The Return of Marco Polo's World

Thoughtful, unsettling, but not apocalyptic analyses of world affairs flow steadily off the presses, and this is a superior example. . . . Presented with enough verve and insight to tempt readers to set it aside to reread in a few years.-Kirkus Review (starred review) These essays constitute a truly pathbreaking, brilliant synthesis and analysis of geographic, political, technological, and economic trends with far-reaching consequences. The Return of Marco Polo's World is another work by Robert D. Kaplan that will be regarded as a classic.-General David Petraeus (U.S. Army, Ret.) When it comes to geopolitics and the analysis of world affairs, Robert D. Kaplan is the best in the business. These essays are not only astonishing in their breadth, depth, and range but beautifully crafted and accessible.-John Bew, professor, the Department of War Studies, King's College London, and author of Realpolitik: A History and Castlereagh: A Life A characteristically thoughtful and provocative collection of essays from Robert D. Kaplan, born of his own Marco Polo-like wanderings and rich grasp of history . . . Elegant and compelling, these prescient pieces are a valuable guide to the endlessly complicated geopolitics of Eurasia, and what it all means for Americans in the decades ahead.-Ambassador William J. Burns, president, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and former deputy secretary of state Robert D. Kaplan has long been one of the most unrelenting realistic commentators on the rough, mean, conflictual world disorder that has evolved since the Cold War. In these essays he provides a compelling antidote to the facile optimists in the ethnocentric Western intelligentsia. Read it with a stiff drink in hand, but be ready to be excited.-Richard K. Betts, director, the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University Robert D. Kaplan has been one of America's most reliable guides through the rapidly changing maze of global politics. This book needs to be on the bedside table-not on the coffee table- of every member of Congress and senior national security official in our government.-Michael Desch, director, the Notre Dame International Security Center Offering a refreshingly realist perspective in a turbulent time, Robert D. Kaplan's collection brilliantly illustrates the costs of war and underscores the urgent need for U.S. diplomatic deftness to preserve stability within an increasingly interconnected global order. The Return of Marco Polo's World is an invaluable resource for U.S. policy makers and members of the general public seeking to learn from history, and a solid basis for sound American foreign policy.-Robert Blackwill, former U.S. ambassador to India and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations Robert D. Kaplan has a well- deserved reputation as one of the best thinkers on international affairs. This collection of essays confirms his uncanny ability to anticipate world-changing trends. . . . A must-read.-Moisés Naím, distinguished fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and author of The End of Power