Kissinger: Volume I

1923-1968: The Idealist

By: Niall Ferguson

Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner

The definitive biography of Henry Kissinger, based on unprecedented access to his private papers, by an acclaimed historian at the height of his powers.

No American statesman has been as revered and as reviled as Henry Kissinger. Once hailed as "Super-K" - the "indispensable man" whose advice has been sought by every president from Kennedy to Obama - he has also been hounded by conspiracy theorists, scouring his every "telcon" for evidence of Machiavellian malfeasance. Yet as Niall Ferguson shows in this magisterial biography, the idea of Kissinger as the ruthless arch-realist is based on a profound misunderstanding. Drawing not only on Kissinger's hitherto closed private papers but also on documents from more than a hundred archives around the world, Ferguson argues that the true foundation of Kissinger's thought is philosophical idealism - combined with history itself.

The first half of Kissinger's life is usually skimmed over as a quintessential tale of American ascent: the Jewish refugee from Hitler's Germany who made it to the White House. But in this first of two volumes, Ferguson shows that what Kissinger achieved before his appointment as Richard Nixon's national security adviser was astonishing in its own right. Toiling as a teenager in a New York factory, he studied indefatigably at night. He was drafted into the US infantry and saw action at the Battle of the Bulge - as well as the liberation of a concentration camp - but ended his army career interrogating Nazis. It was at Harvard that Kissinger found his vocation. Having immersed himself in the philosophy of Kant and the diplomacy of Metternich, he shot to celebrity by arguing for "limited nuclear war". Nelson Rockefeller hired him. Kennedy called him to Camelot. Yet Kissinger's rise was anything but irresistible. Dogged by press gaffes and disappointed by "Rocky", Kissinger seemed stuck - until a trip to Vietnam changed everything.

©2015 Niall Ferguson (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

A truly great biography

Not only do you get to learn about Kissinger and his life, but you get a genuinely in-depth analysis of the time that he lived in. Even better, you get to learn the philosophy and historiography that Kissinger lived through and wrote about.

Many will disagree with his premise that Kissinger is an idealist, but I think they'll agree his opinions don't feel like simple conjecture.

It was great to listen to.

Excellent narrator, great food for thought

I knew I was taking a gamble when I decided to dive into this 34 hour behemoth... but I'm glad to say that Malcolm Hillgartner's excellent narration helped make this a smooth and enjoyable process. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Niall Ferguson probably has written the best biography on Kissinger out there, showing the episodes of his life that turned him into the man he become.

Highlights for me included:
-Ferguson's take down of the flawed popular conception of Kissinger
-Kissinger as a teenager channeling his future diplomat self as he tries to pry his high school crush from her suitors
-The poem Kissinger writes after liberating a concentration camp
-Watching Kissinger change his view of the world as he learns new lessons from life
-Kissinger's fascinating take on the strategy behind nuclear and limited war
-Ferguson painting an image of how brutal of a year 1968 was for the USA
-All the parts of Kissinger from when he goes to Vietnam and transforms himself into a subject matter expert in East Asian affairs, while previously a Europe specialist
-Ferguson's conclusion was very well done

This is a long listen, but you will learn a lot of history, learn a LOT about Kissinger, and will get some great political philosophy lessons as well. I thought the Harvard year part and Kissinger's childhood was not too exciting, but Ferguson tries to make it interesting. The final chapters of the book wound up being my favorite. Overall, I am very glad I embarked on this book and I encourage others to do the same! I eagerly await part 2.

A wonderful biography

A wonderful stimulating insightful biography of a great man. Well read well written not always agreeable. Learned a great deal about the the decision making process in government a great deal about Kissinger and even more about us as a people. The author is opinionated and I didn't always agree especially on the analysis of Bismarck , Lyndon Johnson's character or Nixon . This is a great biography great enough I'll read and listen to again and treasure as a reference book.
I love it when I learn something new.

Paradigm Shift Alert!

Not long ago, I read "On China" by Henry Kissinger. I was stunned. As an amateur student of Chinese history, and avid traveler, especially and frequently to Taiwan (and in a couple of weeks, to mainland China for an extended stay), Dr Kissinger's perspective and exposition on China's worldview were, well, simply stunning. So I immediately bought the new Niall Ferguson biography because: (1) I love Mr Ferguson's work having read and thoroughly enjoyed his work before, and (2) I was VERY intrigued, to say the least, about Dr Kissinger's worldview having seen it first hand in "On China." I was NOT disappointed. Mr Ferguson's writing style and scholarship were a perfect fit for Dr Kissinger's style and scholarship. This book is a real keeper - one I will re-read regularly to recalibrate my understanding of geopolitics. I cannot believe I did not discover Dr Kissinger's work before!! Beware, despite Mr Ferguson's clear prose, Dr Kissinger's work is not for those who don't take time to stop and ponder what they've read. But, for me, it has been worth every moment of reflection, and every revisit so far. Highly recommended. BTW: The narrator's performance was First Class. Clear; consistent; entertaining; and professional.

For the history buff

This book gave me a stronger understanding of my parents generation. Now the name's I heard on the evening news during my childhood makes sense. The book was great at providing insider opinions about the Presidents and their cabinet members.

Fantastic -more than simply a biography!

An exhaustive account of the first of of the life and times of a transformative statesman. I loved the historical backgrounds of larger geopolitical events offered alongside the more traditional biographical anecdotes describing their effects on Kissinger. Though long, this book was exceptionally well-organized and managed to steadily keep my attention for many straight hours of entertainment. Cannot wait for Volume II!

Better than isaacson and worth the time

This account is less narrative and more philosophical about the bildungsroman of kissinger, with ample historical context and dives deep into themes of realism, legalism, and a generation feeling its way through revolutionary change at the turn of every corner. Too deep for general interest but essential for the historically curious or would-be practitioner of statecraft

An extraordinary tour de force

A long and rich discussion of the period between the 1920s through the late 1960s. It is so much more than a biography of one of the world's most famous statesman (whether you like him or not he among the most famous statesman of the 20th century). The author delves into history of politics as well as the biography of the man. He clearly admires Dr Kissinger which is a far cry from many of the other less flattering books on the subject.
The performance is masterful.
I look forward to volume 2.

Perfection!

What made the experience of listening to Kissinger: Volume I the most enjoyable?

Brilliantly insightful and sourced. It's an essential work rendering HK's live accessible and comprehensible as both a human and a genius.

What did you like best about this story?

It's all excellent.

Which character – as performed by Malcolm Hillgartner – was your favorite?

HK

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Many times.

Any additional comments?

This is a treasure for a thinking person.

Balanced assessment excellent performance

Very well read - as we move further from the 60's there are more and more balanced analysis Of the people involved