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A review by johnsaveland
A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide by Samantha Power
5.0
Excellent, heavily-researched examination of the last century of genocide, but really the last century of how foreign policy is conducted, and how political risks of action can outweigh the potentially catastrophic human toll of inaction.
It's also, perhaps surprisingly, an incredibly engaging read. This isn't a textbook; it unfolds like a few dozen interconnected stories, but with real stakes.
Anyone interested in foreign policy, in the inner workings of how the US undertakes action (from diplomacy to force), and in very underreported parts of our history will love this book.
As a side note: it was published in 2003 (written in the decade leading into that), and I wonder how she'd expand upon some of her observations today.
It's also, perhaps surprisingly, an incredibly engaging read. This isn't a textbook; it unfolds like a few dozen interconnected stories, but with real stakes.
Anyone interested in foreign policy, in the inner workings of how the US undertakes action (from diplomacy to force), and in very underreported parts of our history will love this book.
As a side note: it was published in 2003 (written in the decade leading into that), and I wonder how she'd expand upon some of her observations today.