If somebody is interested in a fascinating book on the political life of the late King Hussein – in particular his efforts to advance the Peace process – I would recommend the “Lion of Jordan” by Avi Shlaim. To me, who am not familiar in depth with all the details in the more than half a century long Peace process, this book was a kind of revelation. Of course the predominantly positive view on King Hussein and the personal view of the – in some camps controversial – author has to be taken into account when reading the book. But it offers a lot of detailed insights on the role of some of the central players in the region and in the US. The book draws many of its conclusions from information from primary sources not least the King himself and his close collaborators at the time.
The book concludes with a telling picture – attributed to Israeli intelligence – of the political struggle of King Hussein: “A man trapped on a bridge burning at both ends, with crocodiles in the river beneath him: he cannot go forward, he cannot retreat, he cannot jump. He is a slave of the status quo”. Yet he and his Hashemite dynasty survived against all odds.
There is written a lot of reviews on the book, among others The Sunday Times, The Guardian and on different blogs. I will in particular be looking forward to the review that at some time must be published on The New York Review of Books that usually draws from different books on a related topic and puts it all into perspective. Update September 2008: Another new review has been published by Wall Street Journal. Update November 2008 – The NYRB article is to be found here.
Some of my friends and among them actually some of the primary sources in the book have asked me whether I had bought the book in Jordan. Actually I did. I stumbled upon this book totally by coincidence in a huge bookstore in Mecca Mall where it was displayed prominently. So it is available – unfortunately at a pretty hefty price 37 JD. Update 25. March – the book is now available for 27 JD’s in Citymall – apparently The one good that dosn’t suffer from inflation….
Another book I recently finished reading was the new book written by Randa Habib – Head of the local AFP-bureau in Jordan. It also deals with the late king but in a much more personal and less scientific way than Shlaim. It is called “Hussein – Père et fils” and for the time being it is in French only. I believe that an Arabic translation is on its way. Randa was really close to the king and privy to a lot of privileged information. It complements “Lion of Jordan” on some of its weaker points on political and economical development in Jordan and it gives the reader a better understanding of the personality of King Hussein. Enjoy!
