The Inevitability Of Tragedy Henry Kissinger And His World

Author : Barry Gewen
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN 13 : 1324004061
Total Pages : 496 pages
Book Rating : 4.66/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and His World written by Barry Gewen and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2020-04-28 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new portrait of Henry Kissinger focusing on the fundamental ideas underlying his policies: Realism, balance of power, and national interest. Few public officials have provoked such intense controversy as Henry Kissinger. During his time in the Nixon and Ford administrations, he came to be admired and hated in equal measure. Notoriously, he believed that foreign affairs ought to be based primarily on the power relationships of a situation, not simply on ethics. He went so far as to argue that under certain circumstances America had to protect its national interests even if that meant repressing other countries’ attempts at democracy. For this reason, many today on both the right and left dismiss him as a latter-day Machiavelli, ignoring the breadth and complexity of his thought. With The Inevitability of Tragedy, Barry Gewen corrects this shallow view, presenting the fascinating story of Kissinger’s development as both a strategist and an intellectual and examining his unique role in government through his ideas. It analyzes his contentious policies in Vietnam and Chile, guided by a fresh understanding of his definition of Realism, the belief that world politics is based on an inevitable, tragic competition for power. Crucially, Gewen places Kissinger’s pessimistic thought in a European context. He considers how Kissinger was deeply impacted by his experience as a refugee from Nazi Germany, and explores the links between his notions of power and those of his mentor, Hans Morgenthau—the father of Realism—as well as those of two other German-Jewish émigrés who shared his concerns about the weaknesses of democracy: Leo Strauss and Hannah Arendt. The Inevitability of Tragedy offers a thoughtful perspective on the origins of Kissinger’s sober worldview and argues that a reconsideration of his career is essential at a time when American foreign policy lacks direction.

Author : Barry Gewen
Publisher : National Geographic Books
ISBN 13 : 0393867560
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.65/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Inevitability of Tragedy written by Barry Gewen and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2021-05-25 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new portrait of Henry Kissinger focusing on the fundamental ideas underlying his policies: Realism, balance of power, and national interest. Few public officials have provoked such intense controversy as Henry Kissinger. During his time in the Nixon and Ford administrations, he came to be admired and hated in equal measure. Notoriously, he believed that foreign affairs ought to be based primarily on the power relationships of a situation, not simply on ethics. He went so far as to argue that under certain circumstances America had to protect its national interests even if that meant repressing other countries’ attempts at democracy. For this reason, many today on both the right and left dismiss him as a latter-day Machiavelli, ignoring the breadth and complexity of his thought. With The Inevitability of Tragedy, Barry Gewen corrects this shallow view, presenting the fascinating story of Kissinger’s development as both a strategist and an intellectual and examining his unique role in government through his ideas. It analyzes his contentious policies in Vietnam and Chile, guided by a fresh understanding of his definition of Realism, the belief that world politics is based on an inevitable, tragic competition for power. Crucially, Gewen places Kissinger’s pessimistic thought in a European context. He considers how Kissinger was deeply impacted by his experience as a refugee from Nazi Germany, and explores the links between his notions of power and those of his mentor, Hans Morgenthau—the father of Realism—as well as those of two other German-Jewish émigrés who shared his concerns about the weaknesses of democracy: Leo Strauss and Hannah Arendt. The Inevitability of Tragedy offers a thoughtful perspective on the origins of Kissinger’s sober worldview and argues that a reconsideration of his career is essential at a time when American foreign policy lacks direction.

Author : Jeremi Suri
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 0674281950
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.50/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Henry Kissinger and the American Century written by Jeremi Suri and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-05-01 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What made Henry Kissinger the kind of diplomat he was? What experiences and influences shaped his worldview and provided the framework for his approach to international relations? Jeremi Suri offers a thought-provoking, interpretive study of one of the most influential and controversial political figures of the twentieth century. Drawing on research in more than six countries in addition to extensive interviews with Kissinger and others, Suri analyzes the sources of Kissinger's ideas and power and explains why he pursued the policies he did. Kissinger's German-Jewish background, fears of democratic weakness, belief in the primacy of the relationship between the United States and Europe, and faith in the indispensable role America plays in the world shaped his career and his foreign policy. Suri shows how Kissinger's early years in Weimar and Nazi Germany, his experiences in the U.S. Army and at Harvard University, and his relationships with powerful patrons--including Nelson Rockefeller and Richard Nixon--shed new light on the policymaker. Kissinger's career was a product of the global changes that made the American Century. He remains influential because his ideas are rooted so deeply in dominant assumptions about the world. In treating Kissinger fairly and critically as a historical figure, without polemical judgments, Suri provides critical context for this important figure. He illuminates the legacies of Kissinger's policies for the United States in the twenty-first century.

Author : Greg Grandin
Publisher : Metropolitan Books
ISBN 13 : 1627794506
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.03/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Kissinger's Shadow written by Greg Grandin and published by Metropolitan Books. This book was released on 2015-08-25 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new account of America's most controversial diplomat that moves beyond praise or condemnation to reveal Kissinger as the architect of America's current imperial stance In his fascinating new book Kissinger's Shadow, acclaimed historian Greg Grandin argues that to understand the crisis of contemporary America—its never-ending wars abroad and political polarization at home—we have to understand Henry Kissinger. Examining Kissinger's own writings, as well as a wealth of newly declassified documents, Grandin reveals how Richard Nixon's top foreign policy advisor, even as he was presiding over defeat in Vietnam and a disastrous, secret, and illegal war in Cambodia, was helping to revive a militarized version of American exceptionalism centered on an imperial presidency. Believing that reality could be bent to his will, insisting that intuition is more important in determining policy than hard facts, and vowing that past mistakes should never hinder future bold action, Kissinger anticipated, even enabled, the ascendance of the neoconservative idealists who took America into crippling wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Going beyond accounts focusing either on Kissinger's crimes or accomplishments, Grandin offers a compelling new interpretation of the diplomat's continuing influence on how the United States views its role in the world.

Author : Chester B. Himes
Publisher : Wayne State University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780814333556
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.59/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Dear Chester, Dear John written by Chester B. Himes and published by Wayne State University Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revealing collection of correspondence between Chester Himes and John A. Williams, two prominent twentieth-century African American novelists. Chester Himes and John A. Williams met in 1961, as Himes was on the cusp of transcontinental celebrity and Williams, sixteen years his junior, was just beginning his writing career. Both men would go on to receive international acclaim for their work, including Himes's Harlem detective novels featuring Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson and Williams's major novels The Man Who Cried I Am, Captain Blackman, and Clifford's Blues. Dear Chester, Dear John is a landmark collection of correspondence between these two friends, presenting nearly three decades worth of letters about their lives and loves, their professional and personal challenges, and their reflections on society in the United States and abroad. Prepared by John A. Williams and his wife, Lori Williams, this collection contains rare and personal glimpses into the lives of Williams and Himes between 1962 and 1987. As the writers find increasing professional success and recognition, they share candid assessments of each others' work and also discuss the numerous pitfalls they faced as African American writers in the publishing world. The letters offer a window into Himes's and Williams's personalities, as the elder writer reveals his notoriously difficult and suspicious streak, and Williams betrays both immense affection and frustration in dealing with his old friend. Despite several rifts in their relationship, Williams's concern for Himes's failing health ensured that the two kept in touch until Himes's death. Dear Chester, Dear John is a heartfelt and informative collection that allows readers to step behind the scenes of a lifelong friendship between two important literary figures. Students and teachers of African American literature will enjoy this one-of-a-kind volume.

Author : Winston Lord
Publisher : All Points Books
ISBN 13 : 9781250219442
Total Pages : 176 pages
Book Rating : 4.42/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Kissinger on Kissinger written by Winston Lord and published by All Points Books. This book was released on 2019-05-14 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a series of riveting interviews, America's senior statesman discusses the challenges of directing foreign policy during times of great global tension. As National Security Advisor to Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger transformed America's approach to diplomacy with China, the USSR, Vietnam, and the Middle East, laying the foundations for geopolitics as we know them today. Nearly fifty years later, escalating tensions between the US, China, and Russia are threatening a swift return to the same diplomatic game of tug-of-war that Kissinger played so masterfully. Kissinger on Kissinger is a series of faithfully transcribed interviews conducted by the elder statesman's longtime associate, Winston Lord, which captures Kissinger's thoughts on the specific challenges that he faced during his tenure as NSA, his general advice on leadership and international relations, and stunning portraits of the larger-than-life world leaders of the era. The result is a frank and well-informed overview of US foreign policy in the first half of the 70s—essential reading for anyone hoping to understand tomorrow's global challenges.

Author : Thomas Lee Mitchell
Publisher : Xlibris Corporation
ISBN 13 : 148367519X
Total Pages : 167 pages
Book Rating : 4.90/5 ( download)

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Download or read book New England Son written by Thomas Lee Mitchell and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2013-08-29 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interest in family history was sparked during events on my 65th birthday in 2003. Throughout life I spent thoughts and energy living the moment or planning the future, proud of never looking back. This mindset changed when Danny, my oldest grandson interviewed me for a 6th grade project. His assignment was to survey the teen history of an older family member. Danny presented his report to his class and later at my birthday party in Greenwich, Connecticut. His recitation and its reception encouraged me to share more from those early beginnings. It was surprising that a grandchild was curious about my background with its ethnic neighborhoods, the frugal, simple, yet happy days, our values of faith, loyalty and self-reliance - the naivety and enjoyment of games like stick ball, houses fueled by coal, political rascals and war heroes. Family members who want to understand what it was like back then now have this opportunity. The objective is to tell a story that chronicles lives of interest to descendants. Over the years I asked mother and aunt to share their ancestry. Unfortunately these pleas came too late. The trail was dusty and dark. Ninety-seven year old Aunt Jean, the last survivor of fathers family, responded by saying, Why do you want to know all that old stuff? My mothers memory and speech were stroke impaired. I realized that if our grandchildren were to know our roots, it was up to me. A cautionary note: Memory filters and glamorizes experiences while choosing to make trivial events significant. Gaps are intentional or accidentally erased from memory. Accuracy is a goal with a touch of exaggeration to maintain interest. Sequences may be rearranged by the storyteller. Infrequent but memorable encounters with the opposite sex are deleted to satisfy puritan ancestors. If you are keeping count, I had three serious girlfriends including my wife. Frankly most women frightened me as a teenager. Today they are just a pleasant but beguiling mystery.

Author : Thomas A. Schwartz
Publisher : Hill and Wang
ISBN 13 : 0809095440
Total Pages : 367 pages
Book Rating : 4.45/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Henry Kissinger and American Power written by Thomas A. Schwartz and published by Hill and Wang. This book was released on 2020-08-25 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: [Henry Kissinger and American Power] effectively separates the man from the myths." —The Christian Science Monitor | Best books of August 2020 The definitive biography of Henry Kissinger—at least for those who neither revere nor revile him Over the past six decades, Henry Kissinger has been America’s most consistently praised—and reviled—public figure. He was hailed as a “miracle worker” for his peacemaking in the Middle East, pursuit of détente with the Soviet Union, negotiation of an end to the Vietnam War, and secret plan to open the United States to China. He was assailed from the left and from the right for his indifference to human rights, complicity in the pointless sacrifice of American and Vietnamese lives, and reliance on deception and intrigue. Was he a brilliant master strategist—“the 20th century’s greatest 19th century statesman”—or a cold-blooded monster who eroded America’s moral standing for the sake of self-promotion? In this masterfully researched biography, the renowned diplomatic historian Thomas Schwartz offers an authoritative, and fair-minded, answer to this question. While other biographers have engaged in hagiography or demonology, Schwartz takes a measured view of his subject. He recognizes Kissinger’s successes and acknowledges that Kissinger thought seriously and with great insight about the foreign policy issues of his time, while also recognizing his failures, his penchant for backbiting, and his reliance on ingratiating and fawning praise of the president as a source of power. Throughout, Schwartz stresses Kissinger’s artful invention of himself as a celebrity diplomat and his domination of the medium of television news. He also notes Kissinger’s sensitivity to domestic and partisan politics, complicating—and undermining—the image of the far-seeing statesman who stands above the squabbles of popular strife. Rounded and textured, and rich with new insights into key dilemmas of American power, Henry Kissinger and American Power stands as an essential guide to a man whose legacy is as complex as the last sixty years of US history itself.

Author : Russell H. Greenan
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780812970661
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.67/5 ( download)

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Download or read book It Happened in Boston? written by Russell H. Greenan and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An obsessed, unconventional artist believes that he has received instructions from Casimir the wizard to kill seven innocent people, in a new edition of an ingenious and witty novel, first published in 1968 and out of print for fifteen years. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.

Author : John J. Mearsheimer
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN 13 : 0393076245
Total Pages : 572 pages
Book Rating : 4.40/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Updated Edition) written by John J. Mearsheimer and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2003-01-17 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A superb book.…Mearsheimer has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the behavior of great powers."—Barry R. Posen, The National Interest The updated edition of this classic treatise on the behavior of great powers takes a penetrating look at the question likely to dominate international relations in the twenty-first century: Can China rise peacefully? In clear, eloquent prose, John Mearsheimer explains why the answer is no: a rising China will seek to dominate Asia, while the United States, determined to remain the world's sole regional hegemon, will go to great lengths to prevent that from happening. The tragedy of great power politics is inescapable.