Genuinely brilliant history book. Enormous subject approached in a balanced, expansive and illuminating manner.
I learned so much on a subject that I am already familiar with. The great writing is demonstrated by detailing the at times brutal aspects of the conflict, showing the human suffering caused by callous or simply poor decisions made on all sides. Yet, made me laugh out loud several times! Don't say that for many world histories! The laughable hypocrisy displayed by all parties helped with that.
The focus on often overlooked geographical areas (the rest of Asia, South America, Africa), and importance of lesser celebrated characters (Brezhnev) stood out in particular.
Incisive on human psychology, the structure of societies, and the importance of historical context. Mandatory reading for understanding today!