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

S/B req reading for every man, woman and child...

One of the best books I have have ever heard or read - ah-ha's and paradigm shifts galore await you.

Must Read!

Zakaria's analysis of the challenges of the modern world and changing international relations are excellent, well-researched and moderate with an emphasis on practicality. His arguments are always rooted in historical fact and are unbeholden to any singular philosophy. I have a degree in International Relations and Global Business and find that this book is an excellent summary of the global trends that many Americans are losing sleep about.

He provides recommendations for American policy to avoid going the path of the British at the turn of the last century. A must-read for anybody with an interest in American politics, economics or foreign policy.

Finally we have an accurate, well-researched, and intellectually honest description of America's predicament and our best course of action moving into the new century of the "Rise of the Rest."

Good, but dated.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book with a couple reservations. It is obvious that 95% or more of this v 2.0 is the same as the original. I would 2nd a review I read before I purchased this book, for the 'new' parts you can tell an audible difference in volume level for those parts, though it is not significant. What I had the most 'issue' with is the fact that almost every study, interview, poll or report that is referenced in the book is 2007 or earlier. This would make sense in a book that was published in 2008, as this originally was. However there are very few instances of updated or current information. Given the subject matter and the theories that the author presents, the updated information would only go to substantiate or validate his points further so I am not sure why they were not included or updated, perhaps it was too time consuming?

Overall this was a good listen as the facts are presented fairly unbiased, which is rare these days. Fareed does a great job of showing the paths from the history of the US from early 20th century through the globalization of the world and how the US can and should navigate through the modern maze of geopolitics. The 'Rise of the Rest' could easily become a (stealing a Tom Clancy book Title) 'Clear and Present Danger' to the United Stes, however as the author shows, it will be much more likely it is an economic danger as opposed to military.

What other book might you compare The Post-American World 2.0 to and why?

The world is flat
Hot, Flat, Crowded

Common themes of Globalization and the disruptive nature of the internet and other technologes on the world stage

Any additional comments?

More interesting than one might think. This is not a totally dry economics book that makes you recall college macro and micro economics courses, but rather real world examples of how the world is changing in an unprecedented way and at an unprecedented speed.

Great Book

Fareed Zakaria explains his view of a Post American World with a no nonsense common sense approach. No bias to either political party. A plus is Fareed is the narrator. A+++

Important information

I think the 2.0 reading is really the 1.0 with a few 2.0 sections pasted in. You can tell in the audio when mid thought the sound gets noticeably louder or softer.

Great book with important insights into how the world works. It is thick "listening" at times so you'll need to pay attention.

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.

Stark look at a world in change

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

No holds barred look at the future of America's influence in the world.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The fragile nature of America's future as an economic super power.

Great listen

Zakaria is incredibly insightful about what's happening in the world and how it affects us all. The writing is great. The book keeps you engaged despite covering some pretty dense material.

Book was shaped to present his view alone

Zakaria presents a lot of information, but does not always connect the dots. There is a number of areas throughout the book in which a leap of faith is required to connect the presented facts and his suggested outcome. His political analysis is spot on, as is his analysis of the motivations of other governments. However, his demographics analysis is factually correct for data to date, but he fails to extrapolate on those trends and account for it in his analysis.

Overall, I did like the book, and thought he presented a number of reasoned arguments, but was disappointed by his selective skirting of issues that might challenge his desired outcome.

To some degree, I felt like the content of the book was shaped to present his outcome alone.

Challenges your paradigm about the future

A page turner. Zakaria provides insight in connecting the past to the future and explains why the world of the future will be differsnt. He concludes with a map for continued American excellence.