First published 2011
Condoleezza Rice opens her account as a Birmingham native who rose from the Civil Rights era to become George W. Bush's most trusted foreign policy advisor. She takes readers inside the White House on September 11, 2001, revealing the administration's scramble to protect America after the attacks. Rice describes her role harmonizing feuding cabinet members while advising the president on Afghanistan and Iraq. The book follows her testimony before the 9-11 Commission in 2004, where tough questions about national preparedness put her under intense scrutiny. As Secretary of State from 2005, Rice managed crises with Iran, North Korea, and Libya while preventing conflicts between Pakistan and India, Russia and Georgia from exploding into war. She reveals secret negotiations over Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Lebanon, showing how close the world came to chaos. Rice offers candid assessments of administration colleagues and foreign leaders she encountered, demonstrating how history unfolds through personal relationships and split second decisions.
Genres: history, political-science, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: insider-perspective, personal-relationships
Setting: Afghanistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, North Korea, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia
Period: 2001, 2004, 2005
784 pages · Hardcover · Crown