Synopses & Reviews
and#147;Dazzling and instructive . . . [a] magisterial new book.and#8221; and#151;Walter Isaacson, Time and#160;
Henry Kissinger offers inand#160;World Orderand#160;a deep meditation on the roots of international harmony and global disorder. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern eraand#151;advising presidents, traveling the world, observing and shaping the central foreign policy events of recent decadesand#151;Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the twenty-first century: how to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating technology, and ideological extremism.
There has never been a true and#147;world order,and#8221; Kissinger observes. For most of history, civilizations defined their own concepts of order. Each considered itself the center of the world and envisioned its distinct principles as universally relevant. China conceived of a global cultural hierarchy with the emperor at its pinnacle. In Europe, Rome imagined itself surrounded by barbarians; when Rome fragmented, European peoples refined a concept of an equilibrium of sovereign states and sought to export it across the world. Islam, in its early centuries, considered itself the worldand#8217;s sole legitimate political unit, destined to expand indefinitely until the world was brought into harmony by religious principles. The United States was born of a conviction about the universal applicability of democracyand#151;a conviction that has guided its policies ever since.
Now international affairs take place on a global basis, and these historical concepts of world order are meeting. Every region participates in questions of high policy in every other, often instantaneously. Yet there is no consensus among the major actors about the rules and limits guiding this process or its ultimate destination. The result is mounting tension.
Grounded in Kissingerand#8217;s deep study of history and his experience as national security advisor and secretary of state,and#160;World Orderand#160;guides readers through crucial episodes in recent world history. Kissinger offers a unique glimpse into the inner deliberations of the Nixon administrationand#8217;s negotiations with Hanoi over the end of the Vietnam War, as well as Ronald Reaganand#8217;s tense debates with Soviet Premier Gorbachev in Reykjavand#237;k. He offers compelling insights into the future of U.S.and#150;China relations and the evolution of the European Union, and he examines lessons of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taking readers from his analysis of nuclear negotiations with Iran through the Westand#8217;s response to the Arab Spring and tensions with Russia over Ukraine,and#160;World Orderand#160;anchors Kissingerand#8217;s historical analysis in the decisive events of our time.
Provocative and articulate, blending historical insight with geopolitical prognostication,and#160;World Orderand#160;is a unique work that could come only from a lifelong policy maker and diplomat.
Review
Hillary Clinton, The Washington Post: and#8220;It is vintage Kissinger, with his singular combination of breadth and acuity along with his knack for connecting headlines to trend lines and#8212; very long trend lines in this case. He ranges from the Peace of Westphalia to the pace of microprocessing, from Sun Tzu to Talleyrand to Twitter... A real national dialogue is the only way weand#8217;re going to rebuild a political consensus to take on the perils and the promise of the 21st century. Henry Kissingerand#8217;s book makes a compelling case for why we have to do it and how we can succeed.and#8221;
Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
"Henry Kissingerand#8217;s new book, World Order, could not be more timely...and#160; the book puts the problems of todayand#8217;s world and Americaand#8217;s role in that increasingly interconnected and increasingly riven world into useful and#8212; and often illuminating and#8212; context... Mr. Kissinger, now 91, strides briskly from century to century, continent to continent, examining the alliances and divisions that have defined Europe over the centuries, the fallout from the disintegration of nation-states like Syria and Iraq, and Chinaand#8217;s developing relationship with the rest of Asia and the West. At its best, his writing functions like a powerful zoom lens, opening out to give us a panoramic appreciation of larger historical trends and patterns, then zeroing in on small details and anecdotes that vividly illustrate his theories."
The Financial Times
and#8220;Kissingerand#8217;s conclusion deserves to be read and understood by all candidates ahead of the 2016 presidential election. World order depends on it.and#8221;
John Micklethwait, The New York Times Book Review
and#8220;If you think America is doing just fine, then skip ahead to the poetry reviews.and#160; If, however, you worry about a globe spinning out of control, then World Order is for you.and#160; It brings together history, geography, modern politics and no small amount of passion.and#160; Yes, passion, for this is a cri de Coeur, from a famous skeptic, a warning to future generations from an old man steeped in the past... it is a book that every member of Congress should be locked in a room with--and forced to read before taking the oath of office."
James Traub, The Wall Street Journal
"Recent years have not been kind to those who believe in America's missionary role abroad. Since the terrorist attacks of 2001 upended our sense of the world, the United States has been governed by a conservative idealist who tried to impose American values on the Middle East, and failed calamitously, and a liberal idealist who invited America's adversaries to re-engage with us on the basis of a new humility and mutual respect, and found his hopes dashed. It is, in short, a moment for Henry Kissinger... The fact that he has written yet another book, the succinctly titled World Order, is impressive in itself. What is more remarkable is that it effectively carries on his campaign to undermine the romantic pieties of left and right that have shaped so much of American foreign policy over the past century. Mr. Kissinger bids fair to outlast many of the people who hate him and make others forget why they hated him in the first place."
Walter Isaacson, Time
and#8220;Kissingerand#8217;s book takes us on a dazzling and instructive global tour of the quest for orderand#8230;.The key to Kissingerand#8217;s foreign policy realism, and the theme at the heart of his magisterial new book, is that such humility is important not just for people but also for nations, even the U.S. Making progress toward a world order based on and#8220;individual dignity and participatory governanceand#8221; is a lofty ideal, he notes. and#8220;But progress toward it will need to be sustained through a series of intermediate stages.and#8221;
The Los Angeles Times
"Kissinger's geopolitical analysis of our global challenges is compelling... Mark Twain, who was known more for his sense of humor than his diplomatic skills, once said, "History does not repeat itself. But it rhymes." Kissinger's advice is not nearly as glib, but much more valuable to a country that right now seems to want the rest of the world to just go away."
Jacob Heilbrunn, The National Interest:
"Kissingerand#8230; demonstrates why he remains such a courted adviser to American presidents and foreign leaders alikeand#8230;. [World Order is] a guide for the perplexed, a manifesto for reordering Americaand#8217;s approach to the rest of the globe. Kissingerand#8217;s vision could help to shape a more tranquil era than the one that has emerged so far.and#8221;
Kirkus Reviews:
"An astute analysis that illuminates many of today's critical international issues."
Synopsis
Dazzling and instructive . . . a] magisterial new book. Walter Isaacson, Time
Henry Kissinger offers inWorld Ordera deep meditation on the roots of international harmony and global disorder. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern era advising presidents, traveling the world, observing and shaping the central foreign policy events of recent decades Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the twenty-first century: how to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating technology, and ideological extremism.
There has never been a true world order, Kissinger observes. For most of history, civilizations defined their own concepts of order. Each considered itself the center of the world and envisioned its distinct principles as universally relevant. China conceived of a global cultural hierarchy with the emperor at its pinnacle. In Europe, Rome imagined itself surrounded by barbarians; when Rome fragmented, European peoples refined a concept of an equilibrium of sovereign states and sought to export it across the world. Islam, in its early centuries, considered itself the world s sole legitimate political unit, destined to expand indefinitely until the world was brought into harmony by religious principles. The United States was born of a conviction about the universal applicability of democracy a conviction that has guided its policies ever since.
Now international affairs take place on a global basis, and these historical concepts of world order are meeting. Every region participates in questions of high policy in every other, often instantaneously. Yet there is no consensus among the major actors about the rules and limits guiding this process or its ultimate destination. The result is mounting tension.
Grounded in Kissinger s deep study of history and his experience as national security advisor and secretary of state, World Orderguides readers through crucial episodes in recent world history. Kissinger offers a unique glimpse into the inner deliberations of the Nixon administration s negotiations with Hanoi over the end of the Vietnam War, as well as Ronald Reagan s tense debates with Soviet Premier Gorbachev in Reykjavik. He offers compelling insights into the future of U.S. China relations and the evolution of the European Union, and he examines lessons of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taking readers from his analysis of nuclear negotiations with Iran through the West s response to the Arab Spring and tensions with Russia over Ukraine, World Orderanchors Kissinger s historical analysis in the decisive events of our time.
Provocative and articulate, blending historical insight with geopolitical prognostication, World Orderis a unique work that could come only from a lifelong policy maker and diplomat."
Synopsis
"Dazzling and instructive . . . a] magisterial new book." --Walter Isaacson,
Time
An astute analysis that illuminates many of today's critical international issues. --
Kirkus Reviews Henry Kissinger offers in World Order a deep meditation on the roots of international harmony and global disorder. Drawing on his experience as one of the foremost statesmen of the modern era--advising presidents, traveling the world, observing and shaping the central foreign policy events of recent decades--Kissinger now reveals his analysis of the ultimate challenge for the twenty-first century: how to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historical perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating technology, and ideological extremism.
There has never been a true "world order," Kissinger observes. For most of history, civilizations defined their own concepts of order. Each considered itself the center of the world and envisioned its distinct principles as universally relevant. China conceived of a global cultural hierarchy with the emperor at its pinnacle. In Europe, Rome imagined itself surrounded by barbarians; when Rome fragmented, European peoples refined a concept of an equilibrium of sovereign states and sought to export it across the world. Islam, in its early centuries, considered itself the world's sole legitimate political unit, destined to expand indefinitely until the world was brought into harmony by religious principles. The United States was born of a conviction about the universal applicability of democracy--a conviction that has guided its policies ever since.
Now international affairs take place on a global basis, and these historical concepts of world order are meeting. Every region participates in questions of high policy in every other, often instantaneously. Yet there is no consensus among the major actors about the rules and limits guiding this process or its ultimate destination. The result is mounting tension.
Grounded in Kissinger's deep study of history and his experience as national security advisor and secretary of state, World Order guides readers through crucial episodes in recent world history. Kissinger offers a unique glimpse into the inner deliberations of the Nixon administration's negotiations with Hanoi over the end of the Vietnam War, as well as Ronald Reagan's tense debates with Soviet Premier Gorbachev in Reykjav k. He offers compelling insights into the future of U.S.-China relations and the evolution of the European Union, and he examines lessons of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taking readers from his analysis of nuclear negotiations with Iran through the West's response to the Arab Spring and tensions with Russia over Ukraine, World Order anchors Kissinger's historical analysis in the decisive events of our time.
Provocative and articulate, blending historical insight with geopolitical prognostication, World Order is a unique work that could come only from a lifelong policy maker and diplomat. Kissinger is also the author of On China.
About the Author
HENRY KISSINGER served as National Security Advisor and then Secretary of State under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and has advised many other American presidents on foreign policy. He received the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Medal of Liberty, among other awards. He is the author of numerous books on foreign policy and diplomacy and is currently the chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc., an international consulting firm.