"Immediate and accessible. . . .The best volume yet for readers wanting to learn about this region that affects the whole world." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)In 1970, when the Jordanian civil war known as Black September began, U.P.I. correspondent Wilborn Hampton was sent to report on unfolding events. Holed up in the InterContinental Hotel and caught in the crossfire, he managed to get the story out. Three years later, dispatched to Israel to cover the Yom Kippur War, the reporter took it on himself to drive to the front lines. Now the acclaimed author of Kennedy Assassinated!, Meltdown, and September 11, 2001, relays his on-the-spot experiences covering two pivotal wars, while offering readers a clear, balanced overview of the issues that have plagued the Middle East for decades and continue to this day.Back matter includes a bibliography and an index.