Nixon and Kissinger - by Robert Dallek (Paperback)

About the Book

In this epic and revelatory biography, a distinguished historian probes the lives and times of two unlikely leaders whose partnership dominated the world stage and changed the course of history. 16-page b&w photo insert.

Book Synopsis

In this epic dual biography, one of our most distinguished scholars--the bestselling author of An Unfinished Life--probes the lives and times of two unlikely leaders whose partnership dominated American and world affairs and changed the course of history

Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger were two of the most compelling, contradictory, and important leaders in America in the second half of the 20th century. Both were largely self-made men, brimming with ambition, driven by their own inner demons, and often ruthless in pursuit of their goals.

Tapping into a wealth of recently declassified documents and tapes, Robert Dallek uncovers fascinating details about Nixon and Kissinger's tumultuous personal relationship--their collaboration and rivalry--and the extent to which they struggled to outdo each other in the reach of foreign policy achievements. He also brilliantly analyzes their dealings with power brokers at home and abroad, including the nightmare of Vietnam, the brilliant opening to China, détente with the Soviet Union, the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East, the disastrous overthrow of Allende in Chile, and growing tensions between India and Pakistan, while recognizing how both men were continually plotting to distract the American public's attention from the growing scandal of Watergate.

Authoritative, illuminating, and deeply engrossing, Nixon and Kissinger provides a shocking new understanding of the immense power and sway these two men held in affecting world history.

From the Back Cover

Working side by side in the White House, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger were two of the most compelling, contradictory, and powerful figures in America in the second half of the twentieth century. While their personalities could hardly have seemed more different, both were largely self-made men, brimming with ambition, driven by their own inner demons, and often ruthless in pursuit of their goals.

Tapping into a wealth of recently declassified archives, Robert Dallek uncovers fascinating details about Nixon and Kissinger's tumultuous personal relationship and brilliantly analyzes their shared roles in monumental historical events--including the nightmare of Vietnam, the unprecedented opening to China, détente with the Soviet Union, the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East, the disastrous overthrow of Allende in Chile, and the scandal of Watergate.

Review Quotes

"Dallek delivers what will quickly become recognized as a classic of modern history: the definitive analysis of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger's complex, often troubled partnership in running American foreign policy. . . . An eloquent portrayal of power. . . . Dallek finds important new material that will revise our thinking." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"[E]verything one could want in a contemporary history--a meticulously researched story, written with unobtrusive elegance, unsparing in its judgments, but tempered by sobriety and a genuine compassion for its compelling yet breathtakingly flawed subjects. It also fairly vibrates with up-to-the-minute relevance." - Los Angeles Times
"A fresh and disturbing double portrait. . . . It's hypnotic and--retroactively--terrifying to watch this unsteady Siamese-twin act toddling around the globe, from China to Chile, Vietnam to the Soviet Union, simultaneously propping each other up and cutting each other down." - Time magazine