Born in a remote town in Burma and a practicing Buddhist, U Thant was for a time, one of the most important men in the world. Respected and consulted by both superpowers, U Thant, as the world's preeminent diplomat, embodied the aspirations of the new nations of Asia and Africa only recently free of colonial domination.

Drawing on newly declassified documents, historian Thant Myint-U reveals startling new information about U Thant's bold interventions during the Cold War, including his crucial role in preventing nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis, his mediation between India and Pakistan and in the Middle East, his challenges against America's war in Vietnam, and his battles against white supremacy in the Congo and southern Africa. Rather than vestiges of an idealistic past, U Thant's efforts toward global peace, environmental protection, and justice for the newly decolonized world are central to a fresh understanding of our world today.