Includes bibliographical references (p.166-171) and index.

A childhood at the end of empire -- Crisis of the older order -- An unlikely revolution -- The high tide of liberation -- Seeds of defeat -- To the brink and back -- Nasser's legacy.

More than thirty years after his death, Gamal Abd-al-Nasser remains one of the Arab world's towering figures. One of a small group of young officers who overthrew British-backed King Farouq in 1959, Nasser was 36 years old when he became the undisputed leader of Egypt. In 1956 he nationalized the Suez canal, braving the anger of Britain and France. Many in the Arab world still admire his defiance of the colonial powers and his drive to raise living standards by modernizing Egypt's economy, but others are more critical of his autocratic rule. This biography explores Nasser's life in the context of his turbulent times._BACK COVER.