War

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 2,958 ratings

Price: 17.71

Last update: 12-23-2024


About this item

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward tells the revelatory, behind-the-scenes story of three wars—Ukraine, the Middle East and the struggle for the American Presidency.

War is an intimate and sweeping account of one of the most tumultuous periods in presidential politics and American history.

We see President Joe Biden and his top advisers in tense conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. We also see Donald Trump, conducting a shadow presidency and seeking to regain political power.

With unrivaled, inside-the-room reporting, Woodward shows President Biden’s approach to managing the war in Ukraine, the most significant land war in Europe since World War II, and his tortured path to contain the bloody Middle East conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

Woodward reveals the extraordinary complexity and consequence of wartime back-channel diplomacy and decision-making to deter the use of nuclear weapons and a rapid slide into World War III.

The raw cage-fight of politics accelerates as Americans prepare to vote in 2024, starting between President Biden and Trump, and ending with the unexpected elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president.

War provides an unvarnished examination of the vice president as she tries to embrace the Biden legacy and policies while beginning to chart a path of her own as a presidential candidate.

Woodward’s reporting once again sets the standard for journalism at its most authoritative and illuminating.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.


Top reviews from the United States

Carol Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read from Bob Woodward
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2024
I just finished another excellent book by Bob Woodward. It is really a historic documentation of the presidency of Joe Biden and how his lengthy experience in foreign policy influenced his juggling of the political factions in the Russia/Ukraine War and the war between Israel and Hamas. The book is as interesting to read as any novel. In spite of the ongoing attempt to paint Biden as a bumbling old man and a failure as a president, you are introduced to the real Joe Biden, behind the scenes, as he worked diligently for the good of the Western World. Besides being impressed with the picture of a dedicated and hard working ptesident, you get a picture of the highly competent advisors around him. Regardless of your preconceived notions about Joe Biden, I urge everyone to read this book and get a real sense of why he was the right president at the right time. Readers need to put aside their political biases if possible and get a more complete picture of Joe Biden. I hope everyone who is interested in the conditions in the world today will get a clearer picture of our 46th president from this valuable book. Highly recommended.
Charles W.
5.0 out of 5 stars "War" by Bob Woodward
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2024
"War" covers the period of Biden's presidency primarily from about six months before Putin's Russia invaded the Ukraine through Biden's Announcement in July of 2024 that he was no longer running for reelection. The war in the Ukraine and and the war that Hamas started October 7 with Israel are very important centerpieces in this narrative. It shows many of the interactions in managing these conflicts in which the USA is actively supporting Ukraine and Israel while not taking an active role in the combat.

While the narrative centers primarily on Joe Biden's presidency and his inner staff during this wartime period, Donald Trump also has some coverage in this book along with Kamala Harris to a lesser degree as a part of Biden's presidency. I was personally glad that Woodward covered both the capable administrator Joe Biden and the "Well meaning old man in decline". It would be dishonest not to present both.

There was a part of me that sometimes wanted to cry over the events described in the Ukraine and Israel (October 7 Hamas attack). I also had the terrible feeling that it was a preview of World War 3. The very best that can be said is that Biden was able to navigate the difficult role of supporting both the Ukraine and Israel without getting the US directly involved in the fighting. Honest people can agree or disagree on if the Biden administration had any impact on why these these situations started, But it seems clear that his administration did everything practical to both support the Ukraine and Israel in their conflicts while doing its best to prevent US soldiers being in armed conflict. Also Biden seemed to try his best to control collateral damage to the civilian population of Gaza. There is a deep irony that foreign policy is often the primary area the President is responsible for, while at the same time the US president has limited influence on other governments. Add to that the intense legal pressure on Biden's son Hunter and in a way its not surprising that Biden has aged before our eyes despite a long career in government.

Donald Trump gets some mention, part of it because he is a significant part of the US political landscape. Another part is the contrast between Biden's approach and Trump's approach. Obviously both are willful men, and both are self confident. Donald Trump tends to operate on "instinct" while Biden is a more conventional executive. The advantage of "instinct" is that it's prone to quick decision, the big disadvantage is that if "instinct" is wrong, it can make big mistakes.

This is the 3rd recent Woodward book I have read. It's obvious that Bob does his homework to the degree that you feel you are there during some of the hard decisions - You get details. Unlike some books and authors I found that Bob did a good job of conveying the story and information mostly without using obscure words and terms without explaining them. In other words, the book is readable.

If you are interested in current events, I can definitely recommend this book. I read it on the Kindle App from Amazon so I could get my copy immediately (and save a few dollars).
M T
4.0 out of 5 stars Splendid Book But One Glaring Omission - Immigration
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2024
Woodward's book is extremely well written and authoritative. A major missing subject, however, is what went on behind the scenes as Biden wrestled with developing a humane immigration policy. We know Susan Rice and Jake Sullivan advised to take a more limited approach to easy up on Trump's immigration policies, but who were the advocates (names) for the policy allowing immigrants to be admitted to and stay in the U.S. if they stated a credible fear? This is true even though it was known at the time that there was a 3 year wait for an asylum hearing, and that there was a lack of manpower to properly vet those allowed to enter. Although there appears to be other factors outside of Mr. Biden's control that caused the unprecedented surge at the border, allowing immigrants to stay in the U.S. appears to be the most significant cause of the surge. While those advisors who advocated for that policy probably did so with the best intentions, that policy may very well be the issue that will result in Mr. Trump being reelected and having instituting massive round ups and deportations. Sound judgment was not used, and those advocating for a more humane policy under the known conditions at the time, may cause the least humane immigration policy this country has ever known. I feel sick that this issue may bring down Kamala Harris.
Laurence Kirshbaum
5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant analysis of diplomacy
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2024
Bob Woodward has incredible sources, both Democrats and Republicans. Through his multiple books on politics going back to All the Presidents Men (written with Carl Bernstein), he has pursued the inside story of Presidents in action under the most insistent pressures of their jobs. In this case his subject is the Ukraine and Israeli conflicts as seen through the eyes of the American national security and diplomatic teams under President Biden. In dealing with Putin in the Ukraine story and Netanyahu in Israel, Woodward captures the full sweep of Biden's delicate handling of supporting Ukraine and Israel while keeping American military troops in background roles so that they are not directly putting their boots on the ground of these bitter struggles that threaten to erupt into World War III. In addition to Biden, the book offers succinct but insightful studies of Putin, Netanyahu and former President Trump along with American understudies like Jake Sullivan or Secretary of State Blinken who are the real heroes of the book as they deal with the overhanging threat of nuclear warfare among the major powers in the world.

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