Muammar Gaddafi was a flamboyant character. Unlike some leaders with medals (Stalin), I believe Gaddafi really was a military man and leader.
He was a bogeyman for a while and he had some grand designs for Africa including a gold-backed currency.
Relations between Gaddafi and the West seemed to be thawing but the uprising during the Arab Spring and, Hillary Clinton got the better of him.
Gaddafi did write a political book. As per wikipedia:
The Green Book (Arabic: الكتاب الأخضر al-Kitāb al-Aḫḍar) is a short book setting out the political philosophy of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The book was first published in 1975. It was "intended to be read for all people." It is said to have been inspired in part by The Little Red Book. Both were widely distributed both inside and outside their country of origin, and "written in a simple, understandable style with many memorable slogans."