To End a War (Modern Library Paperbacks)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.80
Trade in To End a War (Modern Library) for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.80, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Plus, get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Diplomacy is the grungiest job... But it must be satisfying because this enthralling book is also a heartfelt call to America to use its power when societies break down and to become a steady global force resisting human rights abuses everywhere. It is filled with anecdotes and sharp pictures of the wily Balkan leaders Holbrooke had to deal with, as well as with shrewd and seldom flattering analyses of the personalities and motivations of timid American and NATO military commanders... His recreation of battles over principle and tactics with Western generals and State Department and White House officials are dramatic and his description of a rudderless Administration during the early days of his efforts is astonishingly candid, and convincing. His combativeness may offend the pinstripe set, but it is wonderfully refreshing on the page. It is a very rare book on diplomacy that makes you feel you were in the midst of it, and excited to be there. --The New York Times Book Review
To End a War is a good book, well-written and very readable... It is invaluable to have such a substantial contribution to the public record, written by a principal player so soon after the event." --Pauline Neville-Jones, Prospect
A compelling account of a life-and-death negotiation -- the personal dynamics, the theatrical gestures, the unexpected snags, the leaks... A classic exercise in lock-up, great power diplomacy. To End a War is a riveting book --Time
To End a War is a good book, well-written and very readable... It is invaluable to have such a substantial contribution to the public record, written by a principal player so soon after the event." --Pauline Neville-Jones, Prospect
A compelling account of a life-and-death negotiation -- the personal dynamics, the theatrical gestures, the unexpected snags, the leaks... A classic exercise in lock-up, great power diplomacy. To End a War is a riveting book --Time
Product Description
Since 1917 The Modern Library prides itself as The modern Library of the world s Best Books . Its paperback series feature treasured classics, major translations of great works, and rediscoveries of keen literary and historical merit. Featuring introductions by leading writers, stunning translations, scholarly endnotes and reading group guides. Production values emphasize superior quality and readability. Competitive prices, coupled with exciting cover design make these an ideal gift to be cherished by the avid reader. When President Clinton sent Richard Holbrooke to Bosnia as America's chief negotiator in late 1995, he took a gamble that would eventually redefine his presidency. But there was no saying then, at the height of the war, that Holbrooke's mission would succeed. The odds were strongly against it. As passionate as he was controversial, Holbrooke believed that the only way to bring peace to the Balkans was through a complex blend of American leadership, aggressive and creative diplomacy, and a willingness to use force, if necessary, in the cause for peace. This was not a universally popular view. Resistance was fierce within the United Nations and the chronically divided Contact Group, and in Washington, where many argued that the United States should not get more deeply involved. This book is Holbrooke's gripping inside account of his mission, of the decisive months when, belatedly and reluctantly but ultimately decisively, the United States reasserted its moral authority and leadership and ended Europe's worst war in over half a century. To End a War reveals many important new details of how America made this historic decision. What George F. Kennan has called Holbrooke's "heroic efforts" were shaped by the enormous tragedy with which the mission began, when three of his four team members were killed during their first attempt to reach Sarajevo. In Belgrade, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Paris, Athens, and Ankara, and throughout the dramatic roller-coaster ride at Dayton, he tirelessly imposed, cajoled, and threatened in the quest to stop the killing and forge a peace agreement. Holbrooke's portraits of the key actors, from officials in the White House and the Élysée Palace to the leaders in the Balkans, are sharp and unforgiving. His explanation of how the United States was finally forced to intervene breaks important new ground, as does his discussion of the near disaster in the early period of the implementation of the Dayton agreement. To End a War is a brilliant portrayal of high-wire, high-stakes diplomacy in one of the toughest negotiations of modern times. A classic account of the uses and misuses of American power, its lessons go far beyond the boundaries of the Balkans and provide a powerful argument for continued American leadership in the modern world.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
THE MOUNT IGMAN ROUTE TO SARAJEVO was often described as the most dangerous road in Europe. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
THE MOUNT IGMAN ROUTE TO SARAJEVO was often described as the most dangerous road in Europe. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Several reviewers have labeled Holbrooke either racist or merely biased. I am an American, not of Serb descent, but a serious student of Serb life and history. I speak Serbian, lived in Serbia, visited all the key Serb historic/cultural sites, including a thorough survey of medieval Serb monasteries. I have visited all corners of the former Yugoslavia including four visits to Kosovo. I say all this not to be arrogant as some reviewers accuse Mr. Holbrooke; rather to give some credentials of a person who well understands Balkan mindsets and who is not anti-Serb (I love Serbia and most Serb people!). As such, I consider Mr. Holbrooke's views and accounts very balanced, fair, and ethical. My suspicion is that the flames of reviewers own passions and biases enter here in large measure. This is a fascinating book written by an admirable civil servant. His inside accounts of dealings with Milosevic, Tudjmann, Izetbegovic and others are simply marvelous. I personally knew Nikola Koljevic, the suicide victim ex-Bosnian Serb VP and former chairman of the English Dept at the Univ. of Sarajevo and found Holbrooke's harsh treatment of Koljevic very believable. This is a balanced book for balanced people; unfortunately there are many Balkan natives with axes to grind who are not easily pleased.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In his book , "To End a War" Richard Holbrooke does an adequate job of giving insight as to the negotiations on the war in Bosnia. It helps to see the view of one who has spoken with and haggled with all major parties who settled the Bosnian "peace plan". Mr Holbrooke posessess a gret amount of confidence in his ideas and somerimes it is to the point of where he gives the impression of being pompus. An underlying theme that of course never fully brought to light by Mr. Holbrooke is the idea that the Americans are omnicent, a senior cabinet member or even the President spoke to the three parties, why to hear him tell it their mere prescence would solve all problems. However Mr. Holbrooke should have known and he was soon reminded that though the muslims, serbs and croats might be impressed with the prescence of Bill Clinton or one of his cabinent members that does not neccesarily mean that they are willing to comply. To think that some senior U.S. official can change the nature of ideas in the Balkans is ignorant conciet that can be classified as underestimating the opponent. However Holbrooke does do a good job of telling everything in his book, of being honest, some of the facts in the book where not very flattering no matter how god of a spin that he put on it. It almost seems from reading "To End a War" that peace will reign in Bosnia because Richard Holbrooke and the Americans - as well as their allies - will it and they will have it even if it requires being forceful and undiplomatic. To take issue with one final point in the book I must comment on Mr. Holbrooke anger at the Bosnian Serbs unwillingness to sign the Dayton Peace Accords. He said himself that he told Slobodan Milosevic that he would not negtiate at Dayton with the Bosnian Serbs at Dayton, they must accept the affer that was accepted by Milosevic, then he had the gall to wonder why Dayton was almost ruined by the peturbed Bosnian Serbs. Eventually they were coerced by Milosevic to accept the peace deal but Mr Holbrooke need not question why peace is so difficult to achieve in the Balkans. Mr. Holbrooke lets the reader gain the impression that he and Milosevic are good friends and he can work a deal with "Slobo" at just about any time but as people who keep up with current events know Milosevic can convince people left and right that he is making a deal with them but he can always work his way out of it. Aside from my personal thought as to th econtent of the book I do believe that the book is well written in the fact that it alows the reader to see the possible weaknessess of the negotiation process whether it is the authors intent or not. I guess the way in which Mr. Holbrooke tells about both the good and the bad of the negotiation process so that the reader can decide for themselves if Dayton had a positive outcame is what makes the book worth reading, as well as the background infrmation.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have read quite a few books about the troubles in Bosnia and Kosovo. None can rival this one for the insight into the problems of getting the three sides of the confict to get together and do the right thing for their people.
I was amazed to discover the difficulties experienced by the writer in convincing the "last super power" to get involved in the problem.
A top read. Recommended to anyone wishing to know the real difficulties that stood in the way of peace.
I was amazed to discover the difficulties experienced by the writer in convincing the "last super power" to get involved in the problem.
A top read. Recommended to anyone wishing to know the real difficulties that stood in the way of peace.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Over-rated
I've read a lot of books on the Balkan conflicts and this was by far the worst. R Holbrook obviously loves being a diplomat and much of the book is about his negotiating skills... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2009 by Amanda Stevens
Misleading title
Holbrooke's book provides some good insights in the Dayton peace talks which ultimately resulted in the Dayton Peace Agreement (December 1995). Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2006 by Rjm Theunens
Essential reading from Books on Bosnia
Those who thought of Holbrooke as simply an amoral diplomatic fixer will be pleasantly surprised by this book: he had strong views about the essential rights and wrongs of the... Read more
Published on 24 Feb 2000
A description of negotiations against genocide machinery
The West and the UN in some ways, abandoned the Bosnian people to the savagery emanating out of Belgrade and Nationalism. Read more
Published on 15 July 1999
Insight into foreign policy negotiating and decision makeing
This very detailed book describes how many critical decisions were made to end the Bosnian war. It tends to be facts from Holbrooke's perspective. Read more
Published on 11 July 1999
Good book - helpful under current circumstances in Kosovo
Initially, I thought that Mr. Holbrooke would be biased in his book against the Serbs as that seems to be the impression in the media and yet it was not the case. Read more
Published on 30 Jun 1999
Did We End a War?
The fighting in Bosnia has stopped. But it is too soon to tell whether a war was won.
Only when U.S. Read more
Published on 15 May 1999
Self-serving, excellent insight into the end of a tragedy
A first-hand account of the endgame in Bosnia, To End A War left me thinking at times that Mr. Holbrooke had succumbed to the same nationalist passions and irrational behavior he... Read more
Published on 2 May 1999
Modern diplomacy tutorial.
A superb insight and a fresh perspective on events that are still happening.
Published on 22 Mar 1999
Accurate first-hand Document.
Having just finished the german copy of this book, I still am very enthusiastic about it. It appears to be a pretty close and focused description on what happened in Bosnia and... Read more
Published on 19 Jan 1999
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography > Political
- Books > History > Britain & Ireland > British Heads of State > Richard I
- Books > History > World History
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Government & Politics > Countries & Regions > Europe > Eastern Europe
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Government & Politics > International Relations > Diplomacy
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Discrimination & Racism > Racism
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Warfare & Defence > War & Defence Operations > Peacekeeping
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
