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The Return of Marco Polo's World

War, Strategy, and American Interests in the Twenty-first Century

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The Return of Marco Polo's World

By: Robert D. Kaplan
Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
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About this listen

 A bracing assessment of U.S. foreign policy and world disorder over the past two decades from the bestselling author of The Revenge of Geography and The Coming Anarchy
 
“[Kaplan] has emerged not only as an eloquent defender of foreign-policy realism but as a grand strategist to whom the Pentagon turns for a tour d’horizon.”—The Wall Street Journal
 
In the late thirteenth century, Marco Polo began a decades-long trek from Venice to China along the trade route between Europe and Asia known as the Silk Road—a foundation of Kublai Khan’s sprawling empire. Now, in the early twenty-first century, the Chinese regime has proposed a land-and-maritime Silk Road that duplicates exactly the route Marco Polo traveled.
 
Drawing on decades of firsthand experience as a foreign correspondent and military embed for The Atlantic, Robert D. Kaplan outlines the timeless principles that should shape America’s role in a turbulent world that encompasses the Chinese challenge. From Kaplan’s immediate thoughts on President Trump to a frank examination of what will happen in the event of war with North Korea, these essays are a vigorous reckoning with the difficult choices the United States will face in the years ahead.

Praise for The Return of Marco Polo’s World

“Elegant and humane . . . [a] prophecy from an observer with a depressingly accurate record of predictions.”—Bret Stephens, The New York Times Book 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.)

“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)

“An astute, powerfully stated, and bracing presentation.”—Booklist
 
“This volume compiles sixteen major essays on America’s foreign policy from national security commentator Kaplan. . . . An overview of thoughtful, multilayered positions and perspectives evolving through changing circumstances.”—Publishers Weekly Americas Politics & Government United States China War Military Imperialism Russia Self-Determination Socialism Imperial Japan Soviet Union Middle East Vietnam War American Foreign Policy Iran US Army Africa Ancient History
All stars
Most relevant
Some of the parts are articles from the past. This doesn’t matter because the level of analysis is outstanding. It’s an audiobook I will be revisiting more than once.

One the best books I’ve ever read

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First off, this is not a novel - it is a collection of essays, most of which Robert D. Kaplan had written for the Atlantic magazine during the Obama years. While Kaplan’s combination of humanism and realism is refreshing, there is not much in here that couldn’t be explained in half as many words. Most of his ideas - perhaps like many good ones - are simple and could be grasped by a four year old. Even his excellent chapter on Vietnam war veterans and their heroic albeit forgotten sacrifices is bogged down by constant repetition to drive his point home. Nevertheless, I will continue to read him because of his charisma as a narrator and his fearless commentary.

Should be shorter

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Recommend avoiding at all costs. Weird that this is even published outside. Not sure what else to say.

Seemed to be utter claptrap. Could barely get through it.

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Unfortunately Robert Kaplan writes with tremendous hubris and determinism about cultures, governments, and events about which he clearly knows little. Reading this book without being equipped with knowledge to dispute it will do worse than leaving you uninformed - it will leave you misinformed.

As a military officer, the awe with which he writes about soldiers as superhuman, brave, or particularly conservative do not match up with my experience. In fact it nauseated me and made it apparent that this is what happens to societies with such a stark civ-mil divide.

Remember this quote: “the society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.” I would change that quote in light of this book: “the society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by misinformed pundits and its fighting done by fools with hero complexes.”

Deterministic, hubristic, poor

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