In my personal opinion, there are very few places left in the world where stories, such as those described in this book, can take place. Harkening back to Lawrence's adventures in the Hejaz, and other similar stories from the WWI-era, Glubb in turn has provided a similar insight.
Glubb, who at first under Peake Pasha, then commanding on his own, headed the Arab Legion in then Trans-Jordan. How he organized this outfit, and essentially brought a number of disparate tribal organizations into a coherent unit, is a remarkable story. How he went about doing it might provide insight into why we are having difficulties today dealing with tribal entities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of note is Glubb's recounting of the friction along the Jordanian and Saudi border, and likewise along the Syrian and Palestine borders. His insights on the difficulties conventional British units had in Palestine contrast sharply with how his minimally manned organization worked with the local population to gain their support.
A great read covering an area that is not commonly discussed when looking at the Middle East through the lens of the Arab-Israeli conflict, or the current troubles in Iraq. ( )