Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell - Hardcover

Deyoung, Karen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1400041708 ISBN 13: 9781400041701

Publisher: Alfred a Knopf Inc, 2006

Synopsis

The first definitive biography of the powerful soldier-statesman follow's Colin Powell's life from his Jamaican roots and youth in the Bronx, through his decorated career in the army and as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to his role as secretary of state and abrupt departure from the post. 200,000 first printing. First serial, The Washington Post.

About this title

Review

" Judicious, thorough, unstinting . . . Karen DeYoung's fine new biography, with its privileged glimpses into policy battles and high-level backbiting in the Bush administration, is sure to be one of this year's top newsmaking books."
--David Walton, "Dallas Morning News
"
" It becomes clear that Powell--who harbored serious doubts about the wisdom of invasion and who frequently found himself an outsider in an administration dominated by neo-conservative hawks--was prescient about a host of issues, from the difficulties of rebuilding a postwar Iraq to the need for higher troop levels and multilateral support."
--Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times
"
" DeYoung . . . imbues this story with narrative tension and a steady accumulation of detail that shows exactly how [Powell] allowed himself to be used, mastered and then cast aside by his antagonists in the administration . . . A fascinating study in bureaucratic maneuvering, groupthink and subtle self-deception."
--George Packer, "Washington Post Book World
"
" The most explosive book of the fall. An early look reveals . . . new information about the White House's preparation for war, internecine conflicts within the war Cabinet, and--most surprising--Powell's account of his unceremonious exit from the administration."
--"Esquire
"
" DeYoung brings nuance and psychological depth to her analysis."
--Gary Kamiya, "Salon"
" The story of a good soldier sacrificed . . . An excellent study in leadership--and lack thereof."
--"Kirkus"
" Diligent, sympathetic, but not uncritical . . .It doesn't pull punches."
--Joseph Lelyveld, "New York Review of Books
"
" DeYoung comes into her own . . . discussing Powell's brief flirtation with presidential politics and the bureaucratic infighting that has characterized this Bush administration from the start . . . Sheds further light on a story whose broad outlines are well-known."
--Tim Rutten, The "Los Angeles Times
"
" A consistently interesting recollection of [Powell' s] varied career, shot through with heavy doses of duty, honor, and rectitude."
--"The Atlantic Monthly
"
" DeYoung covers Powell's entire career in this nuanced, comprehensively researched first complete biography . . . DeYoung presents her subject as above all a soldier."
--"Publishers Weekly
"

"From the Hardcover edition."

"Judicious, thorough, unstinting . . . Karen DeYoung's fine new biography, with its privileged glimpses into policy battles and high-level backbiting in the Bush administration, is sure to be one of this year's top newsmaking books."
--David Walton, "Dallas Morning News
"
"It becomes clear that Powell--who harbored serious doubts about the wisdom of invasion and who frequently found himself an outsider in an administration dominated by neo-conservative hawks--was prescient about a host of issues, from the difficulties of rebuilding a postwar Iraq to the need for higher troop levels and multilateral support."
--Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times
"
"DeYoung . . . imbues this story with narrative tension and a steady accumulation of detail that shows exactly how [Powell] allowed himself to be used, mastered and then cast aside by his antagonists in the administration . . . A fascinating study in bureaucratic maneuvering, groupthink and subtle self-deception."
--George Packer, "Washington Post Book World
"
"The most explosive book of the fall. An early look reveals . . . new information about the White House's preparation for war, internecine conflicts within the war Cabinet, and--most surprising--Powell's account of his unceremonious exit from the administration."
--"Esquire
"
"DeYoung brings nuance and psychological depth to her analysis."
--Gary Kamiya, "Salon"
"The story of a good soldier sacrificed . . . An excellent study in leadership--and lack thereof."
--"Kirkus"
"Diligent, sympathetic, but not uncritical . . . It doesn't pull punches."
--Joseph Lelyveld, "New York Review of Books
"
"DeYoung comes into her own . .. discussing Powell's brief flirtation with presidential politics and the bureaucratic infighting that has characterized this Bush administration from the start . . . Sheds further light on a story whose broad outlines are well-known."
--Tim Rutten, The "Los Angeles Times
"
"A consistently interesting recollection of [Powell's] varied career, shot through with heavy doses of duty, honor, and rectitude."
--"The Atlantic Monthly
"
"DeYoung covers Powell's entire career in this nuanced, comprehensively researched first complete biography . . . DeYoung presents her subject as above all a soldier."
--"Publishers Weekly
"

"From the Hardcover edition."

"DeYoung's written a portrait of Powell that is as revealing as it can be and remain flattering, and as flattering as it can be and remain revealing. And she's written it very well."--"The New York Times""Diligent, sympathetic, but not uncritical. . . . It doesn't pull punches." --"The New York Review of Books""A fascinating study in bureaucratic maneuvering, groupthink and subtle self-deception." --"The Washington Post Book World""Judicious, thorough, unstinting . . . with its privileged glimpses into policy battles and high-level backbiting in the Bush administration, ["Soldier"] is sure to be one of this year's top newsmaking books."--"The Dallas Morning News"

DeYoung s written a portrait of Powell that is as revealing as it can be and remain flattering, and as flattering as it can be and remain revealing. And she's written it very well. The New York Times Diligent, sympathetic, but not uncritical. . . . It doesn t pull punches. The New York Review of Books A fascinating study in bureaucratic maneuvering, groupthink and subtle self-deception. The Washington Post Book World Judicious, thorough, unstinting . . . with its privileged glimpses into policy battles and high-level backbiting in the Bush administration, [Soldier] is sure to be one of this year s top newsmaking books. The Dallas Morning News"

About the Author

Karen DeYoung is an associate editor at The Washington Post, where she has held a number of senior editing positions and served as a foreign policy reporter in Washington and correspondent abroad. She is the recipient of numerous awards for foreign correspondence and for diplomatic and explanatory journalism, including the 2002 Pulitzer Prize given to the Post for national coverage of the war on terrorism. A graduate of the University of Florida, she lives in Washington, D.C.

About this edition

• Publisher: Alfred a Knopf Inc
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1400041708
• ISBN 13: 9781400041701
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 610