A World Transformed

It was one of the pivotal times of the 20th century -- during George Bush's presidency, an extraordinary series of international events took place that materially changed the face of the world. Now, former president Bush and his national security advisor, Brent Scowcroft, tell the story of those tumultuous years.Here are behind-the-scenes accounts of critical meetings in the White House and of summit conferences in Europe and the United States, interspersed with excerpts from Mr. Bush's diary. We are given fresh and intriguing views of world leaders such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Kohl, and Francois Mitterrand -- and witness the importance of personal relationships in diplomacy. There is the dramatic description of how President Bush put together the alliance against Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War. There are the intensive diplomatic exchanges with Beijing following the events of Tiananmen Square, and the intricate negotiations leading up to German reunification. And there is the sometimes poignant, sometimes grim portrayal of Gorbachev's final years in power. "A World Transformed" is not simply a record of accomplishment; Bush and Scowcroft candidly recount how the major players sometimes disagreed over issues, and analyze what mistakes were made. This is a landmark book on the conduct of American foreign policy -- and how that policy is crucial to the peace of the world. It is a fascinating inside look at great events that deepens our understanding of today's global issues.

Review :
"In a strong new book, the ex-president recalls dangerous days...It should leave little doubt how lucky we were that we had such a seasoned hand on the tiller at a time when foreign policy really counted." --Michael R. Beschloss, "Newsweek "Among the finest expositions of modern American foreign policy since the time of Harry Truman...An excellent book...unique in form...[dealing with] potentially explosive crises. Any one of them, if badly managed, could have precipitated a third world war in a nuclear setting." --Eugene V. Rostow, "Wall Street Journal "It reveals a wealth of detail about the main lines of U.S. foreign policy at the highest level during a most portentous period of our history...There is much high drama here [and] plenty even for experts to learn." --Adam Garfinkle, "Philadelphia Inquirer "A memorable memoir...A compelling look at some very important historical developments...Remarkably candid as well as occasionally self-critical...Supplemented with a series of revealing and heretofore unpublished excerpts from Bush's White House diaries." --Richard S. Dunham, "Business Week "The most important book yet written about the end of the Cold War...Remarkably frank, intelligent and also readable, indeed at times gripping." --Fareed Zakaria, "New York Times Book Review "From the Hardcover edition.