by Jay Winik
First published 1996
The Cold War reaches its most dangerous point as Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev face off across a world divided by ideology and bristling with nuclear weapons. In Washington's power corridors, four key figures shape American policy through backroom confrontations and closed-door strategy sessions. The action moves from tense missile deployments in Europe to guerrilla conflicts in Central America, from furious diplomatic battles at the United Nations to clandestine jungle meetings. As both superpowers teeter on the edge of confrontation, the drama builds toward the most crucial summit in modern history at Iceland's Hofdi House. Reagan must balance his advisors' competing visions while Gorbachev struggles with his own Kremlin hardliners. The fate of two nations and the world itself hangs in the balance as these leaders attempt to step back from nuclear catastrophe. This is the story of how personal courage and political calculation intersected during the decade that would determine whether the Cold War ended in peace or destruction.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, political-thriller, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, political-intrigue
Setting: Washington, Europe, Central America, United Nations, Iceland
Period: Cold War
672 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster