Illustration of a group of people in a book store. The foreign policy section of books is swarmed, while no one is interested in the U.S. section.
Illustration of a group of people in a book store. The foreign policy section of books is swarmed, while no one is interested in the U.S. section.
Lily Qian for Foreign Policy

Books

The latest reviews and excerpts for global readers.

List of Books articles

Black and white photograph showing a line of uniformed service members seen from behind, looking up at five military airplanes flying overhead in formation against a cloudy sky.
Black and white photograph showing a line of uniformed service members seen from behind, looking up at five military airplanes flying overhead in formation against a cloudy sky.

A Book as Big as the War

‘1942’ offers an epic, brilliant vision of global conflict.

Review
Keith Johnson
Graphic illustration splitting a man's face down the middle. The right side shows his face against a blue background, while the left side features a red background with a missile launching upwards, leaving behind a trail of smoke. A border of white stars lines the bottom and left edges of the image.
Graphic illustration splitting a man's face down the middle. The right side shows his face against a blue background, while the left side features a red background with a missile launching upwards, leaving behind a trail of smoke. A border of white stars lines the bottom and left edges of the image.

Jared Kushner Is the Face of American Oligarchy

Trump’s son-in-law embodies the rise of a trend that threatens to ignite a new nuclear age.

Excerpt
Casey Michel
Young children in matching red shirts or dresses and floral-patterned pinafores sing or chant while holding yellow booklets. A wall beyond them is bright blue and red.
Young children in matching red shirts or dresses and floral-patterned pinafores sing or chant while holding yellow booklets. A wall beyond them is bright blue and red.

Getting Confucius Wrong

A new translation of a key Chinese text is dangerously lacking in expertise. This article has an audio recording

Review
Maddalena Poli
A photo collage illustration featuring a repeated pattern of a man sitting in a green tufted armchair holding a small American flag, positioned along a cabinet room table. Above them against a textured red background looms a large, cropped grayscale face of a man looking forward.
A photo collage illustration featuring a repeated pattern of a man sitting in a green tufted armchair holding a small American flag, positioned along a cabinet room table. Above them against a textured red background looms a large, cropped grayscale face of a man looking forward.

A Cabinet Full of Roy Cohns

Trump’s longtime mentor is the true father of the president’s second-term abuses, a new book posits. This article has an audio recording

Review
Michael Hirsh
A sophisticated Indian woman rides through the streets of New Delhi on her cellphone.
A sophisticated Indian woman rides through the streets of New Delhi on her cellphone.

Who Reaps the Benefits of India’s Growth?

Early policy choices shaped the inequity and employment challenges facing the country today. This article has an audio recording

Review
Sumit Ganguly
People walk past an algae bloom at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.
People walk past an algae bloom at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.

A Land Without the Troubles?

Northern Ireland’s most outlandish plan comes to fruition in Jan Carson’s new novel. This article has an audio recording

Review
Maxine Davey
Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party lawmakers make the victory sign after voting on a bill offering limited amnesty for Kurdish PKK militants at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara.
Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party lawmakers make the victory sign after voting on a bill offering limited amnesty for Kurdish PKK militants at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara.

Has Turkey Really Resolved Its Kurdish Question?

Aliza Marcus’s “Resurgence and Revolution” sheds light on the past and future of the Kurdish cause. This article has an audio recording

Review
Halil Karaveli
An engraved illustration of a giant crowned king rising above a hilly landscape. His torso and arms are made up of tiny individual people packed together. In his right hand, he holds an upright sword, and in his left hand, an ornate golden crosier.
An engraved illustration of a giant crowned king rising above a hilly landscape. His torso and arms are made up of tiny individual people packed together. In his right hand, he holds an upright sword, and in his left hand, an ornate golden crosier.

Liberalism Is Worth Saving. Here’s How.

If liberalism does not remake itself, it will be antidemocratic alternatives that win out.

Excerpt
Daron Acemoglu
A U.S. Army soldier from the 9th Infantry Division in Tan An, Vietnam.
A U.S. Army soldier from the 9th Infantry Division in Tan An, Vietnam.

The End of American Innocence

Seventy years after “The Quiet American,” has the country outlived Graham Greene’s prophecy?

Review
Johannes Lichtman
Trump speaks at a podium; Vance, Rubio, and Hegseth stand behind him.
Trump speaks at a podium; Vance, Rubio, and Hegseth stand behind him.

Yes, the Iran War Really Is Similar to Vietnam

Trump’s war is “The Best and the Brightest”—but without the best and the brightest.

Analysis
Howard W. French
Two men in suits stand behind separate lecterns on a debate stage with a dark blue carpet and a blue backdrop. In the left foreground, one man gestures while speaking into a microphone, while the other man stands at a lectern on the right looking toward him.
Two men in suits stand behind separate lecterns on a debate stage with a dark blue carpet and a blue backdrop. In the left foreground, one man gestures while speaking into a microphone, while the other man stands at a lectern on the right looking toward him.

There’s No Going Back

Thomas Wright on the post-Cold War order.

Review
Joseph Stieb
Books-in-brief-fiction-foreign-policy-August-2026
Books-in-brief-fiction-foreign-policy-August-2026

An ‘Odyssey,’ From a Dog’s Perspective

Plus, a satire about a Nigerian on holiday, and more international fiction in August. This article has an audio recording

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
A Palestinian youth stands on a street strewn with rubble following an explosion in the Saftawi neighborhood, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian youth stands on a street strewn with rubble following an explosion in the Saftawi neighborhood, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Architecture of Israel’s Genocide in Gaza

A new book describes the destruction of Palestinian life street by street. This article has an audio recording

Review
Marc Lynch
A collage image with a photo of Pete Hegseth seen in profile, his mouth open as he yells. Beside him is the cover illustration from the book Psychology of Military Incompetence, depicting a general in uniform, also seen in profile, with military imagery framed inside his head.
A collage image with a photo of Pete Hegseth seen in profile, his mouth open as he yells. Beside him is the cover illustration from the book Psychology of Military Incompetence, depicting a general in uniform, also seen in profile, with military imagery framed inside his head.

The Book That Predicted Pete Hegseth’s Failures

“On the Psychology of Military Incompetence” examines the narrow minds of petty men. This article has an audio recording

Review
Keith Johnson
A wall mural with three panels showing 19th-century men: a central panel of men gathered around a globe and table labeled "THE MONROE DOCTRINE - 1823," flanked by panels of soldiers in period uniforms.
A wall mural with three panels showing 19th-century men: a central panel of men gathered around a globe and table labeled "THE MONROE DOCTRINE - 1823," flanked by panels of soldiers in period uniforms.

Resurrecting the Real Monroe Doctrine

Hidden behind two centuries of aggressive presidential corollaries is an enduring appeal to hemispheric solidarity.

Excerpt
Arturo Chang
Alt text: A photo collage overlaid with the vertical green, yellow, and red colors of the Senegalese flag. The background shows monochrome images of crowds, including a man holding a sign in French reading "MON FILS NE SERA PAS HOMOSEXUEL," and a close-up of someone's clasped hands.
Alt text: A photo collage overlaid with the vertical green, yellow, and red colors of the Senegalese flag. The background shows monochrome images of crowds, including a man holding a sign in French reading "MON FILS NE SERA PAS HOMOSEXUEL," and a close-up of someone's clasped hands.

The Myth of African Heterosexual Purity

An explosive novel probes the roots of homophobia in Senegal, where a chilling anti-LGBTQ+ law just passed.

Review
Yagnishsing Dawoor
Jim Jones (center), leader of the Peoples Temple cult, and some of his followers are seen in an undated photograph found in an album in Jonestown, Guyana.
Jim Jones (center), leader of the Peoples Temple cult, and some of his followers are seen in an undated photograph found in an album in Jonestown, Guyana.

The Jonestown Massacre in Black and White

A flawed book tries to put race and politics back into a pan-American tragedy.

Review
James Palmer
Books lie amid rubble of a destroyed house at the scene of a bombing after Russian forces launched a missile at a residential area in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
Books lie amid rubble of a destroyed house at the scene of a bombing after Russian forces launched a missile at a residential area in Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

Inside the Race to Protect Ukrainian

Kyiv’s language revitalization program seeks to save Ukrainians’ mother tongue through complex state law. This article has an audio recording

Excerpt
Sophia Smith Galer
A man with a white beard and grey hair stands at a clear podium, speaking into a microphone. Behind him, a massive digital screen shows a close-up projection of his own face wearing a bright red baseball cap with a white star logo while holding a microphone. To the right of the projection on the screen, a large, dense crowd of supporters is visible, many with their arms raised in the air.
A man with a white beard and grey hair stands at a clear podium, speaking into a microphone. Behind him, a massive digital screen shows a close-up projection of his own face wearing a bright red baseball cap with a white star logo while holding a microphone. To the right of the projection on the screen, a large, dense crowd of supporters is visible, many with their arms raised in the air.

Will Lula Win the Century?

Brazil’s president is democratic, successful, and globally respected. This article has an audio recording

Review
Vincent Bevins
A black and white photograph of MI6 agent Kim Philby on the right, surrounded by sitting and standing photographers and journalists, all dressed in suits.
A black and white photograph of MI6 agent Kim Philby on the right, surrounded by sitting and standing photographers and journalists, all dressed in suits.

The CIA’s First Failed Coup

Kim Philby, parachute drops, and what really happened in communist Albania. This article has an audio recording

Review
Casey Michel
Books-in-brief-fiction-foreign-policy-July-2026
Books-in-brief-fiction-foreign-policy-July-2026

Surviving an Oil Spill in Louisiana, and More New Fiction for July

Stephanie Soileau’s ‘Should the Waters Take Us’ depicts a Cajun community in Louisiana. This article has an audio recording

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
A line of commuters walking in profile against a cloudy sky, with a large, historic suspension bridge featuring two prominent towers softly blurred in the background. One person holds a brown umbrella.
A line of commuters walking in profile against a cloudy sky, with a large, historic suspension bridge featuring two prominent towers softly blurred in the background. One person holds a brown umbrella.

The Real Reason Nothing Works in Britain

Two new books hint at what’s actually beneath U.K. political and economic malaise. This article has an audio recording

Review
Marie Le Conte
A Soviet propaganda poster featuring the profile portraits of four bearded and mustached men, aligned in a diagonal row from left to right, looking toward the right against a dark red backdrop. Below them, a large, diverse crowd of people in various traditional and working-class outfits march forward, carrying several large, waving red flags with Cyrillic text. At the very bottom, a bold banner displays a line of red Cyrillic text on a white background.
A Soviet propaganda poster featuring the profile portraits of four bearded and mustached men, aligned in a diagonal row from left to right, looking toward the right against a dark red backdrop. Below them, a large, diverse crowd of people in various traditional and working-class outfits march forward, carrying several large, waving red flags with Cyrillic text. At the very bottom, a bold banner displays a line of red Cyrillic text on a white background.

How Best to Look at Russian History

A new book shows the uses and limits of microhistories in understanding the past. This article has an audio recording

Review
Tim Brinkhof
A man in a blue suit and white dress shirt kicks a soccer ball mid-air on a green grass field. In the background, a referee in a yellow shirt, a young boy in a red uniform, and another player in a red kit look on, alongside bystanders standing near a red tent and net structures.
A man in a blue suit and white dress shirt kicks a soccer ball mid-air on a green grass field. In the background, a referee in a yellow shirt, a young boy in a red uniform, and another player in a red kit look on, alongside bystanders standing near a red tent and net structures.

When the Beautiful Game Meets the Ugliest Ego

A recent history of the World Cup suggests the tournament can triumph over Trump. This article has an audio recording

Review
Bobby Ghosh
A group of Palestinians are seen close the Israel-Gaza border fence in the southern Gaza Strip. An Israeli military vehicle sits opposite the Palestinians on the opposite of the fence.
A group of Palestinians are seen close the Israel-Gaza border fence in the southern Gaza Strip. An Israeli military vehicle sits opposite the Palestinians on the opposite of the fence.

Diagnosing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Doesn’t Solve It

Two new books offer fresh explanations for what went wrong—but little on how to make it go right. This article has an audio recording

Review
David E. Rosenberg
01-Foreign-Policy-Magazine-Fiction-Books-June-2026
01-Foreign-Policy-Magazine-Fiction-Books-June-2026

Maggie O’Farrell’s Most Ambitious Novel Yet

Plus, a Venezuelan thriller in translation. This article has an audio recording

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
Soldiers of the German armed forces Bundeswehr hoist a European flag in front of the Bundeswehr memorial dedicated to members of the German armed forces who lost their lives in the line of duty, on November 10, 2025 on the premises of the German Defence Ministry in Berlin, prior to a wreath-laying ceremony.
Soldiers of the German armed forces Bundeswehr hoist a European flag in front of the Bundeswehr memorial dedicated to members of the German armed forces who lost their lives in the line of duty, on November 10, 2025 on the premises of the German Defence Ministry in Berlin, prior to a wreath-laying ceremony.

Contain, Consolidate, and Co-Opt

How Europe has learned to live with great-power politics. 

Excerpt
Dimitar Bechev
A side-view medium shot of a woman with dark, short hair wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and black pants, sitting with her hands clasped in her lap. She is seated on a red patterned armchair in a living room, with additional matching armchairs and a white bust sculpture visible in the background.
A side-view medium shot of a woman with dark, short hair wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and black pants, sitting with her hands clasped in her lap. She is seated on a red patterned armchair in a living room, with additional matching armchairs and a white bust sculpture visible in the background.

Romania Has Perfected the Art of Forgetting

In a new memoir, Nobel laureate Herta Müller condemns her homeland for failing to reconcile with history. This article has an audio recording

Review
Laura Mills
A close-up shot of the American flag. In the background is a container ship with green and brown shipping containers.
A close-up shot of the American flag. In the background is a container ship with green and brown shipping containers.

Does the United States Have the Weapons for Trade War?

Economic strategists are pitching tougher policies for an anxious world.

Review
Bob Davis
A monochrome image in shades of bright green. On the left, a large, detailed old coin shows an embossed figure in profile alongside texturing and historical lettering. In the center, the portrait section of a modern U.S. one-dollar bill is visible, showing a man's face looking forward within an oval frame, flanked by serial numbers and the text "FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE." On the right side, intricate, swirling patterns and geometric linework characteristic of paper currency.
A monochrome image in shades of bright green. On the left, a large, detailed old coin shows an embossed figure in profile alongside texturing and historical lettering. In the center, the portrait section of a modern U.S. one-dollar bill is visible, showing a man's face looking forward within an oval frame, flanked by serial numbers and the text "FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE." On the right side, intricate, swirling patterns and geometric linework characteristic of paper currency.

The Dollar Was—and Remains—an Accident

As a new book shows, the dollar isn’t really the United States’ currency, but a 500-year-old relic.

Review
Keith Johnson
A narrow, paved alleyway is covered by a canopy of red and white flags and portraits of a man hanging from wires overhead. Below, a few men are scattered throughout the street. On the left, a man sits on a plastic chair next to a table, looking at his phone. In the center, two men sit at another table conversing with a man standing nearby. To the right, another man sits alone against a brick wall. Two white cars are parked in the middle of the alleyway.
A narrow, paved alleyway is covered by a canopy of red and white flags and portraits of a man hanging from wires overhead. Below, a few men are scattered throughout the street. On the left, a man sits on a plastic chair next to a table, looking at his phone. In the center, two men sit at another table conversing with a man standing nearby. To the right, another man sits alone against a brick wall. Two white cars are parked in the middle of the alleyway.

Authoritarian Transformation in Istanbul’s Old City

Two new books seek to capture the changing reality of Turkey and the world.

Review
Selim Koru
A shot of an older man with white hair standing in a room crowded with tall wooden bookshelves filled to capacity with books. The man wears a dark blue sweater over a blue button-down shirt and looks forward with a somber expression while holding a large, thick open book with both hands.
A shot of an older man with white hair standing in a room crowded with tall wooden bookshelves filled to capacity with books. The man wears a dark blue sweater over a blue button-down shirt and looks forward with a somber expression while holding a large, thick open book with both hands.

The Political Truths of Literary Friendship

The private letters of famed literary critic Harold Bloom offer an ethical guide for politics. This article has an audio recording

Review
Gregory Jones-Katz
Senior military officers sit in the audience before U.S. President Donald Trump addresses them at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
Senior military officers sit in the audience before U.S. President Donald Trump addresses them at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

The Book About the U.S. Military That Everyone Should Be Reading Now

Kori Schake’s ‘The State and the Soldier’ is the discussion on civilian control of the military that this moment requires.

Review
Bobby Ghosh
A man pushes his bike through debris in Bucha, Ukraine, on April 6, 2022.
A man pushes his bike through debris in Bucha, Ukraine, on April 6, 2022.

War Is an International Crime. Why Does It Go Unpunished?

A sweeping legal history reveals how the international community failed to live up to the promises of Nuremberg.

Review
Laura Mills
A person on a waterfront promenade holds a long, vibrant red dragon streamer with yellow characters painted on it. In the background, the sun sets behind a dense skyline of modern skyscrapers.
A person on a waterfront promenade holds a long, vibrant red dragon streamer with yellow characters painted on it. In the background, the sun sets behind a dense skyline of modern skyscrapers.

There’s No Need to Fear China’s Economy

Beijing can’t easily afford to escalate any economic struggle with Washington. This article has an audio recording

Review
Theodore Bunzel
American conservationist and biologist George Schaller makes notes on the skull of a Marco Polo sheep during his expedition to the Wakhan Corridor of northeastern Afghanistan.
American conservationist and biologist George Schaller makes notes on the skull of a Marco Polo sheep during his expedition to the Wakhan Corridor of northeastern Afghanistan.

A Foreign Correspondent of Animal Kingdoms

How a headstrong field biologist helped birth the worldwide conservation movement. This article has an audio recording

Review
Christina Larson
A photo illustration shows a close-up shot of a red gift box topped with a large, shiny red satin bow. Attached to the ribbon is a white square gift tag featuring a black line-art icon of a globe within a rectangular frame. In the soft-focus, blurred background, the face of a smiling person is visible behind the gift.
A photo illustration shows a close-up shot of a red gift box topped with a large, shiny red satin bow. Attached to the ribbon is a white square gift tag featuring a black line-art icon of a globe within a rectangular frame. In the soft-focus, blurred background, the face of a smiling person is visible behind the gift.

How to Choose a Gift for Trump

An expert in diplomatic gift-giving describes the use and abuse of official presents. This article has an audio recording

Essay
Paul Brummell
A photo illustration of Elizabeth Bathory, a castle, and a butcher's knife.
A photo illustration of Elizabeth Bathory, a castle, and a butcher's knife.

The Real Origin of the World’s Most Famous Female Serial Killer

A new book explores the geopolitical scheming that created the blood countess legend.

Review
Nora Biette-Timmons
A collage of ten various book covers is arranged against a background divided horizontally into cream and olive green. The covers for New Skin and Babylon, South Dakota are the largest and most prominent in the center. Other visible titles include John of John, Prestige Drama, All Them Dogs, and Glyph. The covers vary in style, featuring abstract graphics, landscape photography, and illustrated portraits.
A collage of ten various book covers is arranged against a background divided horizontally into cream and olive green. The covers for New Skin and Babylon, South Dakota are the largest and most prominent in the center. Other visible titles include John of John, Prestige Drama, All Them Dogs, and Glyph. The covers vary in style, featuring abstract graphics, landscape photography, and illustrated portraits.

Two Novels Take on the Post-American Dream

Plus, more international fiction releases in May.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
The Three Soldiers, a public art installation commemorating generations of troops once stationed along Taiwan’s rugged northeastern coastline, is seen in Linshan Cape Beach, northern Taiwan.
The Three Soldiers, a public art installation commemorating generations of troops once stationed along Taiwan’s rugged northeastern coastline, is seen in Linshan Cape Beach, northern Taiwan.

The Taiwan Evacuation Trap

Washington has no good options for evacuating Americans in a crisis. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Eyck Freymann
The shells of midrise residential buildings covered in scaffolding rise up against a clear blue sky. In the foreground are colorful tents and booths of vendors lining a street, where cars and vans pass by.
The shells of midrise residential buildings covered in scaffolding rise up against a clear blue sky. In the foreground are colorful tents and booths of vendors lining a street, where cars and vans pass by.

Can Africa Follow Asia’s Development Model?

An economics writer known for his work on Asia turns his eye toward the fastest-growing continent.

Review
Howard W. French
An illustration shows three people in a small wooden boat on a turbulent sea, facing a massive whale that is partially transparent, revealing its skeleton. One person in the boat holds an oar, another holds a harpoon, and a third watches the whale with a hand on their head.
An illustration shows three people in a small wooden boat on a turbulent sea, facing a massive whale that is partially transparent, revealing its skeleton. One person in the boat holds an oar, another holds a harpoon, and a third watches the whale with a hand on their head.

Decolonizing ‘Moby-Dick’

Literature’s obsessive quest for anti-canonical adaptations pursues the white whale at its peril. This article has an audio recording

Review
Rhoda Feng
An up-close portion of the Riverwalk apartment building is pictured as gray clouds loom to the left.
An up-close portion of the Riverwalk apartment building is pictured as gray clouds loom to the left.

Did London’s Dirty Money Really Kill a Teenage Fantasist?

Patrick Radden Keefe’s “London Falling” is a mystery that turns into a tragedy. This article has an audio recording

Review
James Palmer
Mikhail Gorbachev, wearing a dark overcoat and patterned scarf, smiles as he tips his gray fedora toward Ronald Reagan. Reagan is seen from behind in the foreground, wearing a dark suit. The two leaders are standing on a light-colored gravel path next to a black car.
Mikhail Gorbachev, wearing a dark overcoat and patterned scarf, smiles as he tips his gray fedora toward Ronald Reagan. Reagan is seen from behind in the foreground, wearing a dark suit. The two leaders are standing on a light-colored gravel path next to a black car.

The Charisma Wars

Why personality now trumps policy in global politics. This article has an audio recording

Review
Bobby Ghosh
A camera on a smartphone shows a piece of chicken and waffle on a plate.
A camera on a smartphone shows a piece of chicken and waffle on a plate.

The Fight Over the Future of Meat

The United States lost the EV race to China. Food could be next. This article has an audio recording

Excerpt
Bruce Friedrich
A map of Turkey in Asia with an orange line outlining imagined borders of the Ottoman Empire.
A map of Turkey in Asia with an orange line outlining imagined borders of the Ottoman Empire.

What if the Ottomans Survived?

Recent scholarship shows the promise—and limits—of a historical path not taken. This article has an audio recording

Review
Nick Danforth
A collage of various book covers of different sizes and colors arranged against a split background of light blue and off-white. The covers for "The Monuments of Paris" and "Small Boat" are featured prominently in the center. Other visible titles include "Honey in the Wound," "Lázár," "The Scoop," and "Midnight at the War."
A collage of various book covers of different sizes and colors arranged against a split background of light blue and off-white. The covers for "The Monuments of Paris" and "Small Boat" are featured prominently in the center. Other visible titles include "Honey in the Wound," "Lázár," "The Scoop," and "Midnight at the War."

Two Takes on Modern France

Plus, more international fiction releases in April.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
A photo illustration shows fractured colored shard revealing images of nation states in decline: an upside down U.S. Capitol building, the EU building in Brussels, broken columns, part of Donald Trump's head, explosions in the Middle East, and a tank in Ukraine.
A photo illustration shows fractured colored shard revealing images of nation states in decline: an upside down U.S. Capitol building, the EU building in Brussels, broken columns, part of Donald Trump's head, explosions in the Middle East, and a tank in Ukraine.

After the Nation-State

A slew of new doomsaying books miss what’s coming round the bend.

Essay
Michael Hirsh
Putin stands among reservists in combat gear.
Putin stands among reservists in combat gear.

The Follies of Predicting War

A new book debates who wins wars and why.

Review
Jo Inge Bekkevold
01-Foreign-Policy-Magazine-Fiction-Books-March-2026
01-Foreign-Policy-Magazine-Fiction-Books-March-2026

Two Books About the Pull of Home

Plus, more international fiction releases in March.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
A man carrying a folded British flag next to two people removing a British flag from a flagpole.
A man carrying a folded British flag next to two people removing a British flag from a flagpole.

Nigel Farage Isn’t So Unlikely

Retracing the road to Brexit, a new book reveals the deep roots of British Euroskepticism. This article has an audio recording

Review
Jamie Maxwell
A person is seen through a wall of photographs of prisoners at a former KGB prison.
A person is seen through a wall of photographs of prisoners at a former KGB prison.

Shadow Boxing With the Kremlin

A CIA veteran depicts Moscow’s espionage arsenal. What is the West going to do about it? This article has an audio recording

Review
Edward Lucas
The covers of five books on Iran.
The covers of five books on Iran.

The 5 Best Books for Understanding Iran Today

Reads that shed light on the origins of today’s conflict—and Tehran’s possible future.

Books
FP Staff, FP Contributors
A woman in a headscarf walks amid a crowd of people.
A woman in a headscarf walks amid a crowd of people.

When Counting Comes at a Cost

In India, a new caste census risks making prejudice permanent. This article has an audio recording

Review
Angela Saini
Men in military uniforms are shown close-up and appear to be shouting.
Men in military uniforms are shown close-up and appear to be shouting.

But Seriously, What if Russia Wins?

What a popular new work of speculative political science gets right about Russia, Ukraine, and NATO.

Review
Sam Skove
Flags of the European Union countries are gathered together ahead of the EU enlargement ceremony April 30, 2004 in Dublin.
Flags of the European Union countries are gathered together ahead of the EU enlargement ceremony April 30, 2004 in Dublin.

Europe Will Never Stop Growing

A new book shows why Europe’s broadening vs. deepening debate is a false choice. This article has an audio recording

Review
Caroline de Gruyter
A reflection of a large blue flag with yellow stars and two men in suits walking down a hallway.
A reflection of a large blue flag with yellow stars and two men in suits walking down a hallway.

Can Europe Ever Thrive Again?

The continent’s survival isn’t a question. The brightness of its future very much is. This article has an audio recording

Review
Theodore Bunzel
A worker wearing glasses and a blue cap looks through a piece of equipment in a workshop.
A worker wearing glasses and a blue cap looks through a piece of equipment in a workshop.

How Chinese Espionage Eroded U.S. Power

A conversation with the authors of “The Great Heist” on Beijing’s spycraft—and what can be done about it.

Q&A
Rishi Iyengar
People stand inside inside booths that are partly covered by curtains in red, white, and blue stripes. Because of the curtains, only the voters' lower legs and feet are visible.
People stand inside inside booths that are partly covered by curtains in red, white, and blue stripes. Because of the curtains, only the voters' lower legs and feet are visible.

The Problem With Representative Democracy

What if elections aren’t the be-all and end-all? This article has an audio recording

Excerpt
Hélène Landemore
A painting shows soldiers in red coats gathered around a fallen general on a battlefield. A shirtless Indigenous man kneels at left, his chin resting on his hand as he watches. A British flag is behind the scene with more figures engaged in a battle and ships on the horizon.
A painting shows soldiers in red coats gathered around a fallen general on a battlefield. A shirtless Indigenous man kneels at left, his chin resting on his hand as he watches. A British flag is behind the scene with more figures engaged in a battle and ships on the horizon.

How the British Empire Chose Canada Over Guadeloupe

London won the spoils of war from France—and lost the United States.

Excerpt
Duncan Weldon
A series of book covers laid over a yellow and white background.
A series of book covers laid over a yellow and white background.

A Pair of Inventive Novels on Migration

Plus, more international fiction releases in February.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
An aerial view of an oil pipeline passing over a blue and icy river.
An aerial view of an oil pipeline passing over a blue and icy river.

How the U.S. Forgot It Was an Arctic Nation

The story of how Washington neglected the Arctic—until Trump 2.0.

Review
Gloria Dickie
Donald Trump is seen displayed on a large screen from mid-face down to his mid-torso as he speaks behind a lectern. Below him a crowd of people listening in the dark is silhouetted in front of an illuminated World Economic Forum sign.
Donald Trump is seen displayed on a large screen from mid-face down to his mid-torso as he speaks behind a lectern. Below him a crowd of people listening in the dark is silhouetted in front of an illuminated World Economic Forum sign.

No, the International Community Isn’t Dead Yet

The “rules-based international order” may prove stronger than Trump—or anyone else—realizes. This article has an audio recording

Essay
Michael Hirsh
A man sits on a toppled statue splattered with red paint.
A man sits on a toppled statue splattered with red paint.

The Collapse That Created Today’s Russia

From the ashes of communism emerged a corrupt, nihilistic, and warmongering elite.

Review
Ian Garner
A grid of multiple book covers part of new fiction releases out in January.
A grid of multiple book covers part of new fiction releases out in January.

World-Historical Murder Mysteries

Plus, more international fiction releases in January.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
Charli XCX performs onstage with social media influencers during the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.
Charli XCX performs onstage with social media influencers during the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.

Are We Really Living in a Global Monoculture?

A new book argues—unconvincingly—that there is a “blank space” where culture used to be.

Review
Martin Gelin
Illustration of a group of people in a book store. The foreign policy section of books is swarmed, while no one is interested in the U.S. section.
Illustration of a group of people in a book store. The foreign policy section of books is swarmed, while no one is interested in the U.S. section.

The Most Anticipated Books of the Year

The 30 biggest releases in foreign affairs, history, and political science.

Books
FP Editors
8 books scattered on a snowy background
8 books scattered on a snowy background

FP’s Holiday Book List

Our columnists and staff writers recommend their top reads for the end of the year.

Books
FP Staff, FP Contributors
A woman looks at art works showing the late Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and his wife Farah Dibah Pahlavi exhibited in Dubai, April 27 2008.
A woman looks at art works showing the late Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and his wife Farah Dibah Pahlavi exhibited in Dubai, April 27 2008.

Misreading Iran

Scott Anderson’s “King of Kings” offers a timely picture of U.S. myopia and miscalculation in Tehran.

Review
Gregory Brew
A woman stands in front of a large wall-mounted red-white-and-blue button that reads "American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith."
A woman stands in front of a large wall-mounted red-white-and-blue button that reads "American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith."

When the Democratic Recession Comes Home

Michael McFaul wants more democracy promotion. Is now the time? This article has an audio recording

Review
Vivek Viswanathan
A grid of 10 books atop a watery textured background
A grid of 10 books atop a watery textured background

Two Unsettling Voyages Across the Sea

Plus, more international fiction releases in December.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
A collage photo illustration showing Xi Jinping casting a long shadow on images representative of innovation: construction, semiconductor manufacturing, and robots, on a red background.
A collage photo illustration showing Xi Jinping casting a long shadow on images representative of innovation: construction, semiconductor manufacturing, and robots, on a red background.

Can Chinese Authoritarianism Stay Smart?

Beijing’s continued economic growth depends on a fragile balance of control and freedom.

Excerpt
Jennifer Lind
Marble statues of Socrates seated in thought and a standing Athena atop a tall column, set against a bright blue sky.
Marble statues of Socrates seated in thought and a standing Athena atop a tall column, set against a bright blue sky.

What Is ‘the West’?

The idea of a cohesive West is fading, but a new book finds that the concept endures.

Review
Jaroslaw Kuisz
A photo collage grid of Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and J.D. Vance among stills from the Situation Room.
A photo collage grid of Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and J.D. Vance among stills from the Situation Room.

Foreign-Policy Fantasy Literature

Under Trump 2.0, a new book by policymaking heavyweights is an exercise in absurdity.

Review
Daniel W. Drezner
A poster shows a woman with a rifle and babushka on her head under a red flag in front of smoking factory chimneys.
A poster shows a woman with a rifle and babushka on her head under a red flag in front of smoking factory chimneys.

How a ‘Fairy-Tale Country’ for Women Turned Its Back on Feminism

Julia Ioffe’s new feminist history of Russia offers important lessons for the West.

Review
Laura Mills
A silhouetted figure with a military hat is seen in front of a high red wall at night.
A silhouetted figure with a military hat is seen in front of a high red wall at night.

Has China’s Power Peaked in Asia?

Beijing finds itself in a precarious geopolitical position. This article has an audio recording

Excerpt
Bilahari Kausikan
A grid of 12 book covers with 10 smaller and two larger.
A grid of 12 book covers with 10 smaller and two larger.

A Pair of Haunting New Scandinavian Novels

Plus, more international fiction releases.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
Climate-change-fiction-recommendations-homepage2
Climate-change-fiction-recommendations-homepage2

5 Novelists on Their Favorite Climate Fiction

Sometimes, literature meets the moment better than diplomacy.

Review
Amitav Ghosh, Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Megha Majumdar, Eric Puchner, Madeleine Thien
An illustration shows a pyramid of tomatoes at a market with a woman at left and a shouting man with hands to his face at right. behind them is a street scene with pyramids in the distance.
An illustration shows a pyramid of tomatoes at a market with a woman at left and a shouting man with hands to his face at right. behind them is a street scene with pyramids in the distance.

The Surprising History of Egypt’s ‘Crazy Tomatoes’

How an ordinary ingredient became a symbol of collective complaint.

Excerpt
Anny Gaul
Three book covers.
Three book covers.

The Forgotten Visionary of U.S. War in Latin America

Lucius Shepard’s hallucinogenic stories anticipated Trump’s war fantasies.

Argument
James Palmer
The book Great Power Diplomacy by A. Wess Mitchell atop a stack of books behind a black paper tear.
The book Great Power Diplomacy by A. Wess Mitchell atop a stack of books behind a black paper tear.

Add This to the Canon of Great Diplomacy Books

A. Wess Mitchell’s tour through two millennia of diplomacy is catnip for foreign-policy wonks. This article has an audio recording

Review
Keith Johnson
Four camouflage military vehicles with missiles perched on their surfaces are seen from above on a lined concrete lot.
Four camouflage military vehicles with missiles perched on their surfaces are seen from above on a lined concrete lot.

Is the U.S. Ready for War With China?

U.S. military planners are caught in an impossible dilemma. This article has an audio recording

Excerpt
Franz-Stefan Gady
A woman is seen in mid-thigh deep water on a flooded street. Other people are behind her with buses on either side.
A woman is seen in mid-thigh deep water on a flooded street. Other people are behind her with buses on either side.

Even Doomsday Will Divide Us

Megha Majumdar’s “A Guardian and a Thief” interrogates how the have-nots get by in a climate catastrophe.

Review
Somak Ghoshal
A soldier is seen through bare branches as he reads by a campfire.
A soldier is seen through bare branches as he reads by a campfire.

7 Books That Reveal How Kremlin Decision-Makers Think

Don’t read these new titles on Russia’s wars before bedtime.

Review
Edward Lucas
The Life and Thought of Alexandre Kojève, Marco Filoni, trans. David Broder, Northwestern University Press, 280 pp., $38, July 2025
The Life and Thought of Alexandre Kojève, Marco Filoni, trans. David Broder, Northwestern University Press, 280 pp., $38, July 2025

The Forgotten Beginning of the End of History

Alexandre Kojève was one of the most influential 20th-century thinkers. How can we make sense of him today?

Review
Jack Hanson
Professor Michael Sandel leads a dialogue on the ethics of artificial intelligence in Harvard’s Sanders Theatre.
Professor Michael Sandel leads a dialogue on the ethics of artificial intelligence in Harvard’s Sanders Theatre.

Michael Sandel’s Critique of Liberalism

The prize-winning political philosopher on how to engage in morally robust public discourse in the age of Trump.

Q&A
Cameron Abadi
A child is silhouetted as he walks across a pile of rubble while carrying a flag.
A child is silhouetted as he walks across a pile of rubble while carrying a flag.

How Washington’s Israel-Palestine Peace Process Theology Failed Again and Again

Trump’s plan is just the latest example.

Review
Khaled Elgindy
A grid of 12 fiction book covers released in October 2025.
A grid of 12 fiction book covers released in October 2025.

The Novels We’re Reading in October

Historical fiction set in ancient Britain and 20th-century Puerto Rico.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
Bill Clinton looks up as he speaks in front of a WTO globe backdrop.
Bill Clinton looks up as he speaks in front of a WTO globe backdrop.

Is Globalization a Lost Cause?

How an idea that promised a brave new world seemingly delivered dystopia instead.

Review
Keith Johnson
A map of Asia shows India highlighted along with Persia and the Chinese Empire.
A map of Asia shows India highlighted along with Persia and the Chinese Empire.

India and the Rebalancing of Asia

New Delhi still faces many obstacles on its path to great-power status. This article has an audio recording

Excerpt
C. Raja Mohan
Black-and-white photo of a man in a suit speaking into multiple microphones at a press conference, with a large map of Southeast Asia and a Department of Defense seal visible in the background.
Black-and-white photo of a man in a suit speaking into multiple microphones at a press conference, with a large map of Southeast Asia and a Department of Defense seal visible in the background.

Robert McNamara Chose Loyalty to the President

A new biography should be required reading for everyone currently working in silence in Washington.

Review
Julian E. Zelizer
An aerial view shows several workers in hard hats and vests amid a circular rebar gridded construction site.
An aerial view shows several workers in hard hats and vests amid a circular rebar gridded construction site.

China’s New Gilded Age Comes to Life in ‘Breakneck’

Dan Wang’s account of an engineering state mixes the grand and the intimate.

Review
Jeremy Wallace
Three people eat lunch by candlelight at a restaurant table.
Three people eat lunch by candlelight at a restaurant table.

‘Strong Roots’ Turns Cooking Into Resistance

A memoir of Ukrainian cuisine seeks to preserve worlds threatened by Russia.

Review
Natalia Antonova
A photographer takes a photo of a pop art panting of Queen Elizabeth hangin on a wall with an exhibit card displayed next to it.
A photographer takes a photo of a pop art panting of Queen Elizabeth hangin on a wall with an exhibit card displayed next to it.

All the Queen’s Gossips

Two new books explore the tangled world of royal stories and real crimes.

Review
James Palmer
A man in a suit sits on a table next to a window. A desk is seen behind him.
A man in a suit sits on a table next to a window. A desk is seen behind him.

The Man Who Made the U.N. Cool

A new biography of U Thant shows how his peacemaking abilities helped the United Nations grow and flourish—for a time.

Review
Bronwen Everill
Two soldiers walk along a fence in front of the Berlin wall in a snowy winter scene.
Two soldiers walk along a fence in front of the Berlin wall in a snowy winter scene.

The East-West Contest With No End

The Cold War was tragic, comic, and epic—and it’s still playing out today.

Review
Michael Kimmage
A grid of 12 book covers showing new releases in global fiction.
A grid of 12 book covers showing new releases in global fiction.

The Novels We’re Reading in September

From a North American nail salon to a Korean institute for haunted objects.

Books
Chloe Hadavas, Allison Meakem
A person is silhouetted in front of a white high relief statue of Stalin with other figures around him.
A person is silhouetted in front of a white high relief statue of Stalin with other figures around him.

The Kremlin’s Factory of Resentment

A new history of the Cold War unwittingly exposes Russian distortions of the past.

Essay
Jaroslaw Kuisz
A historic image of two men stacking a huge pile of United States currency.
A historic image of two men stacking a huge pile of United States currency.

The Future of the Dollar Lies Within

Dollar dominance is here to stay, if the United States can keep it.

Review
Theodore Bunzel
us-restraint-realism-europe-military-withdrawal-mark-harris-illustration
us-restraint-realism-europe-military-withdrawal-mark-harris-illustration

Passing the Baton in Europe

There has rarely been a safer window for the transition of security on the continent away from America.

Excerpt
Emma Ashford