Michiko Kakutani
…in his provocative new book…[Brzezinski] provides a clear-eyed, sharp-tongued assessment of this hinge moment in time, when the world's center of gravity is shifting "from the West to the East"…Mr. Brzezinski does a cogent job here of situating America's relationships with other countries in a geopolitical and historical context. And he uses his expertise in these areas to draw a harrowing portrait of what the world might look like without a re-energized and strategic-minded United States on the global stage.
—The New York Times
From the Publisher
"A clear-eyed, sharp-tongued assessment of this hinge moment in time, when the world's center of gravity is shifting 'from the West to the East.'"—New York Times
"In this crisp and stimulating book, Brzezinski speculates on the dangers that could result from the decline of the United States and offers his prescriptions to restore American leadership in a changing world."—Foreign Affairs
"A bracing discussion of what a revival of US power would actually require over the next few decades."—Washington Post
"A much-needed wake-up call regarding the international repercussions if America fails to address its multiple domestic crises successfully. ... Brzezinski offers a thoughtful — and, as usual, provocative and timely — must read."—Robert M. Gates, US Secretary of Defense, 2006-2011
New York Times
A clear-eyed, sharp-tongued assessment of this hinge moment in time.”
—New York Times
Kirkus Reviews
Jimmy Carter's national security advisor offers an astute, elegant appraisal of the waning of America's "global appeal" and the severe consequences of the shifting of power from West to East. Despite filling the vacuum left after the fall of the Soviet Union, the West is tottering as a global superpower. Brzezinski (American Foreign Policy/Johns Hopkins Univ.; Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower, 2007, etc.) looks carefully at this shifting redistribution in global power as the West recedes, making way for entrants from Asia, Africa and Latin America, seized by their own sense of political awareness. In his crisp, systematic fashion, the author begins by examining reasons for the waning U.S. influence, offering some pointed criticism: The "durability of its leadership is increasingly questioned worldwide because of the complexity of its internal and external challenges"; its magical twin motivations of idealism and materialism are no longer viable; its own house is in disrepair; and its populace is self-deluded and, frankly, ignorant about the rest of the world. Weakened further by its unwarranted aggression in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. is now seen as a negative influence, arousing animus worldwide. Meanwhile, the sun is rising in the East, and Brzezinski looks at growth in China, Japan, Turkey, Russia, India and others--though the author concludes that most are plagued by too many problems to become world leaders by 2025. Other hotspots make up the "geopolitically most endangered states," such as Georgia, Taiwan, South Korea, Belarus, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Israel. Ultimately, Brzezinski provides a powerful cautionary tale: By harnessing its overall strengths in terms of economic, social and political ranking, superiority of higher education, rich natural resources and population resiliency, America can indeed "rise to the occasion." An urgent call for "historic renewal" by one of America's sharpest minds.
