The AI-Powered Reader

E33 “War and Punishment” by Михаил Зыгарь

The author brings significant authority to this subject. Mikhail Zygar is a prominent opposition Russian political journalist who co-founded TV Rain, the country's only independent news channel, and wrote the acclaimed book All the Kremlin’s Men. His extensive experience includes reporting from Ukraine since 2004, providing firsthand knowledge of the country's political evolution. Following the 2022 invasion, Zygar wrote an open letter condemning the war—an act signed by tens of thousands of Russian citizens that ultimately forced him to flee his home country.

E32 “This Is Not a New World Order” by Sven Biscop

This report establishes the strategic framework for the pre-production of Professor Sven Biscop's This Is Not a New World Order. Our primary objective is to distill its complex analysis into a core value proposition that will drive all content, marketing, and positioning. The book’s central argument is that the world is not entering a new chaotic era but is operating within a multipolar system that many in Europe, long insulated from raw power politics, are only now beginning to understand. Using the Russian invasion of Ukraine as its primary case study, the book eschews the alarmism common in contemporary analysis, arguing that treating every crisis as an unprecedented "turning point" is the very antithesis of sound strategic thinking. It seeks to answer two fundamental questions: What would it actually mean for the EU to think geopolitically? and, at the core of any grand strategy, Which role is the EU playing on the world stage? The book delivers a pragmatic, accessible analysis targeting policymakers, diplomats, military officials, and students of international relations seeking a clear-eyed assessment of great power politics from a European perspective. Authored by the director of the Europe in the World programme at the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels, a professor at Ghent University, and a lecturer for senior EU diplomats and military officials, the work carries unimpeachable authority. Positioning this work effectively begins with defining the keywords and themes that serve as the foundation of its message and market presence.

E31 “The Russo-Ukrainian War The Return of History” by Serhii Plokhy

Serhii Plokhy’s The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History presents the full-scale 2022 invasion not as an isolated event, but as the violent culmination of a conflict initiated in 2014. The book’s fundamental argument frames the war as an old-fashioned imperial conflict, driven by Russia's deep-seated historical ambitions, against which Ukraine is fighting a definitive war of independence. Plokhy’s work is aimed at an audience seeking a longue durée historical perspective to understand the conflict's origins far beyond contemporary headlines. The author poses the book's central questions directly: "What made such a war of aggression possible? What made the Ukrainians resist as they did...? Finally, what will be the most important consequences of the war for Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and the world?" As a Harvard historian of Ukrainian origin, Plokhy is a preeminent authority on the subject. His analysis provides an indispensable framework for policymakers, journalists, and strategists, dismantling the Kremlin's historical justifications and offering the definitive long-view needed to navigate the geopolitical fallout of this conflict, which he terms "the return of history" to Europe.

E30 “The Middle East A Political History from 395 to the Present” by Jean-Pierre Filiu

Jean-Pierre Filiu's The Middle East: A political history from 395 to the present offers a sweeping re-examination of the region's evolution. Its central premise is to provide a "secular history" that counters the dominant "sacred narratives," whether religious, colonial, or nationalist. This approach is not merely an alternative account but a necessary intellectual intervention. By challenging these frameworks, Filiu actively dismantles the ideological justifications that perpetuate conflict analysis based on immutable religious or cultural divides, arguing instead against the fatalistic view of the Middle East as a region "inevitably doomed to war." The book is aimed at educated readers seeking a structured, nuanced understanding of the Middle East's political trajectory, free from deterministic frameworks. It addresses foundational questions, such as why this history begins in 395 and how power has historically shifted between the core poles of Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. Crucially, Filiu's secular method is the very tool used to strip away the "sacred" justifications (colonial, nationalist) that have historically legitimized the "persistent denial of the right to self-determination"—the central driver of modern crises. These are the fundamental questions addressed by Jean-Pierre Filiu, an established authority whose previous acclaimed works, including Apocalypse in Islam and Gaza, a history, lend significant weight to this ambitious project.

E29 “Erdoğan's War” by Gönül Tol

Gönül Tol’s Erdoğan's War presents a compelling and timely analysis of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, arguing that his political maneuvers are driven not by rigid ideological commitment but by a populist’s instinct for survival. The book’s core premise is that Erdoğan is a political chameleon with an uncanny sense for power, using ideologies like Islamism and nationalism as instruments to consolidate power. Using the catastrophic Syrian war as its primary lens, the book meticulously traces Erdoğan’s slide into authoritarianism. It addresses critical questions: How did the conflict in Syria become a pivotal tool in Erdoğan's domestic power struggles? How did his calculated shifts—from a "conservative democrat" to an Islamist and, finally, a Turkish nationalist—redefine Turkey's foreign policy and its direct role in Syria? As a leading scholar at the Middle East Institute's Center for Turkish Studies, Tol brings exceptional authority to the subject. Her work is endorsed by leading experts, with David Ignatius of The Washington Post affirming that "no one tells it better." Former U.S. Special Envoy Frederic C. Hof describes the book as an essential "must-read," making it an indispensable guide for understanding not only contemporary Turkey but also the broader dynamics of strongman politics on the world stage.