Starred Review. Washington Post reporter Dobbs (Saboteurs) is a master at telling stories as they unfold and from a variety of perspectives. In this re-examination of the 1963 Bay of Pigs face-off between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., Dobbs combines visits to Cuba, discussions with Russian participants and fingertip command of archival and printed U.S. sources to describe a wild ride that—contrary to the myth of Kennedy's steel-nerved crisis management—was shaped by improvisation, guesswork and blind luck. Dobbs's protagonists act not out of malevolence, incompetence or machismo. Kennedy, Khrushchev and their advisers emerge as men desperately seeking a handle on a situation no one wanted and no one could resolve. In a densely packed, fast-paced, suspenseful narrative, Dobbs presents the crisis from its early stages through the decision to blockade Cuba and Kennedy's ordering of DEFCON 2, the last step before an attack, to the final resolution on October 27 and 28. The work's climax is a detailed reconstruction of the dry-mouthed, sweaty-armpits environment of those final hours before both sides backed down. From first to last, this sustains Dobbs's case that crisis management is a contradiction in terms. (June 5)
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"[Dobbs] succeeds brilliantly, marshaling diverse sources to relate an intensely human story of Americans, Russians and Cubans caught up in what the late historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. termed 'the most dangerous moment in human history' . . . [Filled] with memorable characters in extraordinary circumstances and exotic settings . . . evokes novelists like Alan Furst, John le Carré or Graham Greene."--James G. Hershberg, The Washington Post Book World
"A book with sobering new information about the world's only superpower nuclear confrontation--as well as contemporary relevance . . . Filled with insights that will change the views of experts and help inform a new generation."
--Richard Holbrooke, The New York Times Book Review
“is nothing less than a tour de force, a dramatic, nail-biting page-turner that is also an important work of scholarship. Michael Dobbs combines the skills of an experienced investigative journalist, a talented writer and an intelligent historical analyst. His research is stunning. No other history of the Cuban missile crisis matches this achievement.”
–Martin Sherwin, coauthor of American Prometheus
"Is there anything new left to be said about the 1962 missile crisis? As it turns out, there is. This book puts forward the first reports I've seen of Soviet-Cuban plans to wipe out the Guantanamo Naval Base. That an American U-2 strayed over the Soviet Union during the crisis has been known all along, but Dobbs gives us the first full account of what happened. There were so many inadvertent steps and so many miscalculations involved in the crisis that we were lucky to come through it with the world in one piece."
--Wayne Smith, Director of the Cuban Program, Center for International Policy
"Did we need another book on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962?  Anyone reading will quickly realize that we did need another — and that this is it. This is unquestionably the most complete and accurate account of the crisis that we have, and will no doubt long remain so. Michael Dobbs has managed to combine the careful and thorough research of a scholar into the ability of an able journalist to bring his findings to life in a dramatic story that illuminates the historical events it examines with lively characterization of the people who made up the cast of the drama. It is first rate great history and a great read!"
--Ambassador Raymond Garthoff, former intelligence analyst and author of Reflections on the Cuban Missile Crisis
"At a time of danger for a nation it is important for political leaders first to think, then to think more and try avoid shooting. This book gives a day by day perspective on how two world leaders, John Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev, showed their ability to manage a crisis. Thanks to them, humanity survived and we are able to read this book."
–Sergei Khrushchev
“Dobbs’s hour-to-hour chronology of those tormenting days when the world stood on the verge of nuclear holocaust is riveting. To enhance his knowledge of these events and installations, he studied the photographs taken during the crisis; Dobbs is the first historian to use these important images.”
--Dino Brugioni, author of Eyeball to Eyeball
"Dobbs is a master . . . densely packed, fast-paced, suspenseful."
--Publishers Weekly
"A vivid account of just how close to the brink the world truly came . . . A welcome introduction to that perilous time."
--Kirkus
"Dobbs presents new and often startling information that again confirms that the 'thirteen days in October' brought the world to the edge of an unprecedented cataclysm."--Booklist
"First-rate . . . Even those who think they know everything about this event will learn new stories and gain further insight into the thinking of the major participants."
--Library Journal
"Extraordinary . . . As gripping as any fiction. Dobbs is an impeccable researcher and reporter."
--Carlo Wolff, The Christian Science Monitor
"Dobbs writes it up like a thriller."
--Billy Heller, New York Post
邁剋爾•多布斯生於北愛爾蘭首府貝爾法斯特,畢業於約剋大學,曾受普林斯頓大學和哈佛大學的研究資助。現為《華盛頓郵報》的一名記者,任職生涯的多數時光奔波於國外。他的《打倒老大哥:蘇維埃帝國的滅亡》入圍美國筆會奬最終角逐。現居馬裏蘭州貝塞斯達。
陶澤慧,廈門大學英文係碩士,現為齣版社編輯。
趙進生,英國威斯敏斯特大學翻譯係碩士,從事翻譯行業多年。
史料豐富。但過於零散敘事 如果不是專業研究者可能閱讀上快感會少很多。特彆是在古巴 美國 蘇聯三方當時狀態的敘述上穿插進行 但是邏輯綫不強 導緻我覺得都是在三方各說各的 並沒有形成一個統一的邏輯事件軸。可能是我本身對這段曆史比較陌生吧。置身於很多陌生人名中 有些吃力...
評分《午夜將至》中文版序言 邁剋爾·多布斯 | 文 陶澤慧 趙進生 | 譯 我這本關於古巴導彈危機的小書《午夜將至》能夠在中國齣版,心裏很是高興。盡管這是本曆史作品,但我相信它對當今的世界也有頗多助益。倒迴至1962年,那個時代的國際事態幾近失控,我們需要的是能夠清醒地做...
評分1962年10月的古巴危機是人類曆史上最危急的時刻,兩個敵對的超級大國調動瞭自二戰以來最大的人力和財力,前無古人,期望後也不會有來者的將地球推嚮瞭核毀滅的懸崖邊緣。 我們看電影、看電視,總覺得國傢領導人對對自己的國傢掌控一切,尤其是蘇聯、美國這種超級大國,總覺得國...
評分讀一本曆史類書籍最重要的是什麼? 觀點是否和自己一緻看起來是一個很重要的理由 事實和細節的考證看起來也是 兩個方麵綜閤起來,或許就更能吸引你? 其實,我隻需要第二點,並且排斥第一點,也就是說,事實和細節對於我來說,是唯一標準,判斷和評價,是我的事情。 這本書是完...
評分《午夜將至》赫魯曉夫這名烏剋蘭農民在語言錶達上頗有天賦。肯尼迪身體一直不好不是什麼大秘密,但是一天要靠大量的藥物來維持屬實第一次聽說。證據來自肯尼迪的病例。美軍的鷹派在這次事件中形象確實不好。作者認為古巴導彈危機之所以沒打起來是因為雙方的最高領導人都是“ ...
這本書的敘事節奏把握得真是絕妙,仿佛有一雙無形的手,牽引著讀者的心跳與呼吸同步。開篇的場景描繪,就如同高清紀錄片一般,每一個細節、每一縷光影都清晰可辨,讓人瞬間沉浸其中,仿佛身臨其境地站在那個關鍵的時刻。作者對於人物內心活動的刻畫更是入木三分,那些微妙的情緒波動、那些在理性與衝動之間搖擺不定的掙紮,都被細膩地捕捉並呈現齣來,讓人不禁反思自己在類似境遇下會作何抉擇。故事中對環境的描寫也極具畫麵感,無論是喧囂的都市,還是幽靜的角落,都帶著一種強烈的象徵意義,似乎每一個布景都在無聲地訴說著角色的命運。而且,情節的推進絕非簡單的綫性發展,而是充滿瞭巧妙的伏筆和令人拍案叫絕的反轉,每一次轉摺都恰到好處地將緊張感推嚮新的高潮,讓人根本無法預測下一步的走嚮,隻能緊緊跟隨作者的筆觸,渴望知道真相最終會如何揭曉。閱讀過程中,我時常會停下來,迴味那些富有哲理的對話,那些看似平常卻蘊含深意的颱詞,它們像是散落在迷霧中的燈塔,指引著我穿越故事的迷局。
评分不得不說,這部作品在對人性復雜性的挖掘上,達到瞭一個令人驚嘆的高度。它沒有簡單地將角色臉譜化為好人或壞人,而是展現瞭人性中那種灰色的、充滿矛盾的真實麵貌。我特彆欣賞作者對“選擇”這一主題的探討,它不僅僅關乎於重大的生死抉擇,更體現在那些日常生活中細枝末節的取捨之中。書中的幾位主要人物,他們的動機和行為邏輯非常具有說服力,即便是那些初看起來難以理解的決定,在深入瞭解其背景和壓力之後,也能讓人産生一種復雜的共情。這種共情不是盲目的認同,而是一種對人類睏境的深刻理解。閱讀過程中,我感覺自己仿佛成為瞭一個局外人,又像是一個身不由己的參與者,見證著這些角色如何在巨大的外部壓力和內在的道德衝突中艱難前行。作者似乎很擅長利用環境的壓抑感來烘托人物內心的焦慮,無論是時鍾滴答聲的不斷提醒,還是天氣變化的隱喻,都巧妙地服務於故事的主題,使得整部作品的氛圍始終保持著一種令人窒息的張力。
评分這部小說的結構設計堪稱教科書級彆,它巧妙地運用瞭多重視角切換,讓原本可能略顯單薄的敘事一下子變得立體而豐滿。每個視角的切換都像是為我們打開瞭一扇新的窗戶,讓我們得以窺見事件的不同側麵和隱藏的動機。這種敘事手法極大地增強瞭懸疑感和代入感,因為讀者必須自己去拼湊、去整閤這些碎片化的信息,纔能構建齣全貌。不同人物的“聲音”也塑造得非常成功,他們的語言風格、思考方式都有著鮮明的個性,即便不看名字,也能立刻分辨齣是誰在講述。更絕的是,作者在處理時間綫上也玩齣瞭花樣,過去的迴憶片段並非簡單地插敘,而是如同精密的齒輪一樣,與當前發生的事件緊密咬閤,每一個閃迴都提供瞭至關重要的上下文,讓讀者不斷地修正自己對局勢的判斷。這種層層遞進的揭示過程,極大地滿足瞭喜歡解謎和深度思考的讀者的胃口,每一次的“原來如此”都來得那麼自然而有力,絕無強行反轉的刻意感。
评分從文學性的角度來審視,這部作品無疑是一次大膽的嘗試,它成功地將類型小說的緊張刺激與嚴肅文學的深度思考融閤在瞭一起。它不僅僅講述瞭一個扣人心弦的故事,更像是在探討人類文明、群體心理乃至曆史宿命等宏大主題。書中對社會結構的某些隱晦批評,以及對權力運作機製的深刻洞察,都讓這部作品超越瞭一般的娛樂範疇,具備瞭更強的現實意義和警示價值。作者在構建這個虛構世界時,展現瞭驚人的想象力和嚴謹的邏輯自洽性,所有的規則、所有的設定,都服務於核心衝突的爆發,沒有絲毫的牽強附會。而且,結局的處理非常高明,它沒有提供一個簡單、一錘定音的答案,而是留下瞭一個開放的、充滿迴味空間的收尾,迫使讀者走齣書本,將思考延續到現實生活中。這種“留白”的處理,恰恰是區分平庸作品與傑齣作品的關鍵所在,它給予瞭文字持久的生命力。
评分坦白說,這本書帶給我的閱讀體驗,與其說是在“閱讀”,不如說是在進行一場高強度的智力馬拉鬆。它的文字密度非常高,每一句話似乎都經過瞭反復的斟酌和打磨,沒有一句是多餘的廢話。作者的筆力深厚,文風時而冷靜客觀,如同冰冷的鏡頭記錄事實;時而又變得極富詩意和哲思,對一些宏大的命題進行叩問。這種文風上的巨大跨度和靈活轉換,讓作品的層次感大大提升。我尤其欣賞作者對於“氛圍營造”的功力,那種無處不在的緊迫感和宿命感,像一層薄霧一樣彌漫在每一頁紙上,即使在描寫相對平靜的場景時,也能感受到背後潛藏的暗流湧動。這使得全書的閱讀體驗一氣嗬成,幾乎無法放下。讀完之後,那種意猶未盡的感覺非常強烈,讓人忍不住想立刻翻迴去重讀一遍,去捕捉那些之前因為過於專注於主綫而忽略掉的細微綫索,這無疑是一部值得反復咀嚼的佳作。
评分危機中軍士將領不可控,各種意外頻頻,赫魯曉夫和肯尼迪這兩位超級領袖,對整體事態的控製力其實很有限,這就更加說明雙方各讓一步,早日解決危機的必要性。Dobbs記者齣身,書易懂、吸人眼球,讀下來驚悚如偵探小說。確實有不少爆料,然而原創性貢獻並沒有作者自稱的那麼高,缺少嚴肅的學術對話。
评分危機中軍士將領不可控,各種意外頻頻,赫魯曉夫和肯尼迪這兩位超級領袖,對整體事態的控製力其實很有限,這就更加說明雙方各讓一步,早日解決危機的必要性。Dobbs記者齣身,書易懂、吸人眼球,讀下來驚悚如偵探小說。確實有不少爆料,然而原創性貢獻並沒有作者自稱的那麼高,缺少嚴肅的學術對話。
评分危機中軍士將領不可控,各種意外頻頻,赫魯曉夫和肯尼迪這兩位超級領袖,對整體事態的控製力其實很有限,這就更加說明雙方各讓一步,早日解決危機的必要性。Dobbs記者齣身,書易懂、吸人眼球,讀下來驚悚如偵探小說。確實有不少爆料,然而原創性貢獻並沒有作者自稱的那麼高,缺少嚴肅的學術對話。
评分危機中軍士將領不可控,各種意外頻頻,赫魯曉夫和肯尼迪這兩位超級領袖,對整體事態的控製力其實很有限,這就更加說明雙方各讓一步,早日解決危機的必要性。Dobbs記者齣身,書易懂、吸人眼球,讀下來驚悚如偵探小說。確實有不少爆料,然而原創性貢獻並沒有作者自稱的那麼高,缺少嚴肅的學術對話。
评分危機中軍士將領不可控,各種意外頻頻,赫魯曉夫和肯尼迪這兩位超級領袖,對整體事態的控製力其實很有限,這就更加說明雙方各讓一步,早日解決危機的必要性。Dobbs記者齣身,書易懂、吸人眼球,讀下來驚悚如偵探小說。確實有不少爆料,然而原創性貢獻並沒有作者自稱的那麼高,缺少嚴肅的學術對話。
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