Reports (Memoirs) All books
Raymond Aubrac
Where the memory lingers
Discreet by nature and secretive by necessity, Raymond Aubrac has been closely involved in more than half a century of history, in France and abroad. Within France, he is one of the great figures of the Resistance, and is one of the last survivors of the meeting at Caluire, on June 21st 1943, in the course of which Jean Moulin was arrested. A confidant of Ho Chi Minh, Raymond Aubrac also played a central role in the secret negotiations which accompanied the Vietnam war. In this book he gives a new, personal account of these events and others, including his meeting with de Gaulle, his role in the reconstruction of France, and his work at the heart of the UN.
George Bush, Brent Scowcroft
A World Transformed
It was one of the pivotal times of the twentieth century - during George Bushs presidency an extraordinary series of international events took place that materially changed the face of the world. Now, former President Bush and his national secretary advisor, Brent Scowcroft, tell the story of those tumultuous years. Here are behind-the-scenes accounts of critical meetings in the White House and of summit conferences in Europe and the United States, interspersed with excerpts from Mr. Bushs diary. We are given fresh intriguing views of world leaders such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Kohl, and François Mitterrand--and witness the importance of personal relationships in diplomacy. There is the dramatic description of how President Bush put together the alliance against Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War. There are the intensive diplomatic exchanges with Beijing following the events of Tiananmen Square, and the intricate negotiations leading up to the German reunification. And there is the sometimes poignant sometimes grim portrayal of Gorbachevs final years in power. A World Transformed is not simply a record of accomplishment; Bush and Scowcroft candidly recount how the major players sometimes disagreed over issues, and analyze what mistakes were made. This is a landmark book on the conduct of American foreign policy-- and how that policy is crucial to the peace of the world. It is a fascinating inside look at great events that deepens our understanding of todays global issues. George Bush was President of the United States from 1989 to 1993. Brent Scowcroft was National Security Advisor under Presidents Ford and Bush.
Dominique Desanti, Jean-Toussaint Desanti, Roger-Pol Droit
Liberty Still Cherishes Us
In this book, the authors, Dominique and Jean-Toussaint Desanti, relate their lives of active political and intellectual commitment to Roger-Pol Droit. The story begins with Dominique and Jean-Toussaints first meeting, their lives as an open couple, their involvement in the French Resistance and, later, in the Communist Party, their support of the FLN during the Algerian war of independence, their participation in the events of May 1968 in France and the United States, and their espousal of the feminist movement. They also discuss the numerous works they have written literature in Dominiques case, philosophy in Jean-Toussaints. Their political path is one that was shared by many French intellectuals of their generation. The enthusiasm of many young people for left-wing causes had first been stirred by the Popular Front government. The Soviet victory at Stalingrad (rather than support of Marxist thought) later fanned this enthusiasm, with the result that many French intellectuals joined the Communist Party. Each event in the authors lives is recounted individually from each ones point of view, before being retold by both of them in unison. This manner of telling their story fully respects each writers personality and style, and has resulted in an especially intense book. Dominique Desanti is a journalist, essayist and novelist. Jean-Toussaint Desanti is a philosopher and professor emeritus at the University of Paris I-Sorbonne.
Mikhaïl Gorbatchev
Memoirs
For the first time Mikhaïl Gorbatchev opens his personal archives to the public. The reader participates in the negotiations between the head of the Kremlin and the other great leaders: François Mitterrand, Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Kohl, George Bush... He experiences the moving dialogue between Pope John Paul II and the General Secretary of a party which has made atheism its profession of faith. Finally, the reader follows the intellectual, political and moral progress of a man who presided over the transformation and opening of the very system which created him.
Françoise Héritier
Thought in motion
Based on a series of interviews, this book traces the career of a brilliant anthropologist, whose thinking enlightens and moves us
Rita Levi Montalcini
Praise of Imperfection New Edition
Rita Levi Montalcini's life has been entirely dedicated to scientific research. She grew up in a tightly knit Jewish family and studied medicine in Turin. Forced into inactivity by the racist laws of Fascist Italy, she set up a makeshift laboratory in her bedroom and began studying the development of the nervous system. Her research, which she completed in the United States after the war, led to the discovery of the nerve growth factor whose role is to stimulate the growth of nerve fibres. Her autobiography, written with warmth and simplicity, traces the progress of her life, including being awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine.
