Flashpoints

The Emerging Crisis in Europe

By: George Friedman

Narrated by: Bruce Turk, George Friedman

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

A major new book by New York Times best-selling author and geopolitical forecaster George Friedman (The Next 100 Years, The Next Decade) with a bold thesis about coming conflict in the world, this provocative work examines the geopolitical flashpoints - particularly in Europe - in which imminent future conflicts are brewing.

George Friedman has forecasted the coming trends (politics, technology, population, and culture) of the next century in The Next 100 Years, and focused his predictions on the coming ten years in The Next Decade. Now, in Flashpoints, Friedman zooms in on the region that has, for 500 years, been the cultural hotbed of the world - Europe - and examines the most basic and fascinating building block of the region: culture. Analyzing the fault lines that have existed for centuries - and which have led to two world wars and dozens more conflicts - Friedman walks us through the "flashpoints" that are still smoldering beneath the surface and are on course to erupt again.

In Flashpoints, George Friedman begins with a fascinating history of the events leading up to the horrific wars that nearly tore apart Western civilization - killing over 100 million people on the "civilized" European continent. Modern-day Europe, and the formation of the European Union, were designed to minimize the built-in geopolitical tensions that led to catastrophic war, but as Friedman shows with a mix of history and cultural analysis, those plans have failed. "Flashpoints" are now simmering as dangerously as in the early twentieth century. Zeroing in on half a dozen locations, borderlands, and cultural dynamics, George Friedman does what few historians can - he explains precisely how certain trends are unstoppable, and what the future holds... both in terms of conflict and also opportunity. Flashpoints also explains in riveting detail how events in Europe will affect the rest of the world.

©2015 George Friedman (P)2015 Random House Audio

Another increadible book by George

More in-depth analysis. I do not know anyone that sees the world more clearly and can analyze the world more thoroughly than GF.

Great performance and great content

Garnered an understanding on the historical interconnectedness b/w nations surrounding Europe. Great performance.

Sophisticated, yet clear appraisal of the European situation

Among the best written and clearest assessments concerning the state of Europe that I’ve ever read (and I’ve read several).

Personal experience, a life of relevant work, and clarity of thought guide Mr Friedman’s work. He makes a compelling case for his view and personally, he’s convinced me of his worldview... with one caveat.

He makes the case that Europe hasn’t actually evolved away from its bloody past nor previous rivalries. History does show us that old habits do indeed die hard... but sometimes they do eventually die. How do we know Europe hasn’t fundamentally changed, as has happened centuries prior? He makes a clear case for the European periphery being in shambles but it’s not clear to me that the European core won’t step up. However, I do think he’s probably right - the core probably won’t step up - but there’s always hope.

A must read for those interested in European geopolitics/economics.

(Other reviewers have complained of the narration but I thought it was fine. On par for every other nonfiction book I’ve ever read)

Well Done

Excellent analysis of the European situation and its roots in history. It is well worth a listen.

A resume

Pretty good review of the history of Europe and U.S. role in rebuilding it after the war.

Most important book I've ever read.

Should be read in high school and in adult book clubs. It explains how the world got where it now is.

Excellent book to understand how the world got to the state it's in!

The historical perspective contained in this book is sweeping and at the same time interwoven with the author's personal experiences. The narrator had a tendency to drone a bit but otherwise it was great. I highly recommend it.

Like it, but...

I'm not much of a geopolitics guy, but I thought this was an interesting and thorough (at least for those with no prior background) overview of European geopolitics. However, I wish the author would have touched on the change of geopolitical dynamics due to 21st century technology. Nuclear weapons, other technologies, and the exploding tech sector changed the logic of violence to the point that it doesn't make as much sense to wage war anymore. The author has completely disregarded that.

So timely

This book should be required reading for anyone with an opinion about current events in Europe.

Important Reading: Old Grievances Do Not Go Away

This is an important book for anyone interested in contemporary geopolitics. Friedman takes us on a quick tour of European history which focuses on the rise of Germany three times: As an economic and military power leading to World War I, as a military power under Hitler, and as the greatest post-war economic power. Now being a rich, but militarily weak, country, Friedman explains the many challenges that Germany faces for itself, and that it creates for the rest of Europe. His discussion also chronicles the reemergence of Russia, and its need to move its "buffer" to the west, having been re-positioned far to the east after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Friedman also weighs in on the enigma of France and how it is neither really a northern European economic power or a weak southern European country, but a curious mixture of both. And, of course, Great Britain's role is analyzed. No longer a world power, Britain needs Europe and keeps a watchful eye on it, but does not really want to commit to the European Union. Friedman's most incisive discussion, however, involves borderlands across the quilt of many nations that form Europe. Some borderlands are peaceful and will likely remain that way, while others--most notably Ukraine--form the flashpoint for future conflicts. Friedman's main point is that the contention that the European Union ushered in an age of prosperity for all that made conflict and war a thing of the past is simply not true. Very thought provoking. I may listen again.