• When the World Seemed New

  • George H. W. Bush and the End of the Cold War
  • By: Jeffrey A. Engel
  • Narrated by: Bob Souer
  • Length: 20 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (55 ratings)

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When the World Seemed New  By  cover art

When the World Seemed New

By: Jeffrey A. Engel
Narrated by: Bob Souer
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Publisher's summary

The end of the Cold War was the greatest shock to international affairs since World War II. In that perilous moment, Saddam Hussein chose to invade Kuwait, China cracked down on its own pro-democracy protesters, and regimes throughout Eastern Europe teetered between democratic change and new authoritarians. Not since FDR in 1945 had a US president faced such opportunities and challenges.

As the presidential historian Jeffrey Engel reveals in this hard-to-pause history, behind closed doors from the Oval Office to the Kremlin, George H. W. Bush rose to the occasion brilliantly. Distrusted by such key allies as Margaret Thatcher and dismissed as too cautious by the press, Bush had the experience and the wisdom to use personal, one-on-one diplomacy with world leaders. Bush knew when it was essential to rally a coalition to push Iraq out of Kuwait. He managed to help unify Germany while strengthening NATO.

Based on unprecedented access to previously classified documents and interviews with all of the principals, When the World Seemed New is a riveting, fly-on-the-wall account of a president with his hand on the tiller, guiding the nation through a pivotal time and setting the stage for the 21st century.

©2017 Jeffrey A. Engel (P)2017 Tantor

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New info on the end of the Cold War.

An interesting take on the Cold War's end, with new information that myself, and others probably hadn't heard about before. A very well researched story.

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Nice narrator with annoying mouth sounds

I had to end this early since the story, though incredibly compelling, was distracted by the end list saliva problem and noisemaking with the narrator’s mouth… I’ll finish reading it or get a different version, but this is the first audible I’ve always listened to you where the mouth sounds made by a narrators’s swallowing and mouth sounds was incessant an annoying… Can’t you edit these things out?? It’s unfortunate because the story was great otherwise, as were the narrators voice skills.

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Extremely insightful and clear

This is an extremely insightful and clear book and Audible recording. Worthy of accolades. Encourage reading and listening.

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The Right Man at the Right Time in the Right Job

History owes much to Pres. GHW Bush. He was a great man of character and a great president in his time. His steady hand and immutable faith in American values helped usher the world toward freedom. His deeds are mostly unknown and even less appreciated by most. There needs to be far more history written on this man so that the world can see what he did, hopefully before he passes.

When the World Seemed New is a testament to why this country requires great leaders. Americans owe it to themselves to understand the role HW Bush played in the world. A history to be proud of.

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2 people found this helpful