The Post-American World 2.0

By: Fareed Zakaria

Narrated by: Fareed Zakaria

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the New York Times and international best seller, revised and expanded with a new afterword. This is the essential update of Fareed Zakaria's analysis about America and its shifting position in world affairs.

The Post-American World pointed to the rise of the rest - the growth of countries China, India, Brazil, and others - as the great story of our time, the story that will undoubtedly shape the future of global power. Since its publication, the trends Zakaria identified have proceeded faster than anyone could have anticipated. The 2008 financial crisis turned the world upside down, stalling the United States and other advanced economies. Meanwhile, emerging markets have surged ahead, coupling their economic growth with pride, nationalism, and a determination to shape their own future.

In this new edition, Zakaria makes sense of this rapidly changing landscape. With his customary lucidity, insight, and imagination, he draws on lessons from the two great power shifts of the past 500 years - the rise of the Western world and the rise of the United States - to tell us what we can expect from the third shift, the rise of the rest.

The great challenge for Britain was economic decline. The challenge for America now is political decline, for as others have grown in importance, the central role of the United States, especially in the ascendant emerging markets, has already begun to shrink. As Zakaria eloquently argues, Washington needs to begin a serious transformation of its global strategy, moving from its traditional role of dominating hegemon to that of a more pragmatic, honest broker. It must seek to share power, create coalitions, build legitimacy, and define the global agenda - all formidable tasks.

None of this will be easy for the greatest power the world has ever known - the only power that for so long has really mattered. America stands at a crossroads. In a new global era in which the United States no longer dominates the worldwide economy, orchestrates geopolitics, or overwhelms cultures, can the nation continue to thrive?

©2008 Fareed Zakaria (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Fascinating!

What did you love best about The Post-American World 2.0?

Fascinating! Informative! Balanced! Well-researched!

Any additional comments?

No wonder Fareed Zakaria is one of the most respected commentators on global issues! He is incredible!

Very similar to 1.0...not worth it

2.0 was an update to 1.0 but I'm not sure it was worth it.
A little more time should have passed to make it more relevant.

Best Non-Fiction Book of 2011

This is a very researched book and written so well. Fareed did the book narrating himself. As jobs continue to be the issue and with rise of the rest, we need all be updated on these matters of geopolitics. Also I think the audio format is probably the best way to consume the book content.

Need to know

Full of information and background on how the USA got to our present state and where we could go from here. Written by an Indian-American with a broad world view

Nice overview

What did you love best about The Post-American World 2.0?

Nice overview

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

multi national perspective

Which scene was your favorite?

India progress, China slow progress, American test results - how vs what

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no

Any additional comments?

.

Politically important and interesting too.

What did you love best about The Post-American World 2.0?

The story is well-written and is very good at granting more world perspective to those of us who don't get out of the U.S. too often and don't have a lot of experience in seeing the world or ourselves the way others (foreigners) do. This is not a story that lays political blame, but one that offers very broad perspective from our own history and the history of other important countries.

Any additional comments?

The narration was occasionally problematic. I started off really enjoying the author's fairly mild accent, but once I was halfway through the audiobook I realized that the accent was actually slowing down my comprehension slightly. Pleasant to listen to, but perhaps not the ideal voice for maximum comprehension.

Interesting book and insights

Where does The Post-American World 2.0 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of those books where it would have been better if someone other than the writer had been the reader. Very interesting topic and observations, though.

A breath of fresh air, fragrant and invigorating!

I see it as the best antidote to the nonsense that has become the staple of political stomp speaches and the rant of the intellectual impostors. This book is not about the decline of America or the west; it is about the rise of the rest. It is an informed confirmation of the American ideals, largely upheld by most of her leaders throughout her history.

Very Comprehensive

A very comprehensive account of state of nations. Read this to cut to the core of issues and to find the clarity of rational thining. Strongly recommended.

must read / listen

for a great snapshot and insight to why we are where we are and who we are today read this