The Kissinger Tapes
The National Security Archive forced Henry Kissinger to surrender thousands of transcribed phone calls from his tenure under Nixon and Ford, making the documents publicly available. The tapes expose his sharp wit, relentless work ethic, and a pattern of manipulation, deception, and callousness toward policy outcomes. They also reveal his fraught relationships with President Nixon, Secretary of State William Rogers, and the press, including flirtations with journalists. The release overturns Kissinger’s claim that the records were private and provides scholars a rare window into Cold‑War decision‑making.
The “Freest Writer” In Stalin’s Russia
The new scholarly work uncovers how Laurence Sterne’s 18th‑century novels resurfaced in Soviet Russia despite Stalinist censorship, becoming a covert touchstone for intellectuals seeking artistic freedom. By examining letters, diaries, translation drafts, and editorial correspondence, the authors trace Sterne’s reception...