Audiobooks by Francis J. Gavin

Thinking Historically: A Guide to Statecraft and Strategy

"It seems obvious that we should use history to improve policy. If we have a good understanding of the past, it should enable better decisions in the present, especially in the extraordinarily consequential worlds of statecraft and strategy. But how do we gain that knowledge? How should history be used? Sadly, it is rarely done well, and historians and decision-makers seldom interact. But in this remarkable book, Francis J. Gavin explains the many ways historical knowledge can help us understand and navigate the complex, often confusing world around us. Good historical work convincingly captures the challenges and complexities the decisionmaker faces. At its most useful, history is less a narrowly defined field of study than a practice, a mental awareness, a discernment, and a responsiveness to the past and how it unfolded into our present world—a discipline in the best sense of the word. Gavin demonstrates how a historical sensibility helps us to appreciate the unexpected; complicates our assumptions; makes the unfamiliar familiar and the familiar unfamiliar; and requires us, without entirely suspending moral judgment, to try to understand others on their own terms. This book is a powerful argument for thinking historically as a way for listeners to apply wisdom in encountering what is foreign to them."

Francis J. Gavin (Author), Kevin Meyer (Narrator)

Audiobook

Wonder and Worry: Contemporary History in an Age of Uncertainty

"The current global order appears to be collapsing. Long forgotten challenges, such as the return of great power competition and the specter of nuclear war, demand fresh attention, while novel, complex, and menacing planetary crises ranging from climate and disease to emerging technology loom. Meanwhile, the United States—the most consequential nation in the international system, behaves erratically and seems willing to abandon its decades-long strategy of building strong alliances, countering authoritarianism and supporting openness. How should we understand these unsettling trends? Wonder and Worry offers Francis J. Gavin’s best insights on the pressing, fundamental questions we face. Gavin’s answers are nuanced, counterintuitive, and often surprisingly optimistic in this incisive and accessible contemporary history for our uncertain age. Francis J. Gavin is Giovanni Agnelli Distinguished Professor and Director of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D C."

Francis J. Gavin (Author), Leighton Pugh (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Market: Money, States, and Ideas for a Free World

"From the Roman market to digital currencies – how has the market evolved, and what might its future hold? This anthology explores the development of markets and their critical role in shaping the modern world, while also addressing how we might navigate a sustainable future. In thought-provoking essays by international researchers, political leaders, and experts, the market is examined across three phases: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. From ancient Greece to medieval Europe, through technological change, consumer trends and geopolitical shifts like Reagan-era policies, this anthology traces how markets have taken shape – concluding with the challenges posed by authoritarianism and AI."

Adrian Woolridge, Ali Ansari, Alina Polyakova, Caroline Burt, Charlie Laderman, David Abulafia, David Butterfield, David Wootton, Edward Chancellor, Francis J. Gavin, Iain Martin, Ian Leslie, Jade McGlynn, Kwasi Kwarteng, Linda Yueh, Magnus Henrekson, Marie Kawthar Daouda, Mario Pisani, Mary Bridges, Mick Ryan, Nicklas Berild Lundblad, Paul Tucker, Richard Bratby, Rickard Westerberg, Sergey Radchenko, Shashank Joshi, Ulrike Franke, William Inboden (Author), Alister Austin (Narrator)

Audiobook

[Swedish] - Ledarskap och statskonst: Studier i makt

"Machiavellis observation om ledarskapets svåra balansgång är lika relevant i vår tid, som den en gång var i 1500-talets Florens. Kinas framväxt, Rysslands attack mot Ukraina och den växande politiska och ekonomiska närvaron i den globala södern har aktualiserat frågan om vikten av kompetent ledarskap inom politiskt styre. Denna ljudbok utforskar utmaningarna för ledarskap och statskonst i en allt mer komplex värld och ställer frågan huruvida vi kan skapa politiska eliter som är kapabla att på ett säkert vis vägleda väst genom de många prövningar vi står inför. Genom att se till vårt förflutna såväl som till vår samtid undersöker världsledande forskare och skribenter hur ledarskapsidéer har utvecklats genom historien för att ge oss en större förståelse för statskonsten och för vilka färdigheter och organisationer som krävs för att driva små stater, stora imperier och allt däremellan."

Alexander Lee, Ali Ansari, Alina Polyakova, Andreas Rödder, Anna Wieslander, Benedetta Berti, Charles Moore, Claire Coutinho, Daisy Dunn, David Butterfield, Edward Stringer, Elisabeth Braw, Francis J. Gavin, Fredrik Logevall, Gudrun Persson, Henrik Meinander, Iskander Rehman, J. C. D. Clark, James Marriott, John Bew, Julian Jackson, Katja Hoyer, Kenneth Payne, Kentaro Fujimoto, Kori Schake, Kristin Ven Bruusgaard, Lucy Ward, Michael Scott, Munira Mirza, Nathan Shachar, Philip Zelikow, Rory Medcalf, Sergey Radchenko (Author), Per Runhammar (Narrator)

Audiobook

COVID-19 and World Order: The Future of Conflict, Competition, and Cooperation

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has killed hundreds of thousands of people and infected millions while also devastating the world economy. The consequences of the pandemic, however, go much further: they threaten the fabric of national and international politics around the world. As Henry Kissinger warned, 'The coronavirus epidemic will forever alter the world order.' What will be the consequences of the pandemic, and what will a post-COVID world order look like? No institution is better suited to address these issues than Johns Hopkins University, which has convened experts from within and outside of the university to discuss world order after COVID-19. In a series of essays, international experts in public health and medicine, economics, international security, technology, ethics, democracy, and governance imagine a bold new vision for our future. THIS AUDIOBOOK MAY INCLUDE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. INFORMATION RELATED TO COVID-19 CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. AUDIOBOOKS.COM ENCOURAGES YOU TO SEEK UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FROM YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH UNIT."

Francis J. Gavin, Hal Brands (Author), Mike Lenz (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks by Francis J. Gavin

Join Our Community