Meisler writes in an engaging style and with an eye for the telling detail. He often manages to convey the crux of a complex situation in relatively few words. Given the length of the book, it is to be expected that the discussion is thin in places, and, of course, some fairly important elements of UN history are omitted.

I would add that the chapter on the Suez crisis is marred by a glaring lacuna: Meisler fails to mention that along with nationalizing the Suez Canal, Nasser closed off the Strait of Tiran to Israeli shipping. As a result of this omission, Israel's motivations for going along with Anglo-French adventure are left wholly unexplained. (Indeed, the question of what might be in it for Israel was never so much as raised.) Furthermore, when it comes to the war of June 1967, the full significance of Nasser's closing of the Strait on that occasion--i.e. his re-closing in violation of previous agreements--is lost.

Meisler has done an excellent job in introducing the UN to the general public with a format and language that makes it an entertaining and easy read. The most intense crises that the UN faced since its creation after WWII are all here, as are some of the greater personalities like Ralph Bunche and Dag Hammarskjold.

However, the book only briefly discusses the creation of the outlying organizations of the UN family - like UNESCO, UNICEF, and FAO. I find this to be a flaw due to the fact that these are the organizations that the UN is mostly associated with today - and not the major crises of the Cold War and beyond.

But all in all Meisler has done a magnificent job that will deepen your understanding of the UN's origins, mission, potentials, and short-comings.

This book is a gem in terms of the analysis it presents. Its concise easy to read and broken in to parts which allows the reader to examine major events involving the united nations during the last 50 years. It of course deals with the establishment of the UN in 1945 and quickly moves to its first major test in 1948, the construction of a Palestinian settlement involving the Ralph Bunche who following his efforts received the noble peace prise. The reader gets enough information to work out exactly the main players and positions relating to many of the crisis which have faced the organisation since 1945.

The Suez crisis of 1956 and the role of the Dag Hammershold receive particular attention. It explained the establishment of the first peace keeping force to be set up with a mandate agreed by the parties to the conflict. Later under the direction of Secretary General Uthant this force was withdrawn under pressure from the Egyptian Government leading ultimately to the Six-Day war of 1967. This and many other issues like it are examined with a critical eye. The book is not shy on pointing out the failures of the organisation however in doing this one is challenged to consider whether or not we could have afforded to live the last half century without some form of internationally agreed political/security organisation.