On Oct. 9, world-renowned historian Niall Ferguson, author of 14 books and named as one of 100 of the world’s most influential people by Time magazine, spoke to a packed room at University of Washington’s Kane Hall about his newest book Kissinger: Volume I: The Idealist, 1923-1968, in an event hosted by the Jackson School of International Studies, UW Bookstore and The Whole U.
A highlight was Ferguson talking about his experience as the first scholar to have access to Henry Kissinger’s personal archives and papers. Reading from excerpts of Kissinger’s letters to his parents, Ferguson talked about how exile, war and the Holocaust shaped Kissinger’s thinking and career.
Jackson School Professor David Bachman also joined Ferguson onstage in a Q&A style conversation about Kissinger, including questions on former President Nixon’s choice of Kissinger as national security adviser.
Prior to the evening event, Ferguson spent an hour meeting with the Jackson School director, faculty and master’s and Ph.D. students, discussing research and history.
About the speakers
Niall Ferguson is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard and a senior research fellow of the Hoover Institution, Stanford. He is the author of the The New York Times bestsellersThe Great Degeneration, Civilization, The Ascent of Money, and War of the World. He also writes regularly for newspapers and magazines all over the world.
David Bachman is a professor of international studies at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. He was chair of the China Studies Program from 1992-2003 and associate director of the Jackson School from 2000-2001 and 2003-2010. His research and teaching interests are Chinese Domestic and Foreign Policy, International Political Economy, Asian Politics, International Relations, and U.S. – China Relations.