This is not the story of one life but of many lives which, taken together, are history. This is the story of Desmond Smith's encounter with the tumultuous modern history of the Middle East. Frustrated by the "jobs for the boys" attitude of the medical profession in Britain and with his marriage seemingly in ruins, Desmond accepts the offer of a hospital post in Saudi Arabia. It is not only through the lives of the young Arabs who hope to use oil wealth to improve the quality of life for all and still preserve the purity of the Moslem faith but through the experiences of the American oilmen and Saudi oil princes who can help or hinder them, that the drama of today's Islam is brought vividly to life in a thrilling and yet haunting narrative.