Nixon and Kissinger

Two of history's most distinctive voices--literally and politically--clash while working for the same goals. The deep-voiced Eric Conger delivers a flat yet consistent tone to the historical narrative. Disappointingly, he uses no variation to differentiate the oft-imitated president or the German-American diplomatic advisor. Such vocal characterization would have enhanced the experience of hearing this solid, well-researched summary of the political challenges facing Nixon--China, Russia, Vietnam, and the ever-present Watergate. Even slight imitations would have added color. Still, listeners glean a decent understanding of Nixon's demeaning and suspicious ways, Kissinger's ego and interests in world negotiations, and the pivotal crises they faced. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Starred review from March 12, 2007
Bestselling author Dallek (An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy
) delivers what will quickly become recognized as a classic of modern history: the definitive analysis of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger's complex, often troubled partnership in running American foreign policy from January 1969 through August 1974. Dallek has had unprecedented access to major new resources, including transcriptions (20,000 pages) of Kissinger's telephone conversations as secretary of state, unreleased audio files of key Nixon telephone conversations and Oval Office discussions, and previously unexamined documents from the archives of Nixon, Kissinger (who served first as national security adviser, then as secretary of state) and White House hands Alexander Haig and H.R. Haldeman.
Dallek's eloquent portrait of power depicts two men who were remarkably alike in important ways. Both harbored ravenous personal ambitions. Both suffered from (and operated out of) profound insecurities and low self-esteem. Both were deeply resentful (to the point of paranoia) of criticisms and challenges. Digging deep into the various archives, Dallek artfully fills in the back stories behind such debacles as the pair's policies in Vietnam, Cambodia and the Middle East, as well as such triumphs as the opening to China.
In what many will consider the book's darkest moment, Dallek reveals for the first time the discussions and strategic thinking that led to the U.S.-orchestrated coup d'état against Chile's democratically elected president Salvador Allende in September of 1973. As he did with his Kennedy biography, Dallek finds important new material that will revise our thinking about a president and the man the author terms "a kind of co-president." 16 pages of b&w photos.

It's a daunting prospect to think that one will need nearly a full workweek to listen to this historical account of Nixon and Kissinger. The book examines one of the most complex and, in many ways, successful relationships in modern diplomatic history. With new information garnered from the recently declassified transcripts of Henry Kissinger's phone conversations as secretary of state, author Robert Dallek offers listeners a piercing look at Kissinger's fragile ego, his frustration with Nixon's distraction and heavy drinking during the Watergate affair, and his ability to outmaneuver his counterparts in a three-way diplomatic chess match with the Soviets and Chinese. The combination of Dallek's superbly detailed text and a consistently well-paced narration by Nelson Runger makes this the audiobook equivalent of a page-turner. J.B.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine