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The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made Kindle Edition

by Walter Isaacson (Author), Evan Thomas (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

935 ratings

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With a new introduction by the authors, this is the classic account of the American statesmen who rebuilt the world after the catastrophe of World War II.

A captivating blend of personal biography and public drama, The Wise Men introduces six close friends who shaped the role their country would play in the dangerous years following World War II.

They were the original best and brightest, whose towering intellects, outsize personalities, and dramatic actions would bring order to the postwar chaos and leave a legacy that dominates American policy to this day.

The Wise Men shares the stories of Averell Harriman, the freewheeling diplomat and Roosevelt’s special envoy to Churchill and Stalin; Dean Acheson, the secretary of state who was more responsible for the Truman Doctrine than Truman and for the Marshall Plan than General Marshall; George Kennan, self-cast outsider and intellectual darling of the Washington elite; Robert Lovett, assistant secretary of war, undersecretary of state, and secretary of defense throughout the formative years of the Cold War; John McCloy, one of the nation’s most influential private citizens; and Charles Bohlen, adroit diplomat and ambassador to the Soviet Union.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The authors, Time editors, chronicle the activities of six gifted friendsDean Acheson, Charles E. Bohlen, W. Averell Harriman, George Kennan, Robert Lovett, and John J. McCloywho were instrumental in developing U.S. diplomacy from the 1930s to the Vietnam War. Nurtured in the innocent internationalism of Woodrow Wilson, they applied their Ivy League educations to a variety of crises. Their successes outweighed their failures, and their service promoted the values of free trade, democratic capitalism, international cooperation, and pragmatism. Their lives provide a history of America's policy-making elite. But elitism breeds insularity, and the shift away from great wars between industrialized nations and toward small unit actions in wars of national liberation was not recognized by these men. Though superbly written, this book's primary value is anecdotal. James L . Jablonowski, History Dept., Marquette Univ., Milwaukee
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Must be read if we are to understand the postwar world.” -- Robert A. Caro, author of Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson

“A wealth of new information and insights on the people and events that shaped the first four decades of the Cold War.” ― The Boston Globe

“Isaacson and Thomas have fashioned a Cold War Plutarch.” ― San Francisco Chronicle

“A richly textured account of a class and of a historical period.” ― New York Times Book Review

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00768DB2S
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 28, 2012
Edition ‏ : ‎ Reissue
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 8.6 MB
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 873 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1439126530
Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #97,976 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #38 in Historical Russia Biographies
- #58 in Military Strategy History (Books)
- #59 in Military Strategy History (Kindle Store)
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935 ratings

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Evan Thomas
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Evan Thomas is one of the most respected historians and journalists writing today. He is the bestselling author of ten works of nonfiction: First: Sandra Day O’Connor, Being Nixon, Ike's Bluff, The War Lovers, Sea of Thunder, John Paul Jones, Robert Kennedy, The Very Best Men, The Man to See, and The Wise Men (with Walter Isaacson). Thomas was an editor and writer at Newsweek for 24 years, where he wrote more than a hundred cover stories.
Thomas has won numerous journalism awards, including a National Magazine Award in 1998. In 2005, his 50,000-word narrative of the 2004 election was honored when Newsweek won a National Magazine Award for the best single-topic issue.
Thomas is a fellow of the Society of American Historians and has taught writing at Princeton and Harvard. He is a graduate of Harvard and the University of Virginia Law School. He lives with his wife and two children in Washington, DC.
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Walter Isaacson
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Walter Isaacson is writing a biography of Elon Musk. He is the author of The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race; Leonardo da Vinci; Steve Jobs; Einstein: His Life and Universe; Benjamin Franklin: An American Life; The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution; and Kissinger: A Biography. He is also the coauthor of The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made. He is a Professor of History at Tulane, has been CEO of the Aspen Institute, chairman of CNN, and editor of Time magazine.
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935 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book fascinating and well-written, with deep historical information and great background research. Moreover, the book provides brilliant insights into 20th century diplomacy and the lives of these influential policymakers. Additionally, the storytelling is compelling, and customers appreciate the biography style, with one review highlighting the interconnected lives of the six subjects. Customers also value the book's literacy, with one noting it's a valuable addition to political science libraries.

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Readability Depth of information Writing quality History Insight Storytelling Biography style Literacy

62 customers mention "Readability"61 positive1 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as fascinating and a must-read, with one customer noting it's a must-read for concerned citizens.

"...Where are the Americans like this today? Great read!" Read more

"Great book, A must read for anyone wanting to find the truth." Read more

"The Wise Men by Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas was a great read. These were six really..." Read more

"...A very interesting book." Read more

39 customers mention "Depth of information"37 positive2 negative

Customers praise the book's depth of information, noting its great background research and historical facts, with one customer describing it as the most insightful set of interwoven biographies.

"Enjoyable and informative, strong details and sheds light on a worthy group" Read more

"Expert writers! Well done and researched. History friend loved this gift!" Read more

"Great information and insights into the lives of these men and their influence on our history and that of the world...." Read more

"great background research to 20th Century Cold War, Post Cold War" Read more

24 customers mention "Writing quality"24 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one describing it as a masterpiece of important historical writing.

"...This is an important book. It is well written. Every American citizen needs a better understanding of how our government works...." Read more

"...Well written and easy to read." Read more

"A well written book about the service of mainstream people post WW2. An interesting tale of service ....how have we gone so far afield today ???" Read more

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Isaacson and Thomas employ a writing style that keeps me wanting more...." Read more

23 customers mention "History"23 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's historical content, describing it as a critical account of the 20th century's geopolitical landscape, with one customer highlighting its detailed coverage of World War II era foreign policy.

"...United States was very fortunate for the intelligence, creativity, patriotism, determination, ethics, and efforts of the six men who are the book's..." Read more

"...of “The Establishment” and their (mostly) selfless contributions to international problem solving from the ‘40’s to the ‘80’s, this book puts today..." Read more

"...We see their strengths of brilliance, integrity and deep patriotism but also their weaknesses...." Read more

"...single president, war, or macroeconomic transitions, defined and executed US foreign policy, and by proxy, monetary policy for almost the entirety..." Read more

23 customers mention "Insight"21 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights, with one customer noting how it provides a fascinating study of influence and power, while another highlights how it gives great background on very powerful men.

"Truly wise men with exceptional service to the country." Read more

"...The United States was very fortunate for the intelligence, creativity, patriotism, determination, ethics, and efforts of the six men who are the book..." Read more

"...The best part about it, I think, is that the history lessons are learned by virtual osmosis for the remarkable stories of these men and their..." Read more

"...of world defining moments into clear focus and illustrate how effective six citizens can be...." Read more

15 customers mention "Storytelling"13 positive2 negative

Customers find the book's storytelling compelling, with one customer noting it provides an inside look at the men's lives, while another describes it as an interesting US historical account.

"An excellent narrative of how the USSR within the span of little more than a decade changed from a government not recognized by the United States,..." Read more

"...When coupled with the compelling story of six members of “The Establishment” and their (mostly) selfless contributions to international problem..." Read more

"...history lessons are learned by virtual osmosis for the remarkable stories of these men and their actions..." Read more

"...Isaacson and Evan Thomas have crafted a compelling and eminently readable narrative of how a relatively stable world order was created following..." Read more

11 customers mention "Biography style"10 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the biographical style of the book, with one review highlighting the wonderful collaboration between Thomas and Isaacson, while another notes how it presents six interconnected lives through personal stories.

"...The right schools, the right families and the right wealth played a large role in giving these six men the opportunity to shape the century...." Read more

"...It is also a portrait of six friends, to the manor born and lodged in high places within and without the US foreign policy establishment, who were..." Read more

"This is a wonderful collaboration by two eminent historians to write a concurrent biography of six men who featured prominently in American history..." Read more

"Very personal stories of the 6 Foreign Affairs carers and how that interested to build a lasting peace in Europe, and overstretched their welcome to..." Read more

8 customers mention "Literacy"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-written, with one customer noting it's a valuable addition to political science libraries and another highlighting its importance for understanding government.

"...This is an important book. It is well written. Every American citizen needs a better understanding of how our government works...." Read more

"...Most likely appreciated by the serious student of history as the work is lengthy." Read more

"...well written, of course - and the book will be a valuable addition to my political science library - and it is a must read for social scientists." Read more

"informative readable book about an important time in US history. parallels to today's headlines...." Read more

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Bruce in Fort Myers
Great look at 1920-1980
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2020
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

As someone who is to the right politically than the authors I was happily surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.

I felt as though the authors missed the boat with Reagan and his relationship to the soviets, thankfully it was a very small part of the overall book. The authors suffered from a 1980s liberal anathema of all things Reagan and history proved them wrong about the efficacy of his policies. The antipathy towards Reagan has the authors offering up an almost naive view of the Soviets and it was my only issue with the book. Common sense AND HISTORY proves my point and is shown by the benign attitude the authors have towards Yuri Andropov, a former KGB head and a serious problem regarding freedom for people in Eastern Europe, and for the world.

Having said my piece above I still give the book 5 stars due to how much I loved how the authors gave us the feel of the times and how our six heroes dealt with all of it's issues and crises.

Being a Dean Acheson fan I found his part of the book fascinating and it just reinforced all of my prior thoughts about this giant of the 20th century. I feel as if there should be a movie made of Acheson as a way to introduce him to today's students and others...but I know it will never happen. Anyone who doesn't know Dean Acheson should read some books by or about him.

Being a fan of the time period I of course was familiar with Averell Harriman, but I wasn't aware of exactly what a giant of the times he was. As the book progressed I found myself thinking that he was an opportunist, a man that wanted "it" to be all about him, but as the book progressed I came to respect him more and more. This is especially true when he did not get his coveted Secretary of State position and yet never tried to torpedo Acheson, who did get the job. This is so unlike today and that is a shame. Harriman kept on and kept on and I found him also fascinating. His desire for diplomatic means of solving problems was legendary.

I found Chip Bohlen to be totally enjoyable, cool and as "hip" as anyone from today...he came across as timeless. The picture of him and JFK driving down the street, Kennedy with his shades on and at the wheel showed the man perfectly.

Robert Lovett as someone I had never heard of and yet he was also a huge force during momentous times. Almost as rich as Harriman, but not nearly as stuffy, his part was a great part of the book as well.

As someone who followed foreign affairs a bit I was very familiar with George F, Kennan (Mr. X) but I was surprised by his being so sensitive with regard to being insecure. A great mind and perfect for the early cold war period.

John McCloy was someone who is so underrated when discussing historic people of the second half of the 20th century. He combined public and private service that could (and should) never be allowed today, but his contribution was huge and very positive and that is why so many presidents called on him for assistance.

Anyone who is interested in WWII, the Cold War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War should read this book. Anyone interested in high society in the 20s thru the 80s should read this book. It was a different time, but we would not be us without how well our country handled events and how these man contributed to the world.

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J. J. Charles
The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is an excellent book by Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas, two very good authors. The United States was very fortunate for the intelligence, creativity, patriotism, determination, ethics, and efforts of the six men who are the book's subjects. We Americans benefited from having them doing their best in a wide variety of critically important international affairs. Born at the outbreak of World War II, I remember their names in the news from about 1949 onward. When the U.S. was in a tight spot one or more of these men were called to counsel the President, Secretaries of State or Defense and others in the government hierarchy or to act on their behalf with other Heads of State such as Stalin or Churchill.

The book is both a history and a biography. The reader learns about the lives of each of the six from their prep school days on so we get an inkling of what basic values were inculcated into them and we see that these values molded their character and their lives.

In the course of things we also get a unique view of every President from Roosevelt to Johnson, and several others such as Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. This book has a cast of scores of fascinating people involved in scores of events over scores of years! A great book! Originally published in 1986, it was re-issued in 2012 with an new preface by the authors.

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5 people found this helpful

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Jay Harmon
Comprehensive and Engaging
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
As happens frequently in biographies, the authors fell in love with their subjects; praise for the 6 main members of the Cold War "Establishment" far outweighs criticism. Averell Harriman and Dean Acheson get the most thorough attention among the 6 subjects, and rightfully so.

I took away one star because the authors largely see the foreign policies of Republican presidents Ike, Nixon and Reagan through the eyes of the Wise Men, instead of objectively. Only when Nixon "comes to his senses" and asks Acheson and Harriman for advice does he receive some praise. Ike's foreign policy era is portrayed as one to be endured until the Wise Men are allowed back in the inner circle under JFK. Their total disdain for Reagan is clear; no mention of the reasons for end of the Cold War and Reagan's active part in it.

However, the 5-star section of the book is clearly the LBJ-Vietnam era. Wow, they really can't stand LBJ as a human being and politician, but his (and the Wise Men's) agony over the Vietnam war is written about almost lyrically. The authors convey the complicated global factors of the war in an admirable, even-handed, almost sympathetic way.

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72 people found this helpful

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Joan Atlas
A Spotlight on Public Service
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
There are politicians, and then there are the diplomats , advisors and experts and so many others that advise on and implement policies and decisions. History needs to record the service of these people if only provide a goal or measurement for the future. These men served over a forty year period that included world war, the atomic bomb, the State of Israel, the Korean war, The Viet Nam war and the cold war. They served under presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. This is an important book. It is well written. Every American citizen needs a better understanding of how our government works. This highly readable book would be a good place to start.

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3 people found this helpful

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Bill Kelly
Great Post War Narrative
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2024
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Isaacson and Thomas employ a writing style that keeps me wanting more. When coupled with the compelling story of six members of “The Establishment” and their (mostly) selfless contributions to international problem solving from the ‘40’s to the ‘80’s, this book puts today’s World into historical perspective. Where are the Americans like this today? Great read!

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Top reviews from other countries

Aditya Jadhav
Three Stars
Reviewed in India on September 12, 2015
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Average

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Joseph Myren
AWESOME
Reviewed in Canada on December 7, 2023
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AWESOME

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dan
Comprehensive
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 6, 2018
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A good walkthrough recent American history

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Manoucher Madani
Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on January 31, 2017
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Perfect

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Inara
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2015
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Everyone should read this book - how America & Israel shaped and own the financial markets

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5.0 out of 5 stars Great look at 1920-1980

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and Engaging

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spotlight on Public Service

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Post War Narrative

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3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

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Great look at 1920-1980

The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made

Comprehensive and Engaging

A Spotlight on Public Service

Great Post War Narrative

Three Stars

AWESOME

Comprehensive

Five Stars

Five Stars