Our Last Best Chance
The Pursuit of Peace in a Time of Peril
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Narrated by:
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Nadim Sawalha
About this listen
A news-breaking 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.
©2011 King Abdullah II of Jordan (P)2011 PenguinListeners also enjoyed...
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Story
Golda Meir was a world figure unlike any other. Born in tsarist Russia in 1898, she immigrated to America in 1906 and grew up in Milwaukee, where from her earliest years she displayed the political consciousness and organizational skills that would eventually catapult her into the inner circles of Israel's founding generation. Moving to mandatory Palestine in 1921 with her husband, the passionate socialist joined a kibbutz but soon left and was hired at a public works office by the man who would become the great love of her life.
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The persistent mispronunciations of Hebrew and Yiddish words ruined this performance
- By YH-O on 12-30-18
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The Assassins' Gate
- America in Iraq
- By: George Packer
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 19 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The Assassins' Gate, so dubbed by American soldiers, is the entrance to the American zone in the city of Baghdad. In 2003, the United States blazed into Iraq to depose dictator Saddam Hussein. But after three years and unknown thousands killed, that country faces an escalating civil war and an uncertain fate. How did it get to this point?
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Highly Recommended
- By Drapeau on 02-01-07
By: George Packer
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Arik
- The Life of Ariel Sharon
- By: David Landau
- Narrated by: Waler Dixon
- Length: 19 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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From the former editor in chief of Haaretz, the first in-depth, comprehensive biography of Ariel Sharon, the most dramatic and imposing Israeli political and military leader of the last forty years. The life of Ariel Sharon spans much of modern Israel’s history. A commander in the Israeli Army from its inception in 1948, Sharon participated in the 1948 War of Independence, played decisive roles in the 1956 Suez War and the Six-Day War of 1967, and is credited here with the shift in the outcome of the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
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Larger than Life Hero
- By Eugene Choong on 10-07-24
By: David Landau
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Prague Winter
- A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948
- By: Madeleine Albright
- Narrated by: Madeleine Albright
- Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Before Madeleine Albright turned twelve, her life was shaken by the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia—the country where she was born—the Battle of Britain, the near total destruction of European Jewry, the Allied victory in World War II, the rise of communism, and the onset of the Cold War. Albright's experiences, and those of her family, provide a lens through which to view the most tumultuous dozen years in modern history.
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History from a Personal Perspective
- By Jeanette Finan on 02-22-13
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Thirteen Days in September
- Carter, Begin, and Sadat at Camp David
- By: Lawrence Wright
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Lawrence Wright
- Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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A gripping day-by-day account of the 1978 Camp David conference, when President Jimmy Carter persuaded Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat to sign the first peace treaty in the modern Middle East, one which endures to this day.
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Lessons in Negotiation
- By David on 06-18-15
By: Lawrence Wright
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Inside the Kingdom
- Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi Arabia
- By: Robert Lacey
- Narrated by: Robert Lacey
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Robert Lacey tells us what happened in the Middle East's oil-rich powerhouse---while we weren't looking.
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Inside the Kingdom
- By Ibrahim on 03-19-10
By: Robert Lacey
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Bibi
- By: Anshel Pfeffer
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 18 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Benjamin Netanyahu is embroiled in numerous scandals, all of his own making, and may soon be ousted from the office he has held longer than any prior Israeli prime minister outside of David Ben Gurion. But Bibi, as he is known by friend and foe alike, is no stranger to controversy. For many in Israel and elsewhere, he is an embarrassment, a threat to democracy, even a precursor to Donald Trump. He nevertheless continues to dominate Israeli public life - and he may yet survive his current crises, the most challenging of his career.
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Very biased.
- By Anonymous User on 10-14-22
By: Anshel Pfeffer
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A World of Trouble
- The White House and the Middle East
- By: Patrick Tyler
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 27 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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The Middle East is the beginning and the end of U.S. foreign policy: events there influence our alliances, make or break presidencies, govern the price of oil, and draw us into war. But it was not always so - and as Patrick Tyler shows in this thrilling chronicle of American misadventures in the region, the story of American presidents' dealings there is one of mixed motives, skulduggery, deceit, and outright foolishness, as well as of policymaking and diplomacy.
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Does't deliver
- By Matthew on 02-10-09
By: Patrick Tyler
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This Child Will Be Great
- Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa's First Woman President
- By: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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The first elected woman president of an African country, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was also listed as one of the world’s 100 Most Powerful Women by Forbes. This evocative memoir recounts Sirleaf ’s childhood upbringing and rise to political power in Liberia. More than a simple biography, Sirleaf ’s account details how she stood firm in the face of physical abuse early in life and carried that strength over into her career as a young economist in Samuel Doe’s regime.
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What a powerfully strong woman!
- By Gary on 10-18-11
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No Room for Small Dreams
- Courage, Imagination, and the Making of Modern Israel
- By: Shimon Peres
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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In this, his final work, finished only weeks before his passing, Peres offers a long-awaited examination of the crucial turning points in Israeli history through the prism of having been a decision maker and eyewitness. Told with the frankness of someone aware this would likely be his final statement, No Room for Small Dreams spans decades and events, but as much as it is about what happened, it is about why it happened.
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Great insights
- By Mergen on 05-29-22
By: Shimon Peres
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Red Heat
- Conspiracy, Murder, and the Cold War in the Caribbean
- By: Alex von Tunzelmann
- Narrated by: Sarah Coomes
- Length: 19 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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The Caribbean crises of the Cold War are revealed as never before in this riveting story of clashing ideologies, the rise of the politics of fear, the machinations of superpowers, and the daring of the brazen mavericks who took them on. The superpowers thought they could use Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic as puppets, but what neither bargained on was that their puppets would come to life.
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Interesting, not extraordinary.
- By History on 10-24-11
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The Road Not Taken
- Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam
- By: Max Boot
- Narrated by: Henry Strozier
- Length: 27 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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In chronicling the adventurous life of legendary CIA operative Edward Lansdale, The Road Not Taken definitively reframes our understanding of the Vietnam War. In this epic biography of Edward Lansdale (1908-1987) best-selling historian Max Boot demonstrates how Lansdale pioneered a "hearts and mind" diplomacy, first in the Philippines, then in Vietnam. It was a visionary policy that, as Boot reveals, was ultimately crushed by America's giant military bureaucracy.
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An honest look at Vietnam Nam and USA
- By Catherine on 01-16-18
By: Max Boot
What listeners say about Our Last Best Chance
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- DR. IVF
- 07-13-15
Excellent
Excellent overview of the king's life, the country (Jordan ), and the overall region. For anyone that wants a great overview of the region that the whole world watches closely yet doesn't quite understand well.
I truly enjoyed the book. give it a try. I enjoyed the narrator's voice and accent.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Cheryl Lent
- 02-24-15
Excellent presentation of the Arab viewpoint
Exceptional read for those who wish to understand both viewpoints of the Arab/Israeli struggle for peace in their region
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- katie
- 06-29-16
Meet the fourth King of Jordan ,
If you could sum up Our Last Best Chance in three words, what would they be?
Unexpected , Instructive and helpful to those willing to listen.
Who was your favorite character and why?
King Abdullah is an unexpected friend to the American people just as his father was before him .He is a king so we don't always get to see the man behind the position. this book gives us a glimpse. allowing us to see a side of H.M. and the middle east we may not have thought about before. H.M. seems to like to share information about his culture. some of the politics can be hard to hear but I think it is worth it and you might better understand why HM. has made some of the choices he has.
Have you listened to any of Nadim Sawalha’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No I haven't heard any other books, While not his fault if you are not used to a middle eastern accent a few words may be hard to understand. But that too is worth it.
What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?
That;s hard to Chose i think it will be different for each reader.
Any additional comments?
to learn more about Jordan and the Royal Family look for leap of faith and the King's Courser which is about King Hussain of Jordan
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3 people found this helpful
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- Dwight
- 11-08-16
Peace is achievable
If you could sum up Our Last Best Chance in three words, what would they be?
Peace is achievable
Who was your favorite character and why?
King Abdullah II of Jordan
Have you listened to any of Nadim Sawalha’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It opened my eyes
Any additional comments?
What an incredible book! My whole life, I've been very pro Israel & always looked at all problems in the Middle East as being focused on the destruction of Israel & the Jewish people. I felt I'd been forced to accept that peace in the Middle East was an impossible dream, because I have watched horrific acts of terrorism against Israel & America for most of my 60 years. But this book opened my eyes to a culture & religion I never understood.
A number of years ago, I took our family on a drive down the coast of California, from San Jose to San Luis Obispo. We stopped for breakfast in Carmel & we're told that King Abdullah II of Jordan had been there earlier. Apparently he was on a motorcycle trip. I was surprised. My impression of Arab leaders is they travel in super luxurious private Boeing 747s, basically flying palaces. I couldn't imagine an Arab leader traveling in America like any other American, as well as eating with other Americans. I was told that King Abdullah II was actually a very nice, down to earth guy. For the rest of our trip, I had hoped to run into him with hopes of an opportunity to meet him. I never knew if King Abdullah II actually made that trip at that time or if that was merely a rumor, but this book makes me believe that King Abdullah II of Jordan is a very nice guy with a sincere heart.
Like a kid who still believes in Santa Claus, I wish I could meet & share a conversation with King Abdullah II. This is strange for me as I have zero attraction to meeting celebrities or sitting down to have a conversation with any other world leaders. I think the attraction of King Abdullah II is that he's a very nice & sincere man AND I believe he is driven more towards peace in the Middle East than any other leader in the world.
I highly recommend this book for all, but most especially for Americans & Israelis. It's time for all of us to learn a different perspective. It is the only way peace can be achieved.
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- Jennifer
- 03-31-15
Lessons in history and leadership
This book was a random find in audible's library. The king provides excellent insight and behind-the-scenes facts regarding numerous different geopolitical events that Jordan has been a part of for the last 50 years. Additionally, the king relates his efforts to modernize and find a balance between religion and secularism in his country. There are many stories of how the King has worked to build social and economic institutions in Jordan; as well as, ensure that the bureaucracy performs for its people instead of the other way around. much of the foreign policy focus has to do with the Israeli – Palestinian conflict. Regardless of which side a person might support, the king advocates for a two – state solution, Which he believes will most quickly advance the anti-takfiri (terrorist) efforts. This is a book well worth the listen.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Christy
- 07-19-18
A Great Perspective
Well written, and a great perspective! If every world leader wrote a book on how they see the world through their own experiences, it might be a realistic expectation for world peace at that point!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Meaningful reading
- 01-16-23
Great history and leadership
In the past, I’ve read snippets about King Abdullah II and came away impressed. Reading this book amplified my impression of the king. This book has great historical information both concerning the country of Jordan, as well as other Middle Eastern nation and their leaders. The accounts told here are riveting, and goes beyond the information presented in news broadcasts. In the end, King Abdullah only wants peace in the region, especially between Israel and Palestine. I believe that his view on how that could happen has strong potential if both sides could finally come to terms.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Ryan
- 05-30-20
What a brilliant leader
As an American expat living in Jordan, I feel privileged to be in a country with a strong, empathetic, and intelligent leader. His life is a great story, and hearing about all the work he puts in to making peace in the Middle East gives me hope even though the same problems are still around a decade after this book was published. If you want a sense of what the Middle East is like and what a good leader looks like, listen to this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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- A. M.
- 08-26-16
Self-serving, mistitled, myopic perspective...
Any additional comments?
Not as king-like as his father, Junior's self-serving portrait is not about solving Middle Eastern conflicts as it is to bolster his image while perpetuating the narrow mindedness which promotes these conflicts in the first place. To Junior, the Palestinians are always right, and the evil Israelis are always wrong. I expected more.
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