In the fall of 1956, twin crises involving Suez and Hungary took us to the brink of nuclear conflict. Alex von Tunzelmann's hour by hour account introduces a fascinating cast of characters: British Prime Minister Anthony Eden; Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egypt's bold populist leader; David Ben-Gurion, the aging Zionist hero of Israel; bellicose French Prime Minister Guy Mollet; and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, seeking peace as Americans went to the polls. Von Tunzelmann argues that the problems of oil control, religious fundamentalism, and international disunity from 60 years ago remain unresolved today.