This book by a prize-winning foreign affairs correspondent, tells the story of a life shaped by Egypt's national struggle and dominated by the conflict between the Arab world and Israel. It charts Sadat's progress from fanatical nationalist to Nasser's successor as President of Egypt, and from world statesman to tragic hero, who gave his life in the cause of peace. As a highly readable study of one of the major figures in the struggle for peace in the Middle East, it is of particular interest in the light of the ongoing peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. The author's relationship with Sadat, and the help he has received from his widow since Sadat's death, has added a personal dimension to this warm and compassionate political biography.