The Post-American World
by Fareed Zakaria
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 567)
Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
Those who detest fear
Fareed Zakaria's new book, "The Post-American World," shines a bright light on the hand-wringing and defeatist lies about the state of America that are used by neo-conservatives and anti-globalist leftists to support their radical positions by infusing Americans with fear. Indeed, Mr. Zakaria decisively shows that America is the sole ideological superpower in a world that has wholesale adopted our culture and economic values. We are now witnessing a global transformation that is the re...more
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Read in June, 2008
This is an important and optimistic book about America and its future. While it is fashionable now to predict gloom about America's future as an economic and political power and over emphasise the rise of China and other powers, Zakaria brings a balance thru his analysis and says that there is no need to push the panic button. On the contrary, he shows the many positives about America as well as the world today. For example, in spite of the terrorism and violence, he shows that the past 20 years...more
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Read in July, 2008
Simply looking at the title would lead me to think I would be less than optimistic by its completion. (Being a citizen of the nation that the world was about to disavow)
Yet I have had quite the opposite reaction. I am greatly excited about this nations future and the future of the world as a result of Zakaria's outstanding review of the results of globalization.
Only 250 pages in length while full of insight and information.
The Post-American World starts from the beginning, how did ...more
Yet I have had quite the opposite reaction. I am greatly excited about this nations future and the future of the world as a result of Zakaria's outstanding review of the results of globalization.
Only 250 pages in length while full of insight and information.
The Post-American World starts from the beginning, how did ...more
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Fareed Zakaria's new book, the Post-American World is a book I hope both presidential candidates read. It is a brief book that tells Americans we need to re-think our view of the world. We need to jettison the idea of the world's policeman and hyperpower and replace it with the world's trusted third party. In this his says we need to be less Britain than Bismarck, which I rather like. We need to de-emphasize military power and re-consider economic competitiveness. We need to spend less time worr...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Fran by:
Borders gave me 40% off, and I had liked FZ on TV and in Newsweerecommends it for: any thinking American with a world view
Before I start this review, I should disclose that I always have liked Fareed Zakaria when I have seen him on TV, and thought what he said made sense. Also I was a Newsweek subscriber for over 20 years. So I guess I was predisposed to like this book, and I did. I would rate it the most important book I have read, possibly ever. It is a book that I want to re-read every six months or so to see if I still agree with his points, and see how much more true his points have become as time passes. ...more
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Read in June, 2008
I don't know how to rate a book like this. It is informative and provocative but neither particularly enjoyable nor unenjoyable.
Unlike what the title may suggest the book is not about the immanent crash of American empire, nor is it about the spreading anti-Americanism we've become more aware of these past seven years. Zakaria's view is less fatalistic and perhaps more realistic because his post American world is not a world in which America has been destroyed, but rather a world in which nob...more
Unlike what the title may suggest the book is not about the immanent crash of American empire, nor is it about the spreading anti-Americanism we've become more aware of these past seven years. Zakaria's view is less fatalistic and perhaps more realistic because his post American world is not a world in which America has been destroyed, but rather a world in which nob...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
I've always thought Zakaria was a little overrated as an analyst. He's articulate and knowledgeable, but never wowed me with his insight. This book is pretty much consistent with that impression.
A couple of his points are worth making again.
He is right on that America's position as a megapower was never due to particular excellence as much as it was to being both modern and large. And he is right that when seen from that perspective, the end of American dominance has always been a f...more
A couple of his points are worth making again.
He is right on that America's position as a megapower was never due to particular excellence as much as it was to being both modern and large. And he is right that when seen from that perspective, the end of American dominance has always been a f...more
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
Those who want an objective view of America's current and future role in the world
For the past 20 years or so America has been the only superpower in the world. This book briefly explains how this came to be, how long it will continue and what changes we will have to adapt to as other nations assume a larger share of power in the world.
Fareed Zakaria is the Editor of Newsweek International, which is why it is no surprise that this book reads like a long magazine article. It is a good, fast read and provides a nice reality check for people seeking the truth about where Ame...more
Fareed Zakaria is the Editor of Newsweek International, which is why it is no surprise that this book reads like a long magazine article. It is a good, fast read and provides a nice reality check for people seeking the truth about where Ame...more
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A complicated and "Booky" book, it is a very conventional school book- almost like a textbook but more intense and disturbing. In it's essence, it talks about the US, and it's relationship with the rest of the world. A little more disturbingly, it looks at the future of the US and other world economies in the decades to come.
The world has changed so much over the past 25 years (did you know that China now exports more goods and services in a single day than it did in all of 1978?) an...more
The world has changed so much over the past 25 years (did you know that China now exports more goods and services in a single day than it did in all of 1978?) an...more
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Read in June, 2008
Every American should read this book! It's a fast read that does a great job putting the U.S.'s current challenges and opportunities in context. Zakaria highlights the responsibilities that come with our superpower status and encourages us to rebuild goodwill around the world. Without turning pollyanna-ish, he emphasizes that many people around the world are predisposed to think well of the U.S., and we bring the advantages of our vibrant, multi-cultural, and open society to the table. His ca...more
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In writing as if American decline were a fait accompli, Zakaria engages more in wishful thinking than in principled analysis (of which he, ever eager for acclaim and influence, seems constitutionally incapable). So long as men exist who cherish freedom and individual rights and will defend them unto death, America will always lead the world, morally and politically, if not economically. What was true in 1776 holds true today: America, founded on the rights of a sovereign people to pursue their o...more
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I only have two chapters left, but this is probably the most timely book on world economics and political dynamics that you can find. It updates a lot of old statistics and misconceptions all while leaving a really nice taste in your mouth for whats to come. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to know behind whats going on in the world. The author has definitly done his research on culture, history, politics, economics, trade as well as a multitude of other important topics. He thr...more
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I loved this book! It helps that I read Zakaria's columns in Newsweek all the time and really like his global outlook and the openness and collaboration amongst nations that he promotes. It was also an interesting read - not boring or stuffy like what we had to read in college. I studied both India and China briefly in college, taking poli sci, history, and globalization courses but it was nice to get a 5 year update :)
Whether you'd like to brush up on the current state of world affairs...more
Whether you'd like to brush up on the current state of world affairs...more
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Read in June, 2008
I've always liked Fareed Zakaria's columns in Newsweek a lot. He always offers a balanced look at America's interaction with our globe-mates. I enjoyed this book a lot, especially the sections comparing America's rise to power with Britain's, and the entire chapters on both China and India. Some critics were down on this book because they say he doesn't offer a solution to the Iraq issue. Well... if someone was able to come up with a nice ...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommended to Elizabeth by:
Charlie Rose Show interview of author.
An informative viewpoint of the United States' potentially diminishing position and influence in the 21st century. Author points out the many ways in which America is not as influential as it used to be while at the same time showing how India and China are continuing to become more influential. Many of the world's 'governing' agencies (World Bank, G8) have retained the same make-up they've had since their organization, not taking into account the increasing growth of countries that appear to ...more
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This is a must-read for anyone who cares about current events. The author has a unique perspective as an Indian-born and American-trained scholar, and he is able to combine personal insights about cultural difference with research, facts and figures to give a coherent picture of the world in which India, China, and the rest of the developing world are joining the ranks of industrialized nations. This is the real political story of the Twenty-First Century and the more we know about it the bett...more
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In his new book, “he Post-American World, Mr. Zakaria writes that America remains a politico-military superpower, but “in every other dimension — industrial, financial, educational, social, cultural — the distribution of power is shifting, moving away from American dominance.” With the rise of China, India and other emerging markets, with economic growth sweeping much of the planet, and the world becoming increasingly decentralized and interconnected, he contends, “we are movi...more
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Read in June, 2008
He defends the book's basic thesis really well, which isn't hard to do. He does a great job with his discussion of history's many narratives, and the placing of America's current situation in historical context. My problem with the book is how drastically Zakaria overvalues GDP and productivity as the value of a country. He never seems to question the construct of world powers, and tends to value countries too much on their global power and too little on how their citizenship is faring. As Jonat...more
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Read in July, 2008
Zakaria really hits the nail on the head. America is not so much facing a decline in its own efficacy, as the rest of the world is simply rising up to meet it (notably China, India, and Brazil). He drives the point home that the insistence and brash unilateralism that we were able to get away with will not work as others find financial and political independence and will be able to counter and rebuff our sometimes illogical intents.
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It's not as much a look at a post-American world as it is an investigation of the continuing strengths of America and a look at the emerging superpowers of India and China. Though the writing style is smooth and the facts interesting, there's not much in here that a well-informed reader won't already be aware of. In a New Yorker piece, Ian Buruma characterised this book as "glib" and that's the exact word.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 4.02 (144 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 4.03 (142 ratings) number of reviews: 49popular shelves
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"We have not noticed how fast the rest has risen. Most of the industrialized world--and a good part of the nonindustrialized world as well--has better cell phone service than the United States. Broadband is faster and cheaper across the industrial world, from Canada to France to Japan, and the United States now stands sixteenth in the world in broadband penetration per capita. Americans are constantly told by their politicians that the only thing we have to learn fromother countries' health care systems is to be thankful for ours. Most Americans ignore the fact that a third of the country's public schools are totally dysfunctional (because their children go to the other two-thirds). The American litigation system is now routinely referred to as a huge cost to doing business, but no one dares propose any reform of it. Our mortgage deduction for housing costs a staggering $80 billion a year, and we are told it is crucial to support home ownership, except that Margaret Thatcher eliminated it in Britain, and yet that country has the same rate of home ownership as the United States. We rarely look around and notice other options and alternatives, convinced that "we're number one.""
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