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War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence
War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence | Ronan Farrow
22 posts | 27 read | 44 to read
A harrowing exploration of the collapse of American diplomacy and the abdication of global leadership. American diplomacy is under siege. Offices across the State Department sit empty, while abroad the military-industrial complex has assumed the work once undertaken by peacemakers. Were becoming a nation that shoots first and asks questions later. In an astonishing account ranging from Washington, D.C., to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and North Korea in the years since 9/11, acclaimed journalist and former diplomat Ronan Farrow illuminates one of the most consequential and poorly understood changes in American history. His firsthand experience in the State Department affords a personal look at some of the last standard-bearers of traditional statecraft, including Richard Holbrooke, who made peace in Bosnia and died trying to do so in Afghanistan. Farrows narrative is richly informed by interviews with warlords, whistleblowers, and policymakers, from Henry Kissinger to Hillary Clinton. Diplomacy, Farrow argues, has declined after decades of political cowardice, short-sightedness, and outright malicebut it may just offer America a way out of a world at war.
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TheBookStacker
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Timely book. I love everything Ronan writes.

31 likes3 stack adds
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CoffeeK8
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Pickpick

A really interesting and detailed look at American Foreign policy. It was well written but not as compelling as Catch and Kill. #mtTBR

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MallenNC
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Ronan Farrow is better known for his work on the Harvey Weinstein case, but he is also a former staff member in the U.S. State Department. This is a great book that goes into why the U.S. influence on global peace efforts has declined. Ronan Farrow is very smart. #Peace #BloomingBibliophiles

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 📚🙌🏻 5y
OriginalCyn620 At first glance, I thought this was War and Peace and got confused by your comments 😂 I‘m with you now, though! 5y
MallenNC @OriginalCyn620 Ronan Farrow is smart but I don‘t think he wrote a 1000 page Russian novel. 🤣 5y
29 likes3 comments
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KimM
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Pickpick

Audible read by the author, Ronan Farrow. He is impressive and very brave. Gives insight into what it's like to be an American diplomat dealing with war lords and such. Very interesting and somewhat disturbing.

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Breanne1
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Pickpick

I finished this one up a few weeks ago and never got around to posting :/ I enjoyed it, packed full of information that highlights how important diplomacy can be and unfortunately underlined how it‘s a dying art.

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Mentallofilth
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Pickpick

An unquestionably essential read, if one that starts off unforgivably slow. The first half of the book, which personalizes the collapse of American diplomacy around two polarizing figures is interesting; the back half, examining the real, brutal costs of military-led foreign policy, is heartbreaking and should be taught in every American history course. It is hard not to despair at the slow demolition of the US‘ peaceful foreign policy options.

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MeikeReads
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German newspaper #DieZeit celebrates #RonanFarrow's #WarOnPeace as "brilliant" - and it is! #dogsoflitsy #politics

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angrylilasian
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I always bring something to read while I wait for the fireworks to start. Do you? 😄🍻🎇🇺🇸

Caroline2 Ohhh what an interesting sounding book! Is it any good?? 6y
angrylilasian @Caroline2 it‘s very interesting so far! Ronan Farrow won the Pulitzer and I can see why. 6y
Caroline2 Excellent! Stacked!!! 👍🏻 6y
36 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Expandingbookshelf
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Pickpick

If you want to read a book about the degradation of the American diplomatic power structure but you ALSO want to hear about a reindeer-loving warlord who suggests that he‘s maaaayyybe more of a “peace lord” then boy do I have a book for you! I am obsessed with this book, and I am recommending it to everyone I know. I walked away from “War on Peace” feeling both entertained AND somehow smarter. And when does that ever happen?!

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ReadingSusan
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Pickpick

This book is a must read for anyone who is interested in the state of the world today. It is a fascinating and sometimes frightening look at the decline of diplomacy in the modern era.

111 likes5 stack adds
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ReadingSusan
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I have been so absent from Litsy. I haven‘t been reading much because life, work and doldrums. And now I am sick 😭 So I just plan to stay on my couch all day reading, sleeping, taking meds and guzzling water. So maybe I will actually have time to post on Litsy.

EchoLogical Feel better soon but enjoy your reading in the meantime 💗 6y
LoverofLit I hope you feel better soon 💕 6y
youneverarrived Feel better soon 🧡 6y
See All 11 Comments
Suzze Feel better! I just recently got out of my 9-month non-reading, non-participating in life slump. It will pass. ❤️❤️ 6y
Cinfhen Sending positive vibes your way 6y
Smrloomis Feel better soon! 🤞🏽 6y
LeahBergen Hope you feel better soon! 6y
Jas16 Get well soon!💐 6y
KateFulfordAuthor If you need a “happy” recommendation, may I point you to my People‘s Book Prize nominated debut? Sassy female narrative, laugh out dialogue and a pacy plot. Check the link in the bio for 2 free chapters, reviews and more. (edited) 6y
minkyb Feel better! 6y
dragondrool Hope you're better soon! 6y
108 likes11 comments
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LadyCait84
Pickpick

This was not an easy read — not only is the subject matter heavy, but it‘s also filled with truths that are hard to swallow. But it was fascinating, start to finish, and made infinitely more digestible by Ronan Farrow‘s impeccable prose.

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ipreferlush
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Just a little light reading to start the morning

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Chris
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LadyCait84
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Delving into the complexities of decades of foreign policy on a gloomy afternoon.

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MallenNC
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From the epilogue of the tagged book. It sadly sums up the state of diplomacy and political discourse in 2018.

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MallenNC
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Pickpick

My lunch hour goal was finishing this look at the decline of diplomacy in US foreign relations by journalist Ronan Farrow. It was a dense, but very readable book that focuses on political hotspots including Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, North Korea, and Pakistan. A lot of it makes me sad that the art of diplomacy isn't as valued as it should be. The most moving parts to me were the final chapters about Richard Holbrooke. #nonfiction2018

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ReadingSusan
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Ronan Farrow retweeted me today and I fangirled so hard. 😍😍😍

Bookcation74 That‘s so cool!! 🤩 7y
merelybookish Cool!! 7y
Christine Fantastic! I‘m listening to him on Fresh Air right now. 7y
See All 8 Comments
melissajayne I‘ve had that happen as well. Not by him, but by other authors. 7y
CrowCAH Awesome so cool 😎 7y
LeahBergen Cool! 7y
BookishMe I love it when Victoria Schwab replies to my tweets... Not always but good enough! 7y
MallenNC I saw that! I'm reading his book too, but alas, no cake! 7y
122 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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ReadingSusan
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Cake and diplomacy for the afternoon.

ephemeralwaltz Sounds like a plan! 7y
LauraJ I like your style! 7y
Leftcoastzen Love cake and diplomacy ! Great pairing. 7y
107 likes1 stack add3 comments
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ShannonOffDuty
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War is the failure of diplomacy.

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ShannonOffDuty
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Pickpick

The U.S. is dark and bellicose. But you knew that. Getting a broader and more detailed picture is fascinating.

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shelf-devoted
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Roman Farrow has been doing some great investigative journalism over the past year or so. Very keen to check this out.

LauraBeth I‘ve really enjoyed Farrow‘s investigative work. Definitely want to read this! 7y
10 likes1 comment