Book excerpt: Jordan has been at the crossroads of Middle East events since Biblical times. In contemporary times, the recent Persian Gulf crisis and the long-simmering Arab-Israeli conflict have thrust Jordan into a troublesome but crucial role. But despite its unstable setting, it has experienced remarkably stable leadership_since 1953, King Hussein has steered the country through the difficulties of internal strife, Middle East wars, and international pressure. This new historical dictionary provides in a convenient format a broad array of data and descriptive material on this crucial state. With the most comprehensive bibliography available on Jordan.