A towering figure, King Hussein reigned for nearly half a century, from his grandfather's assassination in 1953 to his own death in 1999. In this biography, Nigel Ashton recounts the eventful life of the king who not only survived but flourished amidst crisis after crisis as ruler of a poor desert nation surrounded by powerful and hostile neighbors. Hussein skillfully navigated complicated relationships with the British, his fellow Arab leaders, the new bordering state of Israel, masses of dispossessed Palestinians within his kingdom, every U.S. president from Eisenhower to Clinton, and every British prime minister from Churchill to Blair. This book illuminates the private man, his key relationships, and his achievements and disappointments as a central player in the tough world of Middle Eastern politics.--From publisher description.

The tragedy of King Talal -- Breaking the British connection, 1953-6 -- To hold a throne, 1956-7 -- A dynasty under threat, 1957-61 -- Arab Cold War and détente, 1962-6 -- The path to disaster, 1966-7 -- Lost in a sandstorm: Hussein and the peace process, 1967-8 -- 'Seven questions of Israel': the September 1970 crisis -- The October war -- Disengagement and disillusionment, 1973-7 -- The Camp David disaster, 1977-9 -- The Iran-Iraq war, 1980-88 -- Fishing in the Dead Sea: King Hussein and the peace process, 1980-89 -- Between Iraq and a hard place: King Hussein and the Gulf Crisis, 1990-91 -- From Madrid to Oslo: King Hussein and the peace process, 1991-3 -- The best of enemies, the best of friends: Hussein, Rabin and the Jordanian, Israeli peace treaty -- The bitter aftertaste of peace -- The liberation of Iraq, 1995-7 -- A destiny fulfilled?