High Noon in the Cold War : Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Cuban Missile Crisis

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Summary: The Missiles of October in Book Form
Review: Mr. Frankel's brief account of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 is an excellent introduction for the general reader. Countless books and movies have told the story of how President Kennedy avoided World War III over the nuclear missiles that the Russians placed in Cuba.

The advantage to Mr. Frankel's tale is his judicious use of newly declassified documents from American and Russian archives. Additionally, he had covered the crisis for the New York Times and injects himself occasionally into the story with a note of urgency. Both Kennedy and Khrushchev have to maneuver to give themselves time to pull back from the brink of nuclear warfare and slow down their over-eager generals from making a fatal mistake. Knowing the outcome of the story does not lessen the tension for the reader.

This is not an exhaustive and definitive account of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It is a clear and concise re-telling of a story where men rose to the occasion and did their best, where only their best would save the world from a nuclear holocaust. I highly recommend either of the superb thrillers "The Missiles of October" (1974) or "Thirteen Days" (2001) for those readers who are movie buffs.

Rating:
Summary: SHOULD BE READ BY ALL PEOPLE WHO ASSUME THEY KNOW IT ALL -
Review: NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK.
IT'S TAKES A SUBJECT, THE FACTS ABOUT WHICH HAVE BEEN BEATEN TO DEATH IN ALL MEDIA FORMS, AND FOR ONCE, ALLOWS YOU TO COME AWAY WITH A CLEAR, FACTUAL, THOROUGH, UNCOMPLICATED, UNBIASED UNDERSTANDING OF EXACTLY WHAT TOOK PLACE. IT'S LIKE CUTTING THROUGH BUTTER WITH A HOT KNIFE. IF THIS SUBJECT INTERESTS YOU, IT'S A MUST READ.