Rebellion: How anti-liberalism is tearing America apart — Again by Robert Kagan (Knopf/WH Allen)
Kagan, a brilliant analyst and polemicist, argues that the 2024 presidential election could be the last free election in the united United States. He justifies this dire warning with a detailed description of the right’s tendency toward authoritarianism – and traces the historical roots of Donald Trump’s appeal to a long tradition of anti-liberal thinking in the US.
America Last: The Right’s Centuries-Long Romance with Foreign Dictators by Jacob Heilbrunn (WW Norton)
Heilbrunn, a respected historian of conservative thought in America, tells a disturbing story with dry wit and precision. He shows that the American right’s current fascination with authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is part of a centuries-long rapprochement with foreign dictators. Franco, Mussolini and even Hitler all had American admirers – including luminaries like HL Mencken, Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh.
Age of Revolutions: Progress and Setbacks from 1600 to Today by Fareed Zakaria (Allen Lane/WW Norton)
Zakaria, like Kagan and Heilbrunn, tries to understand liberalism’s current crisis by going back in history. But his account is global, beginning in the 17th century with the emergence of liberalism in the Dutch Republic. In the second half of the book, Zakaria uses his international perspective and access to decision-makers – he hosts a leading CNN show – to describe the current challenges to the liberal order from Putin, Xi, and others. He argues convincingly that the greatest threat to the survival of liberal democracy in the United States comes from within.
Nuclear war: A scenario by Annie Jacobsen (Torva)
The increasing tensions between the world’s nuclear powers seem to be fueling a new fascination with the prospect of nuclear war. Jacobsen’s bestseller begins with a hypothetical North Korean nuclear attack on the USA and then describes the ensuing cycle of escalation that destroys the world. Not for the insomniac.
Empireworld: How British imperialism shaped the globe by Sathnam Sanghera (Viking)
Sanghera has done much to stimulate interest and debate in Britain about the country’s imperial legacy. His first book on the subject was about how empire shaped modern Britain. His latest examines the impact of British imperialism on the rest of the world. With the culture wars raging, Sanghera’s work has been attacked as “woke” and anti-British. In fact, it is nuanced and thoroughly researched – yet written in a personal and highly readable style.
Keir Starmer: The Biography by Tom Baldwin (William Collins)
Anyone wanting to understand the background and motivations of the likely new British Prime Minister should start here. Baldwin is a former journalist who knows how to tell a story. He is also a former Labour Party adviser, so his book is sympathetic to Starmer and benefits from an insider’s insight and knowledge.
War in Ukraine: Conflict, Strategy and the Return of a Broken World edited by Hal Brands (Johns Hopkins University Press)
Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine has ushered in a new era in world politics. This careful collection of essays by leading scholars is a first attempt to understand the extent of these changes, covering key issues such as the role of nuclear weapons in dictating strategic decisions and the responses of China, the EU and the global South to the conflict.
Tell us what you think
Are you taking any of these books with you on your summer vacation this year? Which ones? And which titles did we miss? Let us know in the comments below.
Deterring Armageddon: A Biography of NATO by Peter Apps (Wildfire)
A gripping and lively history of NATO, showing the Alliance’s central role in post-war history. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given NATO new goals – but the prospect of a second Trump presidency has raised doubts about the Alliance’s future. This account of the many crises NATO has already survived offers a valuable perspective on today’s debates.
The crisis of culture: identity politics and the empire of norms by Olivier Roy (Hurst)
A look at the rise of identity politics, linking the phenomenon to the breakdown of national cultures and the rise of globalisation. Identity politics also leads to the attempt to judge historical figures – such as Thomas Jefferson or Mozart – by today’s cultural and political norms. The FT review described Roy’s book as “insightful and highly original”.
The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the United States, and the Middle East, 1979-2003 by Steve Coll (Allen Lane/Penguin Press)
The Biden administration’s current problems with Israel and Gaza follow a long tradition of U.S. administrations that have suffered from their own failures in the Middle East. In a ruthless and grimly fascinating book, Coll details the handling of Saddam Hussein’s Iraq by four different administrations – Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and Bush Jr., culminating in the disastrous decision to invade the country in 2003.
Coming soon to the Summer Books 2024 …
All week, FT writers and critics share their favourites. Some highlights include:
Monday: Business by Andrew Hill
Tuesday: Economics by Martin Wolf
Wednesday: Environment by Pilita Clark
Thursday: Fiction by Laura Battle and Andrew Dickson
Friday: Story by Tony Barber
Saturday: FT journalists choose their favourite book of 2024 so far
Sunday: Politics by Gideon Rachman
Join our online book group on Facebook at FT Books Café
