On the eve of the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Osama bin Laden is still a vivid symbol of outrage and tragedy in the American imagination. One of the most-recognized faces of terror, bin Laden has presented himself to the world as a paragon of ascetic virtue. Journalist Adam Robinson tells a far different story. This authoritative biography lifts bin Laden’s mask of moral purity as it recounts his transformation from dissolute rich kid into terrorist mastermind. Drawing on information from members of bin Laden’s own family and extensive independent research in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Oman, Libya, and Pakistan, Robinson opens a window into the man who changed the face of global politics.