THING OF STATE: A Novel [Hardcover]

Allen Drury (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 1995

U.S. Secretary of State Raymond Cass Stanley faces the ultimate challenge when he is forced to confront the leader of an oil-rich Middle East country that has obtained nuclear weapons and threatens to invade a neighboring nation. 35,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his 13th novel about the inner machinations of Washington, Drury, whose Advise and Consent won a Pulitzer, conjurs up a believable worst-case scenario about the consequences of our failure to bring the Gulf War to a satisfactory end. By 1999, Sidi bin Sidi bin Sidi, the power-crazed Middle Eastern dictator of fictional Greater Lolome, has managed to acquire several atomic bombs and is blackmailing the free world, demanding dominion over oil-rich neighbor Lesser Lolome. Confronted with possible global (and personal) disaster, the self-centered U.S. president shrewdly and sinisterly sees the threat as an opportunity to reestablish his popularity and ensure reelection. So by default, Secretary of State Ray Shepard, a patriotic career diplomat, is faced with the dilemma of saving the country-and the world. With a cast of nicely fleshed-out stereotypes from the executive and legislative branches and the media, and with a roll call of world powers along embassy row and at the U.N., Drury provides an intriguing and gossipy insider's reminder of the ever-present atomic predicament. Despite an overly expository beginning and prose that occasionally resembles a jungle thicket, the narrative quickly gathers pace and sweeps readers along toward a chilling conclusion.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The crisis behind Drury's didactic purpose--condemning American vacillation in foreign affairs--erupts in a fictional Arab country. Poverty-stricken Greater Lolomecovets its oil-rich neighbor, Lesser Lolome; and sadistic ruler "Seedy" Sidi bin Sidi bin Sidi has a few atomic bombs with which to enforce his ambition to unify the two states. Scene shift to Washington: in favor of caving in stands the president, while the secretary of state wants to take a stand against international brigandage. In the battle over policy, each official scrambles to have his spin on the course America should take published in the media, and the president ultimately pulls off a bizarre public relations stunt that gives Sidi everything he wants. That buildup to a higher cynicism achieves Drury's intent of decrying America's fecklessness about using power in recent years, but as to a signal achievement in the political thriller field, this novel is too much a message to add much to the medium. Yet, the author's reputation from Advise and Consent (1960) could tap into many readers for this novel. Gilbert Taylor

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; 1st Edition - Print Run edition (September 18, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684807025
• ISBN-13: 978-0684807027
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,676,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I can't help but notice. . ., September 18, 2002

By 

David Zampino "21st Century Hobbit" (Delavan, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: THING OF STATE: A Novel (Hardcover)

. . .that all previous reviews were written prior to September 11, 2001.

Once again, Allen Drury, the 20th century master of the political novel, has demonstrated that his analysis of soon-to-be events is frighteningly accurate.

While this novel is no "Advise and Consent", it nevertheless deserves attention and careful reading. (And the cameo appearances of characters in some of his earlier novels is amusing for those who have been following his books for years).

Somehow, I'm glad that Mr. Drury passed away prior to the events of last September. I suspect that he would have been grieved to have been, once again, proven right.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Fair At Best!, July 11, 2001

By 

bobbewig (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: THING OF STATE: A Novel (Hardcover)

Drury has written this book in the same style as Advise and Consent and some of his earlier bestsellers, but that's where the comparison ends. A Thing Of State only mildly holds your attention. Too little happens over long passages to keep you engrossed. On a few occasions I even thought about giving up on it. While Drury continues to demonstrate his strong knowledge of high level politics (although you might not agree with his personal opinions), my basic reaction to this is WHO CARES if he's not telling a story that sustains my interest. Save your time and money and read something else.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Fair At Best!, July 6, 2001

By 

bobbewig - See all my reviews

This review is from: THING OF STATE: A Novel (Hardcover)

Drury has written this book in the same style as Advise and Consent and some of his earlier bestsellers, but that's where the comparison ends. A Thing Of State only mildly holds your attention. Too little happens over long passages to keep you engrossed. On a few occasions I even thought about giving up on it. While Drury continues to demonstrate his strong knowledge of high level politics (although you might not agree with his personal opinions), my basic reaction to this is WHO CARES if he's not telling a story that sustains my interest. Save your time and money and read something else.