Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 15 (1994) Winner
Henry Alfred Kissinger
ヘンリー・アルフレッド・キッシンジャー
Henry Alfred Kissinger
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1923-05-27 （Fürth, Bavaria, Germany）
- Died
- 2023-11-29 （Kent, Connecticut, U.S.） age 100
- Nationality
- Germany, United States
- Languages
- English, German
- Religion
- Judaism
- Residence History
- New York City (Washington Heights) → Kent, Connecticut, U.S. → Boston (Harvard University) → Fürth, Bavaria (birthplace) → Washington, D.C. (government service)
Career
- Occupations
- Diplomat, Political scientist, Politician, Author, Consultant
- Active Years
- 1950-2023
- Affiliations
- Center for International Affairs, Harvard, Kissinger Associates, Trilateral Commission, Council on Foreign Relations
- Memberships
- Aspen Institute, Atlantic Council, Bilderberg Group, Trilateral Commission, International Olympic Committee (honorary member)
- Influenced By
- Klemens von Metternich, Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, William Yandell Elliott (mentor)
- Influenced
- Multiple generations of U.S. diplomats and foreign-policy practitioners, Numerous international relations scholars and policymakers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City College of New York | Accounting (studies) | — | — | 1939–1943 (在学・中断) | United States |
| Harvard University | Harvard College (undergraduate) and Graduate School | Political Science | PhD (AB, AM, PhD) | 1947–1954 | United States |
City College of New York
Accounting (studies)
Period:
1939–1943 (在学・中断)
Country:
United States
Studied accounting as a student; studies interrupted by military service
Harvard University
Harvard College (undergraduate) and Graduate School
/ Political Science
Degree:
PhD (AB, AM, PhD)
Period:
1947–1954
Year of Graduation:
1954
Country:
United States
AB (1950), AM (1951), PhD (1954)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Nobel Peace Prize | Paris Peace Accords (negotiations to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam) | — | Nobel Foundation | 受賞（共受賞） |
| 1977 | Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction | — | — | Office of the President of the United States | 受賞 |
| 1980 | National Book Award (History) | The White House Years (memoir) | 歴史 | National Book Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2000 | Sylvanus Thayer Award | — | — | United States Military Academy at West Point | 受賞 |
| 2023 | Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art | — | — | State of Bavaria | 受賞 |
Nobel Peace Prize
1973
Work:
Paris Peace Accords (negotiations to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam)
Organization:
Nobel Foundation
Result:
受賞（共受賞）
Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction
1977
Organization:
Office of the President of the United States
Result:
受賞
National Book Award (History)
1980
Work:
The White House Years (memoir)
Category:
歴史
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
受賞
Sylvanus Thayer Award
2000
Organization:
United States Military Academy at West Point
Result:
受賞
Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art
2023
Organization:
State of Bavaria
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh and the Problems of Peace, 1812–22
1957 Diplomatic history / International politics 400 pagesA study of balance-of-power politics in post-Napoleonic Europe, based on Kissinger's doctoral work.
balance of powerlegitimacynational interest
Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy
1957 International security / Policy 455 pagesAn influential analysis of nuclear strategy and foreign policy during the Cold War.
nuclear deterrencestrategic balance
The White House Years
1979 Memoir / Politics 800 pagesMemoir detailing Kissinger's role in the Nixon administration, including Vietnam negotiations and Sino-Soviet policy.
practical diplomacybackchannel negotiationsCold War diplomacy
On China
2011 Diplomatic history / Policy 500 pagesA historical and strategic account of Sino-American relations and the challenges of U.S.-China ties.
U.S.-China relationsstrategic balance
Bibliography
- A World Restored (1957); Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy (1957); The White House Years (1979); Years of Upheaval (1982); Years of Renewal (1999); On China (2011); World Order (2014); Leadership (2022)
Adaptations
- Documentary 'Nuclear Tipping Point' (featured/commentary)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Analytical, academic prosePolicy-oriented exposition
- Recurring Motifs
- balance of powernational interest and legitimacyRealpolitik
Health
-
Coronary bypass surgery1982Underwent coronary bypass surgery in 1982 and continued public activity thereafter. Heart-related issues were reported intermittently in later years.
-
Heart failure (cause of death)2023-11-29Died at home from heart failure on 29 November 2023.
Legacy
Regarded as one of the most influential practitioners of U.S. Cold War diplomacy, credited with détente and opening to China, yet heavily criticized for policies linked to civilian harm and support for authoritarian regimes; his legacy remains deeply contested.
Academic Societies
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Trilateral Commission
Archives
- Related papers and materials held in Harvard University archives and other institutional collections
- Kissinger Associates (business records)
In Popular Culture
- An emblematic Cold War figure appearing in documentaries and memoirs
Quotes
-
Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Source: Interview / public remark (widely cited) (1972) -
The emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an objective of American foreign policy, and if they put Jews into gas chambers in the Soviet Union, it is not an American concern. Maybe a humanitarian concern.
Source: Recorded conversation during the Nixon administration (1973)
Trivia
- One of the first honorary members of the Harlem Globetrotters (1976)
- Honorary lifetime season-ticket holder of SpVgg Fürth (German football club)
- Helped facilitate Pelé's move to the New York Cosmos