Men and Powers : A Political Retrospective

Library Journal

Fascinating figures emerge from the pages of this book as Schmidt, Chancellor of West Germany from 1972 to 1984, recounts his political experiences. As representative for the major economic power of Europe and a key state in Western security arrangements, Schmidt negotiated with major world leaders, including Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Leonid Brezhnev, and Mao Zedong. Schmidt has great insight into the politics and personalities of the critical postwar period. His judgments on American foreign policy are excellent, and he discusses such events as the dollar crisis, the oil crises, and the placement of new American nuclear weapons in Western Europe. The book is as worthwhile as his earlier effort, A Grand Strategy for the West ( LJ 12/1/85). Recommended for politicians, scholars, and informed laypersons.-- Richard B. Finnegan, Stonehill Coll., North Easton, Mass.