This book is the step by step discussion of the major foreign affaire issues that took place during first Bush presidency. To say this book is detailed would be to say the Battan Death March was a "tough hike". The book covers the years 1989 to 1991, more specifically (only) the massacre at Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the USSR, and the Gulf War. The book is written in an interesting way - Bush and Scowcroft give their views on each of the issues and then combine for a third voice that gives more of a back ground commentary. We also get some of Bush's "dear diary" entries, which given he wrote the book, I wonder if we saw the original entries. This style does make the book more readable, although Scowcroft's writing could compete in excitement with watching grass grow.

Bush does come across as an excellent statesman in dealing with world leaders. He presents a warm down home type of President that worked with some of the leaders he dealt with. The reader also gets an interesting insight into some of the leaders that Bush dealt with (Hussain, Gorbachev and Kohl) to name a few. In the details of the Gulf War, he also comes off as being a skillful negotiator that kept the war effort together. I think it also shows that to be a good world leader you must develop personal relationships with other world leaders. Bush comes off as such a good foreign policy man that it almost adds to the impression that he had no clue what was going on at home.

Again, the book was full of details - - too much dry detail at times. Some of the talk about how minor issues were resolved could have been left on the cutting room floor and the book would have been the better for it. I did feel that we were short-changed on the Tiananmen Square uprising in China. I also felt that there was just too much time spent on Russia that could have been spent covering the Panama Invasion or the start of the Somalia effort. Overall, the book was very detailed and interesting. As it was almost a memoir, I would look to a few other books on the topics to form of full opion of the issues, as the author's may have been a bit bias.

Although they left office only six years ago, it seems the world they describe is nothing like the one today. The collapse of communism, the Gulf War, and the crackdown in China seem so far removed from the current Balkan battles and Asian/Russian economic woes.

The book is much more than a "kiss and tell" biography of the life and times of two during the Cold War. Bush and Scowcroft wisely limited their discussion to only a few matters and that allowed them to cover in more depth these important events than so many "What I Did in the White House" books that are on the market. Still, the hard core foreign affairs scholar may be seeking much more, but I think this is an important read for anyone wanting to know "how it was" at the end of the Cold War.

The book provides insight into these decisions that I found refreshing to read. It showed the personal nature that is important to diplomacy, and it spoke a great deal about trust. I don't want to sound too political because this is going to be the best history of one of the most important times since the end of World War II, but as you read about the negotiations and "first name" diplomacy practiced with incredible skill and character, you won't want to put down this book and read the newspapers because you'll just feel depressed about the current state of the Presidency.

As a friend of mine said, who hasn't yet finished the book, "It makes you long for the days when adults were in the White House."

Columnist Eric Alterman of "The Nation" recently and sneeringly labeled former President George Bush a "do nothing patrician."

Alterman and others who believe that might or might not change their views if they read "A World Transformed," an excellent history of an administration that squarely faced and carefully guided this country through one of the most difficult and tremendous events in history--the ending of the Cold War on the West's terms, with all of the broad social, philosophical and political ramifications that it implied. But they would be wise to open this book. They might learn something.

Bush and former administration national security adviser Brent Scowcroft commmunicate in a easygoing, thoughtful but dignified and decisive manner, about everything from Mikhail Gorbachev to Desert Storm to the economy, an approach that has practically disappeared amid the spectacle of a White House now dominated by a politically correct spoils system, perpetual poll-driven indecision and celebrity-obsessed pandering.

Bush and Scowcroft freely admit their shortcomings and mistakes without rationalization, rancor or excuse and their work should, if nothing else, reaffirm the truth of Bush Labor Secretary Lynn Martin's 1992 campaign statement, "You can't be one kind of man and another kind of President."

Reading this book has really awakened me to how dangerously high a price we are now paying for not heeding those words.

I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed in this book. Being an admirer of Condoleeza Rice, I was really looking forward to reading her life story. However the book reads more like a very very long and protracted resume rather than a story about someone's life. I think I expected to learn more about Dr Rice the person, rather than all the political accomplishments. For me, (and perhaps many others who like biographies/ autobiographies) reading stories about people, how they think, how they approach life, their dreams, their joys and sorrows and of course their accomplishments has always been inspirational. One gets the sense however, that the author of this book does not really know Dr Rice and writes about her "from a distance" per say. I guess I'll just have to wait for the autobiography.

I read the book with both admiration and agitation. I admire Dr. Rice's accomplishments. She's definitely not your average American, black or white, male or female. But the book was written to convince the American public that she is a reputable and capable presence in the White House, a "testing of the waters" to see if the public will consider her on a Presidential ticket. While Dr. Rice has accomplished much, her contributions to the human public have been just as orchestrated as her formal education.

The author's style will keep a middle school reader entertained(My 11 year old is reading it now). But the entire book reads like an advertising brochure. I suspect in 50 years, Dr. Rice will be canonized!

Can Condoleeza Rice really be just one person? National Security Advisor, Former Stanford Provost, Tenured Stanford Professor, Hoover Fellow, accomplished classical pianist, figure skater, football fanatic, and the list goes on...

Felix does a good job chronicling Rice's ascension from Birmingham to Denver to Palo Alto and eventually Washington D.C. The book is chock full of insights from family, fellow professors, and Washington colleagues. One the more interesting vignettes described a Old West style "staredown" between Rice and Boris Yeltsin at the White House steps.

A fascinating read about a potential Presidential candidate.

If you'd really like something well-written on the subject, try The German Predicament: Memory and Power in the New Europe (Cornell UP, 1997). by Andrei S. Markovits [with Simon Reich; also available in German and Dutch translations].

Markovitz leaves Zelikow & Rice in the dust.

While it seems that you either hate or love this book, this "liberal with half a brain" or maybe more than half, found it interesting and well written. It added to my information about this fascinating period of change in the world. Well researched from two insiders points of view. When reading, you have to remember the background of the writers and not take everything as gospel. If you're interested in gathering information about how things work, this is a good book to read.

Condi Rice and Philip Zelikow take you behind the scenes of this most historic event, and they do so in an intelligent and insightful way. One can see reading this book why Rice is now the National Security Adivsor to President George Bush following in the footsteps of such greats as Kissinger and Scowcroft. The best book on this subject out there, every college and university should have this GREAT book in their libraries! WONDERFUL READ! INSIGHTFUL! INTELLIGENT! THOUGHT PROVOKING! Only a liberal with half a brain wouldn't enjoy it...