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Politics & Society » Foreign Policy & International Relations

Most Recommended Books

Strategies of Containment by John Gaddis

“Strategies of Containment is a survey of various tactics applied in the larger strategy of containment that we relied on during the Cold War.”

Lawrence Kaplan, Journalist

Read more

The Utility of Force by Rupert Smith

“What Smith sees is that making war has increasingly had to encompass the disciplines usually understood in diplomacy.”

Mike Maclay, International Relation

Read more

Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger

“Kissinger said that the original American idealism was a mistake. He remains the grand old man of foreign policy.”

Jonathan Powell, Diplomats & Former Diplomat

Read more

Fiasco by Thomas E Ricks

“When you read about Iraq, you need to know that it is a country more divided than almost anywhere else in the world.”

Patrick Cockburn, Foreign Correspondent

Read more

The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

Browse book recommendations:

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Unsurprisingly, given its preponderant weight politically and economically, the role of the US in global affairs enjoys a corresponding focus in our interviews and book recommendations on foreign policy and international relations.

Gideon Rose looks at US foreign policy and A G Hopkins looks at American imperialism.   Foreign correspondent Stephen Glain discusses US militarism and Lawrence Kaplan, columnist on the New Republic looks at US intervention.  On US relations with specific countries and regions, Orville Schell, writer and activist focused on US-China relations, chooses his best books on China and the US, Journalist and Middle East correspondent, Patrick Cockburn, looks at the Iraq war, William LeoGrande chooses his best books on US relations with Latin America and Harvard professor Stephen Walt looks at US-Israel relations.

On the changing face of international relations and foreign policy, Ali Wayne, fellow at the RAND corporation, chooses his best books on the US’s increasingly challenged position in world affairs.  Joseph Nye, former dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School, chooses his best books on global power, taking up a similar theme. Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of the New America think tank looks at 21st century foreign policy and Jennifer M Harris, fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, looks at geoeconomics and the deployment of US economic power, rather than its military might in international affairs.

At a more general level, Jeremy Greenstock, former UK representative for Iraq, chooses his best books on diplomacy, Professor Charles Kupchan chooses his best on grand strategy and Geoff Berridge discusses why we need diplomats.  Former UK diplomat, Mike Maclay, discusses the thrill of diplomacy.  Turning to the world of intelligence, Pulitzer prize winning author Tim Weiner discusses the US intelligence services and Keith Jeffrey, author of the authorised history of MI6, talks about the UK intelligence services.  Professor Rory Cormac chooses his best books on covert action.

    The best books on US Foreign Policy, recommended by Gideon Rose

  • Read
    The best books on US Foreign Policy - History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides

    1

    History of the Peloponnesian War
    by Thucydides

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony by Samuel P Huntington

    2

    American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony
    by Samuel P Huntington

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - Duties Beyond Borders by Stanley Hoffmann

    3

    Duties Beyond Borders
    by Stanley Hoffmann

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

    4

    The Post-American World
    by Fareed Zakaria

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    The best books on US Foreign Policy - The Frugal Superpower by Michael Mandelbaum

    5

    The Frugal Superpower
    by Michael Mandelbaum

The best books on US Foreign Policy, recommended by Gideon Rose

Should America have intervened in Libya? Done more? Done less? Done it differently? The editor of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Rose, explains the tension that lies at the heart of every American foreign policy decision.

    The best books on Global Power, recommended by Joseph Nye

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    The best books on Global Power - The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria

    1

    The Post-American World
    by Fareed Zakaria

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    The best books on Global Power - History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides

    2

    History of the Peloponnesian War
    by Thucydides

  • Read
    The best books on Global Power - Rivals by Bill Emmott

    3

    Rivals
    by Bill Emmott

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    The best books on Global Power - Power by Steven Lukes

    4

    Power
    by Steven Lukes

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    The best books on Global Power - Cyber War by Richard A Clarke and Robert Knake

    5

    Cyber War
    by Richard A Clarke and Robert Knake

The best books on Global Power, recommended by Joseph Nye

The Harvard University Professor Joseph Nye talks about changing power in the 21st century – and how whose story wins matters as much as whose army wins.

    The best books on War and Foreign Policy, recommended by John David Lewis

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    The best books on War and Foreign Policy - Rise of the Roman Empire by Polybius by Ian Scott-Kilvert

    1

    Rise of the Roman Empire by Polybius
    by Ian Scott-Kilvert

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    The best books on War and Foreign Policy - Neoconservatism by C Bradley Thompson and Yaron Brook

    2

    Neoconservatism
    by C Bradley Thompson and Yaron Brook

  • Read
    The best books on War and Foreign Policy - Winning the Unwinnable War by Elan Journo

    3

    Winning the Unwinnable War
    by Elan Journo

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    The best books on War and Foreign Policy - A Foreign Policy of Self Interest by Peter Schwartz

    4

    A Foreign Policy of Self Interest
    by Peter Schwartz

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    The best books on War and Foreign Policy - Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II by John W Dower

    5

    Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II
    by John W Dower

The best books on War and Foreign Policy, recommended by John David Lewis

Duke University professor choose fives books on war and foreign policy and says that neoconservative veneration of nationalism leads to a foreign policy of perpetual war overseas

    The best books on 21st Century Foreign Policy, recommended by Anne-Marie Slaughter

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    The best books on 21st Century Foreign Policy - Nonzero by Robert Wright

    1

    Nonzero
    by Robert Wright

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    The best books on 21st Century Foreign Policy - Linked by Albert-Lázló Barabási

    2

    Linked
    by Albert-Lázló Barabási

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    The best books on 21st Century Foreign Policy - The Penguin and the Leviathan by Yochai Benkler

    3

    The Penguin and the Leviathan
    by Yochai Benkler

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    The best books on 21st Century Foreign Policy - Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky

    4

    Here Comes Everybody
    by Clay Shirky

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    The best books on 21st Century Foreign Policy - Join the Club by Tina Rosenberg

    5

    Join the Club
    by Tina Rosenberg

The best books on 21st Century Foreign Policy, recommended by Anne-Marie Slaughter

Renowned foreign policy expert Anne Marie-Slaughter looks at the increasingly complex networks in which 21st century states find themselves.

    The best books on Geoeconomics, recommended by Jennifer M Harris

  • Read
    The best books on Geoeconomics - Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart

    1

    Super Sad True Love Story
    by Gary Shteyngart

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    The best books on Geoeconomics - China's Superbank: Debt, Oil and Influence - How China Development Bank is Rewriting the Rules of Finance by Henry Sanderson & Michael Forsythe

    2

    China's Superbank: Debt, Oil and Influence - How China Development Bank is Rewriting the Rules of Finance
    by Henry Sanderson & Michael Forsythe

  • Read
    The best books on Geoeconomics - Economic Statecraft by David Allen Baldwin

    3

    Economic Statecraft
    by David Allen Baldwin

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    The best books on Geoeconomics - Network Power: The Social Dynamics of Globalization

    4

    Network Power: The Social Dynamics of Globalization

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    The best books on Geoeconomics - Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 by Adam Hochschild

    5

    Spain in Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939
    by Adam Hochschild

The best books on Geoeconomics, recommended by Jennifer M Harris

With its passion for neoliberal ideology, the US uses its economic weight clumsily in terms of foreign policy, says former state department official and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Jennifer M. Harris. Here she picks the best books for understanding the vital area of geoeconomics.

    The best books on America’s Increasingly Challenged Position in World Affairs, recommended by Ali Wyne

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    The best books on America’s Increasingly Challenged Position in World Affairs - Is the American Century Over? by Joseph Nye

    1

    Is the American Century Over?
    by Joseph Nye

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    The best books on America’s Increasingly Challenged Position in World Affairs - The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World by Anne-Marie Slaughter

    2

    The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World
    by Anne-Marie Slaughter

  • Read
    The best books on America’s Increasingly Challenged Position in World Affairs - The Sovereignty Wars: Reconciling America with the World by Stewart Patrick

    3

    The Sovereignty Wars: Reconciling America with the World
    by Stewart Patrick

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    The best books on America’s Increasingly Challenged Position in World Affairs - Psychology of a Superpower: Security and Dominance in U.S. Foreign Policy by Christopher Fettweis

    4

    Psychology of a Superpower: Security and Dominance in U.S. Foreign Policy
    by Christopher Fettweis

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    The best books on America’s Increasingly Challenged Position in World Affairs - Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America by Deborah Fallows & James Fallows

    5

    Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America
    by Deborah Fallows & James Fallows

The best books on America’s Increasingly Challenged Position in World Affairs, recommended by Ali Wyne

Reports of the death of the world’s only superpower may have been exaggerated, but America’s inward turn is threatening the world order it created after World War II. Foreign policy analyst Ali Wyne talks us through books to better understand America’s current role in the world.

    The best books on American Imperialism, recommended by A G Hopkins

  • Read
    The best books on American Imperialism - Expansionists of 1898: The Acquisition of Hawaiʻi and the Spanish Islands by Julius William Pratt

    1

    Expansionists of 1898: The Acquisition of Hawaiʻi and the Spanish Islands
    by Julius William Pratt

  • Read
    The best books on American Imperialism - Denial of Empire: The United States and Its Dependencies by Whitney T Perkins

    2

    Denial of Empire: The United States and Its Dependencies
    by Whitney T Perkins

  • Read
    The best books on American Imperialism - The Tragedy of American Diplomacy by William Appleman Williams

    3

    The Tragedy of American Diplomacy
    by William Appleman Williams

  • Read
    The best books on American Imperialism - The New Empire: An Interpretation of American Expansion 1860-1898 by Walter LaFeber

    4

    The New Empire: An Interpretation of American Expansion 1860-1898
    by Walter LaFeber

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    The best books on American Imperialism - Cuba in the American Imagination: Metaphor and the Imperial Ethos by Louis A Pérez

    5

    Cuba in the American Imagination: Metaphor and the Imperial Ethos
    by Louis A Pérez

The best books on American Imperialism, recommended by A G Hopkins

When George W Bush declared that America “has never been an empire,” he elided a half century of colonial rule over its overseas dependencies. But American expansionism has manifested in other forms too, says A G Hopkins, imperial historian and author of a panoramic new work of American history.

    The best books on US Intervention, recommended by Lawrence Kaplan

  • Read
    The best books on US Intervention - Promised Land, Crusader State by Walter McDougall

    1

    Promised Land, Crusader State
    by Walter McDougall

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    The best books on US Intervention - Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

    2

    Ordinary Men
    by Christopher Browning

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    The best books on US Intervention - Strategies of Containment by John Gaddis

    3

    Strategies of Containment
    by John Gaddis

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    The best books on US Intervention - Dispatches by Michael Herr

    4

    Dispatches
    by Michael Herr

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    The best books on US Intervention - American Pastoral by Philip Roth

    5

    American Pastoral
    by Philip Roth

The best books on US Intervention, recommended by Lawrence Kaplan

The foreign affairs commentator explains why US presidents have less room to manoeuvre on foreign policy than they think, and why President Obama had to set aside his “minimalist” inclinations.

    The best books on The Psychology of War, recommended by Rose McDermott

  • Read
    The best books on The Psychology of War - How Statesmen Think: The Psychology of International Politics by Robert Jervis

    1

    How Statesmen Think: The Psychology of International Politics
    by Robert Jervis

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence by Dale Peterson & Richard Wrangham

    2

    Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence
    by Dale Peterson & Richard Wrangham

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger

    3

    Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging
    by Sebastian Junger

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Sex and World Peace by Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, Chad Emmett, Mary Caprioli & Valerie Hudson

    4

    Sex and World Peace
    by Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, Chad Emmett, Mary Caprioli & Valerie Hudson

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    The best books on The Psychology of War - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

    5

    Thinking, Fast and Slow
    by Daniel Kahneman

The best books on The Psychology of War, recommended by Rose McDermott

Traditionally, the study of international relations has been about institutions, not individuals and the psychology that motivates them. But that is changing. Rose McDermott, professor of international relations at Brown University, introduces the work of Robert Jarvis and others pioneering the field of ‘political psychology.’

    The best books on The Secret Service, recommended by Keith Jeffery

  • Read
    The best books on The Secret Service - The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

    1

    The Riddle of the Sands
    by Erskine Childers

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    The best books on The Secret Service - Greek Memories by Compton Mackenzie

    2

    Greek Memories
    by Compton Mackenzie

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    The best books on The Secret Service - From Russia With Love by Ian Fleming

    3

    From Russia With Love
    by Ian Fleming

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    The best books on The Secret Service - The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré

    4

    The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
    by John le Carré

  • Read
    The best books on The Secret Service - Secret Service by Christopher Andrew

    5

    Secret Service
    by Christopher Andrew

The best books on The Secret Service, recommended by Keith Jeffery

The author of the only authorized history of MI6, Keith Jeffery, tells us about the evolution of the secret intelligence services, their representation in fiction, and the man Fleming may have had in mind when he created James Bond

    The best books on The World Since 1978, recommended by Gideon Rachman

  • Read
    The best books on The World Since 1978 - Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China by Ezra Vogel

    1

    Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China
    by Ezra Vogel

  • Read
    The best books on The World Since 1978 - Delors: Inside the House that Jacques Built by Charles Grant

    2

    Delors: Inside the House that Jacques Built
    by Charles Grant

  • Read
    The best books on The World Since 1978 - America Between the Wars by Derek Chollet and James Goldgeier

    3

    America Between the Wars
    by Derek Chollet and James Goldgeier

  • Read
    The best books on The World Since 1978 - A Journey: My Political Life by Tony Blair

    4

    A Journey: My Political Life
    by Tony Blair

  • Read
    The best books on The World Since 1978 - The Limits of Power by Andrew Bacevich

    5

    The Limits of Power
    by Andrew Bacevich

The best books on The World Since 1978, recommended by Gideon Rachman

Most British prime ministers would probably have made the same decision as Tony Blair and followed George W. Bush into war in Iraq in 2003, says the FT's chief foreign affairs commentator. 

    The best books on US Militarism, recommended by Stephen Glain

  • Read
    The best books on US Militarism - The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam

    1

    The Best and the Brightest
    by David Halberstam

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    The best books on US Militarism - House of War by James Carroll

    2

    House of War
    by James Carroll

  • Read
    The best books on US Militarism - Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner

    3

    Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
    by Tim Weiner

  • Read
    The best books on US Militarism - American Rasputin by David Milne

    4

    American Rasputin
    by David Milne

  • Read
    The best books on US Militarism - Perils of Dominance by Gareth Porter

    5

    Perils of Dominance
    by Gareth Porter

The best books on US Militarism, recommended by Stephen Glain

American presidents may not want to send troops into battle or militarise foreign policy but, in the end, most of them do. The author and journalist explains how this happens, and why it’s not even the military that’s to blame. He picks the best books on American militarism.

    The best books on Covert Action, recommended by Rory Cormac

  • Read
    The best books on Covert Action - Covert Action: Central Intelligence Agency and the Limits of American Intervention in the Post-War World by Gregory Treverton

    1

    Covert Action: Central Intelligence Agency and the Limits of American Intervention in the Post-War World
    by Gregory Treverton

  • Read
    The best books on Covert Action - Executive Secrets: Covert Action and the Presidency by William J Daugherty

    2

    Executive Secrets: Covert Action and the Presidency
    by William J Daugherty

  • Read
    The best books on Covert Action - MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1949 by Keith Jeffery

    3

    MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1949
    by Keith Jeffery

  • Read
    The best books on Covert Action - The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West by Christopher Andrew & Vasili Mitrokhin

    4

    The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West
    by Christopher Andrew & Vasili Mitrokhin

  • Read
    The best books on Covert Action - Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations by Ronen Bergman

    5

    Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations
    by Ronen Bergman

The best books on Covert Action, recommended by Rory Cormac

Many of us live in democracies and believe in government transparency, but the truth is our leaders have considerable scope to engage in secret operations overseas. Rory Cormac talks us through five books on ‘covert action,’ and some of the countries that have embraced it as a policy tool.

    Books on the Aftermath of World War II, recommended by Keith Lowe

  • Read
    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945 by Tony Judt

    1

    Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945
    by Tony Judt

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    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - The Long Road Home by Ben Shephard

    2

    The Long Road Home
    by Ben Shephard

  • Read
    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - A Woman in Berlin by Anonymous

    3

    A Woman in Berlin
    by Anonymous

  • Read
    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - Naples ’44 by Norman Lewis

    4

    Naples ’44
    by Norman Lewis

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    Books on the Aftermath of World War II - Forest Brothers by Juozas Luksa

    5

    Forest Brothers
    by Juozas Luksa

Books on the Aftermath of World War II, recommended by Keith Lowe

Postwar Europe was a scene of both physical and moral destruction. Keith Lowe, author of the award-winning Savage Continent, recommends essential reading for understanding the sheer scale of suffering, dislocation and fighting after the war was over.

    The best books on Peace, recommended by John Gittings

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    The best books on Peace - The Iliad by Homer

    1

    The Iliad
    by Homer

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    The best books on Peace - The Art of Peace by Erasmus

    2

    The Art of Peace
    by Erasmus

  • Read
    The best books on Peace - Tales of Army Life by Leo Tolstoy

    3

    Tales of Army Life
    by Leo Tolstoy

  • Read
    The best books on Peace - Beyond War by Douglas Fry

    4

    Beyond War
    by Douglas Fry

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    The best books on Peace - Confronting the Bomb by Lawrence Wittner

    5

    Confronting the Bomb
    by Lawrence Wittner

The best books on Peace, recommended by John Gittings

History is usually studied and written from the perspective of war, says veteran journalist John Gittings. It can look very different when viewed from the perspective of peace.

    The best books on The US Intelligence Services, recommended by Tim Weiner

  • Read
    The best books on The US Intelligence Services - The Art of War by Sun Zi (also written in English as Sun Tzu)

    1

    The Art of War
    by Sun Zi (also written in English as Sun Tzu)

  • Read
    The best books on The US Intelligence Services - The Invisible Government by David Wise and Thomas B Ross

    2

    The Invisible Government
    by David Wise and Thomas B Ross

  • Read
    The best books on The US Intelligence Services - From the Shadows by Robert M Gates

    3

    From the Shadows
    by Robert M Gates

  • Read
    The best books on The US Intelligence Services - The March of Folly by Barbara W Tuchman

    4

    The March of Folly
    by Barbara W Tuchman

  • Read
    The best books on The US Intelligence Services - Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

    5

    Nineteen Eighty-Four
    by George Orwell

The best books on The US Intelligence Services, recommended by Tim Weiner

The job of the intelligence services is to understand others and help leaders act more wisely, says the author of a new history of the FBI. There’s a balance to be struck between liberty and security but when the CIA and FBI do not harmonise their intelligence missions, people die.

    The best books on The United Nations, recommended by Edward Mortimer

  • Read
    The best books on The United Nations - A Life in Peace and War by Brian Urquhart

    1

    A Life in Peace and War
    by Brian Urquhart

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    The best books on The United Nations - Kofi Annan by Fred Eckhard

    2

    Kofi Annan
    by Fred Eckhard

  • Read
    The best books on The United Nations - Chasing the Flame by Samantha Power

    3

    Chasing the Flame
    by Samantha Power

  • Read
    The best books on The United Nations - The Best Intentions by James Traub

    4

    The Best Intentions
    by James Traub

  • Read
    The best books on The United Nations - A Billion Lives by Jan Egeland

    5

    A Billion Lives
    by Jan Egeland

The best books on The United Nations, recommended by Edward Mortimer

Edward Mortimer, the former Director of Communications to Kofi Annan talks about the need for reform, how when the Camp David talks broke down “the whole atmosphere in the organization became poison”, and his boss. He picks the best five books on the United Nations.

    The best books on China and the US, recommended by Orville Schell

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - To Change China by Jonathan D Spence

    1

    To Change China
    by Jonathan D Spence

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    The best books on China and the US - In Search of Wealth of Power by Benjamin Schwartz

    2

    In Search of Wealth of Power
    by Benjamin Schwartz

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - Hermit of Peking by Hugh Trevor-Roper

    3

    Hermit of Peking
    by Hugh Trevor-Roper

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - Thunder Out of China by Theodore H White and Annalee Jacoby

    4

    Thunder Out of China
    by Theodore H White and Annalee Jacoby

  • Read
    The best books on China and the US - Chinese Shadows by Simon Leys

    5

    Chinese Shadows
    by Simon Leys

The best books on China and the US, recommended by Orville Schell

The changing relationship between China and America will be one of the defining foreign policy issues of our times. To understand its dynamic, says the sinologist, we must take account of China’s lingering sense of victimhood

    The best books on The Iraq War, recommended by Patrick Cockburn

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - The Occupation of Iraq by Ali A Allawi

    1

    The Occupation of Iraq
    by Ali A Allawi

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - Fiasco by Thomas E Ricks

    2

    Fiasco
    by Thomas E Ricks

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movement in Iraq by Hanna Batatu

    3

    The Old Social Classes and the Revolutionary Movement in Iraq
    by Hanna Batatu

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - Aftermath by Nir Rosen

    4

    Aftermath
    by Nir Rosen

  • Read
    The best books on The Iraq War - After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness? by Jonathan Randal

    5

    After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness?
    by Jonathan Randal

The best books on The Iraq War, recommended by Patrick Cockburn

The veteran Middle East correspondent gives us his tips for the best reading about the US-led invasion and occupation, and explains why the West shouldn’t have intervened in Iraq in the first place

    The best books on Diplomacy, recommended by Michael Palliser

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger

    1

    Diplomacy
    by Henry Kissinger

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    The best books on Diplomacy - Talleyrand by Duff Cooper

    2

    Talleyrand
    by Duff Cooper

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Postwar: The Dawn of Today's Europe by Richard Mayne

    3

    Postwar: The Dawn of Today's Europe
    by Richard Mayne

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Le Fil de l'Epée by Charles De Gaulle

    4

    Le Fil de l'Epée
    by Charles De Gaulle

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - The Boys on the Bongo Bus by John Dickie (journalist)

    5

    The Boys on the Bongo Bus
    by John Dickie (journalist)

The best books on Diplomacy, recommended by Michael Palliser

Veteran diplomat Michael Palliser discusses his friend Henry Kissinger’s diplomatic skills and says his experiences in post-war Germany made him a committed European

    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict, recommended by David Cortright

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - Civilian Jihad by Maria J. Stephan (Editor)

    1

    Civilian Jihad
    by Maria J. Stephan (Editor)

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon by Mary Kaldor & Shannon D. Beebe, Mary H. Kaldor

    2

    The Ultimate Weapon is No Weapon
    by Mary Kaldor & Shannon D. Beebe, Mary H. Kaldor

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - No God but God by Reza Aslan

    3

    No God but God
    by Reza Aslan

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - How Terrorist Groups End by Seth G. Jones and Martin Libicky

    4

    How Terrorist Groups End
    by Seth G. Jones and Martin Libicky

  • Read
    The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict - Vietnam by John Prados

    5

    Vietnam
    by John Prados

The best books on Non-Military Solutions to Political Conflict, recommended by David Cortright

David Cortright, Notre Dame peace studies expert, identifies and rejects one of the myths about non-violent action: that it only works in liberal democracies. He outlines that non-violent protests can achieve their aims, that terrorism can only cease through negotiation, and that wars rarely have winners.

    The best books on U.S. relations with Latin America, recommended by William LeoGrande

  • Read
    The best books on U.S. relations with Latin America - Beneath the United States by Lars Schoultz

    1

    Beneath the United States
    by Lars Schoultz

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    The best books on U.S. relations with Latin America - Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene

    2

    Our Man in Havana
    by Graham Greene

  • Read
    The best books on U.S. relations with Latin America - Inevitable Revolutions by Walter LaFeber

    3

    Inevitable Revolutions
    by Walter LaFeber

  • Read
    The best books on U.S. relations with Latin America - Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba by Tom Gjelten

    4

    Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba
    by Tom Gjelten

  • Read
    The best books on U.S. relations with Latin America - The Empire's Old Clothes by Ariel Dorfman

    5

    The Empire's Old Clothes
    by Ariel Dorfman

The best books on U.S. relations with Latin America, recommended by William LeoGrande

U.S. government adviser and Dean of the American University School of Public Affairs leads a book-bound tour that takes us from the Bacardi dynasty in Cuba to American military interventions in Central America

    The best books on The Thrill of Diplomacy, recommended by Mike Maclay

  • Read
    The best books on The Thrill of Diplomacy - The Laughing Diplomat by Daniele Varè

    1

    The Laughing Diplomat
    by Daniele Varè

  • Read
    The best books on The Thrill of Diplomacy - Peacemakers by Margaret MacMillan

    2

    Peacemakers
    by Margaret MacMillan

  • Read
    The best books on The Thrill of Diplomacy - The Search for Peace by Douglas Hurd

    3

    The Search for Peace
    by Douglas Hurd

  • Read
    The best books on The Thrill of Diplomacy - Peace Journey by Carl Bildt

    4

    Peace Journey
    by Carl Bildt

  • Read
    The best books on The Thrill of Diplomacy - The Utility of Force by Rupert Smith

    5

    The Utility of Force
    by Rupert Smith

The best books on The Thrill of Diplomacy, recommended by Mike Maclay

Ex-diplomat who served as Special Advisor to UK Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd, chooses five books on the glamour, the reality and the future of the people trained in the canny art of diplomacy

    The best books on Diplomacy, recommended by Jeremy Greenstock

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Satow’s Diplomatic Practice by Sir Ivor Roberts

    1

    Satow’s Diplomatic Practice
    by Sir Ivor Roberts

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger

    2

    Diplomacy
    by Henry Kissinger

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Choose Your Weapons by Douglas Hurd

    3

    Choose Your Weapons
    by Douglas Hurd

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - Fiasco by Thomas E Ricks

    4

    Fiasco
    by Thomas E Ricks

  • Read
    The best books on Diplomacy - New World Disorder by David Hannay

    5

    New World Disorder
    by David Hannay

The best books on Diplomacy, recommended by Jeremy Greenstock

The veteran British diplomat Jeremy Greenstock talks about the history and future of diplomacy. On Iraq: ‘The magnificent work that was done was largely wasted, and lives with it – both Iraqi and outsiders’

    The best books on Grand Strategy, recommended by Charles Kupchan

  • Read
    The best books on Grand Strategy - War and Change in World Politics by Robert Gilpin

    1

    War and Change in World Politics
    by Robert Gilpin

  • Read
    The best books on Grand Strategy - The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery by Paul Kennedy

    2

    The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery
    by Paul Kennedy

  • Read
    The best books on Grand Strategy - Strategies of Containment by John Gaddis

    3

    Strategies of Containment
    by John Gaddis

  • Read
    The best books on Grand Strategy - Political Community in the North Atlantic Area by Karl Deutsch

    4

    Political Community in the North Atlantic Area
    by Karl Deutsch

  • Read
    The best books on Grand Strategy - After Victory by John Ikenberry

    5

    After Victory
    by John Ikenberry

The best books on Grand Strategy, recommended by Charles Kupchan

The Professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University and Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations discusses diplomacy versus coercion and selects five essential books on international relations.

    The best books on Why We Need Diplomats, recommended by Geoff Berridge

  • Read
    The best books on Why We Need Diplomats - The Embassador and His Functions by Abraham de Wicquefort

    1

    The Embassador and His Functions
    by Abraham de Wicquefort

  • Read
    The best books on Why We Need Diplomats - The Evolution of Diplomatic Method by Harold Nicolson

    2

    The Evolution of Diplomatic Method
    by Harold Nicolson

  • Read
    The best books on Why We Need Diplomats - White House Years by Henry Kissinger

    3

    White House Years
    by Henry Kissinger

  • Read
    The best books on Why We Need Diplomats - The Collision of Two Civilisations by Alain Peyrefitte

    4

    The Collision of Two Civilisations
    by Alain Peyrefitte

  • Read
    The best books on Why We Need Diplomats - The Cinderella Service by D C M Platt

    5

    The Cinderella Service
    by D C M Platt

The best books on Why We Need Diplomats, recommended by Geoff Berridge

Academic and author of textbooks on the field tells us that diplomacy can well do without rank amateurs “in the same way that medicine can do without snake-oil merchants”

    The best books on US-Israel Relations, recommended by Stephen Walt

  • Read
    The best books on US-Israel Relations - The Israel Lobby and American Foreign Policy by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt

    1

    The Israel Lobby and American Foreign Policy
    by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt

  • Read
    The best books on US-Israel Relations - Exodus by Leon Uris

    2

    Exodus
    by Leon Uris

  • Read
    The best books on US-Israel Relations - The Holocaust in American Life by Peter Novick

    3

    The Holocaust in American Life
    by Peter Novick

  • Read
    The best books on US-Israel Relations - Peace Process by William Quandt

    4

    Peace Process
    by William Quandt

  • Read
    The best books on US-Israel Relations - On the Road to Armageddon by Timothy P Weber

    5

    On the Road to Armageddon
    by Timothy P Weber

The best books on US-Israel Relations, recommended by Stephen Walt

The international relations professor tells us about the special relationship between America and Israel – how it came about, what it means, and how it should change

    The best books on War, recommended by Mary Kaldor

  • Read
    The best books on War - On War by Carl von Clausewitz

    1

    On War
    by Carl von Clausewitz

  • Read
    The best books on War - Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations by Michael Walzer

    2

    Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations
    by Michael Walzer

  • Read
    The best books on War - The Utility of Force by Rupert Smith

    3

    The Utility of Force
    by Rupert Smith

  • Read
    The best books on War - The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One by David Kilcullen

    4

    The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One
    by David Kilcullen

  • Read
    The best books on War - Wired for War by P W Singer

    5

    Wired for War
    by P W Singer

The best books on War, recommended by Mary Kaldor

The Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Governance at the London School of Economics says there is fine line between being a hero and being a murderer – that’s why the Geneva convention matters

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