First published 2019
Robert Kaplan tackles the disorder that has shaped American foreign policy over the past twenty years. The veteran foreign correspondent and military embed draws connections between Marco Polo's thirteenth century journey from Venice to China and today's geopolitical landscape. China now proposes a new Silk Road that follows the exact path Polo traveled through Kublai Khan's empire. Kaplan uses this historical parallel to examine America's strategic challenges in the twenty-first century. His sixteen essays cover immediate concerns like President Trump's approach to foreign policy and the potential consequences of war with North Korea. The book also addresses the broader Chinese challenge to American influence. Kaplan argues for foreign policy realism based on geographic and historical principles. His analysis spans decades of experience reporting from conflict zones and embedding with military forces. The collection offers readers a framework for understanding America's difficult choices in an increasingly turbulent world.
Genres: history, american, 21st-century, current-affairs, academic, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction, non-fiction
Setting: Venice, China, America
Period: 13th Century, 21st Century
305 pages · Paperback · Random House Publishing Group