Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy (US edition)

Henry Kissinger, consummate diplomat and statesman, examines the strategies of six great twentieth-century figures and brings to life a unifying theory of leadership and diplomacy

"Leaders," writes Henry Kissinger in this compelling book, "think and act at the intersection of two axes: the first, between the past and the future; the second, between the abiding values and aspirations of those they lead. They must balance what they know, which is necessarily drawn from the past, with what they intuit about the future, which is inherently conjectural and uncertain. It is this intuitive grasp of direction that enables leaders to set objectives and lay down a strategy."

In Leadership, Kissinger analyses the lives of six extraordinary leaders – Konrad Adenauer, Charles de Gaulle, Richard Nixon, Anwar Sadat, Lee Kuan Yew, and Margaret Thatcher – through the distinctive strategies of statecraft that he believes they embodied. To each of these studies, Kissinger brings historical perception, public experience and, because he knew each of the subjects and participated in many of the events he describes, personal knowledge. Leadership is enriched by insights and judgements that only Kissinger could make and concludes with his reflections on world order and the indispensability of leadership today.

About the Author

Henry Kissinger (1923–2023) served in the US Army during the Second World War and subsequently held teaching posts in history and government at Harvard University for twenty years. He served as national security advisor and secretary of state under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and has advised many other American presidents on foreign policy. He received the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Medal of Liberty, among other awards. He authored numerous books and articles on foreign policy and diplomacy, including On China and World Order. 

Reviews

"An extraordinary book, one that braids together two through lines in the long and distinguished career of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The first is grand strategy: No practical geopolitical thinker has more assuredly mastered the way the modern global system works or how nations use the tools of statecraft to bend an often-resistant world to their will. But Mr. Kissinger is also an astute observer of the personal element in strategy—the art and science of leadership, or how, on the executive level, 'decisions [are] made, trust earned, promises kept, a way forward proposed.' In Leadership he presents a fascinating set of historical case studies and political biographies that blend the dance and the dancer, seamlessly." —James Stavridis, The Wall Street Journal

"Kissinger's combination of historical awareness, personal familiarity with the leaders, and diplomatic experience provides for a cogent read on the iconic statesmen of the Cold War era." —The New Criterion

"Kissinger fulfills expectations with a reflective, contextual analysis of 20th century political leaders he knew.... Recommended for Kissinger's distinctive perspectives imbedded in scholarly, readable prose." —Library Journal (starred review)

"One of America's most legendary diplomats finds the soul in statecraft in these enlightening sketches of world leaders.... Kissinger infuses his lucid policy analyses with colorful firsthand observations.... Kissinger's portraits of politicians spinning weakness and defeat into renewed strength are captivating. This is a vital study of power in action." —Publishers Weekly

Dimensions: 13.84 x 2.79 x 21.26 cm