A World Transformed

It was one of the pivotal times of the twentieth 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 François 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.

"This is the most important book yet written about the end of the cold war. A World Transformed is.... remarkably frank, intelligent and also readable, indeed at times gripping. One gets a vivid sense of the atmosphere at the White House during these tumultuous years."
--Fareed Zakaria, The New York Times Book Review

"A World Transformed is an excellent book, which should help to reinforce the nation's commitment to the Truman-Acheson foreign policy that has served the U.S. and its allies so well for so long."
--Eugene V. Rostow, The Wall Street Journal


With 16 pages of illustrations.

CONTENTS

1. Past and Prologue
2. From Theory to Practice
3. Leading the Alliance
4. Untying a Knot
5. Radishes
6. Hope and Revolution
7. Ends and Beginnings
8. A German Question
9. A Careful Dance
10. Toward Common Ground
11. The Face of a New Europe
12. Summit and Solutions
13. This Will Not Stand
14. Shield and Sword
15. A Delicate Balance
16. Holding the Course
17. Through a Cacophony
18. Desert Storm
19. After the Storm
20. A House Divides
21. Coup
22. Withering into History