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David J. Rothkopf
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Running The World Paperback – July 11, 2006

by David Rothkopf (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 69 ratings
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Never before in the history of mankind have so few people had so much power over so many. The people at the top of the American national security establishment, the President and his principal advisors, the core team at the helm of the National Security Council, are without question the most powerful committee in the history of the world. Yet, in many respects, they are among the least understood.

A former senior official in the Clinton Administration himself, David Rothkopf served with and knows personally many of the NSC's key players of the past twenty-five years. In Running the World he pulls back the curtain on this shadowy world to explore its inner workings, its people, their relationships, their contributions and the occasions when they have gone wrong. He traces the group's evolution from the final days of the Second World War to the post-Cold War realities of global terror -- exploring its triumphs, its human dramas and most recently, what many consider to be its breakdown at a time when we needed it most.

Drawing on an extraordinary series of insider interviews with policy makers including Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger, senior officials of the Bush Administration, and over 130 others, the book offers unprecedented insights into what must change if America is to maintain its unprecedented worldwide leadership in the decades ahead.
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  1. Print length
    577 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    July 11, 2006
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.45 x 8.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1586484230
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1586484231
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Anecdotal, garrulous, even gossipy at times. [RUSSING THE WORLD] is just like school--"only with higher stakes."

"The NSC's central role in crafting U.S. policy is widely unrecognized by the public, which makes the arrival of Rothkopf's book cheering."

"Vividly illustrates how a small group of people around the president has shaped the major events of our time. This is a must-read for anyone interested in international affairs."

About the Author

David Rothkopf is the CEO and editor of the FP Group, which is the publisher of Foreign Policy magazine, ForeignPolicy.com, and presenter of FP Events. He is also president and CEO of Garten Rothkopf, an international advisory firm. He is a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he chairs the Bernard L. Schwartz Program in Competitiveness and Growth Policies.

He is the author of Power, Inc.: The Epic Rivalry Between Big Business and Government--and the Reckoning that Lies Ahead; Superclass: The Global Power Elite and the World They Are Making; and Running the World: The Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Power.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Publicaffairs (July 11, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 577 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1586484230
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1586484231
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.39 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.45 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 69 ratings

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David J. Rothkopf

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
69 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and interesting, providing a timely and important view of recent history. They describe it as a must-read for anyone interested in the topic. The book is well-written and easy to read, with anecdotal examples that make it easy to understand.

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InformativeReadability
11 customers mention "Informative"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and interesting. They say it's a must-read for anyone interested in the topic, including professionals and members. The book provides interesting perspectives into decision making and the way in which political necessities get in the way. It is an interesting read for those new to foreign policy, but some feel it misses out on a lot. The analysis is incisive and revealing.

"...favorable accounting of White House performance, it does offer a more realistic perspective than anyone depending on mass media for information can..." Read more

"I loved this book as well as all of Rothkopf's other works. Very informative as well as interesting...." Read more

"...It was very informative and he thinks he’ll always keep it." Read more

"...Very interesting perspectives into decision making and the way in which political necessities get in the way of enlightened policy design...." Read more

7 customers mention "Readability"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They appreciate that it accurately portrays individuals like Henry in an anecdotal format.

"...for anyone wanting to "look behind the curtain," the book is a must read. I enjoyed reading it." Read more

"Really good gov't book considering I had to read this for homework. The flow was just right." Read more

"...Easy to read and easy to digest in an anecdotal form." Read more

"...The book does a great job showing how individuals as disparate as Henry Kissinger and Condoleeza Rice have utilized the NSC...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Robert Deller
    5.0 out of 5 stars and to a great degree on the personalities of the individuals
    Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very well written, and from other material I've read, accurate. While it does not offer a favorable accounting of White House performance, it does offer a more realistic perspective than anyone depending on mass media for information can understand. What should be noticed by novice readers is that the context for decisions follows a trend created by earlier decisions, and to a great degree on the personalities of the individuals. Important positions in decision-making depend as much on such personalities as on constitutional precepts. Details seem to be left to the reader to pursue, but for anyone wanting to "look behind the curtain," the book is a must read. I enjoyed reading it.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Paul
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
    Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book as well as all of Rothkopf's other works. Very informative as well as interesting. Anyone wishing to find out how U.S. foreign policy has developed over the last 60+ years to put current events in their proper context should absolutely read this book.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • yaratr
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good govt book
    Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Really good gov't book considering I had to read this for homework. The flow was just right.
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  • Dana k. carlson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading in College International Relations and informative
    Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This was required for my son studying International Relations in college. It was very informative and he thinks he’ll always keep it.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Pierre Haas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fly on the wall in the Oval Office
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very interesting view into recent history (quite recent, actually). Very interesting perspectives into decision making and the way in which political necessities get in the way of enlightened policy design. Fascinating insights into the acceleration of history and how it forces decisions with less thoughtfulness than one would hope.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jack Lechelt
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, important, and poorly edited
    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2005
    Verified Purchase
    Why the rush? There are a surprising number of little mistakes that should have been picked up in the editing process. Granted, the topic is timely and important, but would the world have collapsed if the publishers held on to the book for an extra month for another round of read-throughs? Also, there is just too much writing. Editors should have crossed out a lot of unnecessary stuff.

    There are two reasons I point out one factual error I came across. First, it makes me feel smarter. That is less important to everyone else, but it makes me feel good. Second, if I found one error, people who specialize in other areas may have noticed other errors, and those should be pointed out. Anyway, on pages 218-219, Rothkopf describes Reagan's National Security Planning Group (NSPG) as having been "chaired by Bush and [it] ended up dealing with issues like the spate of terrorist attacks and other crises that confronted the administration." The NSPG did indeed deal with important issues, and in some sense it probably dealt with the issues he pointed out, but Rothkopf is confusing the NSPG with the Crisis Management Team, which later became the Special Situations Group, both of which were chaired by VP Bush. The NSPG, however, was more accurately described by Bush's VP chief of staff, Craig Fuller: "The [NSPG] is the most restricted national security council meeting that is called. It is usually confined to the principals, meaning the Secretaries of State, Defense, Vice President, ... the Director of Central Intelligence, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the President's Chief of Staff, [the National Security Adviser and deputy NSA] and ... usually the Attorney General and Secretary of the Treasury, but it can be expanded depending on the topic." No more than a dozen people usually attended, and only the President and Vice President brought their chiefs of staff (p. 923). There were usually two NSPG meetings per month. The Tower Commission report noted that the NSC meetings were becoming a bit too big for productive discussions among the principals, so the President turned to the NSPG. And from everything I have read, Reagan was at most of the meetings. This is not a major error, but at the same time, the NSPG was an incredibly important component of Reagan Administration foreign/national security policy. Perhaps there are other errors.

    One of the funnier errors: the Washington Post Book World review pointed out that the picture on the cover is more likely from a Cabinet meeting. Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor, who is not on the NSC, is clearly visible in the picture. Was it really that difficult to come up with a better, more accurate picture? If people do judge books by the cover, this one has not put its best foot forward.

    The good stuff: Rothkopf's description of policy viewpoints is interesting. Rather than the constant chatter about the personal spats between major members of foreign policy (although those are included in the book too), we should hear more about what these people think. This important stuff is shaping the world. Another great aspect of the book is that Rothkopf got an amazing amount of access to the key players through interviews. These are the people who have shaped the world over the past four or so decades. The quotations, although a bit long, are practically a primary source of data for other researchers. Hopefully someday Rothkopf will make his interview transcripts available to other researchers. Great stuff there.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Orshi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful glimpse into the world of the National Security Council ...
    Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Wonderful glimpse into the world of the National Security Council and executive branch decision making process. Easy to read and easy to digest in an anecdotal form.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Aaron
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating history of the presidents and their advisors.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2009
    The book is a little long and could have lost a few pages and been the better for it. However, the topic was fascinating and the author did a great job bringing the history to life.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Simon Clark
    3.0 out of 5 stars Sensible overview of the NSC but few real insights
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    An insider's view of the NSC with some interesting anecdotes but little to justify the grand title. Also, the writer's distaste for the Reagan White House, though understandable, is overblown.
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