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The Return of Great Powers

Russia, China, and the Next World War

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The Return of Great Powers

Written by: Jim Sciutto
Narrated by: Jim Sciutto
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About this listen

Instant New York Times Bestseller

A Politico Top 10 Book of 2024

A New York Times Notable Book

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

“An absorbing account of 21st-century brinkmanship . . . . one that should be read by every legislator or presidential nominee sufficiently deluded to think that returning America to its isolationist past or making chummy with Putin is a viable option in today’s world.”New York Times Book Review

The essential new book by CNN anchor and chief national security analyst Jim Sciutto, identifying a new, more uncertain global order with reporting on the frontlines of power from existing wars to looming ones across the globe.

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 dawned what Francis Fukuyama called “The End of History.” Three decades later, Jim Sciutto said on CNN’s air as the Ukraine war began, that we are living in a “1939 moment.” History never ended—it barely paused—and the global order as we long have known it is now gone. Powerful nations are determined to assert dominance on the world stage. And as their push for power escalates, a new order will affect everyone across the globe. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a part of it, but in reality, this power struggle impacts every corner of our world—from Helsinki to Beijing, from Australia to the North Pole. This is a battle with many fronts: in the Arctic, in the oceans and across the skies, on man-made islands and redrawn maps, and in tech and cyberspace.

Through globe-spanning, exclusive interviews with dozens of political, military, and intelligence leaders, Sciutto defines our times as a return of great power conflict, “a definitive break between the post–Cold War era and an entirely new and uncertain one.” With savvy, thorough, in-person reporting, he follows-up his 2019 bestseller, The Shadow War: Inside Russia’s and China's Secret Operations to Defeat America, which focused on the covert tactics of a hidden conflict.

The Return of Great Powers analyzes a historic and visible shift in real time. It details the realities of this new post-post-Cold War era, the increasingly aligned Russian and Chinese governments, and the flashpoint of a new, global nuclear arms race. And it poses a question: As we consider uncertain, even terrifying, outcomes, will it be possible for the West and Russia and China to prevent a new World War?

©2024 Jim Sciutto (P)2024 Penguin Audio
International Relations Politics & Government Wars & Conflicts War Military United States National Security Imperialism American Foreign Policy Cold War
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What the critics say

Named a Most-Anticipated Title by Foreign Policy and Politico

"In The Return of Great Powers: Russia, China, and the Next World War, Mr. Sciutto depicts a world made more dangerous by Chinese and Russian expansionism. Drawing on his experience as CNN’s chief national-security correspondent, Mr. Sciutto has written an eye-witness account of history as it unfolds." Wall Street Journal

"Sciutto takes no pleasure in playing Cassandra, warning of a world that for all its 21st-century sophistication and irony is backsliding towards Greek tragedy." The Guardian

“A powerful and well-written warning to us all.” The Cipher Brief

What listeners say about The Return of Great Powers

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Sobering

A must read. Well articulated. This is an important read for the world as everything in it will affect us all.

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Scary yet realistic

This book is excellent yet very scary. It is hard to imagine how Americans' can consider the current Republican candidate based upon the writing of Sciutto. There is no doubt in my mind that America, sadly, is on the decline and may soon be its own banana republic!

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Surface level overview

If you've been following the news there is not much new here. Just a long opinion piece on Ukraine and possible Taiwan conflict.

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10 hours of CNN headlines and quotes

I’ll save you some money and time: “Murica good, China and Russia bad, because America says so “
If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of states and power politics this books not for you. If you watch CNN 24/7 you’ll enjoy this book.

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