CFR.org - Books

Saudi Arabia on the Edge

Thomas W. Lippman — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:48:02 -0500

A leading Middle East scholar pens this "good introduction to the Saudi paradox of social change and political stability and an invaluable guide to the challenges the country faces."

American Force

Richard K. Betts — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:33:34 -0500

An investigation of the use of American force since the end of the Cold War.

The Struggle for Egypt

Steven A. Cook — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:40:17 -0400

A sweeping account of Egypt in the modern era: what Egypt is, what it stands for, and its relation to the world.

Preventing Electoral Violence in Africa

Jendayi Frazer and E. Gyimah-Boadi — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:32:41 -0400

A practitioner's guide providing firsthand accounts and lessons from scholars and political and civic leaders in the field, with the aim of expanding the dialogue "to ensure free and fair elections in which all of Africa's people can safely exercise their democratic rights."

I Heard the Sirens Scream

Laurie Garrett — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:13:32 -0400

Missing from the body of literature about 9/11 and the anthrax scare that followed is a sense of what 2001 felt like for those that experienced the events in a very personal way. I Heard the Sirens Scream bridges the divide and offers new insights into the period, presenting its profound implications for public health, mass psychology, governance, scientific integrity, social resilience and cohesion, criminal justice, and America's sense of itself.

The Next Convergence

A. Michael Spence — Tue, 10 May 2011 16:48:49 -0400

In The Next Convergence, Michael Spence succinctly describes how the recent period of growth in developing countries is leading to a convergence with the advanced countries, or developed world.

The New Arab Revolt

Tue, 03 May 2011 09:27:30 -0400

This collection of articles from Foreign Affairs, ForeignAffairs.com, and CFR.org pulls together what is needed to understand the origins and significance of the new Arab revolt.

Weak Links

Stewart M. Patrick — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:12:33 -0500

Stewart Patrick contends that assumptions about the threats posed by failing states--or "weak links"--are based on anecdotal arguments and challenges the conventional wisdom through systematic empirical analysis that traces the connections between state failure and transnational security threats.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:37:20 -0500

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana tells the story of a young entrepreneur whose business created jobs and hope for women in her Kabul, Afghanistan, neighborhood during the Taliban years.

Advantage

Adam Segal — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:09:02 -0500

A contrarian analysis of how the United States can succeed in the technological race with Asia.

The Sixth Crisis

Dana H. Allin and Steven Simon — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:13:16 -0500

A balanced, even-handed account of the forces that are driving Iran, Israel, and the United States toward crisis, and what can be done to defuse it.

Nigeria

John Campbell — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:28:15 -0400

Former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell explores Nigeria's postcolonial history and examines the events and conditions that have carried this troubled giant to the edge.

How Wars End

Gideon Rose — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:59:19 -0400

A penetrating look at American wars over the last century.

Between Threats and War

Micah Zenko — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:30:19 -0400

Micah Zenko examines the discrete military operations undertaken by the United States over the past twenty years to discern why they were used, if they achieved their objectives, and what determined their success or failure.

The Icarus Syndrome

Peter Beinart — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:51:47 -0400

In The Icarus Syndrome, Peter Beinart tells a tale as old as the Greeks--a story about the seductions of success.

More Money Than God

Sebastian Mallaby — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:20:37 -0400

Sebastian Mallaby has written the first authoritative history of hedge funds--from their rebel beginnings to their role in defining the future of finance.

Paradise Beneath Her Feet

Isobel Coleman — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:59:49 -0500

In Paradise Beneath Her Feet, Isobel Coleman shows how Muslim women and men are fighting back with progressive interpretations of Islam to support women's rights in a growing movement of Islamic feminism.

How Enemies Become Friends

Charles A. Kupchan — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:57:30 -0500

Through compelling analysis and rich historical examples that span the globe and range from the thirteenth century through the present, How Enemies Become Friends explores how adversaries can transform enmity into amity, and exposes prevalent myths about the causes of peace.

Start-Up Nation

Daniel Senor and Saul Singer — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:45:08 -0400

Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion-dollar question: How is it that Israel--a country of 7.1 million, only sixty years old, surrounded by enemies--produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada, and the UK? With the insights of geopolitical experts and investors, the authors examine this nation's adversity-driven culture to answer this question and offer prescriptions for a global economy on the rebound.

Forces of Fortune

Vali R. Nasr — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:05:40 -0400

In Forces of Fortune, Vali Nasr presents a paradigm-changing revelation that will transform the understanding of the Muslim world at large. He reveals that there is a vital but unseen rising force in the Islamic world--a new business-minded middle class--that is building a vibrant new Muslim world economy and that holds the key to winning the cold war against Iran and extremists.

Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know

Julia E. Sweig — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:42:30 -0400

In this compact reference guide, Julia E. Sweig presents a remarkably accessible portrait of Cuba's unique place on the world stage over the past fifty years, including its internal politics, its often fraught relationship with the United States, and its shifting relationship with the global community.

War of Necessity, War of Choice

Richard N. Haass — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:47:26 -0400

In this compelling book, Richard N. Haass contrasts the decisions that shaped the conduct of two wars between the United States and Iraq involving the two presidents Bush and Saddam Hussein, and writes an authoritative, personal account of how U.S. foreign policy is made, what it should seek, and how it should be pursued.

Guardians of the Revolution

Ray Takeyh — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:52:37 -0400

For over a quarter-century, Iran has been one of America's chief nemeses. But as Ray Takeyh shows in this accessible and authoritative history of Iran's relations with the world since the revolution, behind the famous personalities and extremist slogans is a nation that is far more pragmatic--and complex--than many in the West have been led to believe.

Money, Markets, and Sovereignty

Benn Steil and Manuel Hinds — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:08:26 -0400

In this keenly argued book, the authors present a fascinating intellectual history of monetary nationalism from the ancient world to the present and explore why, in its modern incarnation, it represents the single greatest threat to globalization.

Skilled Immigration Today

Jagdish N. Bhagwati and Gordon H. Hanson — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:55:08 -0400

While immigration reform usually refers to unskilled labor, skilled immigration requires different policy action. Bhagwati and Hanson bring together today's foremost immigration experts to examine the phenomenon.

Power Rules

Leslie H. Gelb — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:51:01 -0500

In this book, inspired by Machiavelli's classic The Prince, Leslie H. Gelb offers illuminating guidelines on how American power actually works and should be wielded in today's tumultuous world, writing with the perspective of four decades of extraordinary access and influence in government, think tanks, and journalism.

Russian Foreign Policy

Jeffrey Mankoff — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:49:48 -0500

This thoughtful and balanced text examines the development of Russian foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. Presenting an even-handed treatment of controversial issues, Jeffrey Mankoff analyzes Russia's interactions with major global actors and convincingly demonstrates that today's Russia is more interested in restoring what its leaders consider to be its rightful place among the world's major powers than in directly challenging the West.

The Best Laid Plans

Stewart M. Patrick — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:05:12 -0500

A look at the long-standing but unresolved debate of the virtues and values of multilateralism vs. unilateralism in American foreign policy.

China's Rise and the Two Koreas

Scott A. Snyder — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:44:08 -0500

With China now South Korea's number-one trading partner and destination for foreign investment and tourism, what are the implications for politics and security in East Asia? Scott Snyder explores the transformation of the Sino–South Korean relationship since the early 1990s.

Restoring the Balance

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:06:47 -0500

In Restoring the Balance: A Middle East Strategy for the Next President, experts from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution propose a new, nonpartisan Middle East strategy drawing on the lessons of past failures to address both the short-term and long-term challenges to U.S. interests.