A newsbreaking memoir that tackles head-on the toughest challenge in the world today. When a dying King Hussein shocked the world by picking his son rather than his brother, the longtime crown prince, to be the next king of Jordan, no one was more surprised than the young head of Special Operations, who discovered his life was in for a major upheaval. This is the inspirational story of a young prince who went to boarding school in America and military academy in Britain and grew up believing he would be a soldier. Back home, he hunted down terrorists and modernized Jordan's Special Forces. Then, suddenly, he found himself king. Together with his wife, Queen Rania, he transformed what it meant to be a monarch, going undercover to escape the bubble of the court while she became the Muslim world's most passionate advocate of women's rights. In this exceptionally candid memoir, King Abdullah tackles the single toughest issue he faces head-on- how to solve the Israeli-Palestinian standoff- and reveals himself to be an invaluable intermediary between America and the Arab world. He writes about the impact of the Iraq war on his neighborhood and how best to tackle Iran's nuclear ambitions. Why would a sitting head of state choose to write about the most explosive issues he faces? King Abdullah does so now because he believes we face a moment of truth: a last chance for peace in the Middle East. The prize is enormous, the cost of failure far greater than we dare imagine.
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"Very informative, I enjoy the book. Definetly challenges my beliefs looking at the strife in the Middle East from the other side. I have a new respect for the work that King Abdullah II does for peace."
— Mark (4 out of 5 stars)
" Very well written. I really enjoyed the political side of this book. "
— Marie, 1/3/2014" VERY interesting, there are some dull parts which may be necessary for a truthful autobiography; BUT Abdullah's unique experiences and enlightened perspective make this an extra-ordinary book. "
— Richard, 12/26/2013" great book, i recomend for anyone who would like to know some more infromation on the israli middle east peace process from the writting of the defacto intermediarie of the middle east. "
— Nathan, 12/12/2013" Enjoyed the history;wish history books could be so easy to read. "
— Hannah, 12/11/2013" tackles some thorny Middle East issues and gives an interesting insight - for outsiders - into the history and tribal culture of Jordan. "
— Muna, 8/28/2012" Great perspective from an Arab leader "
— Bob, 7/8/2012" This was an interesting book. You learn alot of Jordan and the things that helped shape King Abdullah's world view. He has many interesting ideas. Some I agree with. Others that I'll have to think about first. "
— Dave, 5/30/2011" An absolute must read for anyone wanting an intelligent synopsis of the "situation" in the Middle East today. Fascinating read re: King Abdullah. "
— Elizabetmarshall, 5/15/2011" Enjoyed the history;wish history books could be so easy to read.<br/> "
— Hannah, 4/24/2011" This was an interesting book. You learn alot of Jordan and the things that helped shape King Abdullah's world view. He has many interesting ideas. Some I agree with. Others that I'll have to think about first. "
— Dave, 3/5/2011King Abdullah II spent his formative years in the United States, where he went to Eaglebrook and Deerfield, and in England, where he trained to be an officer at Sandhurst. A cavalry officer in the Jordanian army, he eventually became commander of the Jordanian Special Forces, a position that allowed him to forge invaluable relationships with intelligence and military offices around the world. The head of the Hashemite family, he is a forty-third generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad. His family ruled the holy city of Mecca for more than eight hundred years and his great-grandfather led the Arab revolt for independence from Ottoman rule.
Nadim Sawalha is a voice talent and audiobook narrator.