Book Description
Leslie Montgomery has interviewed hundreds of women around the world and has found a need for encouragment and inspiration. Today's Christian woman is, in some cases, hurting deeply, searching for hope, and looking to God for answers.
Were It Not For Grace gives twelve prominent Christian women the platform to share their stories about how God has had His hand on their lives. The heart of each of these ladies bears the indelible fingerprint of a God who has pursued them, healed them, and holds them in their times of joy, triumph, and trials.
Customer Reviews:
credo in vehicularum homicidum.......2007-08-16
The very idea of these airheads expressing their "faith in God" is vile enough. But the idea of including Laura "Gas Pedal" Bush is really too much. Why didn't she care when she ran over her boyfriend 25 times, the whole time shrieking about revenge? I don't consider that very holy.
Why are we not a Christian nation again?
AN INSPIRATION.......2007-04-26
I was really encouraged by all the many stories of triumph in this book. Women I look up to who have had difficultly in life. I see them and I think they have had an easy life and that's why they're leaders and influencial, but they haven't. They've overcome through their faith and it gives me hope that I can too. I keep my copy in my bathroom and rarely a person who uses it doesn't come out commenting on one of the stories. It would be a great book to give as a gift for any occassion or to someone who is struggling with one of the twelve issues the author covers.
not worth it.......2006-06-20
I think a couple billion people could think of other people to tell stories about. Not these.
eww....please........2006-06-20
These women are hardly worth a look into faith. Try someone worthy and readable without laughing...or puking.
An Awesome Book - Couldn't Put It Down!.......2005-07-17
I met author Leslie Montgomery at the CBA/International Christian Bookseller's Convention where she was signing copies of the book. I got in line because I like collecting autographed books by authors. I had no idea the treasure I'd found. I put the book in my purse so on the flight back to Miami I'd have something to read - I couldn't put the book down; I cried so much as I read the story about the couple who lost their son Matthew, but I was encouraged by their faith in God. I lost my son two years ago. I know what it is like. Thank you for sharing your story and thank the author for writing it down. I'm buying copies for my book store immediately. I highly reccomend this book to anyone going through a hard time. I pray that the author keeps writing books like this. Thanks.
Book Description
This is not a book about politics. It is a book about a little black girl who was born into a Christian home in the racially explosive town of Birmingham, Alabama, during the throes of the Civil Rights Movement. It’s about two parents who quietly defied discrimination, stood against injustice, clung to their faith, and raised their child to follow the Lord they themselves served. They believed wholeheartedly that she was a gift from God born for such a time as this and that he had a special plan and a purpose for her lifeâa plan for good, and not for evil, a plan to give her a hope and a futureâall this despite what the world shouted at them through hatred and prejudice that hovered over them mercilessly.
Condoleezza Rice has built her life and career on defied expectations. She defied the shortsighted guidance counselor who advised her parents that their daughter wasn’t college material by earning not only a Bachelor’s Degree, but then a Master’s and a Ph.D. She took on roles that a black female had never held beforeâprovost at Stanford University, National Security Advisor, and Secretary of Stateâand performed these roles skillfully. Once you read her story, you will recognize that even more than her vast intellectual capacity, ambition, and strong work ethic, it has been God’s leading in her lifeâand her willingness to follow his callâthat has allowed her to come so far. In Condoleezza Rice we have a true spiritual hero.
She’s been called the devil’s handmaiden, a history-maker, a rock star, Bush’s secret weapon, the most influential woman in the world, a rising star, and a race traitorâamong other things. Regardless of which opinion people come to about who she is or what label they’ve placed on her character, everyone knows there’s something uniquely different about the 5â²7â³ African-American woman who currently serves as our Secretary of State.
Condoleezza Rice has a mysterious stability, an enigmatic air, and an inexplicable confidence that is devoid of prideâa trait that is hard to find in the world, let alone in the slick world of politics. Her impenetrable strength and unshakable temperament are evidence of three defining characteristicsâa faith that runs deep in her heritage, a personal passion for God, and moral convictions that stem from both.
No matter what your faith, to know and appreciate the character of Condoleezza Rice, you must learn about hers. To understand her passion for peace, you must become personally familiar with the chaotic state of the nation in which she was born. To fully grasp her heart and what has motivated her to far exceed the limited expectations that enslaved both her race and her gender for generations before her, you must examine her roots. To taste the inspiration for democracy that flows like a river from her heart, you must learn what it is that feeds her soul.
The Faith of Condoleezza Rice reveals all of this and more.
Customer Reviews:
Provocative and Enjoyable .......2007-05-14
Being a political aficionado, I am always intrigued about the faith (and supposed faith) of popular politicians. Condoleezza Rice is particularly intriguing because of her rising prominence, first in Bush 41's administration, and now in the second term of Bush 43's administration. In addition, she was the Provost of Stanford University when my wife Marni attended the school. I went to the rival (I mean, superior) school, the University of California at Berkeley. But even though she was in Washington, DC while I was in graduate school at Berkeley (2000-2004), Dr. Rice was a known figure among Christian circles. So when I saw Tim Challies' review of this book, it naturally perked my interest.
The book is an entertaining and interesting read. It spends several chapters looking carefully at Rice's upbringing in Birmingham, Alabama, tracing her deeply Christian roots back to her grandparents (and maternal great-grandmother). A dogged perseverance seems to have marked each of her ancestors as they sought to resist slavery. Rice's father (John Wesley Rice) was a Presbyterian minister and a dedicated family man. Condoleezza was their only child, and her parents poured love, time, and money into her intellectual, musical, and athletic development. For example, Condoleezza had piano and ice skating lessons (both rarities for African American girls of that era).
The future Dr. Rice experienced racial prejudice in her childhood, but her parents refused to let it get them down. While her parents were friends with civil rights leaders, it seems they themselves were not particularly involved in protests and the like. Rather, they wanted Condi to "beat the system" by being more educated and thereby more accomplished than others, and to never let her race be an excuse for failure. I was impressed by the tireless can-do attitude of her parents, and it seems to have obviously shaped Condoleezza.
She began her college years majoring in music, but realized she could not compete with younger, more talented pianists. So she shifted to another passion --- international politics, and Russia in particular. Interestingly, she was mentored by Josef Korbel, a Professor at the University of Denver who was simultaneously mentoring his daughter Madeline, who later took the surname Albright by marriage. Two future female Secretaries of State mentored by the same man.
A bit about Dr. Korbel: He had been an advisor to exiled Czech president Edvard Benes, who lived in London until the Nazis were defeated in WWII. Korbel then moved back to Czechoslavakia, became an Ambassador to Yugoslavia, but was forced to flee when the Communists captured the nation. He was tried and sentenced to death in absentia, but fortunately obtained asylum in the United States.
Through her reputation as an expert on Russia, she eventually impressed key people in President George H.W. Bush's administration, which led to an appointment. The current President later tapped her for a more prestigious position, and in between she was the Provost of Stanford.
A member of the PC-USA, Condoleezza's faith in Christ strikes me as deep, sincere, and genuine. However, the last chapter reveals a somewhat swirling manner of expressing her spiritual pilgrimage. She tends to see a dichotomy between faith and reason, as if one hinders the other. In her own words, she "needs to have a better unity of faith and reason" in her personal life, in her personal relationship with God (p. 198). I found myself wanting to send Dr. Rice the text of John Piper's excellent message on this topic from the Ligonier Conference this past March.
Overall, the book is a fun, stimulating read. If you are at all interested in what has shaped Condoleezza Rice, I think you will find it worthwhile. Montgomery gives readers a fuller picture of Rice's personal history by interweaving critical historical events (e.g., in the Civil Rights Movement) with the various junctures of Rice's life. I only wish more treatment was given for how Rice came to her own political convictions, which (as I understand them) tend to be conservative on fiscal and military issues, but more moderate/liberal on social issues. For example, I would really like to know more about how Rice views affirmative action, and how she defends her pro-choice position as a Christian.
A FRESH VIEW ON DR. RICE.......2007-04-26
If you are looking for a new view on Dr. Rice this is the book to read. What an unexpected delight! It is rich in history and gives detailed information about Dr. Rice's life (including her childhood). The author interviewed most of Dr. Rice's family and friends and even got the Secretary of State to sign off on the book after reading it herself. Montgomery is carving out a niche for biographies and I will anticipate her next book with great fevor.
Couldn't lay this book down........2007-04-18
Condoleezza Rice has shown us an all business side in the world of politics. It is nice to know that the decisions she makes every day are made by a woman who's faith is of the utmost importance to her. The author has done a remarkable job bringing us the facts in a book that I couldn't lay down. I have read all of Leslie Montgomery's books and she just continues to keep me interested and wanting more.
An Interesting Read.......2007-03-27
It is easy to be skeptical about the faith claims of politicians. It is rare for a politician to claim to be anything other than a Christian and yet so few of them show any real evidence of the faith they profess. Of course there are undoubtedly some who rise to power that truly are genuine Christians. In The Faith of Condoleeza Rice, Leslie Montgomery shows Condoleeza Rice to be one of these.
Though this is a book about a woman who has made her mark as a politician, it is not a book about politics. Rather, it is about the faith the of Condoleeza Rice and the legacy of faith that was passed down to her by her family. Growing up in a family of Presbyterians, many of whom were clergy, Rice seems to have always considered herself a believer. She was born into a remarkable family, the only child of parents who gave everything they had to give her everything she needed to be one of the most influential people in the world. As the book traces Rice's life, it also traces the history of racial tension and reconciliation in the United States. Rice was born into the geographic and chronological heart of the Civil Rights Movement. While her parents kept her largely sheltered from the strife surrounding them, she certainly did notice the world changing around her.
I was intrigued by the intellectual nature of Rice's faith. While in many ways she has a simple faith and says she has never doubted the tenets of her faith, at the same time her faith has become remarkably developed in her mind as she has reflected on the Bible. The parts of the book in which the author discusses the particulars of Rice's faith, and especially those that are drawn directly from interviews with her, make for fascinating reading. While the book attempts to portray Rice as a spiritual hero I am not so sure that the author succeeds at this. She certainly appears to be a Christian, but to consider her some kind of a spiritual giant would seem to be overstating it. After all. Rice's faith, while certainly driving and motivating her, is not what she is known for. Her faith is an important part of who she is, but it is something she must necessarily keep in the background much of the time.
The book moves quite quickly and, thankfully, unlike many biographies, does not dwell upon things like the books Rice has written. While they are mentioned, the author (rightly, no doubt) assumes that readers will have no interest in knowing just what Rice had to say about Germany Unified and Europe Transformed: A Study in Statecraft. It is well-written, fast-moving, and is certainly an enjoyable read.
So while I would not be likely to read this book as an attempt to peer in the life of a spiritual hero, I would gladly recommend it as an interesting glimpse into the life of a woman who is extraordinarily gifted and who has not risen to a position of great responsibility and great authority despite her faith, but, it would seem, because of her faith.
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Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice: Foreign Policy, Race, and the New American Century
Clarence Lusane
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
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When the Levees Broke
ASIN: 0275983099 |
Book Description
Lusane has created a groundbreaking analysis of the intersection of racial politics and American foreign policy. This insightful work critically examines the roles played by former Secretary of State Colin Powell and current Secretary of State (and former National Security Advisor) Condoleezza Rice in the construction of U.S. foreign policy, exploring the ways in which their racial identity challenges conventional notions about the role of race in international relations. Neither Powell nor Rice consciously allowed their racial identity to substantially influence or characterize their participation in the defense and projection of U.S. hegemony, Lusane argues, but both used their racial identity and experiences strategically in key circumstances to defend Bush administration policies. This is but one sense in which their race, despite their reluctance to be seen as racial figures, is significant in relation to U.S. foreign policy. Locating Powell and Rice within the genealogy of the current national security strategy, and within broader shifts under George W. Bush, this work argues that their racial location in the context of the construction of U.S. foreign policy is symbolic, and that it serves to distract from the substantive part they play in the ongoing reconfiguration of U.S. global power. Criticism of Powell's and Rice's policies, for example, is often blunted by race. Black liberals may be reluctant to condemn them, while white liberals may be afraid criticism could be interpreted as racial bias, especially since conservatives of both races argue that such criticism is probably racist. Lusane tackles these difficult issues along with others, asking whether there is a black consensus on foreign policy and, if so, what its dimensions, driving forces, and prospects for stability are. How can a progressive alternative to the current U.S. foreign policy be realized? Are Powell and Rice merely functionaries, or did they substantially determine the direction of U.S. foreign policy? What will their legacies be?
Book Description
As secretary of state and a close confidant of President George W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice is the most influential woman in the history of the United States government, and perhaps one of the most famous black women in the world. Her latest stint in Washington, D.C., follows her role as national security advisor to the president and a distinguished career as a scholar, professor, provost, and foreign policy advisor that has taken her from Birmingham, Alabama, to Denver, Colorado, to Palo Alto, California, to the White House—all by the age of 50.
Customer Reviews:
Very Informative.......2007-04-22
I thought this biography of Condoleezza Rice was very informative and enlightening. Particularly interesting to me was the fact that she had excellent guidance from her parents who encouraged her to pursue her education to the fullest. The books talks of her pursuing her diverse talents and her ambition to succeed. Although I felt that the book glamorized her life a bit too much and indicated that she rarely made mistakes, she is one who deserves everything she has worked hard for. She is truly an inspiration.
Condi: Over-achieving, Tenacious, Scholarly but Unanswered Questions.......2007-02-20
This account of Condoleessa Rice is most helpful in understanding her upbringing, her motivation and her significant abilities. The author appears to have interviewed a large number of persons: 27 in number. However, no persons of highest notoriety were interviewed. Instead those notable persons were quoted only from other sources. The author typically did not write about Ms. Rice's personal views which was disappointing.
The book unfortunately leaves several important questions unanswered, namely:
1. How was it possible that Condi could have leaped over the normal path of ascension that others historically were required to endure and instead be awarded the esteemed position of Stanford provost?
2. Why did Condi leave her position as Stanford provost for the significantly lesser position of Hoover Institute senior-fellow? The author's answer given in the book is not credible.
3. Why did the author never interview Ms. Rice for this book? What was Ms. Rice's response when she was asked for an interview?
4. How did Ms. Rice's notable but inadequate credentials of being a college provost qualify her to be appointed as head of the National Security Agency of the most powerful country on Earth?
5. Why did the author not discuss negative issues regarding Ms. Rice as that would have given the book a balanced assessment?
6. How was Ms. Rice's pro-abortion stance received by the conservative presidents that she served?
7. Why was Ms. Rice's step-mother interviewed instead of her father, especially considering her step-mother was not even mentioned until 3/4 of the way through the book? Since Ms. Rice gave her father the highest credit for her success, would he not have been the preferred choice?
While the book is enjoyable, it does leave some hard questions unanswered.
Rice: staple of life.......2007-01-10
Condoleeza Rice is unquestionably one of the major minds of our day. Her life history and accomplishments challenge any parent to love and support thier child to the best of their ability with God's help.
Condie.......2007-01-05
It was an incredible biography. It was especially poignat in that my children went to St, Mary's Academy in Denver. The book was well written and clear complete and concise. It was a testiment that blacks can compete and be sucessfull if the right environment and attitude, is present.
Informative yet disappointing...........2006-11-13
I purchased this book with the hope I would learn about the person through her own direct words and thoughts, this was sadly not the case. In Condi, Felix cuts and pastes info about Rice from her family, collegues, and friends then attempts to offer a coherent profile of a fascinating figure. I could not have been more disappointed nor disengaged, the biography offers next to zero insight into who Rice is as a person as opposed to what she has accomplished. While organized in a ordered choronlogical fashion, "Condi" does little to stimulate the passion inherent to the persona. Felix painfully spends too much time detailing the lives of marginal characters in Rice's life seemingly to fill pages, its unneccessary and bogs the book down. I imagine Rice as someone who while well educated didnt neccessarily begin her career as stoic or commanding as her public persona presents clearly now, how did this transition come about? Who is Rice outside of public life in private? All of these seemingly inane questions if answered would offer a much deeper analysis on the motivations and opinions of Rice.
Book Description
When Condoleezza Rice was small, her parents tried to shield her from the racism and prejudice that was prevalent in Birmingham, Alabama where she was born. Her family attended church not far from the 16th Street Baptist Church where four young girls died in a bombing on September 15, 1963. As a young African American girl, she lived in Birmingham when the civil rights movement was growing.
A talented pianist, Condi could read music notes before she could read words. She enrolled at the University of Denver when she was just 15 and earned her four-year degree by the time she was 19. Though early on it seemed her life direction was clear (she would major in music and become a concert pianist), she soon found herself interested in international affairs and changed her major to political science, specializing in international relations. From Stanford University Provost to secretary of state, the story of Condoleezza Rice is one you won't want to miss.
Customer Reviews:
Genius!.......2004-04-09
This woman is brilliant. The book tells you things you wouldn't otherwise know about her life growing up and background. An inspiring must read for parents raising children and young people everywhere.
She's multi-talented.......2003-10-26
Man, little did I know that Condi(that's what insiders call her) could read music notes before she could read English. Wow! That's talent. And, the fact that she went to college(even if it was Denver) at age 15 speaks volumes in and of itself for the sheer genius of Condi. Seemingly on the road to being a world-renowned concert pianist, Condi unexpectedly(and thankfully for our sake!) altered her course of action, and that of our nation, when she changed majors and went into international affairs. The ping pong story of her throwing a fit and smashing her paddle after losing to an older boy at age 12 is just one of the many funny anecdotes that shows her zeal and fervor(and not to mention that had Joseph O'Brien laughing out loud like I was at a comedy show or something, man). Kudos to Linda Wade for writing such a revealing and riveting book - and to Condi for providing us with the massively titillating subject matter! Good stuff.
Book Description
Perhaps no American leader is better known and less understood than Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Beyond the dramatic story of her past--her ascent from segregated Alabama to the halls of power--and the controversy of her present, little is known about her as a woman, and while she has broken barriers and achieved extraordinary success, she is also one of the most polarizing figures of our time. As an African American girl growing up in the South when the civil rights movement was at its most tumultuous and inspiring, her own views on race are complex. While she has benefited from advances in civil rights legislation and evolving acceptance of blacks, hers has been a singularly individualistic rise, the product of her parents' determination to make her "special."
TWICE AS GOOD: CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND HER PATH TO POWER, is the first biography of Rice to reveal the private woman behind the public image that has become so familiar to people around the world. Bringing his superlative skills as a journalist to bear on this most intriguing of subjects, Newsweek Chief of Correspondents Marcus Mabry chronicles the fascinating story of Rice's life so far, from her childhood in Alabama and Colorado--where she loved ice skating and playing the piano---to her discovery of international affairs at the knee of Madeleine Albright's father Josef Korbel to her role in taking America to war in Iraq. What drove her to the fateful decisions that the United States and the world are now living with? How will history judge her and what awaits her after her service to George W. Bush?
Mabry answers these questions in a deeply nuanced portrait of a driven woman of many contradictions whose power is vast-and still growing...
Customer Reviews:
Leaves you wondering.......2007-09-01
This is an interesting look at Rice, her work and her life. But it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I didn't feel as if I knew her any better after reading the book than I did before.
At times she seems cold and uncaring. At other times, she seems warm and interesting. But I guess that could be said for all of us.
This is a book worth reading. But don't expect to understand the subject. Perhaps she won't let anyone understand her. But this author certainly did not.
EXCELLENT AND THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED.......2007-06-28
This is the first time I have ever reviewed a book. I felt compelled to
compliment Mr. Mabry on the thorough research he so painstakingly did for
this book. The book is easy to read and it keeps the reader interested in
the subject without getting bogged down in minutiae.
A Treatise on Dr. Condoleezza Rice-Secretary of State.......2007-05-28
The author describes the life and times of Dr. Condoleezza Rice with
both personal stories and historical events. Many of the childhood
personal stories and recitations are quite moving. For instance, the Secretary's assimilation into Stanford University was discussed . The historic contention between the State and Defense Departments was highlighted. This inter-agency competition may limit the Secretary's
options-particularly during times of war. A strength of the work highlights
areas where the organizational design of the cabinet itself could be
reconfigured or enhanced to benefit future presidencies.
Several great crises presented early in the current Administration.
For instance, Hurricane Katrina left thousands homeless in the USA.
The Asian Tsunami left thousands dead with billions of dollars in
property claims.
The aftermath of terrorist attacks in New York City cost many lives and displaced people and businesses . Sunni insurgents destroyed the Golden Dome of the Askariya Mosque- one of the holiest places of Sh'ia Islam. The Hezbollah kidnapped an Israeli soldier and the Hamas prevailed in open elections to become a voting majority.
Add to this the current Iraqi difficulties in coordinating internal security with an iterative withdrawal of the United States at some future time. The current fear centers around control of Baghdad when the United States leaves or withdraws to a position outside of the daily skirmishes between the Sunni, Sh'ia and protagonists outside of Iraq.
The peacekeeping forces (whether American, Iraqi, United Nations or a
combination of the above) in Iraq must manage historic contentions between warring factions while hoping that the conflict does not spill over into neighboring countries like Turkey or Iran. There have been significant border clashes between the Turks and the Kurds, as well as Iranian involvement in the conflict.
The challenges ahead deal with the role of the United States in the region,
as well as the transitioning of the American peacekeeping forces to
Iraqi security forces and possibly United Nations forces for the long term.
The long term vision involves the mix of security forces.
Preferably, these forces will be Iraqi with a permanent contingent of United Nations forces concurrent with an iterative phasing out of U.S.A. involvement over a rational time horizon. The work could deal in more detail with the future role of the United States in Iraq and the Secretary's current work to re-shape that role.
To obtain a verifiable ceasefire, the Sunni, Sh'ia, Kurds and mixed
communities must come to believe that they could lead a better life in
a loosely knit governance with a fair economic resource-sharing
arrangement. Right now, these parties have not internalized this goal.
And so, they are jockeying to gain the upper hand.
This process will continue until the Iraqi security apparatus develops with some assistance (preferably) from the United Nations Peacekeeping forces.
If the country ever gets to the point of a verifiable ceasefire, the next
step is to deal with governance and the return of thousands of professional
persons who fled the country for their lives and careers. These people
need to return in order to reconstitute the country from the present
disorder and destruction.
All of these events rose and continue to rise in unison to present the Secretary with an unparalleled series of challenges not seen in recent years. The work discusses the Secretary's career in government and
academia with carefully chosen events which provide a unique profile
into the experiential domain over the previous decades of service.
The author combines the Secretary's personal dynamic with the job
of Secretary of State. In these times, the job of Secretary of State
requires a facilitative persona with considerable practical and academic
acumen. Dr. Condoleezza Rice is such a person.
The book is highly recommended for students of government, politics,
journalism and academe everywhere. Events are happening so quickly
in the Middle East that a sequel to this book could be contemplated .
Interesting reading about a rotten apple.......2007-05-28
Mabry brings some interesting information to his reader of one of the most despicable, incompetent, false and ruthless atavists ever to occupy the planet earth, moreover public office.
Rice's scheming adoration for saying and doing whatever it took/takes to get on the top dais of a given colosseum, in her continually pathetic and aforementioned ruthless attempt to be the cynosure-at-all-times is beyond legend. Just one glance of her souless and vengeful countenance is all it should take of any observant soul to realize the monster who lies within............ This book delicately refers to same, but, alas, not enough to adequately educate its reader.
Tragically, Rice's plan has worked to her proverbial Joesph Goebbels success and whether it's directing national/internation policy that gives new meaning to the word ignorant and imperious and, as a consequence manifesting the death of thousands and the ruination of a pragmatically imperfect (read : managable) world for the future, suppressing the truth - lying outright before the public or, eternally looking beyond embarassing in the face of various world politicos, starting with her speech impediment and then her eternal practice of obsfucation by using several thousand words to answer a simple yes or no question................, this poster child of an affirmative action poseur dilettante is a study, be it by Marcus Mabry of what "worst case scenario" truly is.
The book reveals a talented individual but..........2007-05-25
Condoleezza Rice may be brilliant, articulate, capable and determined, as portrayed by this in-depth biography, but I am disappointed that she is so blind and untruthful in her defense of Bush and the Iraq War. Ms. Rice has set up a not very good example--it seems that loyalty should be above truth and above the best interest of the country. By associating with Bush, defending him so forcefully, and advocating the war wrongly, Rice has lost her credibility.
Book Description
Officials mingled in the lobby of the Oktyabrskaia Hotel--shaking hands, sipping champagne, signing their names--and Germany was united. In this undramatic fashion, the international community closed the book on the drama of divided Germany. But nothing so momentous could be quite so quiet and uncomplicated, as this volume makes strikingly clear. This is the first book to go behind the scenes through access to still not opened archives in many countries. Germany Unified and Europe Transformed discloses the moves and maneuvers that ended the Cold War division of Europe.
Philip Zelikow and Condoleezza Rice, who served in the White House during these years, have combed a vast number of documents and other sources in German and Russian as well as English. They also interviewed the major actors in the drama--George Bush, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Eduard Shevardnadze, James Baker, Anatoly Chernyayev, Brent Scowcroft, Horst Teltschik, and many others. Their firsthand accounts merge to create a complete, detailed, and powerfully immediate picture of what happened. The book takes us into Gorbachev's world, illuminating why the Soviet leader set such cataclysmic forces in motion in the late 1980s and how these forces outstripped his plans. We follow the tense debates between Soviet and East German officials over whether to crush the first wave of German protesters--and learn that the opening of the Berlin Wall was in fact one of the greatest bureaucratic blunders in human history. The narrative then reveals the battle for the future of East Germany as it took shape between West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the reform Communist leader, Hans Modrow--East Germany's "little Gorbachev." Zelikow and Rice show how Kohl and George Bush held off the reactions of governments throughout Europe so that Kohl could awaken East Germans to the possibility of reunification on his terms. Then the battle over the future of the NATO alliance began in earnest.
The drama that would change the face of Europe took place largely backstage, and this book lets us in on the strategies and negotiations, the nerve-racking risks, last-minute decisions, and deep deliberations that brought it off. It is the most authoritative depiction of contemporary statecraft to appear in decades.
Customer Reviews:
Stranger than fiction.......2006-08-14
Rice - National security Advisor on 9/11. The person, after the POTUS, most responsible for events of 9/11.
Philip Zelikow - The Executive Director of the 9/11 commission. The person most responsible for its direction and findings not withstanding the airhead commissioners.
Close friends, co-authors, business partners. How did they split the royalties? God forbid one might imagine a conspiracy!
Interesting with a bias........2001-06-25
While it seems that you either hate or love this book, this "liberal with half a brain" or maybe more than half, found it interesting and well written. It added to my information about this fascinating period of change in the world. Well researched from two insiders points of view. When reading, you have to remember the background of the writers and not take everything as gospel. If you're interested in gathering information about how things work, this is a good book to read.
An uninspired look at amazing events.......2001-06-20
If you'd really like something well-written on the subject, try The German Predicament: Memory and Power in the New Europe (Cornell UP, 1997). by Andrei S. Markovits [with Simon Reich; also available in German and Dutch translations].
Markovitz leaves Zelikow & Rice in the dust.
WOW - what a wonderful and intelligent read!.......2001-01-24
Condi Rice and Philip Zelikow take you behind the scenes of this most historic event, and they do so in an intelligent and insightful way. One can see reading this book why Rice is now the National Security Adivsor to President George Bush following in the footsteps of such greats as Kissinger and Scowcroft. The best book on this subject out there, every college and university should have this GREAT book in their libraries! WONDERFUL READ! INSIGHTFUL! INTELLIGENT! THOUGHT PROVOKING! Only a liberal with half a brain wouldn't enjoy it...
Right Wing Bureaucrats and the NSC.......2000-12-02
Two right wing low level bureacrats in the Bush administration have put together a dull, unreadable diatribe that reflects right wing ideology rather than any analysis or relieable information. The National Security Council is always populated by the worst type of people--Oliver NOrth--who are low level burearcrats who compile information that puts a spin on the infomation--one would not call it data--to support U.S. imperialism, intervention, war and terrorism. Rice and Zelikow are no exceptions;neither are neither proficient writers nor very bright.
Thomas Sutter
Customer Reviews:
Introducing young students to the public career of Condoleeza Rice.......2005-09-08
It is great to see that the Journey to Freedom series of the African American Library continues to publish new volumes. This spring the series published the new volumes "The Amistad Mutiny: Fighting for Freedom," "Arthur Ashe: Athlete and Activist," "The Blues: Birth of an American Sound," "Brown vs. Board of Education: The Battle for Equal Education," "Miles Davis: Jazz Master," and this one on "Condoleezza Rice: U.S. Secretary of State" (you can tell the most recent volumes simply because they have subtitles). Whereas the volume on Colin Powell was published before he became the first African American Secretary of State (it ends with him deciding not to run for president in 1996), this volume by Kevin Cunningham is able to tell the entire story of how Rice became the second African American (and second woman after Madeleine Albright) to hold the senior position in the Cabinet.
The story begins with Rice being born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1954, the daughter of teachers (her mother played the piano and organ and Rice's first name is an Italian musical term to play "with sweetness"). As is always the case in the books in this series, this allows photographs (the "Colored Entrance" to a segregated theater) and examples of what life was like growing up in the Jim Crow south (Rice was a friend of one of the four girls killed by the bomb at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963). Of course, this entire series underscores what things have been like in the past (often the recent past) to set up the accomplishments of these noted African-Americans.
Although she was bored with studying government, Rice ended up being interested in the Soviet Union and in a career in international relations. The move from civil rights to the Cold War is presented as being a conflict on a larger stage. Rice's expertise on the Soviet Union not only gets her a teaching position at Stanford University, but also gets her noticed by Brent Scowcroft, the national security advisor for President George H. W. Bush (since most young people only associate Rice with George W. Bush, the current president, this shows she has been around for a while). Cunningham then traces the steps by which Rice ended up becoming part of the current Bush White House, first as NSA and now as Sec. State.
The one thing I did not pick up from this book was an idea of Rice's political theory of international relations. But then you will not find out who was the member of the Denver Broncos that Rice was engaged to, so get used to the disappointment. Then again, most of us have to go back to Henry Kissinger to name a U.S. Secretary of State where we have an idea of how they say the world and what they were trying to accomplish. Cunningham does point out that Rice pushed for the reunification of Germany, so there is at least one significant example where she advocated a position and was proven right.
In addition to laying out the steps by which Rice went from Birmingham to the State Department, Cunningham emphasizes how being a black woman in a white man's world (especially when it comes to studying the Soviet Union), got Rice noticed, but that it was her abilities that kept her moving up the ladder. One nice thing about being the first African-American woman to be Secretary of State is that the next African-American or the next woman will be the third of each and therefore hardly worth noting. You can see that now with the pending Bush decision on a Supreme Court appointment where the potential nomination of the first Hispanic is seen as more newsworthy than what would be the third woman. Still, young readers will get a sense of how being the "first" can open the doors for a whole lot of others to follow.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring Lady.......2006-04-20
"Condoleezza Rice: Being the Best" is a delightful little book about the life of currently the most powerful woman in the world. The biography traces her life from the time she was born and raised in a middle class family in Birmingham, Alabama, her love for music and how she ended up with a remarkable career in international relations up to the time she was appointed as the national security advisor.
Condi's genius, skills and accomplishments serve as an inspiration to young people, especially girls. She is a role model of excellence as she made it purely on merit, to high echelons of immense influence at a very young age.
This is excellent reading for children who can be inspired by this unique and remarkable lady.
Childrens Book.......2006-03-05
This was an excellant book but is a childs book aimed at around 9 - 10 years of age, or people with English as a second language.
Rising Star.......2006-01-30
This little book is a handy reference guide on Condoleeza Rice's skills and accomplishments. I plan to keep it near by as her star continues to rise.
Brilliant woman.......2004-04-09
An excellent story about the life of this genius. Doesn't go much into her service as National Security Advisor, but it does give some insight into her accomplishments. Recommended for young women!
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