Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century by george packer stars richard holbrooke is an incredibly interesting persona in our countrys foreign policy story. He was part of the belief that the us could accomplish anything, be it the marshall plan, remake vietnam, bring peace to bosnia, or make something out of the quagmire that is afghanistan. Theres a lot of talk about elites in the news these days and its the elite that springs to mind, over and over again, while reading george packers biography of richard holbrooke. Richard holbrooke was a jerk and a talented diplomat. It appears in the may 2019 print edition with the headline elegy for the. Theres something telling about the fact that our man, george packer s hefty, dishy biography of the american diplomat richard holbrooke, clocks in at more than 500 pages without the.
Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century audiobook written by george packer. America in iraq was named one of the ten best books of 2005 by the new york times, was a finalist for the pulitzer prize, and won the new york public librarys helen bernstein book award. May 07, 2019 packer, who wrote a profile of holbrooke for the new yorker in 2009, has plenty of material to work with. Engrossinggeorge packer is a master storyteller who takes what, in other hands, could be a dry retelling of a mans life and makes it an absolute page turner.
Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century by george packer is published by jonathan cape. Much like holbrooke himself, who died in 2010 at 69, packers book is. Richard holbrooke, the last great freewheeling diplomat the. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century ebook written by george packer. Jul 28, 2019 for george packer, holbrooke was the embodiment of the american century or half century. May 09, 2019 george packers our man portrays holbrooke in all of his endearing and exasperating selfwilled glory.
Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century, by george packer knopf, 608 pp. Mar 31, 2020 george packers vivid narrative about the life and career of richard holbrooke, our man. He had friends, he rarely paid for any meal, and his maneuvering because of his oversized ego wore many people out. An inner history of the new america, covering the history of america. Our man richard holbrooke and the end of the american century by george packer. His name will be forever tied to three countries that strike fear in american hearts. Richard holbrooke was brilliant, utterly selfabsorbed, and possessed of almost inhuman energy and appetites. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders.
In some ways, the author heroworships the worldbestriding. This article is adapted from george packers new book, our man. The guardian holbrooke in all his capacious brilliance and arrogance has been captured by george packer. Listen online or offline with android, ios, web, chromecast, and. For george packer, holbrooke was the embodiment of the american century or half century.
His role was dismissed in holbrookes book with a single line. In our man, a beautifully written tale of an almost great. A longtime staff writer at the new yorker and more recently the atlantic and the author of books like blood of the. The canonization of richard holbrooke the new republic. Richard holbrooke and the lost idealism of a generation the nation. George packer, a staff writer from 2003 to 2018, has covered the iraq war for the new yorker and has also written about the atrocities committed in sierra leone, civil unrest in the ivory coast. A junior foreign service official in vietnam who came to. George packers our man portrays holbrooke in all of his endearing and exasperating selfwilled glory. He conducted nearly 250 interviews, and he quotes liberally from holbrookes notebooks. Youll come to understand that the author, new yorker writer george packer, understood holbrooke, understood power, understood america in its eclipse at the end of the 20th century and into the 21st.
George packer tells this parable in his strange new biography, our man. An inner history of the new america, which was a new york times bestseller and winner of the 20 national book award. George packer chronicles richard holbrookes brilliance. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century and the unwinding. May 24, 2019 george packer tells this parable in his strange new biography, our man. George packer discusses his new book about richard holbrooke. The agony and the ecstasy of richard holbrooke the new. Packer is cleareyed about holbrookes flaws, critiquing him without falling into invective, and highlights his strengths without degenerating into romanticization. Also, this biography is a dissection of american power of its strengths and failures, and the embodiment of that is holbrooke.
Packer delves into the life of richard holbrooke, the force behind the dayton accords, which ended the balkan wars, illustrating how his story is also that of america during its era of supremacy. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century by george packer at indigo. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century. George packer, author of 2005s highly acclaimed the assassins gate. He is best known for his writings for the new yorker and the atlantic about u. America in iraq, a finalist for the 2006 pulitzer prize, and blood of the liberals, winner of the 2001 robert f. Packer, who wrote a profile of holbrooke for the new yorker in 2009, has plenty of material to work with. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century was the result of 200 interviews and exclusive access to holbrookes diaries. Portrays holbrooke in all of his endearing and exasperating selfwilled glory. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century george. By the end of the second page, maybe the third, you will be hooked. Richard holbrooke was a large man with gargantuan appetites for food and women and movies and acclaim and, above. George packer is a writer i greatly admire and he was probably one of the only people able to write this book.
May 08, 2019 theres a lot of talk about elites in the news these days and its the elite that springs to mind, over and over again, while reading george packers biography of richard holbrooke. May 03, 2019 george packer tells this parable in his strange new biography, our man. George packer, signed abebooks shop for books, art. In some ways, the author heroworships the worldbestriding personality who at times bent huge forces to his will. America in iraq, a finalist for the 2006 pulitzer prize, and blood of the liberals. Although packer courageously details holbrooke s demerits, he also engages in nearheroworship of this strange, accomplished, selfdestructive man. Packer gives us a brilliant richard holbrooke, with warts and all, but i was surprised at his reporting on political figures as recently as obama and hillary clinton. Richard holbrooke and the lost idealism of a generation. Privately, obama expressed exasperation with the notion going around that he had killed richard holbrooke. A shelf full of books chronicle iraq policy, strategy listen. An inner history of the new america, which was a new york times best seller and winner of the 20 national book award. Richard holbrookes plan to avoid the mistakes of vietnam in afghanistan.
George packers our man is a biography of the ambitious diplomat. G eorge packer sometimes seems willfully obtuse to the implications of his own finely shaded work. Washington post rarely in recent years has a work of nonfiction so clearly, ruthlessly, compassionately shown such a prominent persons life from the inside out. It is impossible to read george packers new biography of richard holbrooke without a piercing sense of melancholy, not only that a man so supremely alive should be dead, but also because such peopleour man, in packers title, the incarnation of vanished glory, imperial hubris, exceptional americanismno longer walk the earth. Jun 06, 2019 almost great is george packers measured judgment on the life and character of the american diplomat richard holbrooke, who was trying to broker an end to the war in afghanistan when he died suddenly in 2010.
Youll come to understand that packer knew the great man, in fact thought he was great. Packer is cleareyed about holbrookes flaws, critiquing him without falling into invective, and highlights. George packers absorbing biography of diplomat richard holbrooke. George packer has written an incredible, and interesting biography, about richard holbrooke, american diplomat. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century maps the intricate relationships between the foreign service, governments and the countries they serve. If you could read one book to comprehend americans foreign policy and its quixotic forays. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century was the result of 200 interviews and exclusive access to holbrooke s diaries. Richard holbrooke and the end of the american century, cape, 2019, 592 pp. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read our man.
George packers vivid narrative about the life and career of richard holbrooke, our man. I listened to the new york times podcast tonight with george packer talking about richard holbrooke. Almost great is george packers measured judgment on the life and character of the american diplomat richard holbrooke, who was trying to broker an end to the war in afghanistan when he died suddenly in 2010. George packer on richard holbrooke and pax americanas decay. Holbrooke and the end of the american century by george packer is. George packer talks with ambassador samantha power about his new biography, our man. By all accounts, george packer has pwritten an extraordinary biolgraphy of richard holbrooke, one of americas most accomplished, respected and reviled diplomats of modern times. The strength of the book is its focus on holbrookes character, which packer. The agony and the ecstasy of richard holbrooke the new york. May 09, 2019 george packer has written an incredible, and interesting biography, about richard holbrooke, american diplomat. An inner history of the new america, covering the history of america from 1978 to 2012.
The left bank books signature series and hectv welcome awardwinning author of the unwinding george packer, who will sign and discuss his new book, our man. George packer born august, 1960 is an american journalist, novelist, and playwright. This is a big, richly detailed biography meant for a great man, but george packer argues that holbrooke s defects kept him from true greatness. George packer chronicles richard holbrookes brilliance, ambition. Our man provides an inside look at the life of richard. George packer is a staff writer at the atlantic and the author of the unwinding. George packer has been a new yorker staff writer since 2003. George packers biography of diplomat richard holbrooke, best known for brokering the dayton accords that ended the balkan wars of the 1990s. May 07, 2019 youll come to understand that the author, new yorker writer george packer, understood holbrooke, understood power, understood america in its eclipse at the end of the 20th century and into the 21st. George packers absorbing biography of diplomat richard. Holbrooke left the war pretty much as he found it, and peace is no closer now, nearly a decade later, but that isnt what explains the cruel precision of packers judgment. His other nonfiction books include the assassins gate. This is an unreaqd copy in as new condition, first edition, first printing and signed on the title page by the author.
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