First published 1987
A congressional aide finds himself at the center of a high-stakes political war when lawmakers introduce a resolution demanding that America and the Soviet Union freeze their nuclear weapons programs. The year is 1982, and the proposal sends shockwaves through Washington. The aide watches as representatives and senators clash with the White House over who controls arms control policy. Behind closed doors, he witnesses the maneuvering, deal-making, and ideological battles that determine whether this bold peace initiative will survive. The resolution calls for both superpowers to negotiate a mutual and verifiable stop to the arms race, but getting there requires navigating a minefield of competing interests, political calculations, and bureaucratic warfare. The aide must choose sides as Congress and the executive branch fight for control over America's nuclear future.
Genres: 20th-century, political-science, political-thriller, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, political-intrigue
Setting: Washington
Period: 1982
368 pages · Paperback · University of Massachusetts Press