William T. Vollmann on Trying to Excavate American Foreign Policy From the Cold War to the War on Terror

The article discusses A Table for Fortune, a book by William T.

Vollmann that explores American foreign policy from the Cold War (1966) to the War on Terror (2022).

The book is divided into two parts: the first is a novel of ideas focusing on the CIA and geopolitical analysis, while the second is a novel of feelings centered on emotions and personal experiences.

Vollmann explains that these parts could not fully cohere but were intentionally kept separate to reflect their distinct natures.

The book aims to trace the roots of the September 11 attacks and their consequences, blending fiction with real-world events and archival research.

Vollmann describes the CIA sections as resembling a 1940s science-fiction novel about Venus, emphasizing the uncertainty and speculation involved in reconstructing historical events.