Monsoon

The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power

De: Robert D. Kaplan

Narrado por: John Pruden

On the world maps common in America, the Western Hemisphere lies front and center, while the Indian Ocean region all but disappears. This convention reveals the geopolitical focus of the now-departed 20th century, but in the 21st century, that focus will fundamentally change. In this pivotal examination of the countries known as “Monsoon Asia”—which include India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Burma, Oman, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Tanzania—best-selling author Robert D. Kaplan explains how crucial this dynamic area has become to American power. It is here that the fight for democracy, energy independence, and religious freedom will be lost or won, and it is here that American foreign policy must concentrate if the United States is to remain relevant in an ever-changing world.

From the Horn of Africa to the Indonesian archipelago and beyond, Kaplan exposes the effects of population growth, climate change, and extremist politics on this unstable region, demonstrating why Americans can no longer afford to ignore this important area of the world.

©2010 Robert D. Kaplan (P)2012 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The book's political and economic focus and forecasts are smart and brim with aperçus on the intersection of power, politics, and resource consumption (especially water), and give full weight to the impact of colonialism." ( Publishers Weekly)

“An intellectual treat: Beautiful writing is not incompatible with geopolitical imagination and historical flair!” (Zbigniew Brzezinski, former national security advisor)

"The audacity of Robert Kaplan’s approach to geography as fate is spellbinding. Whether you agree or disagree with his analysis and forecast that the Indian Ocean will occupy the center of global change and international politics in the coming decades, you will find this erudite study gripping and informative. It is a welcome and important addition to the debate about America’s role in a rapidly changing world." (Jim Hoagland, contributing editor, The Washington Post)

Good overview of an understudied region

I am not always a fan of Robert Kaplan’s work (e.g., “The coming anarchy”). But this book surprised me with its interesting coverage of an entire region that Americans at least rarely learn much about: The Indian Ocean.
The coverage of Oman and East Africa are particularly interesting and eschew the racism-tinged attitudes of his earlier works on Africa and the Middle East.

He can't even pronounce the cities he's talking about!

The Author murders the pronunciations of the cities he's supposedly been to and invited to visit by their rulers, Sheiks and Emirs.

Mr Kaplan is an amazing scholar, no doubt, and I immensely enjoy his writing and research and thinking, but for someone so learned, he still pronounces the names of the people and cities like a yokel and a bumpkin. it's like he doesn't even try!

I can't tell you how disappointed I am about that. it's such a distraction to everything else he reads. part of my attention is bracing for yet another butchered place or persons' name, while concentrating in his amazing work.

This is why competent and professional narrators are needed.

I'm going to really try to get through this audiobook, even though I'm sure I will have to put up with nails-on-the-black board like mispronunciations. let's see how much I can handle. or this is going back with the 6 others I've already bought!

This is so very disappointing.

good read

excellent read, very insightful and interesting. written by an academic and well traveled man. the voice recording was also very good.

Rich in information

Would you recommend Monsoon to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, to those who have an intellictual bent. It very informative, very rich in facts, figures, data, etc. I wouldn't call it a story - it's not a story, it's history, sociology, geography, politics and religion all blended together to describe this important but mostly overlooked part of the world.

Any additional comments?

If you like this kind of book, if you read to be informed, this is a good choice. If you read for relaxation, for a good "story" then probably consider other titles.

Well researched, but left-leaning

Great Progressive-eye'd view ofthe Indian Ocean geopolitical landscape. The author is keenly aware of the slant Al Jazeera puts on Indonesian society, but misses, or maybe hopes his teaders will not notice, his own Keynesian bias and anti-capitalist leanings. Warnings of the downfall of the west and truebelief in the failed ideology of Global Warming aside, this is worth a read; if only to demonstrate the diversity of Islam to westerners informed primarily by the uninformative US press corps(e).