending too much time on the minutiae of the secret meetings between the King and the Israelis. Not an easy read but definitely recommended to those interested in the Middle East generally or Jordan specifically.
See also my article on Medium, Twenty-Twenty in Books …so far.
Hussein’s lifelong commitment to the struggle for a lasting peace is admirable and his refusal to give up on his quest when all hope seemed lost is awe-inspiring. The political intrigues of the Middle East are fascinating, especially the often volatile relations between Jordan and its Arab neighbours. Particularly interesting is the account of the Hussein’s relationship with Saddam Hussein and how the King acted during the Gulf War.
Very detailed, this biography is thorough to a fault, perhaps spending too much time on the minutiae of the secret meetings between the King and the Israelis. Not an easy read but definitely recommended to those interested in the Middle East generally or Jordan specifically.
See also my article on Medium, Twenty-Twenty in Books …so far.
June 23, 2022
Long as h*ll but incredibly thorough and well-researched. Highly recommend for anyone traveling to Jordan
February 11, 2012
A good, scholarly read on the life of King Hussein bin Talal and the Hashemite dynasty he sought to protect in a volatile period. A little too much weight is given to diplomatic relations and not enough 'on the ground' practicalities, but this is evidence of the excellent access to the major players that Shlaim had.
September 24, 2011
Very detailed, well written and informative account of Jordanian history, however sometimes too detailed and too long. All and all, I enjoyed the book although it took quite a lot of time to get it done :)
May 26, 2014
Though the book centers on King Hussein, it does offer a very thorough history of the Middle East and its corresponding peace processes. The author did a great job tying together the various testimonies and transcripts to put this gem together.
April 5, 2009
This is an amazing story. I highly recommend it. How anyone could have this much perseverance in the quest for peace is beyond my comprehension. Too bad his life was so short.
April 22, 2010
Kind of a long, slow read. It's a political biography of King Hussein of Jordan. I learned a lot about Arab/Arab relations as well as Arab/Israel and Jordan/Israel relations.
Read
July 31, 2011A must-read book for anyone coming to the region or who might have an interest in Jordan or the history of the Arab-Israeli peace process. A very, very well-written biography!!!
August 19, 2015
A very well written and informative book on King Hussain who played a major and a shaping role of the contemporary middle eastern history.
May 8, 2025
Koning Hussein van Jordanië, een man waar ik vanaf mijn eerste interesse voor koningshuizen en geschiedenis waardering of bewondering voor had en heb. Een boek over hem mocht dan ook niet ontbreken in de verzameling en natuurlijk op mijn boekenblog.
Lion of Jordan met de subtitel The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace zegt eigenlijk al heel veel, zeker in wat voor “klimaat” hij moest regeren. Tijdens zijn lange regeerperiode (1953-1999) was koning Hoessein van Jordanië een van de meest dominante figuren in de politiek van het Midden-Oosten en een consequent voorstander van vrede met Israël. En hij vocht als een leeuw voor zijn bevolking en vrede in het Midden-Oosten. Meer dan veertig jaar lang balanceerde Hussein op een koord tussen de Palestijnen en Arabische radicalen aan de ene kant en Israël aan de andere kant.
Het boek geeft inzicht in het karakter van de koning, maar de focus ligt meer op het politieke en historische dan op het persoonlijke. En politiek gezien gebeurde er heel wat in zijn regeerperiode. Wat het boek heel goed duidelijk maakte, is dat de kwestie tussen vooral Israël en Palestina al meer dan een halve eeuw speelt. Onder Hussein als peacemaker was het goed onderweg, maar sinds Netanyahu in Israël belangrijke functies ging bekleden is het werk van Hussein, Rabin en het vredesakkoord van halverwege de jaren 90 tenietgedaan….
Het boek begint met de Arabische Opstand van de Eerste Wereldoorlog om de ontwikkeling van het conflict in de twintigste eeuw te schetsen. Daarna geeft het een overzicht van het conflict van 1948 tot 1999.
Er waren momenten waarop het lezen moeilijk was, gewoon omdat de politieke kwesties die speelden al ingewikkeld waren. Maar ook omdat de auteur Avi Shlaim gebruikmaakte van de beschikbare documenten en brieven en met de medewerking (maar niet de goedkeuring) van zijn familie en personeel. Ook zijn er uitgebreide interviews gehouden met internationale beleidsmakers.
Het boek lees je dan ook niet zomaar even, 619 pagina’s, de bronnen niet meegerekend. Het vereist tijd en aandacht, aangezien de hoeveelheid feiten en de nauwkeurigheid ervan tijd kosten om te verwerken.
Uiteindelijk las ik dit boek uit met nog meer een gevoel van immens respect en ontzag voor koning Hoessein. je blijft na het lezen van het boek er toch nog wel even mee bezig, vooral over het feit dat Netanyahu een grote dwarsligger was en is…. Al probeer ik ook na het lezen van het boek neutraal te blijven over de huidige situatie in het Midden-Oosten.
Hoesseins levenslange inzet voor de strijd voor een duurzame vrede is bewonderenswaardig en zijn weigering om zijn zoektocht op te geven toen alle hoop verloren leek, is ontzagwekkend. Het is dan ook meer een politieke biografie van koning Hoessein van Jordanië.
Tijdens Husseins herdenkingsdienst in de St. Paul’s Cathedral prees de Prins van Wales hem als “een man onder de mensen, een koning onder de koningen”. Hoe waar zijn deze woorden ! De Leeuw van Jordanië belicht de triomfen en teleurstellingen, de kwaliteiten en het karakter van deze buitengewone soldaat en staatsman, en herschrijft op ingrijpende wijze de geschiedenis van het Midden-Oosten van de afgelopen tachtig jaar.
Samengevat: als je een intieme weergave van het koninklijke leven van Hussein verwacht, zul je teleurgesteld zijn. Dit boek gaat over een man die de geschiedenis heeft veranderd en een verschil heeft gemaakt. Het boek geeft een zeer gedetailleerd verslag van het ontstaan van Jordanië, het Arabisch-Israëlische conflict en de strijd voor Palestijns recht op zelfbeschikking. Dan is dit boek precies wat je zoekt. Lees het gewoon, het is een eyeopener!
Lion of Jordan met de subtitel The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace zegt eigenlijk al heel veel, zeker in wat voor “klimaat” hij moest regeren. Tijdens zijn lange regeerperiode (1953-1999) was koning Hoessein van Jordanië een van de meest dominante figuren in de politiek van het Midden-Oosten en een consequent voorstander van vrede met Israël. En hij vocht als een leeuw voor zijn bevolking en vrede in het Midden-Oosten. Meer dan veertig jaar lang balanceerde Hussein op een koord tussen de Palestijnen en Arabische radicalen aan de ene kant en Israël aan de andere kant.
Het boek geeft inzicht in het karakter van de koning, maar de focus ligt meer op het politieke en historische dan op het persoonlijke. En politiek gezien gebeurde er heel wat in zijn regeerperiode. Wat het boek heel goed duidelijk maakte, is dat de kwestie tussen vooral Israël en Palestina al meer dan een halve eeuw speelt. Onder Hussein als peacemaker was het goed onderweg, maar sinds Netanyahu in Israël belangrijke functies ging bekleden is het werk van Hussein, Rabin en het vredesakkoord van halverwege de jaren 90 tenietgedaan….
Het boek begint met de Arabische Opstand van de Eerste Wereldoorlog om de ontwikkeling van het conflict in de twintigste eeuw te schetsen. Daarna geeft het een overzicht van het conflict van 1948 tot 1999.
Er waren momenten waarop het lezen moeilijk was, gewoon omdat de politieke kwesties die speelden al ingewikkeld waren. Maar ook omdat de auteur Avi Shlaim gebruikmaakte van de beschikbare documenten en brieven en met de medewerking (maar niet de goedkeuring) van zijn familie en personeel. Ook zijn er uitgebreide interviews gehouden met internationale beleidsmakers.
Het boek lees je dan ook niet zomaar even, 619 pagina’s, de bronnen niet meegerekend. Het vereist tijd en aandacht, aangezien de hoeveelheid feiten en de nauwkeurigheid ervan tijd kosten om te verwerken.
Uiteindelijk las ik dit boek uit met nog meer een gevoel van immens respect en ontzag voor koning Hoessein. je blijft na het lezen van het boek er toch nog wel even mee bezig, vooral over het feit dat Netanyahu een grote dwarsligger was en is…. Al probeer ik ook na het lezen van het boek neutraal te blijven over de huidige situatie in het Midden-Oosten.
Hoesseins levenslange inzet voor de strijd voor een duurzame vrede is bewonderenswaardig en zijn weigering om zijn zoektocht op te geven toen alle hoop verloren leek, is ontzagwekkend. Het is dan ook meer een politieke biografie van koning Hoessein van Jordanië.
Tijdens Husseins herdenkingsdienst in de St. Paul’s Cathedral prees de Prins van Wales hem als “een man onder de mensen, een koning onder de koningen”. Hoe waar zijn deze woorden ! De Leeuw van Jordanië belicht de triomfen en teleurstellingen, de kwaliteiten en het karakter van deze buitengewone soldaat en staatsman, en herschrijft op ingrijpende wijze de geschiedenis van het Midden-Oosten van de afgelopen tachtig jaar.
Samengevat: als je een intieme weergave van het koninklijke leven van Hussein verwacht, zul je teleurgesteld zijn. Dit boek gaat over een man die de geschiedenis heeft veranderd en een verschil heeft gemaakt. Het boek geeft een zeer gedetailleerd verslag van het ontstaan van Jordanië, het Arabisch-Israëlische conflict en de strijd voor Palestijns recht op zelfbeschikking. Dan is dit boek precies wat je zoekt. Lees het gewoon, het is een eyeopener!
February 24, 2025
Powerful book on so many levels.
King Hussein was a real-life James Bond. He flew planes (even when terminally ill--twice), raced competitively, and serially undertook secret missions--to negotiate with Israeli representatives in London. These secret negotiations, which often led to no results other than agreeing to keep the lines open, did more to affect the world than all of the microfilm and secret computers of spy fiction.
King Hussein was also a Sandhurst-trained officer, as is his son, the current King of Jordan, Abdullah II. Yet, unlike these idiot British Generals Michael Carver and Jimmy Glover, King Hussein knew how to deal with terrorists. With the help of his energetic Prime Minister Wafsi al-Tall, King Hussein smashed the PLO and ejected them from Jordan in 1970's Black September, at the same time that idiot Montgomery-worshipper Sir Michael Carver said that SFIRA could not be defeated by military means. King Hussein and Wafsi al-Tall, along with Bachir Gemayel of Lebanon and Hafez al-Asad of Syria, all dealth far more decisively and firmly with the PLO than Eamon deValera, Charles Haughey, Garret Fitzgerald, Margaret Thatcher and John Major ever did with SFIRA.
That brings up the one major inaccuracy of this book. The author says that Israel expelled the PLO from Lebanon in 1982. In reality, it was Hafez al-Asad, using principally his "Stakeknife" Abu Mussa, who destroyed the remnants of the PLO in Lebanon during 1983's Battle of the Camps.
This book starts with the Arab Revolt of the First World War to trace the twentieth-century evolution of the conflict. With the exception of the aforementioned omission of the 1983 Battle of the Camps, it gives an overview of the conflict from 1948 to 1999.
King Hussein was a real-life James Bond. He flew planes (even when terminally ill--twice), raced competitively, and serially undertook secret missions--to negotiate with Israeli representatives in London. These secret negotiations, which often led to no results other than agreeing to keep the lines open, did more to affect the world than all of the microfilm and secret computers of spy fiction.
King Hussein was also a Sandhurst-trained officer, as is his son, the current King of Jordan, Abdullah II. Yet, unlike these idiot British Generals Michael Carver and Jimmy Glover, King Hussein knew how to deal with terrorists. With the help of his energetic Prime Minister Wafsi al-Tall, King Hussein smashed the PLO and ejected them from Jordan in 1970's Black September, at the same time that idiot Montgomery-worshipper Sir Michael Carver said that SFIRA could not be defeated by military means. King Hussein and Wafsi al-Tall, along with Bachir Gemayel of Lebanon and Hafez al-Asad of Syria, all dealth far more decisively and firmly with the PLO than Eamon deValera, Charles Haughey, Garret Fitzgerald, Margaret Thatcher and John Major ever did with SFIRA.
That brings up the one major inaccuracy of this book. The author says that Israel expelled the PLO from Lebanon in 1982. In reality, it was Hafez al-Asad, using principally his "Stakeknife" Abu Mussa, who destroyed the remnants of the PLO in Lebanon during 1983's Battle of the Camps.
This book starts with the Arab Revolt of the First World War to trace the twentieth-century evolution of the conflict. With the exception of the aforementioned omission of the 1983 Battle of the Camps, it gives an overview of the conflict from 1948 to 1999.
August 5, 2022
Hussein was born in 1935, a child of Prince Talal and Princess Zein al-Sharaf. He attended school at Victoria College in Egypt, before continuing his education at Harrow School in England. He also had a great relationship with his grandfather, King Abdullah I, who was also grooming him to be a monarch. While accompanying his grandfather to Jerusalem to perform prayers, the were the victims of a Palestinian assassin. King Abdullah I died. Prince Talal, Hussein's father, took the throne, but was forced to abdicate due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Hussein then took the throne, and had a multitude of political issues to contend with. He reigned during the Six Day Way, Black September, the Yom Kuppur War, riots in 1989, the Gulf War, and a host of assassination attempts. He became quite ill, resulting in a diagnosis of Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. He ultimately died in 1999 from the disease.
I found this book and decided to pick it up, because I had previously read the book written by his wife Queen Noor. I really learned a lot about Jordan from her book, as well as her life assimilating to Jordanian culture. Of course, she talked about her husband, but I thought it would be wise to read a biography about him. This one was well researched and covered a lot of things about his policies and decision in wartime. I really learned a lot from this book, and found it very enjoyable.
I found this book and decided to pick it up, because I had previously read the book written by his wife Queen Noor. I really learned a lot about Jordan from her book, as well as her life assimilating to Jordanian culture. Of course, she talked about her husband, but I thought it would be wise to read a biography about him. This one was well researched and covered a lot of things about his policies and decision in wartime. I really learned a lot from this book, and found it very enjoyable.
March 11, 2022
A masterpiece. This book not only tells the story of King Hussein from an unbiased and historically accurate standpoint, it tells the story of all of modern Arab history. It describes the details of the Hashemite legacy in the Middle East, the relationships the different countries and heads-of-state had, the events that transpired. It talks of the good times and the bad, historically accurate events and recollections, that make the reader feel as if they're reliving the past.
The book does have a lot of material, and it goes in depth frequently, there were times where reading the book was difficult on account of painful moments in our history, 1948 & 1967 primarily, but it is incredibly insightful and eye-opening. For someone with intermediate historical knowledge about the Arab World, this book does a wonderful job at tying the strings and filling gaps. It answers a wealth of unanswered questions as well as presents the reader with surprising information previously unknown.
For anyone interested in the history of Jordan, or Arab history as a whole, in the last 100 years, I would strongly recommend this book. It was a pleasure reading it, and it's one of the few rare books that I would even consider reading again.
The book does have a lot of material, and it goes in depth frequently, there were times where reading the book was difficult on account of painful moments in our history, 1948 & 1967 primarily, but it is incredibly insightful and eye-opening. For someone with intermediate historical knowledge about the Arab World, this book does a wonderful job at tying the strings and filling gaps. It answers a wealth of unanswered questions as well as presents the reader with surprising information previously unknown.
For anyone interested in the history of Jordan, or Arab history as a whole, in the last 100 years, I would strongly recommend this book. It was a pleasure reading it, and it's one of the few rare books that I would even consider reading again.
June 7, 2024
I guess you can see from the dates that it took a while to read through this book. Mainly because I was thinking back to the actual events since I lived through quite a few of them. I would say that 85% of the time the author alined with how I remembered those events.
There is one thing to keep in mind, while the author really trued hard to keep to history, and for 98% of the time he did, you can tell from the way he spoke about the king that he liked him and that sometimes came through when he interpreted an event of added his own commentary about it.
There is one thing to keep in mind, while the author really trued hard to keep to history, and for 98% of the time he did, you can tell from the way he spoke about the king that he liked him and that sometimes came through when he interpreted an event of added his own commentary about it.
September 10, 2022
This was a long and, at times, grueling read that was worth every single page. Ultimately, I finished this book feeling immense respect and awe for King Hussein. At no point did he have it easy, and while he was human, and therefore fallible, he truly fulfilled his role with astounding patience, grace, and heart. If you're expecting some intimate portrayal of royal life, you will be disappointed. However, if you're looking for a highly detailed account of the creation of Jordan, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the quest for Palestinian right to self-determination through the actions one ruler took, this is going to be right up your alley. Just read it.
December 3, 2021
Very dense. Gives much information about Jordan's role in the Middle East and its relationship to Iraq, Egypt and Israel. It helped me to understand more about the Hashemite family and the Arab world. I also gained an understanding of King Hussein and his role during his long reign.,
January 15, 2022
Very good read, gives you valuable insights that you won’t find in any other book. The narrative about the negotiations happening behind the scenes between Jordan and Israel was really interesting. This book is highly recommended.
February 26, 2017
A detailed and sympathetic biography of King Hussein bin Talal. Rich in detail and full of political intrigues. Would recommend to anyone interested in the region's political history.
June 21, 2017
Very good.
November 20, 2019
A good read indeed.
May 5, 2020
Solid bio
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May 21, 2024إعادة قراءة الوقائع التاريخية يساهم بتنشئة عقلية واعية مدركة، أما قراءة الوقائع المعاصرة دون النظر إلى سردياتها ينتج عقل مؤدلج لا أكثر.
August 7, 2025
Go off king
September 5, 2025
كتاب مليء بكثير من التفاصيل والأحداث.
August 29, 2017
I've bought this book on my trip to Jordan. Fascinated by the country and the people, I wanted to know more about them. Thorough, detailed and extremely captivating, the book was exactly what I needed!
It's not something that you read in a day or even in a week. It needs time and attention to it, as the amount of facts and their precision require time to digest. But the book is totally worth it!
If you are looking for a biography full of personal details and dirty laundry, find something else to read. This book is about a man who changed history and made a difference. Underlying motives, background, emotions and the lifelong struggle are all there.
It's not something that you read in a day or even in a week. It needs time and attention to it, as the amount of facts and their precision require time to digest. But the book is totally worth it!
If you are looking for a biography full of personal details and dirty laundry, find something else to read. This book is about a man who changed history and made a difference. Underlying motives, background, emotions and the lifelong struggle are all there.
March 8, 2022
A long biography of King Hussein with focus on his relationship with Israel in war (including secret meetings with Israeli officials) and peace and the king's long march to peace in a troubled area. This focus on foreign relations makes it a specialized book rather than a comprehensive account of King Hussein's reign.
Shlaim presents details regarding which we Jordanians are kept in the dark and expresses disappointment with the attitudes of his country's successive governments toward peace.
The book is long (600+ pages!) and goes into a lot of detail when it comes to the king's meetings with other leaders. Would an abridged edition be easier for laypeople to read?
Shlaim presents details regarding which we Jordanians are kept in the dark and expresses disappointment with the attitudes of his country's successive governments toward peace.
The book is long (600+ pages!) and goes into a lot of detail when it comes to the king's meetings with other leaders. Would an abridged edition be easier for laypeople to read?
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