Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy

This is a sophisticated and meticulously detailed book of Henry Kissinger's policy in the middle east during the seventies. If you're interested in constant quotes from every Tom, Dick and Harry and also from everyone's memoirs, cables and who said what & when, then, this book is for you. Pg 14 and pg 524 label Henry Kissinger a holocaust survivor. This is an improper designation. Kissinger is/ was a refugee who had to flee Germany. A holocaust survivor is someone who survived privations in the walled ghetto, e.g. Warsaw, or, was actually a prisoner in a concentration camp where most Jews were exterminated in Hitler's ovens. The author should get his nomenclature right because "survivor" is an overused word. The study is hagiographical to the extent that it gives Kissinger credit for Sadat's momentous journey to Jerusalem. Henry Kissinger certainly worked hard and did a good job. But to give Kissinger credit for Sadat's eventual trip to Jerusalem is going too far. However, the book is most instructive with Kissinger's negotiating skills - - of which Kissinger was a master. In addition, the author laments [pg 417] that the PLO today remains stateless. The author neglects to mention that there are twenty other Arab states. Finally, am glad i improved my vocab. Looked up amour propre, caviled, cerulean and trompe l'oeil. Thanks Amazon.

Indyk tells the story in what would have been excruciating detail if it weren’t so fascinating. Kissinger emerges as an indefatigable negotiator of originality and charm as well as a gambler and prevaricator. Also a brilliant tactician but maybe not a reliable strategist.

and militarily activity, but also includes a plethora of intimate insights into the personal thoughts and concerns of the actors involved in the diplomatic and militarily activity over the final decade's of the 20th century in the Middle East.The book is a lengthy, scholarly work, and delves into a great deal of detail.

With the countless books written about Henry Kissinger, it is hard to find anything new these days contributing in a substantive or even interesting new way to his legacy, the history he was a part of, and the history he made. But there is a sparkling new exception to this rule, Martin Indyk's "Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of the Middle East." Richly detailed and written in a highly engaging and witty style, Indyk vividly illustrates how Kissinger dealt with the multiple Middle Eastern crises' launching the US' numerous efforts over the years to bring peace to the region. Moreover, he gives a foundational history to the US' concerted and oft-failed efforts to bring peace and stability to the region.I came away from reading this book having learned more about Kissinger's thinking, strategies, and tactics in this Indyk's book than virtually every other Kissinger biography I have read (and I've read quite a few). Indyk does not write a dry hagiography of Kissinger but keeps it honest and human. We see how Kissinger somehow balanced the extreme tensions, egos, and demands of the multiple and very different Arab states versus a still young Israel fighting for its survival. All the great names of the age are there: Sadat, Meir, Hussain, Brezhnev, Nixon. And we see all sides of Kissinger: At times sly, other times brutally frank with both Arab and Israeli leaders, as well as the Kissinger who made mistakes and had to move hard and fast to correct himself and the policies he proposed.If there is one criticism of the book, it is the sheer amount of detail that can be slightly overpowering at times. Indyk took extraordinary time and painstaking effort to get the overall historical account correct, as well as the innumerable small but critical conversations, meetings, and interactions.But what helps bring a unique perspective to the book is Indyk's own experiences working for US-Palestinian peace efforts over the years. A former US Ambassador to Israel and a senior aide to then-President Obama, Indyk can compare and contrast what happened during Kissinger's time versus what Obama and Indyk encountered and attempted to achieve.This is the book to read for those fascinated by the complexities of Middle Eastern politics and history and the United States' efforts to bring greater peace and stability to the region.

If you’re a modern Middle East history buff or interested in late Cold War diplomacy, read this.As for the product, arrived pretty banged up for ‘new.’ Clearly went off the wrong side of a conveyor belt post Amazon warehouse inspection. Perhaps used as a puck in a game of broom ball if the dust cover is any hint. Regardless, the content survived.

competent and useful for specialists