Journeys to War and Peace: A Congressional Memoir - Hardcover

Solarz, Stephen J.

9781584659976: Journeys to War and Peace: A Congressional Memoir

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1584659971 ISBN 13: 9781584659976

Publisher: Brandeis University Press, 2011

In this remarkable book, recounting his long, influential career as a congressman from New York, Stephen Solarz gives an insider’s view of the life of a hard-working legislator in the forefront of democracy movements and human rights during a tumultuous time in our nation’s history. A member of the class of 1974, the so-called “Watergate” class, when 75 freshman Democrats were elected to the Congress, Solarz was part of the group that brought about a power shift in the House from an inner circle of senior committee chairs to a much larger group of subcommittee leaders. Early on he sought and won a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he earned a reputation as an expert in international relations, traveling to more than 100 countries and meeting the likes of Anwar Sadat, Menachem Begin, Nelson Mandela, Indira Gandhi, Saddam Hussein, Kim Il Sung, and Robert Mugabe. Solarz gives fascinating, detailed descriptions of his role in bringing democracy to South Korea and Taiwan, the triumph of people power in the Philippines, the peace agreement in Cambodia, the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, and the adoption of the resolution authorizing the use of force in the first Gulf War. Written in an engaging style, Journeys to War and Peace will appeal to all who value the struggle for human rights and seek a better understanding between differing cultures and peoples.

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About the Author:

STEPHEN J. SOLARZ (1940–2010) served for 24 years in public office both in the New York State Assembly and in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected from Brooklyn’s 13th Congressional District to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 and reelected eight times. He served for 18 years on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, serving as chairman of the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Africa. As a congressman, he traveled widely and met with dozens of world leaders, and became a leading spokesman on behalf of democracy and human rights. Mr. Solarz is a graduate of Brandeis University, class of 1962.

Review:

“Steve Solarz was a force of nature. If the Congress in his day had its own Secretary of State, it was Steve. He traveled the world, from Manila to the Middle East, to learn first-hand about what was happening, and then brought that wisdom back to Washington to help shape U.S. foreign policy. No member of Congress was more influential in foreign affairs. I never met anyone more relentless in his questioning than Steve. He kept coming at you until he squeezed every ounce of insight out of you. His journey should be read by young and old alike to remind us of how impactful a Congressman can be when he does his homework—and how interesting a life he can have at the same time!” (Thomas L. Friedman, author of The World is Flat)

“Few members of Congress have had a greater impact on areas of U.S. foreign policy relevant to Israel’s security and well being more than Congressman Steve Solarz. Indeed, he was among the most powerful voices in pointing out the importance of a secure Israel to U.S. strategic interests in the region and beyond. He was unrelenting in advocating to Arabs and Israelis alike the need to bridge the divide in the pursuit of peace. It was a pleasure to interact with him as a colleague. It was a joy to read his reflections about it all. It remains a source of pride to have considered him a friend.” (Shimon Peres, President of Israel)

“Widely acclaimed for decades as one of the best and most influential Congressmen on foreign affairs, Steve Solarz’s memoir reads like a terrific conversation. I'm a lifetime consumer of political writings, and this one ranks among the best for its inside and surprising information and its outright wit.” (Leslie H. Gelb, former New York Times columnist and president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations)

“Steve Solarz was both a statesman and a member of Congress, a rare combination. No American did more to help restore democracy to the Philippines, and few members of Congress had as much impact globally in steering U.S. foreign policy towards peace-making and democracy-building. Journeys to War and Peace helps us understand what a wise congressman has done and what Congress can do to further U.S. interests abroad.” (President Jimmy Carter)

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