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Geoff Berridge's Top Book Recommendations

Want to know what books Geoff Berridge recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Geoff Berridge's favorite book recommendations of all time.

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Recommended by Geoff Berridge, and 1 others.

Geoff BerridgePlatt described himself as ‘a pioneer in British consular history’, which is true but should not be taken to imply that he was one among others: at the time he wrote (1971), he was the only pioneer of the subject. Sadly, with the exception of some writing on the specialised services, his book remains an isolated scholarly contribution despite growing recognition in recent years of the importance... (Source)

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2

The Collision of Two Civilsations

Fascinating book about the Britich Expedition to China in 1792-1794. less
Recommended by Geoff Berridge, and 1 others.

Geoff BerridgeWritten by a distinguished French scholar, diplomat and politician, The Collision of Two Civilisations is an account of the doomed attempt in 1793 of Lord George Macartney, leading a mission of 700, to establish permanent diplomatic relations with the Chinese emperor, Qianlong. Regarding himself as without equal, Qianlong could not entertain the idea of diplomatic relations with a vassal, and... (Source)

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3

White House Years

In this first volume of his memoirs, Dr Kissinger covers his first four years (1969-1973) as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs - and President Nixon's closest adviser on foreign policy. It is undoubtedly the most significant book to come out of the Nixon Administration. Among the countless great and critical moments Dr Kissinger recalls are his first meeting with Nixon, his secret trip to China, the first SALT negotiation, the Jordan crisis of 1970, the India-Pakistan war of 1971, and the historic summit meetings in Peking and Moscow. He covers the major controversies... more
Recommended by Geoff Berridge, and 1 others.

Geoff BerridgeThis is the first and most important of Kissinger’s three volumes of memoirs. None of his other books – with the possible exception of his Harvard PhD thesis, A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh and the Problems of Peace 1812-22 – give such an insight into the mind of this towering figure. It’s all in the White House Years, which covers Kissinger’s time as National Security Advisor in... (Source)

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4

The Evolution of Diplomatic Method

Recommended by Geoff Berridge, and 1 others.

Geoff BerridgeNicolson came from a diplomatic family and among his many books were half a dozen on diplomacy. This one, which first surfaced as the Chichele Lectures at Oxford in November 1953, stands out by virtue of its elegance, brevity and grand historical sweep. The history is sometimes suspect and his treatment of the ‘Italian system’ of diplomacy in the time of Machiavelli is something of a caricature.... (Source)

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5
Diplomatic Classics provides convenient access to some of the most important figures writing on diplomacy when modern diplomacy was taking shape. The selections have been chosen to highlight the contributions for which the individual writers are best known (for example, the attack by Commynes on 'summitry'), though some have also been picked with a view to modern interests (for example, De Vera's views on women in diplomacy). All selections are fully introduced, annotated and accompanied by recommendations for further reading.
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Recommended by Geoff Berridge, and 1 others.

Geoff BerridgeWe need professional diplomats (‘diplomatists’ in an older and better language) for the same reason that we need trained doctors: diplomacy, like medicine, is a specialised activity with a store of complex knowledge, well-tried procedures, and a distinctive lexicon. It is certainly true that paradiplomats, like paramedics, are valuable but diplomacy can well do without rank amateurs in the same... (Source)

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