Description: An inside account of conflict, collapse and innovative approaches to reconstruction in Libya's challenging post-2011 landscape.
Review Quotes: "Comprehensive, authoritative and persuasive, Williams" eyewitness account offers a front-row seat to dramatic negotiations with predatory politicians and deceitful outside powers. Even Russia's notorious warlord Evgeny Prigozhin gets a cameo. Essential reading to understand why Libya remains divided, with broad lessons for international mediators." -- Jeffrey Feltman, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs
"An important book that will surely prompt a renewed debate on the UN's role in Libya, and more broadly on the UN's mediation efforts in post-conflict countries." -- Claudia Gazzini, Senior Analyst for Libya, International Crisis Group"Diplomacy may be a lost art, but Williams" brilliance harkens back to a bygone era of the scholar-diplomat mastering Libya's unfathomable complexity and distilling its core dynamics-think Adrian Pelt or E. E. Evans Pritchard. Williams effortlessly bottles her experiences into flowing prose and captures the essence of the struggle for Libya's future." -- Jason Pack, author of Libya and the Global Enduring Disorder"A rare and invaluable glimpse into the realities of peace mediation. With meticulous detail and inspiring frankness, Williams" account is both insightful and innovative, offering rich lessons for mediators, policymakers and scholars alike. This book is an exceptional resource--a detailed, honest account of a recent mediation process with profound implications for peace efforts in Libya and beyond." -- Eemeli Isoaho, Mediation in Peace Processes Coordinator, ETH Zurich"A masterful exploration of Libya's tumultuous journey over the past fourteen years. With first-hand experience as a US diplomat and senior UN official, Williams provides an unparalleled understanding of the country's political realities and key figures shaping its current dynamics and possible future." -- Hafed Al-Ghwell, Senior Fellow and Executive Director of the North Africa Initiative, Johns Hopkins University"This engaging and original account of the UN's work in Libya offers a fresh and current perspective on the ongoing crisis and diplomatic efforts." -- Virginie Collombier, Professor of Practice, Luiss Guido Carli University, and co-editor of Violence and Social Transformation in Libya"An essential resource for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners engaged in conflict resolution, diplomacy, and the study of North Africa and the broader MENA region." -- The North Africa Initiative newsletter"Wonderful writing abounds ... a careful reading of Libya Since Qaddafi would help [Iran's citizens, neighbors and the broader international community] address some of the obstacles that Iran would undoubtedly encounter [in case of regime change]." --Manara Magazine"Williams provides a detailed and fascinating picture of the impossible position of the UN team on the ground in Libya, struggling to develop a long-term solution for a totally fragmented country... fascinating." -- Morning Star