Henry Kissinger

An Intimate Portrait of the Master of Realpolitik

Jérémie Gallon, Roland Glasser (Translator)

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English

Profile
02 December 2025

Biography; Biography: historical, political & military

Jérémie Gallon paints an intriguing portrait of the 'master of Realpolitik', drawing lessons from Henry Kissinger's life and actions to explore the creation of a more coherent and resilient foreign policy, particularly in Europe.

Chapters address themes, moments, and characters that shaped Kissinger's career, such as the Harvard years, the centrality of Realpolitik, Jewishness, even football, and his relationships with figures such as Nelson Rockefeller, Richard Nixon, Anwar Sadat, and Zhou Enlai - not to mention his mother Paula. This new English edition includes an additional chapter detailing the author's meeting with Kissinger in Connecticut ten days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Gallon is as interested in the statesman as he is in the man himself, delving into the more glamorous and intimate aspects of his life, yet making no secret of Kissinger's contradictions and the moral accusations levelled against him.

By: Jérémie Gallon
Translated by: Roland Glasser (Translator)
Imprint: Profile
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Main
Dimensions: Height: 242mm, Width: 166mm, Spine: 36mm
Weight: 460g
ISBN: 9781805224600
ISBN 10: 1805224603
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 02 December 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Jeremie Gallon is a foreign policy analyst and former EU diplomat who contributes regularly to international media, including The Financial Times, Politico, and L'Express. He is a non-resident senior fellow in the Atlantic Council and was an adjunct professor in international affairs at Sciences Po (Paris Institute of Political Studies). His other books include Diary of a Young Diplomat in Trump's America (Gallimard, 2018) and Georges Pompidou: A Timeless Figure (Gallimard, 2025). The original French edition of this book (Henry Kissinger, L'Europaen, Gallimard 2021) won the 2022 Prix Eugene-Colas awarded by the Academie Francaise.

Reviews for Henry Kissinger: An Intimate Portrait of the Master of Realpolitik

'Jérémie Gallon's reexamination of Kissinger's life and personality provides vital lessons for twenty-first century Europe' - Michel Barnier, former French Prime Minister 'At a time when geopolitics has become scary again, Jérémie's take on Henry Kissinger is essential reading'' -Radoslaw Sikorski, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs 'Jérémie Gallon's KIssinger is in essence a letter to Europe. Gallon wants Europe to rediscover foreign policy realism and power, 'devoid of self-illusion'. His portrait of Kissinger as the intellectual man of action reveals historic European roots, but Gallon recognises that this older image must to adapted to the Europe of today. At a moment when Europe's long holiday from history is coming to a sharp close, Gallon's book summons statesmen of the past to rally new leaders who combine strategy with the diplomatic arts.' - Robert B. Zoellick, former President of the World Bank, US Trade Representative, and US Deputy Secretary of State; author of America in the World 'Fascinating book. Gallon's Kissinger is one that you do not know' - Ivan Krastev, Chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies and Financial Times contributing editor