The War of Nerves

Inside the Cold War Mind

Martin Sixsmith

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English

Profile
29 November 2022

History; The Cold War; Military history: post WW2 conflicts; Social, group or collective psychology

[Sixsmith] has found another way of telling the story of the Cold War, one that laces history with the mind games that were played by both sides' - The Times

More than any other conflict, the Cold War was fought on the battlefield of the human mind. And, nearly thirty years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, its legacy still endures - not only in our politics, but in our own thoughts, and fears.

Drawing on a vast array of untapped archives and unseen sources, Martin Sixsmith vividly recreates the tensions and paranoia of the Cold War, framing it for the first time from a psychological perspective. Revisiting towering personalities like Khrushchev, Kennedy and Nixon, as well as the lives of the unknown millions who were caught up in the conflict, this is a gripping account of fear itself - and in today's uncertain times, it is more resonant than ever.

By: Martin Sixsmith
Imprint: Profile
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Main
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 130mm, Spine: 40mm
Weight: 460g
ISBN: 9781781259139
ISBN 10: 1781259135
Pages: 592
Publication Date: 29 November 2022
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Martin Sixsmith studied Russian at Oxford, Harvard, the Sorbonne and in St Petersburg, and psychology at Birkbeck and London Metropolitan University. He witnessed the end of the Cold War first hand, reporting for the BBC from Moscow during the presidencies of Gorbachev and Yeltsin. He is the author of two novels and several works of non-fiction, including Philomena and Russia: A 1,000 Year Chronicle of the Wild East.

Reviews for The War of Nerves: Inside the Cold War Mind

An ambitious study of the cold war ... filled with fascinating insights into the psychology of one of the most dangerous periods in world history ... illuminating -- P.D. James * Guardian * There have been many histories of the cold war, but the virtue and originality of Mr Sixsmith's is to see almost every aspect of the stand-off in psychological terms * Economist * Written with exemplary clarity and full of succulent anecdotes ... Sixsmith's huge canvas encompasses the Space Race, the motivations of the Cambridge spies, and the details of Project MK Ultra * Daily Telegraph * [Sixsmith] has found another way of telling the story of the Cold War, one that laces history with the mind games that were played by both sides ... a good read ... peppered with anecdote, archival nuggets and short flashes of insight ... The book stands out from other Cold War narratives by its introduction of psychological theorising ... It was time for a vivid popular history of the Cold War, and this is it. -- Roger Boyes * The Times * This fascinating study of Cold War psychology also has much to teach us about contemporary tensions -- Vin Arthey * Scotsman * Praise for Martin Sixsmith: 'Sixsmith has the knack of delivering complex material with a clear voice * The Times * A lively chronicle -- Orlando Figes * Sunday Times * Russia, a 1,000 Year Chronicle of the Wild East contains many of the required ingredients to become the leading popular history of Russia. Colloquial, personal and anecdotal in style ... well researched and factually sound. * TLS * Russia delivers a thoroughly satisfying history...a lively opinionated narrative. * Publishers Weekly *