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No Higher Honor: A Memoir Of My Years In Washington (2011)

by Condoleezza Rice(Favorite Author)

3.79 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0307952479 (ISBN13: 9780307952479)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Crown

review 1: I have read several biographies about Condoleezza Rice, now I shall obtain the information from her via this memoir. Rice always appears gracious, well poised, intelligent and well dressed. The other books I read provided a good deal of information about her childhood and education. I am most interested in learning about her time as national security advisor and Secretary of State. The book is long at 750 pages. I read these types of books to obtain knowledge therefore I keep an open mind while reading.The book appears to be a comprehensive look at the foreign policy strategy of the Bush administration. Rice defends many key decisions; she also acknowledges the mistakes and missteps made along the way. Rice admits that the administration mishandled concerns about th... moree Kyoto climate change treaty and failed to respond positively, after the September 11 attacks, to NATO’s invocation of the “article five” that it was considered an attack on all NATO states. Rice reveals that the well-publicized dispute with Cheney and Rumsfeld were not personal but simply business-- policy differences. Cheney and Rumsfeld lambasted Rice in their books. She is more polite than they were insisting the difference were about policy not personality. As secretary of State she points out the nuclear pact with India and the disarming of Qaddafi, to the passionate commitment to Africa: programs to fight AIDS, development of grants, and pressure to reduce killings in Darfur. Rice did not reveal much about her personal life but I did notice two things that were important to her, prayer and exercise.The book is written in a matter of fact style of the Academic, which of course, she is, as her professorship at Sanford University indicates. She writes as if she is an ordinary person talking to you over tea. She writes with clarity. One thing I learned from the book is what the National Security Advisor does. I compliment her on the following: that she respected other person opinions and she gave credit to her deputies and assistants, which is rare to see in memoirs these days. I read this as an audio book downloaded from Audible. Rice narrated the book. I can recommend this book to anyone interested in history or political science.
review 2: I enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good rebuttal to the Cheney book and his changes against both her and the President. Rice is a good writer, her style is easy to read. While our politics are not in alignment, I have the highest respect for her. It is in my nature to read books written by people whose political opinion I don't always agree with but feel I need to understand their viewpoint as they were making decisions I disagreed with. This book in particular falls into that category, as do all the books I read following the end of the Bush administration. I feel strongly if one reads only those books that agree with their opinions, how are they ever to expand their horizons and make room for new ideas to enter their all too often thick skulls. less

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