Leadership

Henry Kissinger, monumental diplomat and statesman, examines the strategies of five great twentieth century figures and brings to a life of unifying theory of leadership and diplomacy.

In Leadership, Henry Kissinger presents a deeply insightful study of five impactful leaders in modern history: Charles de Gaulle, Konrad Adenauer, Margaret Thatcher, Richard Nixon, and Lee Kuan Yew. Grounded not only in his deep study of history, but distinguished career in government, Kissinger — who himself transformed American diplomacy as we know it — pulls back the curtain to expose the true politics and masterful strategies of these great geopolitical minds. What results is a brilliant and complex portrait of leadership, refracted through the lives of very different subjects.

Looking far beyond their most well-known victories and defeats, Kissinger contextualizes their strategies over the scope of their lives — from their rise to power to controversies and detractors, to contemporary challenges and greater reckonings over their global positions. From Kissinger's unique vantage point, and through his personal relationships with his subjects, we see not only the impact of these far-sighted statesmen during their period in power, but the aftermath.

Throughout, Kissinger offers invaluable lessons on leadership in times of war and peace, and reveals the inner workings of modern diplomatic tug-of-war. Essential reading for all hoping to understand and engage with our current and future global challenges, Leadership is a stunning meditation on leadership itself, from one of our most legendary statesmen.