"A sweeping and evocative account of the Cold War's thaw. It's fast-moving, engaging and authoritative in equal measure. 5 stars." -- All About History "Richard Crowder's broad-ranging account of 'détente', the comparative relaxation of Cold War tension which lasted from the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 to the American withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975, shows in colourful, lively and meticulous detail how Nixon and Brezhnev constructed fragile barriers against mutual annihilation, even while one was coping with a violently divided America and the other with an increasingly dysfunctional Soviet Union." -- Rodric Braithwaite "Richard Crowder has managed to write about these turbulent years in vivid detail in a way that combines serious research and readability." -- Richard Harries, Baron Harries of Pentregarth "Richard Crowder possesses a rich array of gifts which carry his fascinating story with zest and insight-a mix of his sense of moment, character and context all enhanced by his insider's feel for diplomacy and statecraft. Roll on volume three of this fascinating cold war narrative." -- Peter Hennessy, Baron Hennessy of Nympsfield.