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In Lion of Jordan, the Iraqi-born historian Avi Shlaim tracks the life of King Hussein through three perspectives: the traits, strategies and political vision of King Hussein. Throughout the book he makes these three categories interconnected so as to create an archetype of King Hussein.
- Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace. By Avi Shlaim. 697pp, Allen Lane, £30. King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan was a man with two great gifts: charm and courage.
- In his book, Lion of Jordan: The Life of King Hussein in War and Peace, Avi Shlaim describes a man determined to make peace in the Middle East by risking his life and the future the Hashemite dynasty of Jordan in this relentless but unsuccessful quest.
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During his long reign (1953–1999), King Hussein of Jordan was one of the most dominant figures in Middle Eastern politics and a consistent proponent of peace with Israel. This is the first major account of his life, written with access to his official documents and with the cooperation (but not approval) of his family and staff, and also extensive interviews with interna...more
Published September 9th 2008 by Knopf (first published November 1st 2007)
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Nov 01, 2011Matthew Jones rated it really liked it
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.
Apr 14, 2014Christien Hughes rated it really liked it
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.
Sep 24, 2011Ksenia Svetlova rated it really liked it
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 :)
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.
Jul 31, 2011Mike added it · review of another edition
A 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!!!
A very well written and informative book on King Hussain who played a major and a shaping role of the contemporary middle eastern history.
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.
This book is a nice blend of detailed and exhaustive history, and gripping biography. It didn't totally change my view of the Palestine situation, but it greatly enriched it. The little personal details about the lives of the protagonists are a nice bonus!
Feb 26, 2017Nathik rated it liked it · review of another edition
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.
Jun 21, 2017casper hileman rated it really liked it
Jul 30, 2015Maria rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
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 r...more
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 r...more
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The title is almost a misnomer - yes King Hussein was a fine man, and his story is fascinating, but what Avi Shlaim has done is way beyond an autobiography - it is nothing short of the entire Middle East history over the last 80 years. Shlaim's narrative is balanced, informed, empathetic, insightful, definitive and witty. I feel improved for having read this book, and yet it is clear that there is a circle of violence described here driven by greed and executed by ignorance.
Jan 04, 2013George Serebrennikov rated it really liked it
I think Avi Shlaim did a superb job, providing very balanced and informative account of the history of Jordan in general and the life of King Hussein in particular. I found the book slightly boring in the beginning, but then, somewhere around the Olso accord, the book became a page-turner. It was very clear from reading the book that the author firmly belongs to the left-wing camp, as far as the Israeli politics are concern, but I do not think he ever overstepped the boundaries.
Dec 07, 2010Dan rated it really liked it · review of another edition
- too fawning at times; at the end of the day King Hussein acted to preserve his throne and his familial inheritance, not to serve the Arab nation
- interesting that a Jewish author had so many connections with intimates of the now deceased King
- aside from exhaustive details of the King, this is a great book if you want to understand the modern history of the ME
- interesting that a Jewish author had so many connections with intimates of the now deceased King
- aside from exhaustive details of the King, this is a great book if you want to understand the modern history of the ME
Everything you ever wanted to know about King Hussein. Informative, academic read.
Jul 28, 2012Oussama Salah rated it really liked it
An interesting view of HM King Hussein's life and work as seen from an Israeli perspective.
A good book, well written. An important read if going to the Middle East.
Ammar Almaaytah rated it it was amazing
Jul 10, 2015
Jul 10, 2015
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Nov 15, 2014
Nov 15, 2014
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Avi 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.