"Sketches From a Life", by George Kennan
Pantheon Books, 1989
Kennan was a distinguished American diplomat in the second quarter of this past century, and is currently professor emeritus at the Institute of Advanced Studies. He is the author of the document that shaped US foreign policy towards the Soviet Union for the greater part of the Cold War, what is known as "The Long Telegram". Through the Policy Planning Staff, George Kennan shaped the United States' policy of containment and was instrumental in the development of the Marshall Plan and the rebuilding of Japan after World War II. In his most recent book, Around The Cragged Hill, Kennan argues that the US should focus its foreign policy on maintaining its ties to western Europe and Japan and should concentrate on domestic issues.
However, Sketches From A Life has nothing to do with this; indeed, Kennan specifically omits academic thoughts on socio-political conditions. In the preface, he postulates that there are three things he has "felt the impulse to put to paper": intimate reactions, intellectual reactions, and what we would call travel writing. The intimate reactions are reserved for personal reflection. The intellectual reactions are what make up the "backbone of [his] professional life". The third category, the travel writings, are what makes up this book.
Sketches is a collection of journal writings, a travelogue spanning a lifetime of adventures. Kennan makes sublime remarks and wonderfully detailed, emotionally responsive observations about the places he visits. The reader follows him on a journey through life, watching as his words and responses to the outside world change with age.
From Hamburg and Berlin to Moscow and St. Petersburg, from Riga to Lesotho and Kristiansand to Pennsylvania, Kennan puts to paper beautifully rendered and exquisite prose. His ability to see the inner truth of a city is exceptional. With exact detail Kennan depicts the befores and afters of many of the war torn cities of Western and Eastern Europe. His portrayal of humanity is generous, empathetic, and wrought with love.
Many of the places Kennan describes in Sketches may not be the same today, but purely for the nostalgia this book is a must read. Kennan's writing style maintains a simplicity reminiscent of the great authors of the 1930s with as much beauty and grace. Sketches is a quick read and essential for any well-rounded bookshelf. CWL
Overall verdict: A definite read for anyone interested in modern history.
