CONDITION USED GOOD, CHESTER BOWLES , NEW DEALER IN THE COLD WAR , HOWARD B. SCHAFFER , HARDCOVER, 1993

Chester Bowles: New Dealer in the Cold War by Howard B. Schaffer is a detailed political biography of one of America’s most idealistic and influential diplomats. Appointed U.S. Ambassador to India in 1951, Chester Bowles brought to his role the vision of a New Deal liberal who believed in economic development, humanitarianism, and cross-cultural understanding rather than military confrontation.

Drawing on extensive documents and personal experience, Schaffer — himself a diplomat who worked closely with Bowles — presents an insightful portrait of a man whose optimism, energy, and moral conviction often clashed with the hard-nosed realism of Cold War politics. The book traces Bowles’s multifaceted career as governor, congressman, foreign policy adviser, and twice ambassador to India, exploring his efforts to shape a more cooperative U.S. approach toward Asia, Africa, and the developing world.

Both a compelling personal story and a study of postwar American diplomacy, this biography highlights Bowles’s lasting legacy as a champion of progressive internationalism and his struggle to redefine America’s role in a rapidly changing global order.