Overview

The dramatic, first-hand account of the historic 1986 Reagan-Gorbachev summit in Iceland--the definitive weekend that was the key turning point in the Cold War--by President Reagan's arms control director, Ken Adelman. In October 1986, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met for a forty-eight-hour summit in Reykjavik, Iceland. Planned as a short, inconsequential gathering to outline future talks, the meeting quickly turned to major international issues, including the strategic defense initiative and the possibility of eliminating all nuclear weapons--negotiations that laid the groundwork for the most sweeping arms accord in history the following year. Scrupulously researched and based on now-declassified information, Reagan at Reykjavik tells the gripping tale of this weekend that changed the world. Filled with illustrative accounts of the private discussions between Reagan and his team, Ken Adelman provides an honest and up-close portrait of President Reagan at one of his finest and most challenging moments. Reagan at Reykjavik includes 16 pages of black-and-white photos and 11 illustrations.

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9780062310194

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A knowledgeable, passionately engaged fly on the wall at one of the least heralded, most productive summits of the Cold War era. --Ted Koppel

The weekend meeting in Reykjavik between Reagan and Gorbachev in 1986 marked a significant turning point in the Cold War. Adelman, an active participant in the talks and a gifted writer, has provided a thoughtful account of that episode. --Henry A. Kissinger This is real history and brilliant analysis, a profound book that could only have been written decades after the Reykjavik weekend, which now can be measured by the outcome. With their large humanitarian vision, it is clear that Reagan & Gorbachev helped make the world a much safer place. --Bob Woodward A riveting history of one of the most important moments of the Cold War. Adelman has written a page-turning narrative that leaves us on the edge of our seats. --Ken Burns A fascinating, gripping and essential account of the definitive end-game moment of the Cold War, told by someone who had a front-row seat. --Christopher Buckley With wonderful insight and color, Ken Adelman details the great drama of the Cold War's most surprising summit. This book is deeply important in an era when Reagan's art of principled negotiation needs reviving. --Walter Isaacson A knowledgeable, passionately engaged fly on the wall at one of the least heralded, most productive summits of the Cold War era. --Ted Koppel Reagan at Reykjavik is a lively, important account of an historic weekend. On a barren island nation in the north Atlantic, the two great nuclear adversaries faced reality--and the world was changed. --Tom Brokaw Ken Adelman has written a genuinely fascinating book--vivid and personal, humorous, full of surprising new details. The book's portrayals are all memorable, but most so when it comes to Ronald Reagan. --James Fallows This is real history and brilliant analysis, a profound book that could only have been written decades after the Reykjavik weekend, which now can be measured by the outcome. With their large humanitarian vision, it is clear that Reagan & Gorbachev helped make the world a much safer place. --Bob Woodward The weekend meeting in Reykjavik between Reagan and Gorbachev in 1986 marked a significant turning point in the Cold War. Adelman, an active participant in the talks and a gifted writer, has provided a thoughtful account of that episode. --Henry A. Kissinger A riveting history of one of the most important moments of the Cold War. Adelman has written a page-turning narrative that leaves us on the edge of our seats. --Ken Burns Reagan at Reykjavik is a lively, important account of an historic weekend. On a barren island nation in the north Atlantic, the two great nuclear adversaries faced reality and the world was changed. --Tom Brokaw A fascinating, gripping and essential account of the definitive end-game moment of the Cold War, told by someone who had a front-row seat. --Christopher Buckley With wonderful insight and color, Ken Adelman details the great drama of the Cold War s most surprising summit. This book is deeply important in an era when Reagan s art of principled negotiation needs reviving. --Walter Isaacson Ken Adelman has written a genuinely fascinating book vivid and personal, humorous, full of surprising new details. The book s portrayals are all memorable, but most so when it comes to Ronald Reagan. --James Fallows A knowledgeable, passionately engaged fly on the wall at one of the least heralded, most productive summits of the Cold War era. --Ted Koppel

The weekend meeting in Reykjavik between Reagan and Gorbachev in 1986 marked a significant turning point in the Cold War. Adelman, an active participant in the talks and a gifted writer, has provided a thoughtful account of that episode. --Henry A. Kissinger With wonderful insight and color, Ken Adelman details the great drama of the Cold War's most surprising summit. This book is deeply important in an era when Reagan's art of principled negotiation needs reviving. --Walter Isaacson This is real history and brilliant analysis, a profound book that could only have been written decades after the Reykjavik weekend, which now can be measured by the outcome. With their large humanitarian vision, it is clear that Reagan & Gorbachev helped make the world a much safer place. --Bob Woodward A riveting history of one of the most important moments of the Cold War. Adelman has written a page-turning narrative that leaves us on the edge of our seats. --Ken Burns A fascinating, gripping and essential account of the definitive end-game moment of the Cold War, told by someone who had a front-row seat. --Christopher Buckley A knowledgeable, passionately engaged fly on the wall at one of the least heralded, most productive summits of the Cold War era. --Ted Koppel Ken Adelman has written a genuinely fascinating book--vivid and personal, humorous, full of surprising new details. The book's portrayals are all memorable, but most so when it comes to Ronald Reagan. --James Fallows Reagan at Reykjavik is a lively, important account of an historic weekend. On a barren island nation in the north Atlantic, the two great nuclear adversaries faced reality--and the world was changed. --Tom Brokaw

Ken Adelman has written a genuinely fascinating book--vivid and personal, humorous, full of surprising new details. The book's portrayals are all memorable, but most so when it comes to Ronald Reagan. --James Fallows

The weekend meeting in Reykjavik between Reagan and Gorbachev in 1986 marked a significant turning point in the Cold War. Adelman, an active participant in the talks and a gifted writer, has provided a thoughtful account of that episode. --Henry A. Kissinger This is real history and brilliant analysis, a profound book that could only have been written decades after the Reykjavik weekend, which now can be measured by the outcome. With their large humanitarian vision, it is clear that Reagan & Gorbachev helped make the world a much safer place. --Bob Woodward A riveting history of one of the most important moments of the Cold War. Adelman has written a page-turning narrative that leaves us on the edge of our seats. --Ken Burns A fascinating, gripping and essential account of the definitive end-game moment of the Cold War, told by someone who had a front-row seat. --Christopher Buckley With wonderful insight and color, Ken Adelman details the great drama of the Cold War's most surprising summit. This book is deeply important in an era when Reagan's art of principled negotiation needs reviving. --Walter Isaacson A knowledgeable, passionately engaged fly on the wall at one of the least heralded, most productive summits of the Cold War era. --Ted Koppel Reagan at Reykjavik is a lively, important account of an historic weekend. On a barren island nation in the north Atlantic, the two great nuclear adversaries faced reality--and the world was changed. --Tom Brokaw Ken Adelman has written a genuinely fascinating book--vivid and personal, humorous, full of surprising new details. The book's portrayals are all memorable, but most so when it comes to Ronald Reagan. --James Fallows

Author Information

Ken Adelman was President Reagan's arms control director at Reykjavik during the 1986 superpower summit with Mikhail Gorbachev. Adelman accompanied Reagan to three superpower summits in all. He has also served as a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and an assistant to the secretary of defense. After leaving government, he taught Shakespeare at Georgetown University and George Washington University, and National Security Studies at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown Universities. He is the author of several books, including Shakespeare in Charge and The Defense Revolution. He lives in Arlington, Virginia.

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