WHEN it comes to dispensing knowledge to leaders, it would be hard to find a better source than Carnes Lord. Few political theorists possess his experience as a practitioner of statecraft; fewer still who are currently slugging it out in Washington’s halls of power can lay claim to Lord’s credentials as a serious student of political philosophy. He has translated and written on Aristotle and has served both Presidents Reagan and Bush the elder in prominent national security roles. This makes him a rare commodity indeed, and his recent book on statesmanship deserves serious attention.