Book of the Week: “Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the ARt of Middle East Diplomacy”

With the countless books written about Henry Kissinger, it is hard to find anything new these days contributing in a substantive or even interesting new way to his legacy, the history he was a part of, and the history he made. But there is a sparkling new exception to this rule, Martin Indyk's "Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of the Middle East." Richly detailed and written in a highly engaging and witty style, Indyk vividly illustrates how Kissinger dealt with the multiple Middle Eastern crises' launching the US' numerous efforts over the years to bring peace to the region. Moreover, he gives a foundational history to the US' concerted and oft-failed efforts to bring peace and stability to the region.

I came away from reading this book having learned more about Kissinger's thinking, strategies, and tactics in this Indyk's book than virtually every other Kissinger biography I have read (and I've read quite a few). Indyk does not write a dry hagiography of Kissinger but keeps it honest and human. We see how Kissinger somehow balanced the extreme tensions, egos, and demands of the multiple and very different Arab states versus a still young Israel fighting for its survival. All the great names of the age are there: Sadat, Meir, Hussain, Brezhnev, Nixon. And we see all sides of Kissinger: At times sly, other times brutally frank with both Arab and Israeli leaders, as well as the Kissinger who made mistakes and had to move hard and fast to correct himself and the policies he proposed.

If there is one criticism of the book, it is the sheer amount of detail that can be slightly overpowering at times. Indyk took extraordinary time and painstaking effort to get the overall historical account correct, as well as the innumerable small but critical conversations, meetings, and interactions.

But what helps bring a unique perspective to the book is Indyk's own experiences working for US-Palestinian peace efforts over the years. A former US Ambassador to Israel and a senior aide to then-President Obama, Indyk can compare and contrast what happened during Kissinger's time versus what Obama and Indyk encountered and attempted to achieve.

This is the book to read for those fascinated by the complexities of Middle Eastern politics and history and the United States' efforts to bring greater peace and stability to the region.