Kissinger by walter isaacson

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

This book is, in itself, extremely well-written. It is easy to read, and despite its substantial size, it is more than enjoyable.

However, I am inclined to believe that in an attempt to be neutral, as Isaacson stated in the introduction, this has to be one of the most favorable Kissinger biographies available, if not the most so. The majority of the book delves into Kissenger's time in the Nixon administration. If one were not well-versed in the subject, they might think that he was only vilified because he became an easy political target after Nixon's downfall and as the US foreign policy aims shifted.

Certainly, he was involved to some extent in some less-than-desirable decisions, but there is nothing to suggest that Kissenger himself had truly dubious intent or nature.

For anyone considering this book, whether conservative or liberal, I think the best way to describe it is that it is a piece on a controversial figure written by a former editor of Time magazine. That is what one should expect. Then, they can continue reading to determine how they truly feel about Henry Kissenger.

0 0 Reply

A-Weeb-Lord

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Kissinger was a man of many flaws. He was meretricious, obsequious, craven, and amoral. He was a sociopathic liar and an egomaniac.

So, how did he manage to become a celebrity, an idol, and even a sex symbol? In the 1970s, the world was gripped by the fear of the Cold War. The USSR seemed to be on the verge of conquering the world, which could lead to either nuclear apocalypse or totalitarian slavery.

Into this climate of fear stepped Kissinger. With his confident demeanor, professorial genius, and diplomatic savvy, he became something of a Messiah. However, we should not overstate his achievements.

His ability to charm the press and foreign leaders allowed him to carry out Machiavellian intrigues, but at the same time, he was responsible for prolonging the Vietnam War, destabilizing Cambodia, and many other failures.

Today, people either criticize him or ignore him. Without the threat of nuclear war, we can see through his bluster and lies more clearly. Kissinger was not an exceptional or interesting person, except perhaps as a self-publicist.

I started reading this book with little knowledge of Kissinger, but as I read, I developed a strong antipathy towards him. Politics today is still full of prevarication, and even the so-called "experts" often hide behind trendy jargon.

Happily, the prophets of international relations are less revered nowadays. As for Kissinger, knowing how to attach himself to powerful people may earn him media attention and inspire long biographies, but it does not deserve our respect.

0 0 Reply

Michael_Roth

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

I am not a big fan of biographies.

Some time ago, I read Walter Isaacson's book about Steve Jobs, which was quite good. However, the topic of Kissinger seemed much more challenging. Nevertheless, I really liked this book.

Firstly, it was extremely informative and highly critical of Henry Kissinger's actions, demonstrating how the same person can behave so differently in various situations. Additionally, I appreciated that the author is very reflective and is not afraid to express his thoughts and feelings about Kissinger. At the same time, these insights do not overshadow the main narrative of the book.

I often had the impression that I was watching the House of Cards TV series, except that similar events actually occurred in reality during the 1970s. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

0 0 Reply

ICristina

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

I've read numerous biographies, with some being of higher quality than others. In fact, I once had a project to read 100 biographies in order to learn from 100 of the most successful business and thought leaders. However, I ultimately gave up on it as I needed to focus on more tangible and practical information. Before abandoning it, though, I had already completed 10 or 11 such books.

Kissinger is my absolute favorite. I have a great admiration for Henry Kissinger. He was a man of great courage and intelligence. He wasn't afraid to take on difficult tasks and get his hands dirty. In a world where everyone was striving to be politically correct, he was the ultimate pragmatic realist. After all, he is the one who invented (or perhaps made more popular) the term of realpolitik. I also learned a tremendous amount about diplomacy, about Israel and the Middle East, about the Watergate affair, and about choosing one's battles. Overall, I have a deep admiration for this great man. I respect him far more than many of the so-called popular leaders. While few people may know who Kissinger is, he has saved this planet from nuclear annihilation at least once. We often praise Gandhi and Martin Luther King, but the truth is that without Kissinger and his diplomatic efforts, the world might very well be covered in a nuclear winter by now.

Even if a nuclear disaster didn't occur, I firmly believe that he saved Israel and prevented the Middle East from erupting into chaos. So, he is a hero, even if few people are aware of this and even fewer view him in this light.

This book also made me develop a great deal of disdain for Walter Isaacson. Although he is a talented writer, his bias is quite evident. He doesn't like Kissinger, and I feel that as a biographer, his personal feelings about what is right and wrong should be set aside. I have lost my respect for him because he even admits that he doesn't like the way Kissinger achieved his goals, yet also acknowledges that there may not have been any other alternative. It's almost like saying, "That guy is bad, but logically I agree with him." After reading this book, I made a mental note to never read anything else written by him.

As an interesting side note, there is another biography that I found to be biased - "Titan," the story of John D. Rockefeller. However, while it is indeed biased and Rockefeller is not always presented in the most favorable light, at least the author is fair. He gives the reader the freedom to draw their own conclusions about whether Rockefeller was justified in his monopolistic approach or not.

So, in conclusion, Kissinger is a great person with a remarkable life, the writing in the biography is decent, but the author is a biased liberal.

0 0 Reply

SilentAmarok

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Woof, this book was truly a beast. I generally have no issue with reading big and long books. However, this particular one felt more like a chore. I absolutely adored books like Einstein, Code Breakers, and others by Isaacson. He is an outstanding storyteller who has the remarkable ability to pique your interest in things you never thought you'd be interested in. Moreover, he has an uncanny knack for simplifying complex topics. I (mistakenly) assumed that this book would be the same. Unfortunately, it was not. The majority of this 770-page book is dedicated to the period between 1968 and 1975. I would estimate that it's around 400 pages worth. What this ultimately resulted in was an excessive amount of detail that I, personally, did not find either necessary or interesting. It was just Joe said X, Bob said Y, and then Joe replied with Z... going on and on. At times, it was interesting, and I'm glad I managed to finish it. Having said that, given what I know now, if I had the opportunity to go back in time, I would not have chosen to read it.

0 0 Reply

Veldora4561

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

My impression of Henry Kissinger has always been that he was an extremely manipulative and cold individual. He conducted foreign policy with a callous disregard for morality. This view was further strengthened by reading "Sideshow" by William Shawcross recently.

However, Walter Isaacson's biography helps to provide a more balanced perspective on the man. Although Kissinger is not portrayed as an angel of peace and mercy here, his achievements as a statesman are given equal weight as his flaws as a decent human being and political leader.

Kissinger, who was shallow, manipulative, and insecure, found in Nixon a politician with similar failings, and they exacerbated each other's paranoia. The biography is detailed, well-researched, and appears to be fair. It reaches many of the same conclusions about Cambodia as Shawcross does in "Sideshow."

Much to my surprise, this biography is actually quite humorous. It is funny both because of Nixon's crazy behavior and Kissinger's strange obsession with secrecy. The former Secretary of State's wit is on full display, as are his incisive pronouncements on realpolitik. Overall, it is a recommended read.

0 0 Reply

Lodrak

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Isaacson is truly a master when it comes to narrating the stories of captivating historical figures. This biography is no different. It is a skillfully written account of a complex man who undoubtedly possessed remarkable abilities in his chosen domain of diplomacy.

I rate the book a 5 for its excellent writing and a 1 for the qualities of the subject. However, the telling of the tale does not present Kissinger as an unblemished hero. His personal character flaws are also vividly detailed. I emerged with a significantly lower opinion of Kissinger on multiple levels.

Personally, having resided in Chile for three years and getting to know numerous Chileans whose families endured great suffering during the military coup in 1973, I was previously unaware of the Kissinger connection. It is extremely difficult for me to disentangle the positive qualities from the misguided policy where the US government resorted to nothing less than immoral and illegal means to engineer the overthrow of a democratically elected government. This led to thousands of murders, disappearances, and the agony of many more.

I find solace in the thought that Kissinger may have to answer to a higher authority for the decisions and policies he advocated, which left countless deaths and carnage across the globe among innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of his geopolitical conflicts.

Interesting Quote: “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.”

0 0 Reply

CommanderSheep

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

I listened to this on Audible.

I didn't have much knowledge about Kissinger before, but I really enjoyed learning about his career. He is a maverick who has a penchant for power. Born in Germany, he escaped with his family to the States, where he joined the military. Eventually, he ended up at Harvard and then became a famous statesman. It is clear that he is incredibly intelligent and highly adept at wielding influence.

Isaacson is relatively neutral in his discussion. He praises Kissinger's ability to make himself the center of the conversation while also criticizing the outcomes of his unchecked power. I was particularly interested in learning about Kissinger's relationship with Nixon. It is unclear who was more secretive and who was really responsible for the breakdown in the credibility gap. Nixon appears inept, while Kissinger seems like the puppet master. However, in the end, Nixon won the elections and made the decisions.

Kissinger's policy papers are undoubtedly brilliant, but his private machinations suffered from a lack of feedback. This was the central message of the book: Kissinger was great, but he could have been even greater if he had consulted and listened to those who were less intelligent and less capable than himself. Vietnam was a terrible situation with no good outcome. It's hard to say if he played the best hand with what he was dealt. His Middle East shuttle diplomacy brought Israelis and Arabs to the table, but never together. His decisions in Latin America were all bad. The question remains: How much does one person really change the course of history? Kissinger certainly thought he could, but perhaps he should have trusted others to assist him.

0 0 Reply

Leave a Review

You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.

Kissinger

walter isaacson

This edition

More editions

About the author

walter isaacson

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews