From a former US government insider comes this suspenseful debut novel, centring on the intrigues, deceptions and temptations of Washington politics Peter Cutler is a respected Princeton professor living a quiet academic life when an old college friend makes him an offer he can't refuse: The position of foreign policy advisor for Democratic presidential candidate Wayne Kent. Cutler takes the job and eagerly jumps into the political fray. When Kent wins the election, Cutler is thrilled to find himself Under-Secretary of State. But he soon discovers that the power politics of Washington are a far cry from the comforts of university life. In order to survive, he must participate in a ruthless tug of war in which everyone struggles to promote his own agenda. As Cutler becomes increasingly absorbed in the underhanded tactics of bureaucratic survival and the charms of an old girlfriend working in the Pentagon, his initial foreign policy goals recede into the background. Ultimately, the allure and hypocrisy of political life cause him to alienate everyone he cares about- and to make one life-altering political miscalculation.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In this Washington novel of political intrigue, ultimate insider Nye, a Harvard professor and former deputy to the undersecretary of defense for international security affairs, eschews the action/adventure route to portray the rise and fall of one Peter Cutler, a likable, mild-mannered Princeton professor who helps out an old law school friend on a presidential campaign and finds himself rewarded with a job offer as undersecretary for security affairs. He takes the offer, of course, and therein lies the tale of his eventual ruin. We know from the beginning that the job is going to end badly: "Less than a month earlier, I was riding high. Now I was out. Fired." Cutler's downfall comes after he mishandles delicate negotiations involving Pakistan's transfer of nuclear weapons to Iran, a policy condemned by the U.S. government. Though he acts in what he considers the best interest of his country, the people of the world and a close Pakistani friend, his actions lead to death and disaster. This is a realistic, entertaining, thought-provoking novel in a genre not widely read these days, written by a respected author with an engaging style and an intimate knowledge of the territory.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"Nye delivers an entertaining tale of good intentions gone awry in the nation's capital." -- Washington Post Book World, November 7, 2004
"Nye understands power-its uses and abuses, its seductive and fleeting quality ... a fast-paced, knowing, compelling novel." -- Evan Thomas, Newsweek Assistant Managing Editor and Author of Robert Kennedy: His Life
"a realistic, entertaining, thought-provoking novel... written by a respected author with an engaging style and... intimate knowledge of the territory." -- Publisher's Weekly, September 27, 2004
"a taut but sensitive political thriller-ambition, betrayal, intrigue, terrorism, sex, it's all there. It has the freshness of tomorrow's headlines." -- Tina Brown
"beautifully crafted, poignantly told ... must reading for all who are tempted to make a pact with power" -- William S. Cohen, Former Secretary of Defense
"fun to read ... an entirely new perspective on the normally sober field of 'foreign affairs'." -- Richard Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations
"powerful ... [it contains] uncomfortable truths ... about how Washington can be in reality ... a cautionary tale ... colorful characters ... great suspense" -- Walter Isaacson, Author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and president of the Aspen Institute
"Nye understands power-its uses and abuses, its seductive and fleeting quality ... a fast-paced, knowing, compelling novel." -- Evan Thomas, Newsweek Assistant Managing Editor and Author of Robert Kennedy: His Life
"a realistic, entertaining, thought-provoking novel... written by a respected author with an engaging style and... intimate knowledge of the territory." -- Publisher's Weekly, September 27, 2004
"a taut but sensitive political thriller-ambition, betrayal, intrigue, terrorism, sex, it's all there. It has the freshness of tomorrow's headlines." -- Tina Brown
"beautifully crafted, poignantly told ... must reading for all who are tempted to make a pact with power" -- William S. Cohen, Former Secretary of Defense
"fun to read ... an entirely new perspective on the normally sober field of 'foreign affairs'." -- Richard Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations
"powerful ... [it contains] uncomfortable truths ... about how Washington can be in reality ... a cautionary tale ... colorful characters ... great suspense" -- Walter Isaacson, Author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and president of the Aspen Institute
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
funny indeed,
This review is from: The Power Game: A Washington Novel (Hardcover)
Wrote Joe Nye : "Alexa led me to the bed in the middle of the enormous room and pulled me down beside her. I kissed her breasts and ran my hand between her thighs. She gripped my shoulders tightly. Unlike the first time I made love to Alexa, when the ecstasy had been eroded by a sense of anxiety and uncertainty, I was sucked into this moment as quickly and completely as if I had placed my feet in quicksand. Memories from years ago blended with intense physical excitement in a driving, pounding torrent of passion."
Ridicule does not kill, but it can definitely lighten up your day!
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Riviting Tale,
By
This review is from: The Power Game: A Washington Novel (Hardcover)
This book is a thriller about Washington political life. I enjoyed the Power Game. I was clearly taken by this vision of the world of power and found myself drawn into it, not putting it down until the end. The "game" is a tough one and convincingly the hero looses sight of his own values, as he plays the game. In the process he has an affair, his marriage is in trouble and he loses his job. All this is very real - the was Washington must be. The ending leaves us with the hero's resolution to his problems. It is easy to identify with him, like him and understand how he got into this mess. The book doesn't pretend to be other than its genre. It's a wonderful read and I learned a lot about Washington DC.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Okay, but....,
This review is from: The Power Game: A Washington Novel (Hardcover)
The preface was intriging. Couldn't wait until chapter 1. Blah! I didn't really care about his favorite fishing hole. Chapter 2 and beyond were better. Fortunately, the context of the book really was about power and the games people play to get and keep it, so you won't be disappointed in that area. The end of the book was an absolute let down. Anti-climatic. Dull. A cop out. I would've given it 4 stars but the ending killed it. The absolutely worst ending I've ever seen in a book.
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