I don’t know if anyone else has an active interest in foreign policy or geopolitics, but it’s the bulk of my political reading, and I’m constantly on the hunt for interesting new takes. Bold items in the list below are those which I’m definitely interested in, and will certainly buy or read at some point.
China
Belt and Road: A Chinese World Order, Bruno Maçães (Purchased)
The Problem with Me, Han Han
The Great Firewall of China: How to Build and Control an Alternative Version of the Internet, James Griffiths
Middle East
China and the Islamic World: How the New Silk Road is Transforming Global Politics, Robert Bianchi
Cold War in the Islamic World: Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Struggle for Supremacy, Dalip Hiro
Yemen Endures: Civil War, Saudi Adventurism and the Future of Arabia, Ginny Hill Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empire
Latin America:
Forgotten Continent: A History of The New Latin America, Michael Reid (Purchased)
Global
The New Silk Roads
The Dragon’s Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa, Deboroah Brautigam
Asia’s Reckoning: China, Japan, and the Fate of U.S. Power in the Pacific Century, Richard McGregor
China’s Second Continent: How a Million Migrants Are Building a New Empire in Africa
Fierce Enigmas: A History of the United States in South Asia, Srinath Raghavan
The Bright Continent: Breaking Rules & Making Change in Modern Africa, Dayo Olopade
The Challenge for Africa, Wangari Maathai
I am fascinated by world events and foreign policy. These books look fascinating. Reading time is so limited so I try to read books that are universal and will not quickly become outdated. However, that rule has been lipping for me lately.
I can definitely sympathize…that’s one of the reasons I don’t read more fiction. There’s so much to learn and so little time!
My eyes were opened by reading the David McCullough biography of Truman. More than a biography of a man, it was a superb view of American policy in the 20th century.
Well, hello! Glad to see you back active again. I’ve enjoyed what McCullough I’ve read, but haven’t made it to Truman.
Interesting list. I have a few related books in various piles plus The New Silk Roads. As always though – too many books SO little time!
I think you were the one who tuned me into the New Silk Roads to begin with!
Exciting list! I never get tired of these topics, though I mostly consume them in articles and videos. 🙂 My dad read China’s Second Continent a couple of years ago and could hardly stop talking about it afterwards. It’s fascinating stuff, and disturbing in some aspects.
Sounds like a lot of book these days regarding China!