The World

A Brief Introduction

By: Richard Haass

Narrated by: Dan Woren

The New York Times bestseller

“A clear and concise account of the history, diplomacy, economics, and societal forces that have molded the modern global system.”—Foreign Affairs

An invaluable primer from Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, that will help anyone, expert and non-expert alike, navigate a time in which many of our biggest challenges come from the world beyond our borders.

Like it or not, we live in a global era, in which what happens thousands of miles away has the ability to affect our lives. This time, it is a Coronavirus known as Covid-19, which originated in a Chinese city many had never heard of but has spread to the corners of the earth. Next time it could well be another infectious disease from somewhere else. Twenty years ago it was a group of terrorists trained in Afghanistan and armed with box-cutters who commandeered four airplanes and flew them into buildings (and in one case a field) and claimed nearly three thousand lives. Next time it could be terrorists who use a truck bomb or gain access to a weapon of mass destruction. In 2016 hackers in a nondescript office building in Russia traveled virtually in cyberspace to manipulate America's elections. Now they have burrowed into our political life. In recent years, severe hurricanes and large fires linked to climate change have ravaged parts of the earth; in the future we can anticipate even more serious natural disasters. In 2008, it was a global financial crisis caused by mortgage-backed securities in America, but one day it could well be a financial contagion originating in Europe, Asia, or Africa. This is the new normal of the 21st century.

The World is designed to provide listeners of any age and experience with the essential background and building blocks they need to make sense of this complicated and interconnected world. It will empower them to manage the flood of daily news. Listeners will become more informed, discerning citizens, better able to arrive at sound, independent judgments. While it is impossible to predict what the next crisis will be or where it will originate, those who explore The World will have what they need to understand its basics and the principal choices for how to respond.

In short, this book will make readers more globally literate and put them in a position to make sense of this era. Global literacy—knowing how the world works—is a must, as what goes on outside a country matters enormously to what happens inside. Although the United States is bordered by two oceans, those oceans are not moats. And the so-called Vegas rule—what happens there stays there—does not apply in today's world to anyone anywhere. U.S. foreign policy is uniquely American, but the world Americans seek to shape is not. Globalization can be both good and bad, but it is not something that individuals or countries can opt out of. Even if we want to ignore the world, it will not ignore us. The choice we face is how to respond.

We are connected to this world in all sorts of ways. We need to better understand it, both its promise and its threats, in order to make informed choices, be it as students, citizens, voters, parents, employees, or investors. To help listeners do just that, The World focuses on essential history, what makes each region of the world tick, the many challenges globalization presents, and the most influential countries, events, and ideas. Explaining complex ideas with wisdom and clarity, Richard Haass's The World is an evergreen book that will remain relevant and useful as history continues to unfold.

©2020 Richard Haass (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“This book is a superb introduction to the world and global issues. Richard Haass has been able to write something that is brief, readable and yet comprehensive—marked throughout by his trademark intelligence and common sense.”—Fareed Zakaria

“A clear and concise account of the history, diplomacy, economics, and societal forces that have molded the modern global system.”—Foreign Affairs

“Condensing so much complexity into a lucid 400 pages is no small accomplishment.”—The New York Times

Learning more about how and what’s involved behind worldwide governance doors.!

I just like to learn something especially worldwide social ..lives , capitalism, communism and socialism., very informative.

Must read

For those of you who thought irrelevant requirements were a waste of time. Read it

Should be called The World 101

Richard does it again with another fantastic book about the world we live in. this book can honestly be enjoyed by anybody who wants to understand this modern world we live in.

I want to thank the narrator as well. you helped bring this book to life. thank you.

Good entry level review of global flash points

A good introduction to nations & their often conflicting interests & where conflicts might result. Takes a broader view of areas conflict might occur including cyber space. Very good!!

Excellent Primer for young adults

If you’re just entering adulthood and wonder why the world moves in ways you don’t comprehend around you, or just feel that the public schooling curriculum left you with lots of job skills but not much depth of global context then this is your book. It’s very up to date and covers a massive swath of modern history, politics and the threads of logic and ripples of cause and effect which shaped the world you are entering. What this book will not do is go deep. The subjects covered justify long texts which could (and do) fill hundreds books of equal size to grant a reader more than passing knowledge. Personally, I would love to have read this book 10+ years and 200 books ago, a roadmap to learning, and I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone starting such a journey. The only caveat is to be aware the author does, at times, share his political opinion which needs to be recognized by the reader as that, rather than fact. Mercifully this is less than a handful of times. Overall, well deserving of your time.

A relevant read!

A carefully outlined and nicely delivered text by Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

It begins with a brief history of the world starting with the Thirty Years’ war (in the seventeen century) and ending in what the author refers to as the Post-Cold War era.

It later graduates it’s readers to a series of more intricate topics such as immigration, trade, conflicts and alliances, monetary policies, order, and the principles of self-determination.

It may feel ideologically biased at times, perhaps due to the added personal commentary by the author. However, regardless of Haass’ agenda, the book (or it’s content) should be a reading essential and a prerequisite for anyone seeking to formulate an opinion (political or otherwise) about our history, the present, and what lies ahead.

This book may not recalibrate your personal ideologies but it will certainly give you a fresh perspective about our past, and the root causes of some of the present challenges we face. Some of the more socially-oriented topics will likely make you question the ethical aspects of politics (or lack thereof), or at the very least, leave you with a broader view of the world and the mechanics of globalization.

This is a 101 Basic Course

I can honestly I say this book did not cover any new ground for me, not once during thus book did I stop to take notes, which hasn’t ever happened before. That being said, for a world affairs neophyte, this book will give you a very sound foundation.

Amazing Book!

While each chapter of the book could have its own book, Richard does amazing job at summarising historical events that shaped and continue to shape international relations and foreign policy of the United States. Must Read!

Excellent Survey Course in World Affairs 101

Having read Haass’ A World in Disarray I was hoping for a followup and expansion on the positions he put forth in that work. I should have read the Subtitle.

This is a primer intended for College Freshmen who didn’t take any World History or Geography in High School. But it is a fairly comprehensive primer, describing the history and physical properties of most of the countries of the World. He gives a sense of their position in the Big Picture of the Post-Cold War Globe. As in most survey courses, these facts are presented in brief thumbnails, lacking any real Deep Dives into their politics or geo-political strengths or weaknesses.

I was hoping for exactly that depth of explanation of the African, South American, and East Asian Continents, being pretty familiar with the current state of the US, Western Europe and The Middle East. I was disappointed. That may be because these areas are in flux and significantly challenged by Globalization. I’ll be looking forward to his Sophomore or Graduate level Courses dealing with these important players. Four Stars.

Very informative

Very informative, great addition to the library although seeming targeted at an audience lacking in any world knowledge. But nevertheless still a good listen