The Last American Aristocrat: The Biography of David K.E. Bruce, 1898-1977 (Last American Aristocrat)

By Nelson D. Lankford

Book Overview

David Bruce was the last of a kind - a wealthy American, country squire, spymaster and diplomat - whose friends ranged from Ernest Hemingway to Averill Harriman. This biography describes his military career, his two marriages and his diplomatic service as ambassador to France, Britain and China.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316515019
• ISBN13: 9780316515016
• Release Date: August 1996
• Publisher: Little Brown and Company
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.2" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

The passing of the old diplomatic corps, personified

Ignore the review which dismisses this biography as boring & badly-written. The subject matter might not be everyone's cup of tea, but a bad writer Nelson Lankford is not. He writes with style & flair, and makes this book quite an easy read. It is quite a good biography. As for the subject himself: clearly David Bruce, over 30 years after his death, is no longer on everybody's radar. I wanted to read this book mostly because of my interest in the Mellon family, but what one comes away with is an amazing life's story of a man who seemed to be at the center of nearly everything of note in post-World War II Europe & Asia. Bruce served in a diplomatic capacity under six presidents and occupied 3 of the most important post-war ambassadorial positions. As Lankford describes it, Bruce was "a shining example of the transnational elite that dominated American foreign policy" in the post-war era. He represented a period in American diplomacy which was nearly extinct by the time of JFK, and is virtually unrecognizable today. One can only imagine what he would make of the United States' current diplomatic position in the world. Lankford does not pull his punches; while he generally has respect for Bruce's qualities as a diplomat, he is quick to point out some of Bruce's more unflattering qualities. In particular I would point to his relations with his children, which could be charitably called indifferent. Career and social standing always took precedence over family for Bruce, which remains beyond my comprehension. All in all, this was a very informative book. Through Bruce, one can witness the evolution of the diplomatic corps. Bruce came of age just as the United States was beginning to take a more active role on the global stage. The old 19th century diplomats, drawn from the same class and families from which Bruce came, were nonetheless lacking the "transnational" outlook that came with the new generation. The upper class elite continued to be at the forefront of American diplomacy for another generation, but by the time Bruce was winding down his career, the old-school elite were being replaced by a new breed of professional foreign service officer. Bruce finished his career as a relic, albeit a distinguished and influential relic. He bridged three eras as few 20th century diplomats have.

The most famous person I had never heard of.

This biography of David K.E. Bruce provides an interesting look into all the world of the Political heavy weights of the middle 50 years of the 20th century. Bruce managed to cross paths with an amazing number of famous people, from his days as a World War One Messenger to being Head of the US OSS Office in London during WW2, to his being US Ambasador to France, West Germany, the UK, and then US Representative to the People's Republic of China. I found this a great book.