George Kennan: A Writing Life

by Lee Congdon

There were two George F. Kennans. The first was the well-known diplomat and ambassador to the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia—a tough political realist and man of the world who gained fame as the theorist of America’s Cold War “containment” strategy. This was a “persona” that Kennan adopted in order to carry out his professional responsibilities. The second, largely unknown, but real George Kennan was a writer and aesthete—a shy, lonely man who felt alienated from both his country and his times, and a man who made major contributions to American literature.

Thus argues Lee Congdon in George A Writing Life , a groundbreaking study of Kennan’s life and thought. Congdon narrates Kennan’s legendary work in the foreign service, his later career as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, and the schools of thought to which he made significant political realism, antidemocratic social and political criticism, Spenglerian gloom, and conservative cultural analysis. Congdon concludes that notwithstanding his great accomplishments as a diplomat and geopolitical strategist, Kennan merits consideration above all else as an original and penetrating American writer.

225 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having studied under Dr. Congdon as an undergrad, I enjoyed this book tremendously, as I enjoyed all of his courses. Reading this was almost like taking another class -- I could hear his voice as I read. I knew very little of Kennan before I read this, but it seems like a good introduction to his life. Obviously he is best known for his diplomatic work with the Soviet Union, but Congdon's book doesn't focus on that. What really struck me over and over was Congdon's descriptions of Kennan as a 19th-century European conservative and gentleman, rather out of place in modern America -- Congdon may as well have been describing himself. Certainly worth reading for students of modern history -- especially political and diplomatic history -- and those interested in a different side of one of the greatest diplomats of all time.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting short work on Kennan focused more on his writing and thinking than on his impact on diplomacy. Situates Kennan as a sort of 18th cent. European conservative out of place in modern America. Thought provoking and insightful at times, but might not be a good fit if you don't already know who Kennan is and what role he played in the Cold War period.