In 1973, Henry Kissinger became Secretary of State of the United States of America, but even before that he had become America's most beloved personality and one of the most unlikely celebrities to ever captivate the world. Yet during his eventful life, Kissinger was often vilified, and by large sections of the American public, from liberal intellectuals to conservative activists.
Walter Isaacson explores the relationship between the character of this complex man and the foreign policy he pursued. Based on extensive interviews with Kissinger as well as 150 other sources, including US presidents and his business clients, this rich biography uses many of Kissinger's personal papers and classified memos to tell his uniquely American story. The result is an intimate narrative full of surprising revelations that follows the colorful statesman from his childhood as a persecuted Jew in Nazi Germany, through his tortured relationship with Richard Nixon to his later years as a globe-trotting business consultant. Explores what Kissinger was like in everyday and worldly settings? Why was it important for him to be wooed by more than just male politicians? How did an unremarkable man conquer world politics? Why is it that US policy is still being determined by his successors today?
Henry Kissinger died on November 29, 2023 at the age of 100. The statesman had no problem being a person of two centuries, two millennia and several different versions of the world order. His global perspective, based on his famous practicality, will be valid for years to come: "I think it is possible to create a world order based on rules that Europe, China and India could subscribe to, and that is already a significant part of humanity. So if we look at the practical side, there could be a good outcome – or at least it could end without a crash and we can move forward.”