Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation Paperback - 2009
by Strobe Talbott
Acclaimed journalist Talbott tells the story of humankinds struggle to band together for protection and profit--and the urgent need for a new birth of American leadership to meet the looming threats of terror, climate change, and nuclear catastrophe.
Summary
This dramatic narrative of breathtaking scope and riveting focus puts the "story" back into history. It is the saga of how the most ambitious of big ideas -- that a world made up of many nations can govern itself peacefully -- has played out over the millennia. Humankind's "Great Experiment" goes back to the most ancient of days -- literally to the Garden of Eden -- and into the present, with an eye to the future.
Strobe Talbott looks back to the consolidation of tribes into nations -- starting with Israel -- and the absorption of those nations into the empires of Hammurabi, the Pharaohs, Alexander, the Caesars, Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, the Ottomans, and the Hapsburgs, through incessant wars of territory and religion, to modern alliances and the global conflagrations of the twentieth century.
He traces the breakthroughs and breakdowns of peace along the way: the Pax Romana, the Treaty of Westphalia, the Concert of Europe, the false start of the League of Nations, the creation of the flawed but indispensable United Nations, the effort to build a "new world order" after the cold war, and America's unique role in modern history as "the master builder" of the international system.
Offering an insider's view of how the world is governed today, Talbott interweaves through this epic tale personal insights and experiences and takes us with him behind the scenes and into the presence of world leaders as they square off or cut deals with each other. As an acclaimed journalist, he covered the standoff between the superpowers for more than two decades; as a high-level diplomat, he was in the thick of tumultuous events in the 1990s, when the bipolar equilibrium gave way to chaos in the Balkans, the emergence of a new breed of international terrorist, and America's assertiveness during its "unipolar moment" -- which he sees as the latest, but not the last, stage in the Great Experiment.
Talbott concludes with a trenchant critique of the worldview and policies of George W. Bush, whose presidency he calls a "consequential aberration" in the history of American foreign policy. Then, looking beyond the morass in Iraq and the battle for the White House, he argues that the United States can regain the trust of the world by leading the effort to avert the perils of climate change and nuclear catastrophe.
Strobe Talbott looks back to the consolidation of tribes into nations -- starting with Israel -- and the absorption of those nations into the empires of Hammurabi, the Pharaohs, Alexander, the Caesars, Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, the Ottomans, and the Hapsburgs, through incessant wars of territory and religion, to modern alliances and the global conflagrations of the twentieth century.
He traces the breakthroughs and breakdowns of peace along the way: the Pax Romana, the Treaty of Westphalia, the Concert of Europe, the false start of the League of Nations, the creation of the flawed but indispensable United Nations, the effort to build a "new world order" after the cold war, and America's unique role in modern history as "the master builder" of the international system.
Offering an insider's view of how the world is governed today, Talbott interweaves through this epic tale personal insights and experiences and takes us with him behind the scenes and into the presence of world leaders as they square off or cut deals with each other. As an acclaimed journalist, he covered the standoff between the superpowers for more than two decades; as a high-level diplomat, he was in the thick of tumultuous events in the 1990s, when the bipolar equilibrium gave way to chaos in the Balkans, the emergence of a new breed of international terrorist, and America's assertiveness during its "unipolar moment" -- which he sees as the latest, but not the last, stage in the Great Experiment.
Talbott concludes with a trenchant critique of the worldview and policies of George W. Bush, whose presidency he calls a "consequential aberration" in the history of American foreign policy. Then, looking beyond the morass in Iraq and the battle for the White House, he argues that the United States can regain the trust of the world by leading the effort to avert the perils of climate change and nuclear catastrophe.
Details
- Title The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
- Author Strobe Talbott
- Binding Paperback
- Pages 512
- Volumes 1
- Language ENG
- Publisher Simon & Schuster, New York
- Date 2009-03-01
- Illustrated Yes
- ISBN 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Weight 1.55 lbs (0.70 kg)
- Dimensions 9 x 6 x 1.3 in (22.86 x 15.24 x 3.30 cm)
-
Themes
- Chronological Period: Ancient (To 499 A.D.)
- Cultural Region: Middle Eastern
- Cultural Region: North Africa
- Library of Congress subjects Imperialism - History, International organization - History
- Library of Congress Catalog Number 2009455643
- Dewey Decimal Code 320.1
Media reviews
"Americans should read this narrative -- part history, part memoir -- and hope for a day when its author will once again be in a position to help restore his country's fortunes."
-- Tony Judt, author of Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945
Citations
- New York Times Book Review, 04/19/2009, Page 24
More Copies for Sale
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Strobe Talbott
- Used
- very good
- Paperback
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Syracuse, New York, United States
- Item Price
-
$5.00$6.00 shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster, March 2009. Trade Paperback. Very Good/None. 1.42 x 9.06 x 6.06 Inches; 512 pages
Item Price
$5.00
$6.00
shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment : The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Talbott, Strobe
- Used
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
- Item Price
-
$6.88FREE shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
$6.88
FREE shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment : The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Talbott, Strobe
- Used
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
- Item Price
-
$7.24FREE shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster. Used - Very Good. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects.
Item Price
$7.24
FREE shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment : The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Talbott, Strobe
- Used
- Condition
- Used - Like New
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
- Item Price
-
$7.74FREE shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster. Used - Like New. Used book that is in almost brand-new condition.
Item Price
$7.74
FREE shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment : The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Talbott, Strobe
- Used
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Dunfermline, Fife, United Kingdom
- Item Price
-
$7.97$10.00 shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster. Used - Very Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects.
Item Price
$7.97
$10.00
shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Talbott, Strobe
- Used
- very good
- Paperback
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Nashua, New Hampshire, United States
- Item Price
-
$7.98$3.50 shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster, 2009-03-16. paperback. Very Good. 6x1x9. Great used condition. A portion of your purchase of this book will be donated to non-profit organizations.Over 1,000,000 satisfied customers since 1997! Choose expedited shipping (if available) for much faster delivery. Delivery confirmation on all US orders.
Item Price
$7.98
$3.50
shipping to USA
The Great Experiment : The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Strobe Talbott
- Used
- good
- Paperback
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 2
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, United States
- Item Price
-
$7.98FREE shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster, 2009. Paperback. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$7.98
FREE shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Strobe Talbott
- Used
- good
- Paperback
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
HOUSTON, Texas, United States
- Item Price
-
$10.37FREE shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Simon & Schuster, 2009-03-17. Paperback. Good.
Item Price
$10.37
FREE shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Talbott, Strobe
- Used
- Fine
- Paperback
- first
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Durham, New Hampshire, United States
- Item Price
-
$12.88$4.50 shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Fine. NEAR FLAWLESS FIRST PRINTING LOOKS NEW, UNREAD. EXCELLENT COVER IS WHOLE WITH GOOD COLORS, NO SUN FADING OR STICKERS, AND MINIMAL FLAWS. NO NAMES OR MARKS AND SUITABLE FOR GIFTING. NOT EX-LIB. SEE PHOTOS IF AVAILABLE. 8180 OB 01.
Item Price
$12.88
$4.50
shipping to USA
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
The Great Experiment: The Story of Ancient Empires, Modern States, and the Quest for a Global Nation
by Talbott, Strobe
- New
- Condition
- New
- ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
- 9780743294096 / 0743294092
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
LONG BEACH, California, United States
- Item Price
-
$13.20$3.99 shipping to USA
Show Details
Description:
New. Spend Less, Read More.
Item Price
$13.20
$3.99
shipping to USA