Isaacson's biography of Kissinger is a classic, yet it has its pros and cons. On the positive side, Isaacson is extremely thorough in his research. Given that this was one of his early works, he might have put in extra effort, and it shows. He also excels at getting into the psyche of Kissinger, understanding his motivations, failings, and psyche throughout the various episodes discussed. This helps in trying to understand Kissinger but can also lead to partiality. Moreover, the book red-pilled the author on Kissinger, highlighting his lesser-known wins and exonerating him on some of his more famous "failures".

However, there are also some negatives. The book is mostly focused on Kissinger's time in government, to the point of parody. With 800 pages, 600 of them cover a short period of a few years, while his early life, including his childhood in Germany and time at Harvard, is rushed. Additionally, the detailed descriptions of the Nixon presidency can sometimes be irrelevant and not really contribute to understanding Kissinger. In some cases, like the conflict in Angola, Isaacson doesn't commit fully to discussing the details, leaving the reader with a half-baked understanding.

This is absolutely amazing!

I am completely blown away by Isaacson's remarkable ability to vividly portray the intricate complexity of Kissinger.

Previously, I had always regarded him as a war criminal. However, this book has truly provided me with a profound and in-depth insight into his life, his mind, and the astonishing complexity of his geopolitical aims.

It is as if a whole new world has been opened up before my eyes, revealing the many layers and nuances of this controversial figure.

Isaacson's detailed and engaging account has forced me to reevaluate my previous assumptions and consider Kissinger from a different perspective.

It is a testament to the power of good writing and research that this book can have such a profound impact on the reader's understanding and perception.

Overall, I am extremely impressed and highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history, politics, or the study of complex individuals.

As with so many biographies, rating this one of Kissinger is a complex task. The story presented is distinct from the way it is told. Walter Issacson, a remarkable biographer like Chernow and Caro, has produced a heavily researched work. He attempts to be fair to Kissinger, yet his own prejudices do surface. However, more interesting than the author's biases are those of the time. Written in 1993 during the era of American triumphalism after the Cold War, the book mocks Kissinger for warnings that seemed preposterous then but are now seen as prescient.

For a reader like me, who has devoured everything Kissinger has published since his magisterial "Diplomacy" and read his PhD thesis "A World Restored," this more critical book was still helpful. It provided insights into Kissinger's experiences in Weimar and early Nazi Germany, his military service, and his work in the de-Nazification process. His rise in academia and entry into politics by cultivating powerful figures like Nelson Rockefeller were also fascinating. His relationship with Nixon, while captivating, is too complex for Issacson to fully grasp.

The Nixon years are presented with a focus on two elements at the expense of others. The first is Nixon's wiretapping habit, which is used to paint Kissinger as scheming and duplicitous, though Issacson admits he was a marginal figure in it. The second is the invasion of Cambodia, which draws the most hatred for Kissinger in contemporary discourse. The idea that US actions against NVA sanctuaries in Cambodia somehow led to the downfall of the Cambodian monarchy and the genocide of the Khmer Rouge is a view popularized by left-leaning journalists but seems divorced from reality to me.

Nonetheless, Henry Kissinger was and remains a pivotal figure of the twentieth century and, in my opinion, the greatest international statesman America has ever produced. His realism departed from the liberal internationalism that Issacson advocates, allowing him to achieve remarkable feats such as splitting the Communist world, expelling the Soviets from the Middle East, extracting America from Vietnam, starting the SALT nuclear arms reduction regime, initiating détente, and constructing a policy framework for maintaining American influence. Given this, a critical biography of Kissinger is extremely valuable in understanding what true leadership and statesmanship require.

Yet another Isaacson biography!

Overall, it is an interesting read about the late politician (and Nobel-prize winner!) Henry Kissinger.

As a child, little Henry, a Jewish refugee, left Germany just in the nick of time and landed in the United States. It turns out that he is extremely brilliant and has a great interest in history and politics. In particular, he follows Bismarck and, even more so, Metternich. That is, "real-politik".

After serving in the US Army, which included fighting in WW2 in Europe (the Battle of the Bulge, no less), he became an academic at Harvard. He was very ambitious and a bit difficult to work with. At some point, he found his way from academia into politics and eventually became the Secretary of State under Nixon.

He was involved in the whole Vietnam/Cambodia disaster but managed to get out of it mostly unscathed and signed a deal with North Vietnam. There was always a lot of secrecy and, let's call it, trickery, and not to forget his great ego. He also engineered some of the great peace agreements in the Middle-East, all while being a bit of an unlikely womanizer at home.

He remained active for a long time after that, with the aura of competence and the ability to get results. But there was always a hint of backroom deals. Overall, from the book, he didn't come across as a really nice person. However, despite that (or perhaps because of that), he was able to achieve diplomatic success in unlikely situations.