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CHOICE Review

Bearman, a British journalist, argues that the pre-1970 monarchy inadequately protected Libyan interests by permitting oil companies and Western powers to enjoy a highly unequal relationship. Qadhafi's seizure of power, his personal style, and the combination of oil revenues and a need for legitimation led to dramatic expansion of the role of the state. Qadhafi's mercurial personality resulted in numerous abortive efforts at unity with other Arab states and occasional sponsorship of terrorism. Bearman sees Qadhafi as a modernist rather than a conservative Islamic leader, whose involvement in Chad has been ``opportunist and haphazard.'' ``Through his own personality Qadhafi provides an identity for the state.... He is creative, but not practical.'' Critics of US foreign policy under Reagan will find ammunition here. Qadhafi's Libya is both more sympathetic and up to date (it concludes with the US raid of April 1986) than John K. Cooley's Libyan Sandstorm (CH, Nov '83), John L. Wright's Libya: A Modern History (CH, Oct '82), or Libya Since Independence ed. by J.A. Allan (CH, Jun '83). A well-documented work, with 24 tables, 2 maps, and chapter notes, but no bibliography or index. Upper-division undergraduates.-C.E. Welch, SUNY at Buffalo