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GA

Geopolitics and international relations

Politics and government

Books on great-power rivalry, war and security, intelligence, sanctions, nuclear risk, cyber conflict and the technology race between states.

73 books on Geopolitics and international relations, 5 of them tier 1, recommended by 33 people including Patrick Collison and Mohnish Pabrai.

73 books · 39 experts

Start here

  1. The Economic Consequences of the PeaceJohn Maynard Keynes, 1919
  2. The Strategy of ConflictThomas C. Schelling, 1960
  3. Why America Is Not a New RomeVaclav Smil, 2010
  4. Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American PowerSteve Coll, 2012
  5. The New MapDaniel Yergin, 2020

The best books on Geopolitics and international relations 73

The Economic Consequences of the PeaceThe Economic Consequences of the Peace
T1 The Economic Consequences of the Peace
John Maynard Keynes · 1919
Written before the fact by a Treasury insider; the reparations arithmetic that set up the collapse.
Open Library
The Strategy of ConflictThe Strategy of Conflict
T1 The Strategy of Conflict
Thomas C. Schelling · 1960
Commitment, threats and bargaining; the founding text of strategic conflict
Open Library
Recommended byNaval Ravikant
Why America Is Not a New RomeWhy America Is Not a New Rome
T1 Why America Is Not a New Rome
Vaclav Smil · 2010
Open Library
Recommended byBill GatesMohnish Pabrai
Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American PowePrivate Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power
T1 Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power
Steve Coll · 2012
The definitive account of the company as a quasi-sovereign actor.
Open Library
The New MapThe New Map
T1 The New Map
Daniel Yergin · 2020
Energy transition and geopolitics; the demand risk facing an integrated major.
Open Library
KissingerKissinger
T2 Kissinger
Walter Isaacson · 1992
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew WilkinsonScott Belsky
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
T2 The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
Samuel P. Huntington · 1996
Cultural blocs as the organising frame of post-Cold War conflict
Open Library
“Huntington's civilizational framework is one Dalio has cited as useful for thinking about the current world order — not as prediction but as a way to map the fault lines along which great-power competition tends to run.”Ray Dalio
Recommended byMohnish PabraiPatrick CollisonStewart BrandJamie DimonRay Dalio
Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British WEmpire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power
T2 Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order and the Lessons for Global Power
Niall Ferguson · 2003
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master's Insights on
T2 Lee Kuan Yew: The Grand Master's Insights on China, the United States, and the World
Graham Allison, Robert D. Blackwill, Ali Wyne · 2013
Lee's own strategic judgements, edited into a short reference.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiShane Parrish
Treasury's War
T2 Treasury's War
Juan Zarate · 2013
Insider account of the financial-warfare machinery that isolates Iranian banks.
Open Library
World OrderWorld Order
T2 World Order
Henry Kissinger · 2014
Competing regional conceptions of legitimate order and the balance of power
Open Library
“Kissinger's account of the Westphalian system and its modern fractures informs Dalio's geopolitical framing. He has discussed Kissinger's view that great-power stability requires shared legitimacy, not just balance of force, as directly relevant to the current moment.”Ray Dalio
Recommended byMohnish PabraiMark ZuckerbergRay Dalio
The Art of SanctionsThe Art of Sanctions
T2 The Art of Sanctions
Richard Nephew · 2017
Insider account by the US official who designed the Iran sanctions programme.
Open Library
Chip WarChip War
T2 Chip War
Chris Miller · 2022
Intel's rise and manufacturing decline inside the global chip contest.
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Wilkinson
The Coming WaveThe Coming Wave
T2 The Coming Wave
Mustafa Suleyman, Michael Bhaskar · 2023
DeepMind co-founder on containment; the rival lab's view.
Open Library
“Everything is about to be changed by AI in a radical, scary way”Andrew Wilkinson
Recommended byAndrew WilkinsonBill GatesThe Barefoot Investor
Underground EmpireUnderground Empire
T2 Underground Empire
Henry Farrell, Abraham Newman · 2023
How trade and payment chokepoints became instruments of state coercion.
Open Library
Struggle for TaiwanStruggle for Taiwan
T2 Struggle for Taiwan
Sulmaan Wasif Khan · 2024
Current account of the cross-strait risk that prices every Taiwanese asset.
Open Library
Chokepoints
T2 Chokepoints
Edward Fishman · 2025
Sanctions and export controls as the force actually moving supply chains.
Open Library
The Technological Republic
T2 The Technological Republic
Alexander C. Karp, Nicholas W. Zamiska · 2025
Insider manifesto by Palantir's CEO on tech and national power.
Open Library
The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World TheyThe Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made
T2 The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made
Evan Thomas, Walter Isaacson
unverified
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The Pentagon WarsThe Pentagon Wars
T3 The Pentagon Wars
James G. Burton · 1993
Insider account of the Bradley programme and operational testing.
Open Library
Silicon ShieldSilicon Shield
T3 Silicon Shield
Craig Addison · 2001
Early statement of the argument that chip supply deters invasion.
Open Library
Prophets of WarProphets of War
T3 Prophets of War
William D. Hartung · 2010
Lockheed Martin as a case study in the contractor-state relationship.
Open Library
Currency WarsCurrency Wars
T3 Currency Wars
James Rickards · 2011
Popular account of competitive devaluation as policy.
Open Library
The Elements of PowerThe Elements of Power
T3 The Elements of Power
David S. Abraham · 2015
How minor metals are mined, traded and hoarded.
Open Library
The Seventh SenseThe Seventh Sense
T3 The Seventh Sense
Joshua Cooper Ramo · 2016
Power in a networked age; connection as the source of advantage
Open Library
Recommended byReid Hoffman
The Rare Metals WarThe Rare Metals War
T3 The Rare Metals War
Guillaume Pitron · 2020
Rare earths, Chinese supply control and the cost of the green transition.
Open Library
Volt Rush
T3 Volt Rush
Henry Sanderson · 2022
Lithium, cobalt and nickel supply chains behind the EV build-out.
Open Library
Unit XUnit X
T3 Unit X
Raj M. Shah, Christopher Kirchhoff · 2024
Insiders on Pentagon-Valley contracting where Palantir won; Open Library unreachable.
Open Library
Perception and Misperception in InternationaPerception and Misperception in International Politics
T4 Perception and Misperception in International Politics
Robert Jervis · 1976
Open Library
Recommended byBill Gates
Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for DeThinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision-Makers
T4 Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision-Makers
Richard E. Neustadt · 1986
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick CollisonStewart Brand
The Rise and Fall of the Great PowersThe Rise and Fall of the Great Powers
T4 The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers
Paul Kennedy · 1987
Military spending measured against the economy that has to carry it.
Open Library
“The River Out of Eden by Richard Dawkins, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers by Paul Kennedy”Ray Dalio
Recommended byRay DalioMichael Wong
Trading Places: How We Are Giving Our FutureTrading Places: How We Are Giving Our Future to Japan and How to Reclaim It
T4 Trading Places: How We Are Giving Our Future to Japan and How to Reclaim It
Clyde V. Prestowitz · 1988
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
No One a Neutral: Political Hostage-Taking i
T4 No One a Neutral: Political Hostage-Taking in the Modern World
Norman Antokol · 1990
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Give War a ChanceGive War a Chance
T4 Give War a Chance
P.J. O'Rourke · 1992
Open Library
Recommended byEric Weinstein
All The Trouble In the WorldAll The Trouble In the World
T4 All The Trouble In the World
P.J. O’Rourke · 1994
Open Library
Recommended byTucker Max
The Closed World: Computers and the PoliticsThe Closed World: Computers and the Politics of Discourse in Cold War America (Inside Technology)
T4 The Closed World: Computers and the Politics of Discourse in Cold War America (Inside Technology)
Paul N. Edwards · 1996
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Psychology of Intelligence AnalysisPsychology of Intelligence Analysis
T4 Psychology of Intelligence Analysis
Richard J. Heuer · 1999
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The Bubble of American SupremacyThe Bubble of American Supremacy
T4 The Bubble of American Supremacy
George Soros · 2003
Open Library
Nuclear TerrorismNuclear Terrorism
T4 Nuclear Terrorism
Graham Allison · 2004
Open Library
Recommended byWarren Buffett
Brave New WarBrave New War
T4 Brave New War
John Robb · 2007
Open Library
Recommended byRyan Holiday
America Between the Wars: From 11/9 to 9/11;America Between the Wars: From 11/9 to 9/11; The Misunderstood Years Between the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the Start of the War on Terror
T4 America Between the Wars: From 11/9 to 9/11; The Misunderstood Years Between the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the Start of the War on Terror
Derek H. Chollet · 2008
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
The Next 100 YearsThe Next 100 Years
T4 The Next 100 Years
George Friedman · 2008
Open Library
Recommended bySophie Bakalar
The Post-American WorldThe Post-American World
T4 The Post-American World
Fareed Zakaria · 2008
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiNat EliasonBill Gates
War NerdWar Nerd
T4 War Nerd
Gary Brecher · 2008
Open Library
Recommended byNaval Ravikant
The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New WorlThe Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us And What We Can Do About It
T4 The Age of the Unthinkable: Why the New World Disorder Constantly Surprises Us And What We Can Do About It
Joshua Cooper Ramo · 2009
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Inside WikiLeaksInside WikiLeaks
T4 Inside WikiLeaks
Daniel Domscheit-Berg · 2011
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
The Net DelusionThe Net Delusion
T4 The Net Delusion
Evgeny Morozov · 2011
Open Library
Recommended byRyan Holiday
Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the ICypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet
T4 Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet
Julian Assange · 2012
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
"A Problem from Hell": America and the Age o"A Problem from Hell": America and the Age of Genocide
T4 "A Problem from Hell": America and the Age of Genocide
Samantha Power · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Branding Terror: The Logotypes and IconograpBranding Terror: The Logotypes and Iconography of Insurgent Groups and Terrorist Organizations
T4 Branding Terror: The Logotypes and Iconography of Insurgent Groups and Terrorist Organizations
Artur Beifuss · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Ever the DiplomatEver the Diplomat
T4 Ever the Diplomat
Sherard Cowper-Coles · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Accidental Superpower: The Next GeneratiThe Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder
T4 The Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder
Peter Zeihan · 2014
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Kissinger: 1923-1968: The IdealistKissinger: 1923-1968: The Idealist
T4 Kissinger: 1923-1968: The Idealist
Niall Ferguson · 2015
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
The Hundred-Year MarathonThe Hundred-Year Marathon
T4 The Hundred-Year Marathon
Michael Pillsbury · 2015
Open Library
Recommended byAlfred Lin
This Brave New WorldThis Brave New World
T4 This Brave New World
Anja Manuel · 2016
Open Library
Recommended byReid Hoffman
Destined for WarDestined for War
T4 Destined for War
Graham Allison · 2017
Open Library
Recommended byBill GatesDavid SacksRay Dalio
Invisible CountriesInvisible Countries
T4 Invisible Countries
Joshua Keating · 2018
Open Library
Recommended byBalaji S. Srinivasan
The Jungle Grows Back
T4 The Jungle Grows Back
Robert Kagan · 2018
Open Library
Recommended byVinod Khosla
The Perfect WeaponThe Perfect Weapon
T4 The Perfect Weapon
David E. Sanger · 2018
Open Library
Recommended byBill Gates
Permanent RecordPermanent Record
T4 Permanent Record
Edward Snowden · 2019
Open Library
Recommended byAlexis OhanianKara Swisher
The Future Is AsianThe Future Is Asian
T4 The Future Is Asian
Parag Khanna · 2019
Open Library
Recommended byBalaji S. Srinivasan
UpheavalUpheaval
T4 Upheaval
Jared Diamond · 2019
Open Library
Recommended byBill Gates
The Wires of WarThe Wires of War
T4 The Wires of War
Jacob Helberg · 2021
Open Library
Recommended byAnthony PomplianoKeith Rabois
This Is How They Tell Me the World EndsThis Is How They Tell Me the World Ends
T4 This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends
Nicole Perlroth · 2021
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Wilkinson
The End of the World Is Just the BeginningThe End of the World Is Just the Beginning
T4 The End of the World Is Just the Beginning
Peter Zeihan · 2022
The strongest form of the argument that the trading order is ending.
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Wilkinson
Nuclear WarNuclear War
T4 Nuclear War
Annie Jacobsen · 2024
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Wilkinson
Chasing the Flame: One Man's Fight to Save tChasing the Flame: One Man's Fight to Save the World
T4 Chasing the Flame: One Man's Fight to Save the World
unverified
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Deceiving the Sky: Inside Communist China's Deceiving the Sky: Inside Communist China's Drive for Global Supremacy
T4 Deceiving the Sky: Inside Communist China's Drive for Global Supremacy
unverified
Recommended byMatt Mullenweg
Ghost Wars
T4 Ghost Wars
Steve Coll
unverified
Recommended bySimon Sinek
InterventionsInterventions
T4 Interventions
Kofi Annan
unverified
Recommended byBill Gates
Public Choice Theory and the Illusion of Gra
T4 Public Choice Theory and the Illusion of Grand Strategy
Richard Hanania
unverified
Recommended byMarc Andreessen
Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time
T4 Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time
Carroll Quigley
unverified
Recommended byPatrick O'Shaughnessy
WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on SeWikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy
T4 WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy
unverified
Recommended byPatrick Collison

Experts 39

The people who wrote this page's books, and the people who recommend them.

Authors 6

Niall Fergusonwrote 2 books hereWalter Isaacsonwrote 2 books hereDaniel Yerginwrote 1 book hereGeorge Soroswrote 1 book hereVaclav Smilwrote 1 book hereHenry Kissingerwrote 1 book here

Recommenders 33

Patrick Collisonrecommends 13 books here
MP
Mohnish Pabrairecommends 10 books hereBill Gatesrecommends 8 books here
AW
Andrew Wilkinsonrecommends 6 books hereRay Daliorecommends 4 books hereReid Hoffmanrecommends 2 books hereRyan Holidayrecommends 2 books here
BS
Balaji S. Srinivasanrecommends 2 books hereNaval Ravikantrecommends 2 books hereStewart Brandrecommends 2 books hereMarc Andreessenrecommends 1 book herePaul Grahamrecommends 1 book here
Show all 33
Warren Buffettrecommends 1 book here
SP
Shane Parrishrecommends 1 book hereSimon Sinekrecommends 1 book hereAlexis Ohanianrecommends 1 book hereAlfred Linrecommends 1 book here
AP
Anthony Pomplianorecommends 1 book hereDavid Sacksrecommends 1 book hereEric Weinsteinrecommends 1 book hereJamie Dimonrecommends 1 book hereKara Swisherrecommends 1 book hereKeith Raboisrecommends 1 book hereMark Zuckerbergrecommends 1 book hereMatt Mullenwegrecommends 1 book here
MW
Michael Wongrecommends 1 book here
NE
Nat Eliasonrecommends 1 book here
PO
Patrick O'Shaughnessyrecommends 1 book hereScott Belskyrecommends 1 book here
SB
Sophie Bakalarrecommends 1 book here
BI
The Barefoot Investorrecommends 1 book hereTucker Maxrecommends 1 book hereVinod Khoslarecommends 1 book here
See all 39 in the Experts tab →

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