Geopolitics Books

Book SynopsisThe essential account of geopolitics - including an afterword on President Donald Trump ''For anyone wanting to find out more about the world we live in . . . there is one simple answer: read Noam Chomsky'' New StatesmanNoam Chomsky: philosopher, political writer, fearless activist. No one has done more to question the hidden actors who govern our lives, calling the powers that be to account. Here he presents Who Rules the World?, his definitive account of those powers, how they work, and why we should be questioning them.From the dark history of the US and Cuba to China''s global rise, from torture memos to sanctions on Iran, this book investigates the defining issues of our times and exposes the hypocrisy at the heart of America''s policies and actions. The world''s political and financial elite are now operating almost totally unconstrained by the so-called democratic structure. With climate change and nuclear proliferation threatening our very survival, dissenting voices have never been more necessary.Fiercely outspoken and rigorously argued, Who Rules the World? is an indispensable guide to how things really are.''Chomsky is a giant: not just for his intellect, but for his huge influence on millions of people who want an alternative to injustice'' Owen JonesTrade ReviewPublisher's description. Noam Chomsky is the world's most influential political commentator, bar none. Here he presents a comprehensive examination of contemporary America, its behaviour at home and abroad, its single-minded pursuit and exercise of power. * Penguin *

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Book SynopsisTHE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF 2023 A WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2023 Space: the biggest geopolitical story of the coming century – new from the multi-million-copy international bestselling author of Prisoners of Geography and The Power of Geography Spy satellites orbiting the Moon. Space metals worth billions. Humans on Mars within our lifetimes. This isn’t science fiction. It’s astropolitics. We’re entering a new space race – and it could revolutionise life on Earth. Space: the new frontier, a wild and lawless place. It is already central to communication, economics, military strategy and international relations on Earth. Now, it is the latest arena for human exploration, exploitation – and, possibly, conquest. We’re heading up and out, and we’re taking our power struggles with us. China, the USA and Russia are leading the way. From physical territory and resources to satellites, weaponry and strategic choke points, geopolitics is as important in the skies above us as it is down below. If you’ve ever wondered if humans are going back to the Moon, who will benefit from exploration or what space wars might look like, the answers are here. With all the insight and wit that have made Tim Marshall the UK’s most popular writer on geopolitics, this gripping book shows how we got here and where we’re going, covering great-power rivalry; technology; commerce; combat in space; and what it means for all of us down here on Earth. This is essential reading on power, politics and the future of humanity. Praise for The Future of Geography: ‘A voyage of galactic discovery’ The Mail on Sunday ‘[An] engaging exploration of power politics in space’ Irish Independent ‘A superb survey of planetary politics’ The Sunday Times ‘Deeply thought-provoking’ BBC Sky at Night ‘Marshall is an engaging writer, good at explaining the science as well as the politics, and with an eye for a telling fact’ Lawrence Freedman, The New Statesman ‘Written with insight and great wit, this is an essential take on power, politics and the future of humanity from the UK’s most popular writer on geopolitics.’ The Daily Telegraph ‘In the latest instalment of his popular books on the meaning of geography, Marshall looks to the stars and the new frontier where astropolitics will be the new geopolitics’ Financial TimesTrade Review‘A voyage of galactic discovery’ Robert Verkaik, The Mail on Sunday ‘[An] engaging exploration of power politics in space’ Irish Independent ‘A superb survey of planetary politics’ Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday Times ‘[Tim’s] prose is brisk in pace and refreshingly crystalline in its clarity, affording a highly readable lesson in historical geopolitics… deeply thought-provoking’ BBC Sky at Night ‘Marshall is an engaging writer, good at explaining the science as well as the politics, and with an eye for a telling fact’ Lawrence Freedman, The New Statesman ‘Written with insight and great wit, this is an essential take on power, politics and the future of humanity from the UK’s most popular writer on geopolitics.’ The Daily Telegraph ‘In the latest instalment of his popular books on the meaning of geography, Marshall looks to the stars and the new frontier where astropolitics will be the new geopolitics’ Financial Times ‘An important contribution to the growing work of space-power theorists’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Insightful, hopeful and endlessly fascinating, Marshall’s latest non-fiction masterpiece sets out the possibilities and pitfalls that lie ahead’ Daily Express ‘A fascinatingly insightful book, written with humour and excitement about the road ahead’ Geographical ‘A fascinating and crucial insight into how, even as humanity moves upwards into the final frontier, we’ll be influenced by the geographies of space. Marshall has done it again!’ Professor Lewis Dartnell, author of Being Human ‘Astropolitics is a word I never thought would enter my lexicon – but after reading this fascinating book, I’m hooked!’ Dr Becky Smethurst, astrophysicist and author of A Brief History of Black Holes ‘Tim Marshall captures the excitement, anxiety and strangeness of being at the beginning of a period of major geopolitical change. A fascinating book.’ Helen Gordon, author of Notes from Deep Time ‘If space is our future, this urgent book reveals that we’re in danger of handing it over to warmongers, plutocrats and conquistadors as rapacious as those on Earth. Tim Marshall shows us why we need to look up – fast.’ Tom Burgis, author of Kleptopia ‘A chilling, insightful exploration of the political and military implications of our presence in space.’ Brian Clegg, author of Final Frontier ‘This stirring book shows why astropolitics matters for everyone on Earth – not just the scientists and the dreamers.’ Dr Bleddyn E. Bowen, author of Original Sin: Power, Technology and War in Outer Space ‘In his typical style – wielding a wickedly clever pen – Marshall provides a thoroughly enjoyable, dizzyingly thought-provoking, and technologically plausible ride through the terrain of solar space.’ Professor Everett Dolman, author of Astropolitik: Classical Geopolitics in the Space Age ‘The Future of Geography takes us on a gripping and amazing journey, to guide us expertly and often amusingly into the exploration of space and its profound implications for those of us left behind on planet earth.’ --Professor Ian Goldin, author of Terra Incognita: 100 Maps to Survive the Next 100 Years ‘Having conquered the world with his bestselling series on how geography shapes international relations, Tim Marshall is reaching for the skies. As states and companies compete aggressively for scarce resources on Earth, the desire to control space grows ever more powerful. The next stage of geopolitical rivalry is being shaped, he says, by who and what will dominate the final frontier. What could go wrong?’ Jason Cowley, The Sunday Times, Best Thought and Ideas Books of 2023 ‘In his latest analysis of international relations, our geopolitical columnist Tim Marshall turns his attention to the skies and the geopolitics of outer space, or ‘astropolitics’. We’re headed back to the Moon and this time we’re there to stay. Will it be a mission for the benefit of all humanity? Unlikely, says Marshall in his new book, The Future of Geography – at least, not unless we see a lot of changes, and we’re running out of time to make them.’ Geographical, The best books of 2023

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Book SynopsisJust how good is your world knowledge? Challenge friends and family with this interactive quiz book and discover who is the ultimate armchair explorer.

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Book SynopsisRobert Fisk’s bestselling eyewitness account of the events that have shaped the Middle East is alive with vivid reporting and incisive historical analysis. The history of the Middle East is an epic story of tragedy, betrayal and world-shaking events. It is a story that Robert Fisk has been reporting for over thirty years. His masterful narrative spans the most volatile regions of the Middle East, chronicling with both rage and compassion the death by deceit of tens of thousands of Muslims, Christians and Jews. Robert Fisk’s remarkable history is also the tale of a journalist at war – learning of the 9/11 attacks while aboard a passenger jet, reporting from a bombed-out Baghdad, interviewing Osama bin Laden – and of the courage and frustration of a life spent writing the first draft of history.Trade Review‘For sheer bravery, dazzling prose, three interviews with Osama bin Laden and an unrivalled collection of awards won over three decades, there is nobody to match Robert Fisk. This book is his testament.’ Sunday Times ‘Brilliant…powerfully written.’ Independent on Sunday ‘A remarkable book.’ New Statesman ‘Fisk writes with a marvellous resource of image and language. His investigative reporting is lethally painstaking.’ Neal Ascherson, Independent ‘His forte is straight reporting, such as his three interviews with Osama bin Laden. At least as good are his meetings with Saddam Hussein, Khomeini and Sadeq Khalkhali, the hanging judge of the Iranian revolution, and his close-ups of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the launch of Saddam's war against Iran, an ambush by Islamists of an Algerian police patrol, and a lift into trouble in an Apache attack helicopter on the Iraq/Turkey border.’ Guardian ‘A mammoth and magisterial work, the definitive summation of what has gone wrong in the West’s foreign policies towards Arabia.’ Scottish Sunday Herald ‘A stimulating and absorbing book, by a man who speaks Arabic, who has known the region better than most, and has met the leading players, from bin Laden to Ahmad Chalabi. A formidable production.’ New York Times ‘Full of furious, vivid and highly personalised writing…An important book by an intrepid and talented writer.’ Literary Review ‘Vivid, graphic, intense and very personal…this is a book of unquestionable importance.’ Washington Post

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Book SynopsisTHE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF 2023 A WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2023 Space: the biggest geopolitical story of the coming century – new from the multi-million-copy international bestselling author of Prisoners of Geography and The Power of Geography Spy satellites orbiting the Moon. Space metals worth billions. Humans on Mars within our lifetimes. This isn’t science fiction. It’s astropolitics. We’re entering a new space race – and it could revolutionise life on Earth. Space: the new frontier, a wild and lawless place. It is already central to communication, economics, military strategy and international relations on Earth. Now, it is the latest arena for human exploration, exploitation – and, possibly, conquest. We’re heading up and out, and we’re taking our power struggles with us. China, the USA and Russia are leading the way. From physical territory and resources to satellites, weaponry and strategic choke points, geopolitics is as important in the skies above us as it is down below. If you’ve ever wondered if humans are going back to the Moon, who will benefit from exploration or what space wars might look like, the answers are here. With all the insight and wit that have made Tim Marshall the UK’s most popular writer on geopolitics, this gripping book shows how we got here and where we’re going, covering great-power rivalry; technology; commerce; combat in space; and what it means for all of us down here on Earth. This is essential reading on power, politics and the future of humanity. Praise for The Future of Geography: ‘A voyage of galactic discovery’ The Mail on Sunday ‘[An] engaging exploration of power politics in space’ Irish Independent ‘A superb survey of planetary politics’ The Sunday Times ‘Deeply thought-provoking’ BBC Sky at Night ‘Marshall is an engaging writer, good at explaining the science as well as the politics, and with an eye for a telling fact’ Lawrence Freedman, The New Statesman ‘Written with insight and great wit, this is an essential take on power, politics and the future of humanity from the UK’s most popular writer on geopolitics.’ The Daily Telegraph ‘In the latest instalment of his popular books on the meaning of geography, Marshall looks to the stars and the new frontier where astropolitics will be the new geopolitics’ Financial TimesTrade Review‘Very accessible and allows the author to lead the reader on a voyage of galactic discovery’ Robert Verkaik, The Mail on Sunday ‘[An] engaging exploration of power politics in space’ Irish Independent ‘A superb survey of planetary politics’ Bryan Appleyard, The Sunday Times ‘[Tim’s] prose is brisk in pace and refreshingly crystalline in its clarity, affording a highly readable lesson in historical geopolitics… deeply thought-provoking’ BBC Sky at Night ‘Marshall is an engaging writer, good at explaining the science as well as the politics, and with an eye for a telling fact’ Lawrence Freedman, The New Statesman ‘A fascinating and crucial insight into how, even as humanity moves upwards into the final frontier, we’ll be influenced by the geographies of space. Marshall has done it again!’ Professor Lewis Dartnell, author of Being Human ‘Astropolitics is a word I never thought would enter my lexicon – but after reading this fascinating book, I’m hooked!’ Dr Becky Smethurst, astrophysicist and author of A Brief History of Black Holes ‘Tim Marshall captures the excitement, anxiety and strangeness of being at the beginning of a period of major geopolitical change. A fascinating book.’ Helen Gordon, author of Notes from Deep Time ‘If space is our future, this urgent book reveals that we’re in danger of handing it over to warmongers, plutocrats and conquistadors as rapacious as those on Earth. Tim Marshall shows us why we need to look up – fast.’ Tom Burgis, author of Kleptopia ‘A chilling, insightful exploration of the political and military implications of our presence in space.’ Brian Clegg, author of Final Frontier ‘This stirring book shows why astropolitics matters for everyone on Earth – not just the scientists and the dreamers.’ Dr Bleddyn E. Bowen, author of Original Sin: Power, Technology and War in Outer Space ‘In his typical style – wielding a wickedly clever pen – Marshall provides a thoroughly enjoyable, dizzyingly thought-provoking, and technologically plausible ride through the terrain of solar space.’ Professor Everett Dolman, author of Astropolitik: Classical Geopolitics in the Space Age ‘The Future of Geography takes us on a gripping and amazing journey, to guide us expertly and often amusingly into the exploration of space and its profound implications for those of us left behind on planet earth.’ Professor Ian Goldin, author of Terra Incognita: 100 Maps to Survive the Next 100 Years  ‘Having conquered the world with his bestselling series on how geography shapes international relations, Tim Marshall is reaching for the skies. As states and companies compete aggressively for scarce resources on Earth, the desire to control space grows ever more powerful. The next stage of geopolitical rivalry is being shaped, he says, by who and what will dominate the final frontier. What could go wrong?’ Jason Cowley, The Sunday Times, Best Thought and Ideas Books of 2023  ‘In his latest analysis of international relations, our geopolitical columnist Tim Marshall turns his attention to the skies and the geopolitics of outer space, or ‘astropolitics’. We’re headed back to the Moon and this time we’re there to stay. Will it be a mission for the benefit of all humanity? Unlikely, says Marshall in his new book, The Future of Geography – at least, not unless we see a lot of changes, and we’re running out of time to make them.’ Geographical, The best books of 2023

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Book Synopsis''This could be the funniest business book you''ll read all year.'' Australian Financial Review ''If you want a two-word review - it’s great.'' Financial Times Why Politicians Lie About Trade reveals how international trade really works and the compromises and deals nations must make to take part in the greatest commercial show on earth. With clear writing and lively case studies, a former trade negotiator takes readers on an often humorous tour of the shadowy workings of the agreements, tariffs, taxes and disputes that characterise this $32 trillion-a-year machine. Dmitry Grozoubinski reveals the underlying political and geographical forces that shape the impact of trade on topics as diverse and important as food, jobs, gender, conflict and climate change. And he reveals what politicians cover up about the system - and why it matters. Why Politicians Lie About Trade lights up a little-understood ne

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Book SynopsisA celebrated international bestseller that exposes the ticking time-bomb underneath our new technological order. The resources race is on. Powering our digital lives and green technologies are some of the Earth’s most precious metals — but they are running out. And what will happen when they do? The green-tech revolution will reduce our reliance on nuclear power, coal, and oil, but by breaking free of fossil fuels, we are setting ourselves up for a new dependence — on rare metals like cobalt, gold, and palladium. These are essential to electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels, as well as our smartphones, computers, tablets, and other technologies. But we know very little about how rare metals are mined and traded, or their environmental, economic, and geopolitical costs — until now.Trade Review‘Recognising that the latest technologies might not be as green as we like to think is a good place to start planning for a better world.’ -- John Arlidge * The Sunday Times *‘[T]he journalist and filmmaker warns against the optimistic belief that technology is the solution … At a time when many claim to be “citizens of the world” or retreat into naive or hypocritical protectionism, Pitron’s book is an attempt to open people’s eyes to the consequences of their societal choices and lifestyles.’ * Green European Journal *‘Both novel and eye opening … The Rare Metals War is worth the read.’ -- Art Flynn * Irish Examiner *‘French Writer and analyst Guillaume Pitron warns about growing reliance on rare-earth metal — which are necessary to build high-tech products … He shines a light on “the untold story” of the energy and digital transitions.’ * European Scientist *‘An expert account of a poorly understood but critical element in our economy.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘[E]xposes the dirty underpinnings of clean technologies in a debut that raises valid questions about energy extraction.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘The Rare Metals War is Guillaume Pitron’s urgent exposé of the race for resources and an examination of its environmental and human impacts.’ -- Dan Shaw * Happy Magazine *

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Book SynopsisPankaj Mishra's books include The Romantics, which won the LA Times' Art Seidenbaum Award for fiction, Age of Anger and From the Ruins of Empire. He contributes political and literary essays to the Guardian, the London Review of Books, the New York Review of Books and the New Yorker. A fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he lives in London.

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Book SynopsisSIR ROBIN NIBLETT is a leading expert on international relations. He is a distinguished fellow at Chatham House, after spending 15 years as its Director and Chief Executive until 2022, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, and a senior fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute. He is also a senior adviser at Hakluyt, the global strategic advisory firm, and regularly advises businesses and other organisations on the implications of today's changing geopolitics.

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Book SynopsisAmerica, oncethe global democratic leader and military powerhouse, is declining ininfluence. Friedman details this fall, from the Vietnam War to Obama'smishandling of the Arab Spring, and Trump's presidency. Now, with the rise ofChina and Russia, the world faces a New World Disorder.

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Book SynopsisA Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year/Politics Winner of the Jewish Book Council’s Natan Notable Book Prize “One of the most accurate and fascinating books so far” (Michael Bar-Zohar, coauthor of Mossad) about how Israel used sabotage, assassination, cyberwar—and diplomacy—to thwart Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and, in the process, begin to reshape the Middle East.Yonah Bob and Ilan Evyatar describe how Israel has used cyberwarfare, targeted assassinations, and sabotage of Iranian facilities to great effect, sometimes in cooperation with the United States. Even as it takes lethal action, Israel has managed to alter the politics of the Middle East, culminating in the Abraham Accords of 2020. Arab states such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates normalized relations with Israel, and the holy grail of normalization with Saudi Arabia may yet be achieved. Despite the war with Hamas,

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER A rigorous and thoughtful study of what has happened on battlefields over the past eight decades' THE TIMESA hugely important book elegantly written and persuasively argued' DAILY TELEGRAPH** FULLY UPDATED TO INCLUDE NEW MATERIAL ON THE ISRAEL/GAZA CONFLICT **Conflict is both a sweeping history of the evolution of warfare up to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and a penetrating analysis of what we must learn from the past, and anticipate in the future, in order to navigate an increasingly perilous world.In this deep and incisive study, General David Petraeus, the former CIA director who commanded the US-led coalitions in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and the prize-winning historian Andrew Roberts, explore over seventy years of conflict, drawing significant lessons and insights from their fresh analysis of the past. Petraeus and Roberts show how often critical mistakes have been repeated time and again, and explore the challenge, for statesmen and generals alike, Trade Review‘How has warfare evolved in the eight decades since 1945? And what might it look like in the future? These are the questions posed by the authorial dream team of David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts: respectively a distinguished former US general and spy chief, and one of Britain’s finest military historians. This brilliant history shows how the wars of the future may go. Elegantly written and persuasively argued, Conflict is a hugely important book that explains why wars are still being fought and lost, what we can learn from them, and how we can protect ourselves from malign actors in the future’ DAILY TELEGRAPH, FIVE-STAR REVIEW ‘Charts just about every war fought in Europe, the Middle East and Asia since the defeat of the Nazis… [a] compendious narrative… has all the more force in light of Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza’ FINANCIAL TIMES ‘Timely, engaging and instructive, Conflict is the best one-volume study of conventional warfare in the nuclear age. It sets a new benchmark in understanding modern war’ WALL STREET JOURNAL ‘The pairing of Roberts with Petraeus is an engaging choice… They spend little time imagining a world without war, or even a world with less war. Their book – like Clausewitz’s canonical text – is a primer for today’s strategists, brimming with lessons about leadership, counter-insurgency, and intelligence. It’s a guide to effectively prepare for and win wars of the future, to achieve perpetual peace through perpetual strength’ NEW STATESMAN 'It is no exaggeration to call this book exceptional in the sense that it applies the lessons learned by the two authors over two lifetimes of expertise as practitioners and academics of war' NEWSMAX

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Book SynopsisYou may not be interested in Russia. But Russia is interested in you.Russia's 2022 attack on Ukraine saw confrontation between Moscow and the West spill over into open conflict once again. But Russia has also been waging a clandestine war against the West for decades. Hostile acts abroad, from poisoning dissidents to shooting down airliners, interfering in elections, spying, hacking and murdering, have long seemed to be the Kremlin's daily business. But what is it all for? Why does Russia consistently behave like this? And what does it achieve?Now containing a new preface to the paperback edition, Keir Giles explains how and why Russia pushes for more power and influence wherever it can reach, far beyond Ukraine and what it means not just for governments, but for ordinary people. Bringing together stories from the military, politics, diplomacy, espionage, cyber power, organised crime and more, Giles describes how Moscow conducts its campaigns across the globe, anTrade ReviewSuperb . . . coherent and eminently readable. . . . Giles brings home the causes and consequences of Moscow's actions to the average reader. . . . Russia's War on Everybody is an invaluable piece of a growing mosaic of renewed expertise on, and interest in, Russia. . . . It is a needed accompaniment to the more academic reflections on the Kremlin's behavior. . . . Giles is a welcome guide for readers along this path. * Diplomatic Courier *[Giles's] analysis of the way the current government thinks and acts should be taken seriously. He has an excellent grasp of Putin's view of the world. * The Conversation *An important book. -- Martin Chilton * The Independent *An important and timely book that covers the range of current activities of Russia's ruling regime, discussing issue areas that are only going to become more important in coming decades. * War in Ukraine: Update from Kyiv *An essential text on understanding modern Russia's role in the world, delivering a deep dive into the many facets of the Russian mindset when dealing with the West. * Eliot Higgins, founder and director of Bellingcat *Keir Giles has long been one of the most informed and consistent voices warning about the threat Putin's Russia poses its neighbours and the West as a whole, and this book is a combative and comprehensive assessment of the challenge... it deserves to be read and discussed widely, not least to get us thinking about what else we may face in the future. * Professor Mark Galeotti, author of 'We Need To Talk About Putin' *Nobody cuts through the nonsense around what Russia does, and why it does it, like Keir Giles. If anybody was still in any doubt about why Russia is everybody's problem, the answers are here. Keir Giles lays out clearly and simply why Russia's war is not just against Ukraine - it's against all of us. * Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Former President of Estonia *An invaluable and timely wake up call. . . . A thought provoking, comprehensive and excellent book that should be absorbed by all those concerned with the progression and eventual outcome of what is by now a long term struggle between Russia as at present misgoverned and a wide swathe of the rest of the world. * Sir Andrew Wood, British Ambassador to Moscow, 1995-2000 *Relevant, timely, and essential for understanding why Russia must be defeated, not only in Ukraine but in its war on everybody. * LTG (Ret) Ben Hodges, Human Rights First *A compelling text on why Russia is a threat not just to the Western world as such, it's a threat to every citizen; directly and maliciously. A threat to your way of life and your loved ones. Just because its mere legitimization is not possible without such a threat. * Pavlo Klimkin, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine *This is a highly detailed and readable book. Referenced to a high standard, the reader can really dig into the sources of information, and it is academic in its framing and development of arguments without compromising its readability. Taking a completely different approach to most books, it really digs into why Russia acts as it does, and what it hopes to achieve. This is an important distinction and adds significant value compared to a lot of more recent narrative assessments of wider Russian malign activity. -- James Burton * Wavell Room *Table of ContentsDedication Table of Contents Acknowledgements Preface to the New Paperback Preface 1. What Makes Russia Different 2. Politics: Warfare By Other Means 3. Neither War Nor Peace 4. What the Russian Army is For 5. Nobody Is Too Unimportant 6. The Willing Accomplices 7. Business, Statecraft And Crime 8. What Comes Next Appendix Selected Reading Index

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Book Synopsis**HOW TO WIN AN INFORMATION WAR: THE PROPAGANDIST WHO OUTWITTED HITLER AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW**''Electrifying.'' Anne Applebaum''Mesmerising.'' Financial Times''Seductive and terrifying in equal measure.'' The Times''Required reading.'' ObserverA journey into the glittering, surreal heart of 21st century Russia: into the lives of Hells Angels convinced they are messiahs, professional killers with the souls of artists, bohemian theatre directors turned Kremlin puppet-masters, supermodel sects, post-modern dictators and oligarch revolutionaries. This is a world erupting with new money and new power, changing so fast it breaks all sense of reality, where life is seen as a whirling, glamorous masquerade where identities can be switched and all values are changeable. It is home to a new form of authoritarianism, far subtler than 20th century strains, and which is rapidly expanding to c

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Book SynopsisCo-authored by two leading voices in the struggle to liberate Palestine, an indispensable book for understanding the situation in Gaza right nowWhat is the future of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement directed at Israel? Which is more viable, the binational or one state solution? Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé discuss the road ahead for Palestinians and how the international community can pressure Israel to end its human rights abuses against the people of Palestine in this urgent and timely book, a sequel to their acclaimed Gaza in Crisis.''Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . he may be the most widely read American voice on foreign policy on the planet'' The New York Times Book Review''Ilan Pappé is Israel''s bravest, most principled, most incisive historian'' John Pilger''This sober and unflinching analysis should be read and reckoned with by anyone concerned with practicable change in the long-suffering region'' Publishers Weekly (on Gaza in Crisis)Trade ReviewSeminal . . . an erudite and nuanced account of Palestine's history . . . An essential guide to understanding the shifting situation * Harper's Bazaar *Chomsky is of course one of the most venerated political critics in the world, and Pappé is regarded as one of Israel’s greatest historians * The Spinoff *

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Book Synopsis?For anyone wanting to find out more about the world we live in . . . there is one simple answer: read Noam Chomsky.? ?The New StatesmanFrom one of the world?s most prominent thinkers comes an urgent warning of the threat that U.S. power poses to humanity?s future as well as a sharp indictment of both American foreign policy and the national myths that support it.The Myth of American Idealism offers a timely and comprehensive introduction to the incisive critiques of U.S. power that have made Noam Chomsky a ?global phenomenon,? one of the most widely known public intellectuals of all time. Surveying the history of U.S. military and economic activity around the world, Chomsky and his co-author Nathan J. Robinson vividly trace the way the American pursuit of global domination has wrought havoc in country after country ? without, ironically, making Americans any safer. And they explore how dominant elites in the United States have pushed self-serving myths about this country?s commitment to ?spreading democracy,? while pursuing a reckless foreign policy that served the interest of few and endangered all too many.Chomsky and Robinson range across the globe, offering penetrating accounts of Washington?s relationship with the Global South, its role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ?all justified with noble stories about humanitarian missions and the benevolent intentions of American policy makers. The same kinds of myths that have led to repeated disastrous wars, they argue, are now driving us closer to wars with Russia and China that imperil humanity?s future. Examining nuclear proliferation and climate change, they show how U.S. policies are continuing to exacerbate global threats.For well over half a century, Noam Chomsky has committed himself to exposing governing ideologies and criticizing his country?s unchecked use of military power. At once thorough and devastating, urgent and provocative, The Myth of American Idealism offers a highly readable entry to the conclusions he has come to after a lifetime of thought and activism.

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Book SynopsisIn her most impassioned and personal book to date, Judith Butler responds in this profound appraisal of post-9/11 America to the current US policies to wage perpetual war, and calls for a deeper understanding of how mourning and violence might instead inspire solidarity and a quest for global justice.Trade ReviewIt's clear that its author is still interested in stirring up trouble-academic, political and otherwise. * Bookforum *A book that shines with the splendor of engaged thought. * Brooklyn Rail *Here is a unique voice of courage and conceptual ambition that addresses public life from the perspective of psychic reality, encouraging us to acknowledge the solidarity and the suffering through which we emerge as subjects of freedom. -- Homi K. BhabhaJudith Butler is quite simply one of the most probing, challenging, and influential thinkers of our time. -- J.M. Bernstein

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Book SynopsisWith the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, warnings about a 'new Cold War' proliferated. In fact, argues Gilbert Achcar in this timely new study, the Cold War has been ongoing since the turn of the century. Racing to solidify its position in the 1990s as the last remaining superpower, the US alienated Russia and China, pushing them closer and rebooting the 'old' Cold War with disastrous implications. Vladimir Putin's consequent rise and imperialist reinvention, along with Xi Jinping's own ascendancy and increasingly autocratic tendencies, would, respectively, culminate in the murderous invasion of Ukraine and mounting tensions over Taiwan and trade. Was all this inevitable? Will these three world powers' permanent readiness to war write the story of the twenty-first century? What comes after Ukraine? What might the contours of a more peaceful world look like? These questions and many others are addressed in this essential book by one of the most astute and seasoned analysts of international relations.

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Book SynopsisThe Sahel is the borderland of 3 million square kilometres between the Sahara Desert and the African savannah and forest lands further south. Much of this huge area is inhospitable. Insurgencies are common, as are migration and smuggling, jobs being as rare here as effective government interventionstate power extends only fitfully, and the region resists attempts to subdue militants, people-traffickers, nomadic herders or anyone excluded from power. The Western Sahel's fragile states face growing popular discontent, complicated by both climate change and military intervention by France and other powers. Mali is the epicentre of the Sahel crisis: Morten Bøås charts the history of Mali and its fragile neighbours, identifying their current frailty as unsettled states, without legitimate social contracts or political consensus. This in turn has generated competing identities and economic interests, which spill over into resource conflicts over grazing, water, mineral reserves or smuggling routes. Such local contests have been manipulated by elites intent on their own preservation, and appropriated by jihadi insurgents eager to integrate into local communities. What will happen if all the ingredients of this perfect storm coalesce? What are the ramifications for the Sahel, its neighbours, Europe and the wider world?

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Book SynopsisTHE REST IS HISTORY CLUB BOOK OF THE MONTH ''One of the most engaging and fascinating histories of Europe I''ve read for years.'' DOMINIC SANDBROOK''Highly original and insightful'' PD SMITH, GUARDIAN''Thrillingly unique, knowledgeable, perceptive and profound'' IAN DUNTThe history of Europe told through twenty-nine key borders that define the past, present and future of our continentEurope''s internal borders have rarely been ''natural''; they have more often been created by accident or force.In Borderlines, political historian Lewis Baston journeys along twenty-nine key borders from west to east Europe, examining how the map of our continent has been redrawn over the last century, with varying degrees of success. The fingerprints of Napoleon, Alexander I, Castlereagh, Napoleon III and Bismarck are all there, but today''s map of Europe is mostly the work of the Allies in 1919 and Stalin in 1945.To journey to the centre of the story of Europe, Baston takes us to its edges, bringing to life the fascinating and often bizarre histories of these border zones. We visit Baarle, the town broken into thirty fragments by the Netherland-Belgium border, and stop in Ostritz, the eastern German town where Nazis held a rock festival. We meander the back lanes of rural Ireland, and soak up the atmosphere in the coffee houses of the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi. Through these borderlands, Baston explores how places and people heal from the scars left by a Europe of ethnic cleansing and barbed wire fences, and he searches for a better European future - finding it in unexpected places.''An eye-opening read that combines Baston''s travels along Europe''s fault lines with incredible insights on how they got there in the first place.'' KATJA HOYER''Beautiful. A true gem... [his] unique take on human nature through the history and heritage of the borderlands ends up being deeply moving.'' - IRISH INDEPENDENT''Extraordinarily perceptive and original'' ANTHONY SELDON''Refreshing and important'' RAFAEL BEHR

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The story of the Habsburg Empire, which shaped key episodes of European history for several centuries, is one of endurance and finesse. A gripping and insightful work that yields lessons for statecraft in our own time."—Henry A. Kissinger"A compelling and long-overdue analysis."—Richard Bassett, author of For God and Kaiser: The Imperial Austrian Army, 1619–1918"This graceful account of Habsburg diplomacy . . . explains how the empire survived so long."—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs"Mitchell's emphasis on geography harkens back to the great histories of Mommsen, Gibbon, and Braudel, and the great geopolitical works of Mackinder, Spykman, and Mahan."—Francis P. Sempa, Russell Kirk Center"A stimulating and fascinating book that deserves to be discussed in detail. . . . The fun of Mitchell's book is that it is possible to open it on almost every page and tell students: 'Discuss.' That is no mean achievement."—Lothar Hoebelt, H-Net Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe astonishing drama of Cold War nuclear poker that divided humanity - reissued with a new Postscript to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the wall. During the night of 12–13 August 1961, a barbed-wire entanglement was hastily constructed through the heart of Berlin. It metamorphosed into a structure that would come to symbolise the insanity of the Cold War: the Berlin Wall. Frederick Taylor tells the story of the post-war political conflict that led to a divided Berlin and unleashed an East–West crisis, which lasted until the very people the Wall had been built to imprison breached it on 9 November 1989. Weaving together history, original archive research and personal stories, The Berlin Wall, now published in fifteen languages, is the definitive account of a divided city and its people in a time when humanity seemed to stand permanently on the edge of destruction.Trade ReviewA gripping, impassioned history of the Cold War’s most malevolent symbol * New York Times *Superb, fast-paced and readable history * Evening Standard *Masterful * Guardian *Compulsive reading -- London Review of Books

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Book SynopsisThe first account of the new Cold War—revealing how today’s renewed era of global great power competition could threaten us allTrade Review“The Lost Peace is a superb book. Sakwa explains in learned detail how the West – especially the United States – pursued policies after the first Cold War ended that tragically led to a second Cold War, which has no end in sight.”—John J. Mearsheimer, author of The Great Delusion “The Lost Peace offers a long-awaited nuanced analysis of the multilayered crisis in which the world finds itself. Sakwa's sharp and meticulous interpretation will help all those who look for solutions ahead.”—Marlene Laruelle, author of Is Russia Fascist? ​“A masterly account of the decisions that, over the last quarter century, have plunged the world into a new crisis. Must reading for concerned citizens in North America and Europe.”—Jack F. Matlock, Jr., Former U.S. Ambassador to the USSR and author of Superpower Illusions “Richard Sakwa offers a sophisticated and highly informative analysis of competing views of world order after the Cold War. Written by a foremost expert in the field The Lost Peace is a definitive treatment of great power politics.”—Andrei P. Tsygankov, author of Russia and the West from Alexander to Putin

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Influence operations." Once an exotic term from spy novels, remote from our daily lives, today it's a reality that touches all of us through our networked devices. Russia and China have gotten entry to our homes and to our minds, seeking to influence and disorient us. McLaughlin and Holstein are Paul Reveres for the 21st century, shouting the alarm and explaining how citizens, IT firms, and government must rebalance relations with China to protect our democratic system.Andrew J. Nathan, one of America’s top China-watchers and Class of 1919 Professor of Political Science, Columbia UniversityMcLaughlin and Holstein set out an immensely readable and sweeping view of how cyber vulnerabilities affect every aspect of our lives. With up-to-date examples from today’s headlines, the authors paint an alarming picture of how Russia and China have used the digital revolution to exploit our open democracy, with cyber theft of industrial secrets and personal data, and the spreading of pernicious disinformation on social media. Anyone who wants to understand the risks we face in the digital world, and to consider a range of excellent and thoughtful recommendations on how we can mitigate those risks, would enjoy reading Battlefield: Cyber.Glenn Gerstell, former General Counsel, National Security AgencyDirect but nuanced, terrifying yet inspiring, a page-turner of a narrative built on robust empirics: Battlefield: Cyber is the primer, and call to arms, that everyone needs for today's war. Michael McLaughlin and William Holstein paint, in diligently researched yet thrilling brushstrokes, both the obvious battle taking place under our very noses and the subtler one changing how battles are fought. In the process, they offer a preternaturally clear portrait of China's strategy -- and of U.S. foibles. Best of all, they provide hope for a path forward.Emily de la Bruyère, co-founder, Horizon AdvisoryWhen the history of America’s current era is written, the cybersecurity war among and between the United States, Russia and China, will play a pivotal role in understanding our socio-economic, politico-military history, and our political economy. Historians will ask: “What did America know about the threats of cyber-attacks? When did we know it? And, What did we do about it?” Mike McLaughlin and Bill Holstein do not pull punches. Battlefield: Cyber provides Americans today and historians tomorrow a thoughtful, well-investigated and documented insight into this cyber war, which may eclipse The Cold War in historical significance. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the future of democracy and the Great American Experiment. This book begs the question: “What is to Be Done?”Steven Soble, Chief Executive Officer, Assured EnterprisesPertinent exploration of how cyberspace combat has become a dangerous reality.“Make no mistake, America’s adversaries are fully engaged in a cyber war,” write the authors, “and it is raging all around us.” This initially sounds like hyperbole, but as the narrative unfolds, it begins to seem like an understatement. McLaughlin is a former senior adviser for U.S. Cyber Command, where he was responsible for the coordination of Department of Defense counterintelligence operations in cyberspace, and Holstein is a journalist who specializes in technology and China. The authors make a strong argument that Russia and China are winning an insidious digital war against the U.S. They explain how hacks, malware, and system penetrations work, dissecting some of the major incidents. Russia is mainly concerned with disruption, and its government has coopted hackers specializing in ransomware attacks into their operations. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was preceded by cyberattacks on the country’s communications systems and infrastructure, which were remarkably effective. China is more interested in colonizing American systems to insert malware, steal intellectual property, and gather personal data. Both countries have penetrated social media platforms and have established a covert presence in cloud systems. McLaughlin and Holstein propose moves to improve digital security in the U.S., looking to Taiwan as a model for cooperation between government and the private sector. A Department of Digital Services could provide coordination and support as well as pushing tech companies to move their operations out of China. Corporations have to be willing to share information and protective technology, and there must be a concerted effort to remove embedded malware from systems in companies, government agencies, and the military. McLaughlin and Holstein present a convincing case in clear language, and the result is a book that is likely to keep you awake at night.A disturbing, well-rendered study that reveals the extent of the digital struggle and charts a way forward for the U.S. - Kirkus (Starred Review)

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Book Synopsis'Compelling' Guardian'Eloquent and comprehensive' Financial Times'Excellent' The Telegraph'Astonishing' The Times'An eye-opener' Gavin EslerUntil recently, Germany appeared to be a paragon of economic and political success. But recent events from Germany's dependence on Russian gas to its car industry's delays in the race to electric have undermined this view. In Kaput, Wolfgang Münchau argues that the weaknesses of Germany's economy have, in fact, been brewing for decades. The close connections between the country's industrial and political elite have left Germany technologically behind, over-reliant on authoritarian Russia and China, and with little sign of being able to adapt to the digital realities of the twenty-first century. It is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of Europe's most important economy.

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Book SynopsisCelebrated for its natural beauty and its abundance of wildlife, the Mekong river runs thousands of miles through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Its basin is home to more than 70 million people and has for centuries been one of the world's richest agricultural areas and a biodynamic wonder. Today, however, it is undergoing profound changes. Development policies, led by a rising China in particular, aim to interconnect the region and urbanize the inhabitants. And a series of dams will harness the river's energy, while also stymieing its natural cycles and cutting off food supplies for swathes of the population. In Last Days of the Mighty Mekong, Brian Eyler travels from the river's headwaters in China to its delta in southern Vietnam to explore its modern evolution. Along the way he meets the region’s diverse peoples, from villagers to community leaders, politicians to policy makers. Through conversations with them he reveals the urgent struggle to save the Mekong and its unique ecosystem.Trade ReviewIn this compelling account, Brian Eyler travels down the river, meeting the rebels trying to save it from destruction. * China Dialogue *The book describes how unsustainable human society’s current relationship is with the Mekong * Council of Foreign Affairs *Brian Eyler … has penned an engaging and open-ended book, with a less elegiac tone than its title might imply. At many points a vividly reported travelogue. * China Dialogue *Eyler offers an unbiased, balanced, and nuanced sitrep of the challenges facing the Mekong ... Last Days of the Mighty Mekong is also full of stimulating facts and figures that grab and hold the reader’s attention. * Diplomat *The Last Days is a timely reminder that one of the world’s most remote and naturally beautiful areas is being trans­formed by industrial and urban development, the scale and pace of which have never been seen before. Eyler makes an erudite appeal for governments to face their past mistakes – including the over-damming of the river – and avert the further “wrecking of the Mekong’s amazing eco-system”. * South China Morning Post *Eyler has written a breathtaking account of a journey down the river, from high up in the Chinese province of Yunnan to the Mekong Delta more than 2,700 miles away [...] His book reads like a travelogue, filled with vivid descriptions of the places he visits and the people he encounters. But it is also a stark warning that the river is heading for irreparable ruin. * Wall Street Journal *A wonderfully illuminating and beautifully written portrait of life along the Mekong, and of the forces transforming the region. Eyler offers the type of insight that can only be gained from years of on-the-ground experience. * Elizabeth Economy, Director for Asia Studies, Council on Foreign Relations *A moving requiem for a complex ecosystem upon which millions depend for their livelihoods. The book is an indictment of the failure to treat the Mekong as a single integrated system or to incorporate the local wisdom of the communities who best understand the river. * Judith Shapiro, author of China’s Environmental Challenges *Readers of this book will respond as I have done to Eyler’s richly evocative prose when he writes of the experiences that may be had travelling on and by the river ... I regret not having met Eyler and becoming aware of his writing only recently. I am envious of his sustained personal association with the river over a decade and a half. * Milton Osborne, Mekong Review *Brian Eyler tells the story of a river veiled in mystique. He sounds a warning about the ominous challenges it now faces: the encroachment of the state, breakneck hydropower development, the threats of climate change, and an increasingly powerful China bent on harnessing the Mekong to power its continued rise. This is the definitive story of the present and possible future of the Mekong, and an elegy for one of Asia’s great rivers. * Sebastian Strangio, author of Hun Sen's Cambodia *The definitive work on Asia's most vital river, this book is more than sound scholarship and wise policy. Brian Eyler shares lyrical and haunting stories, showing how and why the Mighty Mekong must be saved. * Ted Osius, Former US Ambassador to Vietnam (2014–17) *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Yubeng: The Last Shangri-la 2. Damming the Upper Mekong 3. The Erhai Valley 4. The Akha as Modern Zomians 5. The Golden Triangle in Transition 6. Laos as a Contested Space 7. Damming the Lower Mekong 8. Phnom Penh and Boeung Kak Lake 9. The Tonle Sap 10. Whither the Mekong Delta

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Book SynopsisA leading historian’s guide to great-power competition with China and Russia, as told through America’s successes and failures in the Cold WarTrade Review“There is an undeniable ease and fluidity to Mr. Brands’s narrative, and his use of Cold War archives is impressive.”—A. Wess Mitchell, Wall Street Journal"A reminder that strategic patience was crucial to success in the Cold War."—Gideon Rachman, Financial Times“Sometimes to truly understand the future, you must deeply examine the past. Hal Brands brings the profound lessons of the US-Soviet cold war to the unfolding competition with China in The Twilight Struggle.”—Admiral James Stavridis, US Navy (Ret.), 16th Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and author of Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World’s Oceans “Good strategy starts with an understanding of history. And no one has thought harder about the lessons of the past than Hal Brands. If you want to know how America can win today's rivalries with Russia and China, read this book about how it triumphed in another twilight struggle: the Cold War.”— Stephen J. Hadley, national security adviser to President George W. Bush “A masterful account of the Cold War, the perils along the way, and the elements of the U.S.-led western strategy that won that war without ever firing a shot and a superb distillation of the lessons that the always-impressive Brands takes from that struggle as we enter a similar era of renewed great-power rivalries. This is a must-read for those seeking to illuminate the way forward with insights gleaned from the past.”—General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.), former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and Coalition/US Forces in Afghanistan and former Director of the CIA“This thoughtful, evocative, and captivating book is one of the best you can read to understand how America has won long-term strategic competitions with other great powers in the past, and the hard choices that are likely ahead in the brewing long-term competition with China.”—Robert O. Work, 32nd U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense

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Book SynopsisThis bestselling introductory textbook provides a truly comprehensive and approachable guide to international affairs. Bringing together decades of combined experience in researching and teaching global politics from three acclaimed scholars, this book introduces you to the key concepts in international relations while equipping you with the tools to successfully analyse the rapidly changing world in which we live. Carefully and pedagogically structured, the book is driven by nuanced enduring questions to support active engagement with the subject matter. It covers everything from war and its causes to the pursuit of peace, the role of non-state actors on the world stage and transnational concerns such as climate change. Thought-provoking boxed features throughout highlight disparities between theory and practice, provide overviews of key research and make use of the influential levels-of-analysis framework. This third edition is completely updated throughout, including extensive Trade ReviewA must have for undergraduate students and instructors. * Keith Smith, King’s College London, UK *An almost canonical introduction to our discipline. * Thomas Sommerer, Stockholm University, Sweden *Table of Contents1. Understanding International Relations I FOUNDATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 2. The Emergence of a Global System of States: 1500-Today 3. Theories of International Relations 4. The Analysis of Foreign Policy 5. Framing International Relations: The Role of Laws and Organisations II WAR AND PEACE: AN INTRODUCTION TO SECURITY STUDIES 6. War and Its Causes 7. Pathways to Interstate Peace 8. Modern Technology, the Use of Force, and the Practice of International Relations III WEALTH AND POWER: AN INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY 9. International Economics: Basic Theory and Core Institutions 10. States and Markets in the World Economy 11. Dilemmas of Development IV CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES AND THE FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 12. Non-State Actors and Challenges to Sovereignty 13. The Natural Environment and International Relations 14. Facing the Future: Six Visions of an Emerging International Order

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Book SynopsisThe democratic promise of Yemen''s 2011 uprising quickly unravelled, triggering a shocking political and social crisis with serious implications for the future of the country and region. Fuelled by Arab and Western intervention, the infighting in Yemen descended into civil war, with hundreds of thousands of Yemenis killed, and millions facing starvation and deep social and political fragmentation. The people of Yemen face a desperate choice between the Huthi rebels on the one side and, on the other, a range of forces propped up by a Saudi-led coalition using Western arms. In her incisive, invaluable analysis, Helen Lackner uncovers the roots of the conflicts threatening the survival of the Yemeni state and its people. This fully updated edition features a new chapter on the problems of humanitarian aid in the country.Trade Review'An outstanding book that provides answers to all of the questions raised by Yemen's many crises since 2011. Written with compassion and insight, Lackner confirms her standing as the foremost authority on Yemeni politics at work today.' Eugene Rogan, University of Oxford; 'An eminently valuable account of Yemen's modern history and current travails by someone who has made it her life's work to understand the country and its people.' Roger Owen, Harvard University; 'Helen Lackner is arguably the best non-Yemeni expert of Yemen, a country where she first sojourned in the 1970s acquiring since then a unique and multifaceted expertise. This book is the best compact presentation of the background and dynamics of the social and political explosion that turned Yemen into the worst humanitarian crisis of today's world.' Gilbert Achcar, author of The People Want and Morbid Symptoms; 'A matchless geo-political profile of the country, its history, its economic structures, and above all, its people . She knows the country better than the gangs in Foggy Bottom and Whitehall, not to mention Mossad operatives or the other spooks of the international community based in Riyadh.' Tariq Ali, New Left Review; 'This timely book analyzes the deep roots of the crisis that gripped Yemen even before the destructive war against it created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Lackner is superbly equipped to trace the causes for the failure and collapse of the Yemeni state, under the inexorable pressures of neo-liberalism and regional and global rivalries.' Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University;

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Book SynopsisIs the West prepared for a world where power is shared with China? A world in which China asserts the same level of global leadership that the USA currently assumes? And can we learn to embrace Chinese political culture, as China learned to embrace ours?Here, one of the world's leading voices on China, Kerry Brown, takes us past the tired cliches and inside the Chinese leadership - as they lay out a roadmap for working in a world in which China shares dominance with the West. From how, and why, China as a dominant superpower has been inevitable for many years, to how the attempts to fight the old battles are over, Brown digs deeper into the problematic nature of China's current situation - its treatment of dissent, of Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and the severe limitations on its management of relations with other cultures and values. These issues impact the way the West sees China, China sees the West, and how both see themselves. There are obstacles to the West accepting a more prominenTrade ReviewA carefully argued rebuke to the west’s negative reaction to Xi’s push to make his country less open at home and more assertive abroad. -- James Crabtree * Financial Times *In Kerry Brown’s several decades of working in and observing China, he has developed a reputation as one of the more sober and thoughtful observers of the country. [In China Incorporated, Brown’s arguments] are fleshed out and comprehensive. -- Peter Gordon * Asian Review of Books *Whatever your opinion on China -- as a "systemic competitor", "strategic challenge" or just plain old elephant in every room -- it is vital to understand what you are really dealing with. In this book, Kerry Brown does a marvellous job of demythologising China, depicting it convincingly as an "opportunistic, exceptional, more limited power" than is often believed, "driven by self-interest". -- - Bill Emmott, Chair, Japan Society of the UK, and former editor-in-chief of The EconomistBrown’s book is a voice of sanity in a Western world that, on the matter of China, has, in recent times, taken leave of its senses. It urgently needs to regain them. And Brown’s book is a good place to start. He dismisses much of what has recently passed for serious commentary on China as a step back into the darkness of prejudice. He is constantly interesting, always thoughtful, and refreshingly wise and knowing about China. He is also very readable. We can all learn much from this very important contribution to the debate on China. -- Martin Jacques, journalist and author of 'When China Rules the World'At a time when the China debate is characterized by heat rather than light, Kerry Brown gives a sober, highly accessible account of what Chinese power is – and is not. Powerful reading for all interested in geopolitics. -- Rana Mitter, Professor of Chinese History and Politics, University of Oxford, UKTable of ContentsAn Important Note on Terminology Introduction Chapter One: The Three Key Things About China for the Modern World Chapter Two: The Enigma of Chinese Power Chapter Three: China and The Question of Values Chapter Four: What Does the World Want from China? Chapter Five: What Does China Want from the World? Chapter Six: The Dark Side of Chinese Power Chapter Seven: The Great Separation - Part One Chapter Eight: Making the Dual Track World Work Notes Suggested Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe Saudi royal family has survived the events of the Arab Spring intact and unscathed. Any major upheavals were ostensibly averted with the help of oil revenues, while the Kingdom's influential clerics conveniently declared all forms of protest to be against Islam. Saudi dollars bent events to the Kingdom's will in the Arab world--particularly in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, but also in Egypt and Lebanon, Saudi cash has had a profound impact.Does this mean that all is well in Saudi Arabia itself, which has an extremely youthful population ruled by a gerontocracy? Problems endemic in Egypt, Tunisia and Syria--youth unemployment, corruption and repression--are also evident in the Kingdom and while young Saudis may not yet be taking to the streets, on Twitter and Facebook their discontent is manifest.Saudi Arabia remains the dominant player in the Gulf, and the fall of the House of Saud would have explosive repercussions on the GCC while the knock-on effect worldwide would be immeasurable. Saudi Arabia is the only oil exporter capable of acting as a 'swing producer', a fact of which this book reminds us. Aarts and Roelants have drawn a compelling picture of a Middle East power which, while not presently endangered, may soon deviate from the trajectory established by the House of Saud.Trade Review'A lively narrative that conveys a wealth of information in an easily accessible way. Their chapters cover a spectrum of topics including oil, education, the demographic time-bomb ... the "digital explosion" of social media, and the 'two-edged sword of Islam' that permits troublesome clerics to criticise the regime in suitably veiled language.' * Financial Times *'A timely, fascinating, and most importantly multi-faceted insight into the deepening troubles of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Essential reading for those seeking greater knowledge of an otherwise opaque and inscrutable polity.' * Christopher Davidson, author of After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2019 'Anyone who wishes to understand why Brexit is so intractable should read this book. I can think of several MPs who ought to.' The Times For the past two decades, you could cross the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic half a dozen times without noticing or, indeed, turning off the road you were travelling. It cuts through fields, winds back-and-forth across roads, and wends from Carlingford Lough to Lough Foyle. It is frictionless - a feat sealed by the Good Friday Agreement. Before that, watchtowers loomed over border communities, military checkpoints dotted the roads, and smugglers slipped between jurisdictions. This is a past that most are happy to have left behind but might it also be the future? The border has been a topic of dispute for over a century, first in Dublin, Belfast and Westminster and, post Brexit referendum, in Brussels. Yet, despite the passions of Nationalists and Unionists in the North, neither found deep wells of support in the countries they identified with politically. British political leaders were often ignorant of the conflict's complexities, rarely visited the border, and privately disliked their erstwhile unionist allies. Southern leaders' anti-partition statements masked relative indifference and unofficial cooperation with British security services. From the 1920 Government of Ireland Act that created the border, the Treaty and its aftermath, through the Civil Rights Movement, Thatcher, the Troubles and the Good Friday Agreement up to the Brexit negotiations, Ferriter reveals the political, economic, social and cultural consequences of the border in Ireland. With the fate of the border uncertain, The Border is a timely intervention by a renowned historian into one of the most contentious and misunderstood political issues of our time.Trade ReviewClear-eyed ... It isn't often that writing on Brexit and Ireland is so uniformly unsparing and devoid of lazy moralism. This is a rare pleasure ... Anyone who wishes to understand why Brexit is so intractable should read this book. I can think of several MPs who ought to. -- Patrick Maguire * Times *A clear and concise history ... Ferriter's judicious book shows that Brexiters' recklessness, such "contemptuous arrogance", is nothing new, and that it has always been the ordinary people of Northern Ireland who have paid its price. They deserve better. -- Christopher Kissane * Guardian *A wide-ranging history of Irish partition ... skilfully condenses a vast amount of research into a coherent narrative packed with striking quotes and acerbic commentaries ... erudite and insightful -- Andrew Lynch * Irish Independent *A timely historical essay * Economist *The Border is an invaluable new addition to the growing canon of Border literature... a very readable book ... it has a chronological precision one expects from a historian, yet its pacy and concise narrative runs to just 144 pages and takes readers up to last week's headlines. One can't help wondering if it has the immediacy of a background executive summary for the next round of on-off Brexit negotiations. -- Darach MacDonald * Irish Times *Richly detailed ... Ferriter is scrupulous in striving for historical objectivity -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *Ferriter is particularly interesting on the origins and early history of the border... his timely book explains all this and more, deftly interweaving history and current affairs. -- Cormac Ó Gráda * BBC History Magazine *The Border could hardly be more timely ... Ferriter is particularly lively on the delusion of hardline Brexiteers ... and equally strong on the implications of a return to a hard border ... the most that can be hoped for now is a taking up of the lessons of history, as Ferriter concludes. This book provides a small step, at least, in that direction. -- Catherine Healy * Sunday Business Post *A rat-a-tat of history, forensic in detail, sober and sobering, its timely publication a riposte to all the blather and bluster written and spoken in recent times about Brexit and backstops and borders. -- Donal O'Donaghue * RTE Guide *Ferriter ends with the hope that the oppressive weight of a century of Anglo-Irish history can be lifted ... Reading this book would be a good starting point for all concerned [with Brexit]. -- Colm Larkin, adviser to Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, 1998- 2001 * FT *Succinct and engaging ... Ferriter weaves a lively narrative, cutting briskly from angle to angle. -- Garrett Carr * New Statesman *

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Book Synopsis**SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR**Alev Scott's odyssey began when she looked beyond Turkey's borders for contemporary traces of the Ottoman Empire. Their 800-year rule ended a century ago - and yet, travelling through twelve countries from Kosovo to Greece to Palestine, she uncovers a legacy that's vital and relevant; where medieval ethnic diversity meets 21st century nationalism, and displaced people seek new identities.It's a story of surprises. An acolyte of Erdogan in Christian-majority Serbia confirms the wide-reaching appeal of his authoritarian leadership. A Druze warlord explains the secretive religious faction in the heart of the Middle East. The palimpsest-like streets of Jerusalem's Old Town hint at the Ottoman co-existence of Muslims and Jews. And in Turkish Cyprus Alev Scott rediscovers a childhood home. In every community, history is present as a dynamic force.Faced by questions of exile, diaspora and collective memory, Alev Scott searches for answers from the cafes of Beirut to the refugee camps of Lesbos. She uncovers in Erdogan's nouveau-Ottoman Turkey a version of the nostalgic utopias sold to disillusioned voters in Europe and the U.S. And yet - as she relates with compassion, insight and humour - diversity is the enduring, endangered heart of this fascinating region.Trade ReviewA lovely, lyrical and always insightful account that is as much about the present as the past. A joy from start to finish * Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads *Beautifully written with clear-eyed judgements and a sharp ear for fascinating anecdote and memorable characters. Exhilarating and often eye-opening, it shows this crucial region of the world from a new perspective. Essential reading for anyone interested in Turkey and its history * Michael Wood *Alev Scott approaches the crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean by side roads and unfrequented channels. Her book is clear, bright, humane and never disheartened. * James Buchan *Brilliantly written with a real feel for character, the book is a pleasure to read and an erudite lesson in a fascinating chapter of Modern History. An indispensable addition to our understanding of the Middle East today. * Roger Scruton *This is a book full of fun, "I never knew that" moments . . . Scott's mission is not to tell the history of the calamitous way the British and French dismantled the empire. Her aim is to find out whether the bits left behind as Ottoman imperialists became Turkish nationalist have common threads . . . She is fascinated by the survival and difference of forgotten, represses and otherwise threatened minorities -- Richard Spencer * The Times *Moving and amusing * Financial Times *Beautifully written - combines history, travel writing and personal discovery . . . Scott's writing is lyrical . . . She writes with a maturity and insight that belies her age, and is surely a rising star of the literary world. Her overall message is one of optimism. -- Saul David * Telegraph *Despite the bloody histories and ugly contemporary realities she seeks to investigate, Scott is always entertaining. She regales her reader with witty pen portraits. -- Alev Adil * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThe United States’ military doctrine, as proclaimed by its Department of Defense, is to attain `full-spectrum dominance… in the air, land, maritime and space domains and information environment… without effective opposition or prohibitive interference.’ This is an agenda for global conquest – for an ever-expanding US empire. As America prepares for conflict with Russia and China, wars continue in the Middle East and North Africa, tens of millions are exiled from their homes whilst many more face famine. But there is not only hope for change in the air, there is active resistance. People all over the world are challenging the status quo by taking nonviolent action. Voices for Peace features some of the world’s leading thinkers, journalists and activists, offering insight, inspiration and solutions to the world’s most critical problems: nuclear war, environmental destruction and refugee flows. In the wealth of material presented here, Kathy Kelly talks about the Afghan Peace Volunteers and Standing Rock protesters in the USA, calling for global unity. Bruce K. Gagnon’s piece on space weapons discusses South Korean activists’ opposition to American weapons in their country. Brian Terrell challenges the legality of drone warfare and outlines the grassroots links being forged between US and Russian citizens. Noam Chomsky discusses US policies towards Russia and Syria, as well as South America, trade, ISIS and Ukraine. John Pilger talks about the Trump-Obama naval build-up around China and exposes Britain’s `deep state’ connections to the Manchester terror attack. Former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney analyses the Charlie Hebdo attacks and the deep state in recent US history. Ilan Pappé offers an exclusive analysis of Israel’s actions to ethnically cleanse Israel of Palestinians. Finally, Robin Ramsay exposes the unconditional support given to the USA by successive UK governments. Seeking to inform and educate, this penetrating anthology is edited and introduced by author T. J. Coles, who gives a broader framework and context to the individual articles.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Bad News, Good News, T. J. Coles – The Coming War, John Pilger – Peace of the Graveyard, Noam Chomsky – Reality and the US-made Famine in Yemen, Kathy Kelly – Preparing for War with Russia and China: The US Quest for Global Domination Depends on Space Technology, Bruce K. Gagnon – A Visit to Russia for 'Life Extension' of the Planet: NATO, Poland and Operation Anakonda, Brian Terrell – Where to Turn: War and Peace in Afghanistan and Standing Rock, Kathy Kelly – Redefining `Imminent': How the US Department of Justice Makes Murder Respectable, Kills the Innocent and Jails their Defenders, Brian Terrell – America Ð and why Britain sucks up to it, Robin Ramsay – The Enemy is Not Trump, it is Ourselves, John Pilger – Historical Perspective of the 2014 Gaza Massacre, Ilan Pappe – Terror in Britain: What did the Prime Minister Know?. John Pilger – 'Je ne sais pas qui je suis': Making Sense of Tragedies like the Charlie Hebdo Incident When the Government Narrative Doesn't Make Sense, Cynthia McKinney

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Book SynopsisIn a tempestuous narrative that sweeps across five continents and seven centuries, this book explains how a succession of catastrophes—from the devastating Black Death of 1350 through the coming climate crisis of 2050—has produced a relentless succession of rising empires and fading world orders. During the long centuries of Iberian and British imperial rule, the quest for new forms of energy led to the development of the colonial sugar plantation as a uniquely profitable kind of commerce. In a time when issues of race and social justice have arisen with pressing urgency, the book explains how the plantation’s extraordinary profitability relied on a production system that literally worked the slaves to death, creating an insatiable appetite for new captives that made the African slave trade a central feature of modern capitalism for over four centuries. After surveying past centuries roiled by imperial wars, national revolutions, and the struggle for human rights, the closing chapters use those hard-won insights to peer through the present and into the future. By rendering often-opaque environmental science in lucid prose, the book explains how climate change and changing world orders will shape the life opportunities for younger generations, born at the start of this century, during the coming decades that will serve as the signposts of their lives—2030, 2050, 2070, and beyond.Trade Review"An ambitious effort to discern patterns in the rise and fall of world empires.... McCoy’s account is compelling...with many provocative observations on world history and its present twists." —Kirkus "To Govern the Globe is a brilliant distillation of 700 years of geopolitics, exposing how we arrived where we are, amidst the worsening climate crisis and collapsing world orders. Al McCoy’s eloquently written book is a call to action for us all, as time still remains to prevent an unprecedented cascade of catastrophes." —Amy Goodman, host of "Democracy Now!" "McCoy is one of the most eminent scholars in the world on the abuse of power and authority, on surveillance and repression, on the historical evolution of state-sanctioned torture in the US and elsewhere, and, more recently, on the rapidly declining state of the US empire. McCoy’s latest book “To Govern the Globe” is a formidable work of scholarship spanning an incredible arc of world history. Yet it is a gripping and fast-paced read that manages to distill the complex history of the rise and fall of world empires into a gripping narrative that is simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying. The book’s scope is so massive that only a scholar of McCoy’s skill could even consider attempting to capture it. McCoy’s meticulous understanding of the past and present failures and excesses of empires gives him the rare credibility to offer a detailed, damning picture of the grim realities humankind faces as history transforms into our future. After reading “To Govern the Globe,” however, I must conclude that embedded within McCoy’s book is a ray of hope demanding to be seen by us all before it’s truly too late.” —Jeremy Scahill, investigative journalists and author of Blackwater and Dirty Wars “McCoy’s argument is meticulously footnoted and his sobering conclusions appear firmly grounded in data. The past may not be the best predictor of the future, but as McCoy notes, “the past remains our best means of understanding the present and our only viable guide to the future.” —California Review of Books "To Govern the Globe ... offers a kaleidoscopic and timely analysis of the present U.S. decline, contextualizing it among a succession of empires and world orders across the past millennium." —Counterpunch "To Govern the Globe can be read as a clarion call to take action." —The Arts Fuse "A fascinating look at the rise and fall of empires and what it means for world orders. From colonial exploitation and capitalist ravaging of people and planet to arms racing and warfare, Alfred McCoy offers a deep dive into how this history has led to the climate crisis, and the impacts it will have on our future." —Ray Acheson, disarmament program director at the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom “In an age where most scholars concentrate on a limited specialty, no one sees a bigger picture more brilliantly than Alfred McCoy. In this powerful, enlightening, and frightening book he gives us a magisterial view of the empires of the past—and of the force in our future which promises to dwarf them all.” —Adam Hochschild, author of King Leopold's Ghost "To Govern the Globe is history on an epic scale -- sweeping, provocative, and unsparing in its judgments. Alfred McCoy's immensely readable narrative spans centuries, charting the rise and fall of successive world orders down to our own present moment shaped by China's emergence as a great power and the blight of climate change." —Andrew Bacevich, author of After the Apocalypse: America's Role in a World Transformed "It’s hard to believe a book spanning seven centuries could be so timely. Yet, Alfred McCoy’s probing and original study links the fate of multiple empires—including Pax Americana—to the all-too-relevant histories of protracted war, brutal exploitation, and catastrophic medical, environmental, and demographic crises." —Christian G. Appy, author of American Reckoning: The Vietnam War and Our National Identity

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