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65 reviews for:
The Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder
Peter Zeihan
4.13 AVERAGE
65 reviews for:
The Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder
Peter Zeihan
4.13 AVERAGE
This is an eye-opening book about America and the World, from a demographic, geographic, and resource/energy distribution perspective. Zeihan's thesis is, basically, that America is "doomed" to be the world's #1 power, due to its immense natural wealth and serendipitous geography. Z takes a look at the same factors in most of the rest of the world, then makes projections about how to the world is going to change over the coming decades because of these factors.
Some of these predictions get a little wild (tanker war between Japan and China!), but others are coming true (America's withdrawal from NATO, the disruption of free trade). Both of these latter predictions were made before Trump was even a candidate for the US Presidency. It can be dazzling to see Zeihan connect these disruptive events into larger historical trends, many of which I wasn't aware of before reading the book.
At the end of the day, the book's perspective is one guy's opinion. The work on oil and green energy might seem a little too "drill baby drill" for some readers, while the acceptance of manmade climate change might rankle those on the other side. If you go into this book not looking for a replacement of your current worldview, but a few potential supplements, Zeihan's best points are more than worth the time.
Anyone interesting in geopolitics, society, investing....really if you're interested in the world at all...there's something here for you. Furthermore, Zeihan is a supremely entertaining writer. I found this to be quite the pageturner. Zeihan goes on to develop these ideas further in "The Absent Superpower" (and the forthcoming third in this trilogy). Of the two currently released, I prefer "The Absent Superpower" from 2016. It contains most of the substance from this one. But if you were to read them both, or this one in isolation, it may also be worth your while.
Some of these predictions get a little wild (tanker war between Japan and China!), but others are coming true (America's withdrawal from NATO, the disruption of free trade). Both of these latter predictions were made before Trump was even a candidate for the US Presidency. It can be dazzling to see Zeihan connect these disruptive events into larger historical trends, many of which I wasn't aware of before reading the book.
At the end of the day, the book's perspective is one guy's opinion. The work on oil and green energy might seem a little too "drill baby drill" for some readers, while the acceptance of manmade climate change might rankle those on the other side. If you go into this book not looking for a replacement of your current worldview, but a few potential supplements, Zeihan's best points are more than worth the time.
Anyone interesting in geopolitics, society, investing....really if you're interested in the world at all...there's something here for you. Furthermore, Zeihan is a supremely entertaining writer. I found this to be quite the pageturner. Zeihan goes on to develop these ideas further in "The Absent Superpower" (and the forthcoming third in this trilogy). Of the two currently released, I prefer "The Absent Superpower" from 2016. It contains most of the substance from this one. But if you were to read them both, or this one in isolation, it may also be worth your while.
This is not usually my type of book, but I learned so much from it. The author somehow manages to convey information that is typically pretty dry and boring in a way that made me want to know what happens next. The book is well-organized and the theories explained in ways that a lay-person like me could understand. Great book for understanding geopolitics and how the next 30 or 40 years might play out.
informative
medium-paced
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
informative and frightening geopolitics about the future of the US and the rest of the world. His forecast is harsh for everywhere except the US. I really hope he is wrong.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Russia, by contrast, faces no political or alliance constraints on its ability to pursue a strategic policy to its west. However, unlike Turkey, it does face a time pressure; Russia's demographics are so horrid that if it fails to act before 2022, it will lose the capacity to act both militarily and economically. This puts Russia on a collision course with the eight EU members on the edge of what the Russians see as their preferred border zone: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. It would seem that the Russian challenge to Europe's future is rather obvious.
He doesn't miss
He doesn't miss
Crap for nonsense from a Stratfor alumnus
We have a new Tom "Teapot Tommy"/"My Head Is Flat" Friedman here, and that's not a complement.
I started repeatedly rolling my eyeballs before the end of the first chapter at the number of huge overgeneralizations plus outright inaccuracies.
Speaking of, I stopped reading by page 60 over this:
1. Claims that Phoenix, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City were near passes in the Rockies; and
2. The claims that Monterey and Chihuahua (City) were the only two "meaningful" Mexican populations near the US border. I guess Tijuana isn't "meaningful" and El Chapo Guzman stole Juarez.
But, per my semi-rhyming title, the author is a Stratfor alum, so this level of inaccurate dreck isn't really a surprise.
We have a new Tom "Teapot Tommy"/"My Head Is Flat" Friedman here, and that's not a complement.
I started repeatedly rolling my eyeballs before the end of the first chapter at the number of huge overgeneralizations plus outright inaccuracies.
Speaking of, I stopped reading by page 60 over this:
1. Claims that Phoenix, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City were near passes in the Rockies; and
2. The claims that Monterey and Chihuahua (City) were the only two "meaningful" Mexican populations near the US border. I guess Tijuana isn't "meaningful" and El Chapo Guzman stole Juarez.
But, per my semi-rhyming title, the author is a Stratfor alum, so this level of inaccurate dreck isn't really a surprise.
This book has stayed with me far longer than I expected. Information I learned in it has proved useful in discussing history and politics again and again.
informative
medium-paced
Great read on the future of American Dominance. Suprisingly, reshifted my views on shale and its inevitable expansion in the American market.
informative
reflective
medium-paced