Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey

by Brian Urquhart

Book Overview

Ralph Bunche was instrumental -- sometimes at great personal risk -- in finding peaceful solutions to incendiary conflicts around the world, while at the same time he was never far from the realities of racial prejudice. Bunche rose from modest circumstances to become the foremost international mediator and peacekeeper of his time, winner of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize and key drafter of the United Nations charter. Drawing on Bunche's personal papers and on his many years as Bunche's colleague at the UN, Brian Urquhart's elegant biography delineates a man with a zest for life as well as unsurpassed integrity of purpose. "Brian Urquhart brings Bunche] back to life with a splendid biography. . . . Bunche emerges here as one of the major American diplomatic figures of this century and one of the towering leaders in African American history."--Arnold Rampersad, Princeton University At once a splendid biography of a very brave and remarkable American, a vivid account of the struggle for racial justice, and an indispensable introduction to the dilemmas of international peacekeeping."--Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393318591
• ISBN13: 9780393318593
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

United Nations

This book was a good and interesting read. I would recommend it. Ralph Bunch was a very interesting character. I am sad to say that I did not even know who he was a year ago. It further displays my mis-education. He is never mentioned in Black America. It seems if we forgot he ever existed. It is funny that during Black history month they bring out the same old tired people. Ralph was incredibly significant to the development of the United Nations. I recommend this book.