Summits - by David Reynolds (Paperback)

About the Book

From Neville Chamberlains disastrous appeasement of Hitler in Munich to Reagans pivotal encounter with Gorbachev in Geneva, this is the history of the 20th century as told through its most fateful summit meetings.

Book Synopsis

The Cold War dominated world history for nearly half a century, locking two superpowers in a global rivalry that only ended with the Soviet collapse. The most decisive moments of twentieth-century diplomacy occurred when world leaders met face to face--from the mishandled summit in Munich, 1938, which brought on the Second World War, to Ronald Reagan's remarkable chemistry with Mikhail Gorbachev at Geneva in 1985. In Summits, eminent diplomatic historian David Reynolds takes us alongside the statesmen who stood, if only briefly, on top of the world, offering valuable lessons as we find ourselves confronting once again a war without end.

Review Quotes

Wall Street Journal
"Only one chapter in Summits is about Yalta...but so astute is David Reynolds's analysis of the proceedings that it's worth getting hold of this book just for that section."

About the Author

David Reynolds is professor of international history at Christ's College, Cambridge. A fellow of the British Academy, he is the multiple prizewinning author of eleven books, including the highly acclaimed America, Empire of Liberty. Many of his history films for the BBC are now available on Netflix.