For a reader unexpected with the historical past of Libya, Muammar Qaddafi could be unsuitable for a personality in fiction. His eccentric management because the nation's "Brother Leader," his repressive regime, sponsorship of terrorist violence, precise imaginative and prescient of the nation, and incessant carry on strength all appear implausibly severe. This riveting booklet files the intense fact of Qaddafi's upward thrust and 42-year reign. It additionally explores the tenacious renowned rebellion that at last defeated him and the probabilities for Libya because the destiny unfolds.

Alison Pargeter, an writer with deep realizing of Libya's heritage and folks, explains what led as much as Qaddafi's cold coup in 1969 and the way he proceeded to translate his hugely custom-made imaginative and prescient into political, monetary, and social coverage. She discusses his tight-knit networks, the crises he overcame—including sanctions after the Lockerbie bombing in 1988—as good as his incredible maneuverings within the early 2000s to revive tattered kinfolk with the West. Pargeter presents a completely attention-grabbing research of the 2011 insurrection and uncovers the complete info of Qaddafi's downfall. She concludes by means of introducing the recent energy agents in post-Qaddafi Libya in addition to the range of knotty demanding situations that now confront them.