Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace

The book is a master-piece and must be read by every Jordanian!!It is a detailed description of not only the life of the late King Hussein, but also a description of the history and politics of Jordan since its early establishment in 1921. Although the book tends to advocate that the late king was a victim to Israeli, PLO and other states' intransigence ( and thus the book is accused of not being objective) but it nevertheless quotes some incidents which reflect the late king's mis-judgements and flaws during his reign. I was pleasantly surprised at how accurate and real the author describes the tense relationship between the Jordanians and the Palestinians either in the West Bank or in Jordan itself. The mere description of this made reading the book a real and vivid experience for me, as opposed to the numerous litrature that I have read on the subject which give the impression that the author is nothing but a mere observer or a reporter who does not have a real understanding of the true situation on the ground. The book is written as a tribute to the late king Hussein, who was truly a very well respected figure in and outside Jordan, and is expected to highlight his positive achievements. It is up to the reader to search other books on either Israel, the PLO, or other states to reach the desired balance.

Arrived earlier than expected, and the book is in very good condition. Would purchase from this seller again.

Thoroughly enjoyed. Made me want to visit Jordan.

Best Historical Scholarly Book on the History of Jordan and the Hashemite Dynasty in Jordan. Recommend: The King's Council by Jack O'Connel which is less scholarly but still a good read and some good new insights.

While history is, on one level, facts, there are always different perspectives from which those facts are viewed. It is worthwhile reading many perspectives to gain a better understanding of events.This book portrays the late King Hussein's quest for peace and his desire to preserve the Hashemite dynasty. It follows his life from a young boy who witnesses the horrific murder of his beloved grandfather, to his own death after a long reign on the throne of Jordan.I was interested in reading of familiar events from a different perspective than the one I got from the media in South Africa when they were taking place. However, there were times when I found the writing style difficult to follow and there was a sense of ploughing my way through the book in parts. If I had not already been fascinated by the land and people of Jordan I may well not have finished the book; although it was well worth reading right to the end.

Remembering the love of the Jordanians for their leader, this book relates many of the triumphs of his time as King of Jordan. He accepted hundreds/thousands of Palestinian refugees from their homeland in Palestine/Israel when the Israeli govt relieved them of their right to live in their own land.

I preferred the bio of Queen Noor to get a feel for the king's life, personality, diplomatic efforts, and Near Eastern problems.The Near East has, for past 80 years, been a total mess and impossible for one man to solve. Read this book onlyt if you are really, reallyinto Near East politics.

Always admired King Hussein and reading this book made me realize even more what a great loss we suffered with his death.

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.

An incredible insight into King Husseins life - peeling back the many mantles he had to wear to appease the west whilst protecting his people and his country & simultaneously remaining true to his Arabic beliefs & somehow managing to become the conduit between Israel the West and the Arabic world whilst maintaining his honour and an open line of communication with the rest of the world. A true head of state and an intelligent man - a book written with care and respect - I recommend it

Glorifying a trader

It is really a GREAT book! I strongly recommend to anyone interested in the Middle Eastern politics and modern history.the author is Israeli and in his representation of facts and stories he doesn't look biased at all which is quite remarkable.Also, many facts were really scoops for me and I really loved the book from page 1 to the last.Now I am reading the book from Queen Noor. :)

Prof. Shlaim has written a masterpiece here. This is a very detailed biography of a hugely consequential life, looking at events in the Middle East from all angles. One of my favourite books on the history of the region.