A sympathetic portrait of the penultimate King of Egypt (1920-1965) which takes into consideration the diplomatic pressures he was subjected to during the time of his reign. Though Farouk has often been criticised for his lavish lifestyle, Stadiem claims that he also deserves credit for standing up to the British and thus keeping the dream of Egyptian independence alive. Rather than lampooning the playboy king' for his extravagant lifestyle, Stadiem therefore sees him as a leader faced with an impossible task - a task that he almost pulled off.'