Synopses & Reviews
From "the dean of Cold War historians" (
New York Times): an important new reckoning with the hostile relationship that defined our age.
It began during the Second World War, when American and Soviet troops converged from east and west. Their meeting point--a small German city--became part of a front line that solidified shortly thereafter into an Iron Curtain. It ended in a climactic square-off between Ronald Reagan's America and Gorbachev's Soviet Union. In between were decades of global confrontation, uncertainty, and fear.
Drawing on new and often startling information from newly opened Soviet, Eastern European, and Chinese archives, this thrilling account explores the strategic dynamics that drove the Cold War, provides illuminating portraits of its major personalities, and offers much fresh insight into its most crucial events. Riveting, revelatory, and wise, it tells a story whose lessons it is vitally necessary to understand as America once more faces an implacable ideological enemy.
Review
A comprehensive and wise survey of the Cold War. Even those, like me, who do not agree with all its judgments will benefit from its sweep and scholarship.
Review
With this book, the dean of Cold War historians has written his summa. A brilliant work of history, compellingly told and authoritative."
Synopsis
The "dean of Cold War historians" (New York Times) now presents the definitive account of the global confrontation that dominated the last half of the twentieth century. It began during the Second World War, when American and Soviet troops converged from east and west. Their meeting point-a small German city-became part of a front line that solidified shortly thereafter into an Iron Curtain. It ended in a climactic square-off between Ronald Reagan's America and Gorbachev's Soviet Union. In between were decades of global confrontation, uncertainty, and fear. Drawing on new and often startling information from newly opened Soviet, Eastern European, and Chinese archives, this thrilling account explores the strategic dynamics that drove the Cold War, provides illuminating portraits of its major personalities, and offers much fresh insight into its most crucial events. Riveting, revelatory, and wise, it tells a story whose lessons it is vitally necessary to understand as America once more faces an implacable ideological enemy.
About the Author
JOHN LEWIS GADDIS is an internationally renowned historian of the cold war. He has written extensively on the subject, including We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History and The United States and the Origins of the World War, 1941-1947. Gaddis is on the advisory board of the Cold War International History Project. A senior fellow of the Hoover Institution from 2000 to 2002, he served as a consultant on the CNN television documentary Cold War. Gaddis resides in Connecticut.JAY GREGORY is a veteran New York actor of stage, film, and television. He can be heard in a number of informational narrations on the Discovery Channel, TLC, NOVA, and PBS, and he has a wide range of audiobooks to his credit.ALAN SKLAR has narrated over 75 audiobooks and earned numerous awards for his work. He has also provided the voice for thousands of corporate and medical videos, as well as many radio and TV commercials. He lives with his wife in New York.