There is an accepted popular myth about recent Middle Eastern history. It is that ever since the days of Lawrence of Arabia the British Foreign Office has been heavily prejudiced in favour of the Arab cause in the Middle East and has therefore been uneven in handling of Middle East affairs. The purpose of Loaded Dice is to examine the truth of this myth. In this compact and very readable account of Middle Eastern politics since the Second World War he focuses mainly on the role of diplomacy. Lochery's account is engaging and meticulously researched.