Clearing the Backlog - September 17, 2021
Machinations of Wicked Men Author: Jonathan Kirshner Source: The Boston Review Summary: a very entertaining, acerbic, and well-written review of Kissinger the Idealist - a biography by Niall Ferguson. Much of the focus is on whether or not Kissinger could be considered an Idealist (as claimed by Ferguson) or a Realist; Kirshner firmly favors the latter. Quotes: Roger Ebert once defined a blockbuster movie sequel as a “filmed deal.” The literary equivalent is the official biography. A towering ego, obsessed with the judgment of history, hand selects a scribe-for-hire, offering the promise of heady remuneration and consort with fame in exchange for a fawning hagiography. It would be refreshing to be able to report that Niall Ferguson’s Kissinger, 1923–1968: The Idealist, is more than that. Unfortunately, clocking in at nearly a thousand densely packed pages, it is simply more of that. Perhaps learning at the feet of his protagonist (whose own memoirs sprawl across thou...