The New York Times Bestseller

A superb introduction to the world and global issues.Richard Haass has written something that is brief,readable, and yet comprehensive-marked throughout by his trademark intelligence and common sense. -Fareed Zakaria

An invaluable primer from Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, that will help anyone, expert and non-expert alike, navigate a time in which many of our biggest challenges come from the world beyond our borders.

We live in a global era, in which what happens thousands of miles awayoften affects our lives. Although the United States is bordered by twooceans, those oceans are not moats. And the so-called Vegas rule-whathappens there stays there-does not apply. Globalization can be bothgood and bad, but it is not something that individuals or countries canopt out of. The choice we face is how to respond.

The World focuses on history, what makes each region of the worldtick, the many challenges globalization presents, and the most influentialcountries, events, and ideas, to provide readers with the background theyneed to make sense of this complicated and interconnected world.