captures richard holbrooke's spirit and the work he did. our plan was to publish on the anniversary of his death in december. samantha power and wonderful contributors writing about different parts of his life and career. vietnam, fa snapped -- bosnia and excerpts from his own work like his wonderful book and his speeches and essays. it gives an incredible portrait in his own words and about reflections on his career by people who knew him. >> we have been talking with susan weinberg, publisher of publicaffairs books. one of the purpose it -- perseus groups in prince. publicaffairs.com is the web site. >> these of the best-selling hardcover nonfiction book according to the new york times. this reflects sales as of august 18th.

richard holbrooke's widow came to us, a bunch of people, and said, you know, we think you guys would be perfect to put together a book that really captures richard holbrooke's spirit and what he stood for and the work he did. and our plan was always to publish on the upcoming anniversary of his death in december. samantha power is the editor. we have wonderful contributors writing about different parts of holbrooke's life and career, you know, vietnam, bosnia, afpak, and we also have some excerpts from his own work including his wonderful book and a lot of, you

. >> conte contrasts the career for richard holbrooke but if his opponents named lawrenceburg and no but nick i am not moving into for 60 years. but he beat on the ground for another 75 years but at exactly the same age became the influence and has spent in his entire career about five and a half years from wall street and much was sucked into washington politics and he became very absorbed. and i remembered a new yorker said those politics are so important he endeavored to visit the region at least once every two months. something has changed in the world. and it seems to be bad to allow people who do delegate interest. although the air of spring is a new, the central point* is we should think more symbolically. the point* is not gadaffi but all hold middle east ihop held the united states allies relate to those countries. did we get off on the right foot? are we on this side of progress or dictators say and do we wish to be seen may gain day strain to move? i thought what was smart is he was limited and said we will have a no-fly zone but the problem i believe it is other countries

i was contrasting the carrier of richard holbrooke, have a lot of admiration for with the career of hisuivalent. in his first posting for just over a debt -- a year. john lawrence was in his first posting for 16 years. by the time he became vice revenue he had been on the ground for 35 years of his career. exactly the same age, became the envoy, he had spent in his entire career approximately five and a half years on foreign tourists, 22 years on wall street, much of this energy was necessarily sucked into washington politics. it had to be. he became very absorptive in the press, congress. i remember a new york profile of him. he said to the new yorker that he understood the politics of afghanistan are some important that he endeavored to visit the region at least once every two months. it is something that has changed in the world in terms o

government in place you're probably not going -- >> charlie: what did your friend and my friend richard holbrook believe. >> i don't know. i was a real fan of his and he called me, i remember. >> charlie: in the middle of the night. >> yes. to say rory, if you think this surge is the wrong thing i want you to go out and say it and be clear because if you don't come out now i don't want to hear you criticize it bin. i took from that a sense that maybe he agreed with me. but he was a very intelligent man and it's quite possible that what he had taken from vietnam was that he loved debate. he wanted someone out there. >> charlie: specifically he wanted you to convince the secretary of state. >> right, exactly. that's what he asked me to do. >> charlie: he asked you to sit next to him at dinner. >> that's right i yes. >> charlie: which is pure holbrookian. >> yes. >> charlie: which she was fully aware of all the arguments. >> he di thatrilliantly. he had a real sense of intellectual courage. he was not afraid to stage proper discussion to try to get different voices. >> charlie: books written about

and a professor of international politics at tufts policy an advisor to the late ambassador richard holbrooke here in washington. good to see you. the arab spring, let's take it from there. what message are these scenes from the streets of tripoli sending to assad and the protesters in syria and the other arab leads? >> there's two sets of messages going. one is to the arab spring. one says arab dictator regardless of how atrocious his actions are in the end cannot survive. to diktors like assad and others in power, the lesson is you have to prevent a way nato to support supporters against you. without international support the rebels would not have survived. i think assad and dictators are worried. >> knowing how desperate and defiant muammar gadhafi is, what can we expect from him? is there going to be some sort of horrific attack, counterattack, last stand or running and hiding out in the bunkers and finding an escape route? >> i think the most likely scenario if he is not captured is that his presence could keep an insurgency in certain areas going. >> this could be like the hunt of sadda