From Publishers Weekly
Part memoir, part history, part essay, this is a lively, anecdotal account of Attwood's involvement in the Cold War as a journalist and diplomat. A foreign correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune after World War II, he became editor of Look and later publisher of Newsday. Attwood refers to his 40 years' experience as a jumble of unrelated happenings, and his sprawling account does not lend itself to brief summarization, for it includes descriptions of meetings with world leaders, an around-the-world tour with Adlai Stevenson (which led to his appointment as ambassador to Guinea and later to Kenya) and his unchaperoned wanderings behind the Iron Curtain. Attwood's refreshingly informal style, his sense of humor, his keen eye and ear make this an enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable read. The memoir is far more than mellow reminiscence, however: Attwood is devastating in his remarks about the insanity of the arms race and American obtuseness toward the Russians. As a people, he observes, "we seem to have decided to stop thinking." (July
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Like George Seldes in Witness to a Century (LJ 6/1/87), Attwood, former editor of Look and publisher of Newsday , has written a fascinating anecdotal memoir of the Cold War. Blending a history of events from 1946 to the present with his involvement in those events, both as journalist and ambassador to Guinea and Kenya, Attwood offers major insights into the character of the political leaders who shaped the history of this period. Like Seldes, Attwood traveled worldwide, witnessed many changes firsthand, and interviewed world leaders. Also, like Seldes, Attwood is not afraid to criticize public figures, particularly President Reagan. Valuable both for its anecdotes and its insights into the history of this ongoing conflict; recommended for both public and academic libraries. Louis Vyhanek, Washington State Univ. Lib., Pullman
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
