Uneasy Lies the Head

Outline

Uneasy Lies the Head (1962) is the autobiography of King Hussein of Jordan, written about a decade after he came to the throne as a teenager. It describes his upbringing and education, the assassination of his grandfather King Abdullah I in Jerusalem, and the political pressures and crises of his early reign. The book offers a personal view of the responsibilities of leadership in a turbulent region.

• King Hussein wrote this autobiography around ten years after taking the throne of Jordan as a teenager.
• The book traces his upbringing and education before he became king.
• It describes the assassination of his grandfather, King Abdullah I, in Jerusalem, a turning point in his life.
• It covers the political pressures and crises he faced in the early years of his reign.
• The book offers a personal view of what leadership demands in a turbulent region.

King Hussein bin Talal (1935–1999) ruled Jordan from 1952 until his death, making him one of the longest-serving heads of state of the twentieth century. He led the country through decades of regional conflict and change, and was widely respected for his efforts toward stability and peace.