Although whatever Walter Isaacson writes is great, I had some reluctance in getting this book because it came out in 1992…surely more information has come out in the 32 years since. There may be something to this point, but in 1992 many of the characters in the book were still alive and available, which is the counter-point.
Kissinger lived another 30 years after the book was written. There may be a concern here too, but looking through the Wikipedia entry on Kissinger, I didn’t see much. Isaacson lays out Kissinger’s post-power life so well, that reading the Wikipedia entry post-1992 seems very, very familiar.
The most important new thing I learned about Kissinger from this book was his childhood as a very religious German Jew in Nazi Germany, and how the adversity he faced affected him the rest of his life. His family left Germany in 1938 when Kissinger was 15 years old. One way or another this theme shows up sprinkled throughout the book.
Isaacson did a great job portraying the importance Kissinger placed on meeting important and powerful people throughout his life, bringing them into his life, from Harvard to the end of his life as a consultant. Probably the most fun part of the book was hearing about Kissinger the Hollywood sex symbol and playboy.
I had a hard time understanding Kissinger’s “brilliance” as a statesman, despite everyone saying so. Kissinger was clearly more than competent, but Isaacson makes a good argument that it was his ability not only to understand the issues in great depth, but to gain the trust and friendship of whoever he negotiated with, or both parties that he tried to bring together.
I had no idea that Kissinger thought Nixon was a total idiot. Many momentous international affairs events occurred during Nixon’s presidency, many to benefit the United States decades later, so learning about the tension between Nixon and Kissinger about shaping outcomes and taking credit was interesting. On the other hand, Isaacson lays out the argument for the Kissinger the conniver, the deceiver, the double-talker, and dragging Cambodia into the Vietnam War and all the people killed in pursuit of the United States’ foreign policy.
I give the narrator six stars for impersonating Nixon and Kissinger whenever they are quoted. Perfect. He also impersonated other people when they were quoted, but not as strongly.
This was an excellent book and audiobook all around. Very complete and thoughtful attempt to fully understand what made Kissinger tick, with an excellent chapter on Kissinger’s legacy. Much more than just a portrayal. Very well written, reads easily.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Frequently bought together
This item: Kissinger: A Biography
$33.61
Get it as soon as Friday, Mar 21
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
+
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Popular Highlights in this book
Stability is the prime goal of diplomacy. It is served when nations accept the legitimacy of the existing world order and when they act based on their national interests; it is threatened when nations embark on ideological or moral crusades.Highlighted by 411 Kindle readers- The practice of basing policy on ideals rather than interests, he pointed out, can make a nation seem dangerously unpredictable.Highlighted by 282 Kindle readers
- “If I had to choose between justice and disorder, on the one hand, and injustice and order, on the other, I would always choose the latter.”Highlighted by 282 Kindle readers
About the author
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024
- Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2023
Top reviews from other countries
- Kimberly CoxfordReviewed in Canada on January 11, 2025
It's a book that came to my house
- h cReviewed in India on December 20, 2017
This is great. I was interested in this book primarily because ...
