This in-depth biography starts with Anand's childhood in a bucolic Bangkok that was disrupted by World War 11 and the Japanese occupation. It describes his formative years in postwar England and his rise at a young age to the top of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the height of the Vietnam War. Anand's deep involvement in the ending of the US military presence in Thailand and his growing antagonism towards Thailand's military establishment led to the derailment of his stellar diplomatic career in the aftermath of a bloody right-wing coup in 1976.

Having launched a second career in the private sector, Anand was unexpectedly invited to become prime minister in 1991. His cabinet of top technocrats, bureaucrats, and reformers is still considered one of the most progressive and productive Thailand has seen. Political violence a year later once again placed Anand in the middle of historic events. In recent decades, he was central to the drafting of the 'People's Constitution', and gave counsel to many, including future prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his neophyte political years. He was also called upon to lead a number of important commissions, including UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's 2004 high-level panel on threats to global peace. His long life story contains lessons that remain relevant to Thailand and the world today.