The World and Richard Nixon

While carefully distancing himself from Nixon's internal-politics record, Sulzberger, former New York Times foreign correspondent and columnist, praises his handling of foreign affairs. Despite the Vietnam inheritance the author qualifies Nixon's achievements in foreign relations as a ""glowing success with important long-term results''a judgment based on the journalist's own diary and on conversations with the former president and interviews with an impressive roster of foreign leaders. Sulzberger contends that Nixon deliberately prepared for statesmanship through extensive travel and reading. This preparation, together with his skill as a strategist, tactician and negotiator, brilliantly seconded by Kissinger and capable envoys, argues the author, combined to help Nixon formulate policy wisely and, in most instances, to successfully meet diplomatic challenges. (May 15)