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Peace, They Say: A History of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Most Famous and Controversial Prize in the World Hardcover – Illustrated, March 27, 2012

by Jay Nordlinger (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 28 ratings
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In this book, Jay Nordlinger gives a history of what the subtitle calls “the most famous and controversial prize in the world.” The Nobel Peace Prize, like the other Nobel prizes, began in 1901. So we have a neat, sweeping history of the 20th century, and about a decade beyond. The Nobel prize involves a first world war, a second world war, a cold war, a terror war, and more. It contends with many of the key issues of modern times, and of life itself.

It also presents a parade of interesting people—more than a hundred laureates, not a dullard in the bunch. Some of these laureates have been historic statesmen, such as Roosevelt (Teddy) and Mandela. Some have been heroes or saints, such as Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa. Some belong in other categories—where would you place Arafat? Controversies also swirl around the awards to Kissinger, Gorbachev, Gore, and Obama, to name just a handful.

Probably no figure in this book is more interesting than a non-laureate: Alfred Nobel, the Swedish scientist and entrepreneur who started the prizes. The book also addresses “missing laureates,” people who did not win the peace prize but might have, or should have (Gandhi?).

Peace, They Say is enlightening and enriching, and sometimes even fun. It has its opinions, but it also provides what is necessary for readers to form their own opinions. What is peace, anyway? All these people who have been crowned “champions of peace,” and the world’s foremost—should they have been? Such is the stuff this book is made on.
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  1. Print length
    476 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Encounter Books
  4. Publication date
    March 27, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781594035982
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1594035982
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Editorial Reviews

Review


“This delightful book entertained me and enriched my knowledge. How many books do that? If you pick it up, I defy you to put it down until you’ve finished it.”

Lou Cannon, historian and journalist

“In an absorbingly well-researched, well-written and thoughtful history of the Peace Prize . . . Nordlinger looks with a critical but not jaundiced eye at the laureates. . . . In the course of his deliberations he has thought deeply about what genuinely constitutes peace.”

Andrew Roberts, historian

“A masterly book, which dissects its notoriously controversial subject with precision, elegance, and wit. A splendid job!”

Solomon Volkov, Radio Liberty / Radio Free Europe

“. . . like a history of the modern world, told through the prism of the prize, full of characters both familiar and unfamiliar, and well written in the style we’ve come to expect.”

John J. Miller, author, director of journalism at Hillsdale College

About the Author

Jay Nordlinger is a senior editor of National Review. He writes about a variety of subjects, including politics, foreign affairs, and the arts. He is music critic for The New Criterion and City Arts (New York), as well as for NR. He has won awards for his work on human rights, in particular. Some 100 pieces are gathered in Here, There & Everywhere: Collected Writings of Jay Nordlinger. A native Michigander, the author lives in New York.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1594035989
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Encounter Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 27, 2012
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 476 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781594035982
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594035982
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.72 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 28 ratings

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Jay Nordlinger

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
28 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a well-researched history lesson that provides deep insights into controversial events and people. The writing style is engaging and highly readable, with one customer noting how it tells important stories efficiently. Customers describe the book as entertaining, with one review highlighting the right amount of quips and asides.

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10 customers mention "Enlightenedness"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enlightening, describing it as an awesome and well-researched history lesson. One customer notes how it deepens understanding of controversial events and people, while another mentions it provides a detailed account of Alfred Nobel's life.

"...and how it is given and how it is handled you will have a better idea of the social views, ideas and fads that held sway with Western political..." Read more

"...His style is smooth and inviting, yet eloquent and instructive...." Read more

"...of the prize's founder (inventor of dynamite) and his intentions was particularly enlightening, especially in the context of the battles between the..." Read more

"...writer, with a distinct, highly readable style, comes this awesome history lesson...." Read more

9 customers mention "Reading quality"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be an excellent read, with one customer particularly appreciating the included recipient lectures.

"...humor and loving attention to his subject carries the day and drives the book along...." Read more

"...Peace, They Say, he tells the most important stories efficiently and fairly, with just the right amount of quips and asides to keep it interesting..." Read more

"...The book gets more interesting as it covers more current laureates...." Read more

"...Nordlinger has a nice, conversational writing style that is well suited to a book of this nature." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing style"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as highly readable and engaging, with one customer noting that the author tells important stories efficiently.

"...Throughout Peace, They Say, he tells the most important stories efficiently and fairly, with just the right amount of quips and asides to keep it..." Read more

"...Fortunately, this isn't the case. Nordlinger is thorough and fair...." Read more

"...Nordlinger has a nice, conversational writing style that is well suited to a book of this nature." Read more

"...You will say, why haven't I heard of you before? A great stylist with the written word who is not afraid to share his views. Bravo." Read more

5 customers mention "Humor"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining, with one mentioning it has the right amount of quips and asides.

"...prove tedious in another author's hands but Mr. Nordlinger's wit, good humor and loving attention to his subject carries the day and drives the book..." Read more

"...important stories efficiently and fairly, with just the right amount of quips and asides to keep it interesting and unique. Totally recommended." Read more

"...Interesting altogether." Read more

"...I always read his stuff in NR and NRO. Great sense of humor and irony. I particularly have..." Read more

3 customers mention "Narrative quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the narrative quality of the book, with one review highlighting its detailed account of the series of awards and another noting how it intersperses the parade of laureates.

"...The narrative of the series of awards is detailed...." Read more

"...Fascinating facts. I like how he interspersed the "parade of laureates" with sections with broader subjects. I highly recommend this book." Read more

"Great Story even better history..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Brian
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story even better history
    Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    The Nobel Prize! How it has captured our imaginations over the century of its existence and how little I have understood it and the motivations behind it. Nordlinger's book entertains, informs and challenges our thinking and understanding of the Nobel Peace Prize.

    Mr. Nordlinger's biographical sketches of the early winners are fascinating overview of the early 20th and late 19th century. His more contemporary portraits often do a great job of capturing the times and controversies surrounding these awards. As we find American Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush would never win a peace prize but surely should have the biggest stack of thank you letters from the people who did win. Nearly every single winner in the 21st century owes George Bush a thank you note at the very least.

    Mr. Nordlinger's "parade of laureates", his term for his biographical sketches of the winners, could prove tedious in another author's hands but Mr. Nordlinger's wit, good humor and loving attention to his subject carries the day and drives the book along. It left me wishing that he had spent even more time on each laureate instead of less.

    By reading this book you will not only have a better understanding of the Prize and how it is given and how it is handled you will have a better idea of the social views, ideas and fads that held sway with Western political elites through the 20th and early 21st centuries. This is book you will come to cherish having in your possession.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Richard Stowell
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great reading that is leisurely, entertaining, and informative
    Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Jay Nordlinger is a writer who can get your attention and keep it. His style is smooth and inviting, yet eloquent and instructive. Throughout Peace, They Say, he tells the most important stories efficiently and fairly, with just the right amount of quips and asides to keep it interesting and unique. Totally recommended.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • LesLein
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and Fair
    Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    As far back as 1964 William F. Buckley, Jr. wrote "Any redblooded Westerner should think twice before accepting a Nobel award, precisely because to do so is to lend the recipient's prestige not merely to the idiosyncratic criteria the Committee uses, but to its political relativism." While I admire Jay Nordlinger's work at the magazine Buckley founded, I was concerned that this work would be an extended opinion peace on the Nobel committee's biases.

    Fortunately, this isn't the case. Nordlinger is thorough and fair. He provides his own conclusions, but only after summarizing both sides of any controversy. Sometimes he is surprising. For example, Nordlinger doesn't fault the Nobel committee for honoring Yassir Arafat. He understands its motivation to encourage negotiations in the Middle East. In fact Nordlinger notes that the prize is often awarded to works in progress that don't pan out. Occasionally this works out, such as the South African awards.

    Another key point is that the Nobel committee often violates Alfred Nobel's will. It is supposed to go to the person who did the most for peace in the preceding year. Instead it is frequently a "lifetime achievement award." One change Nordlinger recommends is to focus less on celebrities. An additional criticism is that the award isn't always directly related to peace between nations. Sometimes the awards are for humantarian or human rights work. These efforts can be very worthwhile, but aren't directly related to peace. A frequent topic is the meaning of "peace." Mr. Nordlinger believes that Nobel believed in deterrence, not pacifism.

    Nordlinger provides a brief biography of Alfred Nobel. For each laureate he describes the background of his or her work, the other contenders, debates about the award's merits, and a follow up on what happened later. This last item is sometimes embarrassing. One recipient had falsehoods in her autobiography. Another was undermined by the climategate scandal. Nordlinger also addresses Buckley's concerns about the committee's politics. The committee reflects Norway's politics. This is mostly portrayed positively, but sometimes there's some humbug. For example, the award sometimes reflects ankle-biting against America, yet Norway has no reluctance to live under America's nuclear protection.

    The book gets more interesting as it covers more current laureates. I recommend it for those interested in the peace prize and modern international relations.
    22 people found this helpful
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  • Samuel H. McDonald
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nordlinger has a nice, conversational writing style that is well suited to ...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very interesting history of this often controversial award. The description of the prize's founder (inventor of dynamite) and his intentions was particularly enlightening, especially in the context of the battles between the "disarmament" and the "peace through strength" camps that sprung up almost immediately after the prize was established. Nordlinger has a nice, conversational writing style that is well suited to a book of this nature.
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  • grace
    3.0 out of 5 stars OK but not great
    Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Heard book interview with author on Book Notes on CNN and got interested in reading. Seemed long to me and I didn't finish, which is unusual for me. Style of writing was a little casual and I think that made it longer. Interesting altogether.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Michael
    5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome history lesson
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    From a great writer, with a distinct, highly readable style, comes this awesome history lesson. If you are not familiar with Mr. Nordlinger, it is probably because he leans to the right, but just a tad. Read him in this and other books, or in print. You will say, why haven't I heard of you before? A great stylist with the written word who is not afraid to share his views. Bravo.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Carol Brown
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Fascinating and interesting.
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  • B. P. Burr
    5.0 out of 5 stars Peace, They Say
    Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I have enjoyed reading this book. Jay Nordlinger writes in a style that is economical and easy.
    I always read his stuff in NR and NRO. Great sense of humor and irony. I particularly have
    enjoyed the excerpts of the recipient lectures as well as the recipient introductions.
    Although the Nobel committee has embarrassed themselves over the years, who hasn't!
    Word to the wise: If you don't think that Ronald Reagan should not have at least been considered
    for the Peace Prize, then you probably won't enjoy this book.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • silvia
    3.0 out of 5 stars A bit of a drag
    Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    It has lots of facts but not written to capture one's imagination. More likes text book
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