For some, strategic thinking should be based on hard metrics and shorn of sentiment. Lawrence Freedman's collection of essays turns that proposition on its head. Part autobiographical, spanning a remarkable career spent at the coalface of national security debates, the book is full of unobtrusive charm, humanity and critical self-infliction. Freedman packs a considerable punch as he ponders the limits of deterrence and the ever-darkening geopolitical storm clouds on the horizon. * John Bew, Professor of History and Foreign Policy, King's College London * This collection of essays by the greatest living academic strategist is a treasure. Incisiveness coupled with humanity and humor are Lawrence Freedman's hallmarks. Please read this to learn the craft of strategy. * Kori Schake, Director of Foreign and Defense Policy, American Enterprise Institute * Lawrence Freedman is not only our preeminent military historian and strategist but also a witty memoirist, fine journalist, stylish essayist, and a canny observer of all the contours and influences of past, present, and likely future-from his personal life, the politics shaping all of our times, and their various intermingling and contradictions. This collection, the too-drably titled On Strategists and Strategy, pops with energy, insight, and wisdom. * Fred Kaplan, Author of The Bomb, The Insurgents, and The Wizards of Armageddon *
