Kissinger: A Biography

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As his parents packed their belongings to leave Germany, the 15-year-old boy stood in the corner, absorbing the scene. A bookish child with a mix of ego and insecurity, he told the customs inspector, “I’ll be back someday.” Years later, he returned to Bavaria, first as a U.S. Army soldier, then as a renowned scholar and influential statesman. By 1973, he was the most admired person in America, conducting foreign policy with the charm of a cocktail party guest. However, he faced significant criticism from both liberal intellectuals and conservative activists, who viewed him as a morally ambiguous power manipulator. His approach to global politics led to a chaotic end to the Vietnam War, including the secret bombing of Cambodia. Yet, he successfully navigated a triangular balance of power through détente with Russia and engagement with China, maintaining America’s global influence. This biography delves into Kissinger's complex personality—brilliant yet conspiratorial, charming yet deceitful—and its impact on his foreign policy. It draws from extensive interviews, private papers, and various sources, revealing the life of one of the century’s most colorful statesmen, from his Jewish childhood in Nazi Germany to his later years as a business consultant.