The Atlantic and Its Enemies: A History of the Cold War

Description

'Opinionated, mischievous, enthralling . . . rattles across one world-shaking scene of upheaval after another . . . an exhilarating read' Boyd Tonkin, Independent 'Lively, idiosyncratic, rollicking' Geoffrey Wheatcroft, Observer This is Norman Stone's personal, uncompromising and provocative history of how the West won the Cold War. With wit and brio, he offers a unique perspective on events from Vietnam to glasnost, and draws on his own experiences - such as his time in a Slovak prison - to show both the tragedy and the absurdity of the struggle that divided the world for over forty years. 'Masterly . . . the one book that anyone who wants to understand the cold war must read. Using his vast but lightly worn learning, Stone conjures up the Marshall Plan, the death of Stalin, Khrushchev and Berlin-Cuba-Vietnam, the Sixties, Nixon in China, Reagan and Thatcher, the collapse of communism and the non-ending of history that ensued' John Gray, New Statesman 'A swashbuckling survey of the cold war' Mark Mazower, Financial Times 'Facts, anecdotes, bon mots and sparkling insights . . . he has a terrific eye for detail, bringing to life everything from the ruins of Germany to Ronald Reagan's White House with a wonderfully waspish turn of phrase' Economist

Norman Stone is one of Britain's most celebrated historians. He is the author of The Eastern Front, 1914-1917, Hitler, Europe Transformed and World War One: A Short History. He has taught at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Bilkent, where he is now Director of the Turkish-Russian Centre.

This book is a brilliant chronicling of the Atlantic's counter-attack and its dsorry prelude - a forthright, brave history, full of wit and humanity, and readable to a degree that will delight all but the green-eyed -- Allan Mallinson * The Times * An intellectual autobigoraphy concealed within a major history book ... a powerful alternative to the Left 'liberal' reading of Cold War history, without sounding in the least triumphalist -- Michael Burleigh * The Spectator * Stone's eye for the telling detail gives his account of the cold war years an edge of authenticity lacking from more conventional histories ... the one book that anyone who wants to understand the cold war as it developed must read -- John Gray * New Statesman * He paints on a broad canvas, showing how the Cold War unfolded ... [he] also delves into less obvious topics for a Cold War book ... Mr. Stone doesn't stop to address the contemporary crisis, but The Atlantic and Its Enemies is an inspiring reminder that the West has risen to meet such challenges before, helped at crucial moments by bold leaders -- William Anthony Hay * Wall Street Journal *