World on the Brink - by Dmitri Alperovitch & Garrett M Graff (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Over the past few decades, China has climbed the ranks of the global powers with staggering speed. Its vast economy and growing regional aggression make it a threat to supersede the United States as the world's dominant power. But this outcome is far from inevitable. Like neighboring Russia-which harbors global ambitions of its own-right now China is at a turning point. Whereas international sanctions and a turn away from fossil fuels are steadily smothering Russia, China's downfall will be its shrinking population. Its chance to achieve global hegemony will soon disappear, making its quest for power both less certain and more dangerous. In World on the Brink, security expert Dmitri Alperovitch breaks down not only the significant weaknesses that have so far prevented China from surpassing the United States, but also the key strategies that will enable the U. S. to maintain primacy even as China ramps up its efforts. Cultivating crucial alliances, fostering domestic innovation in emerging tech fields, and stabilizing international relations with adversarial nations are all vital components to building a robust strategy in anticipation of a new cold war that seems more likely every day. As Alperovitch explains, we must play to our strengths and address our weaknesses, using our leverage as the strongest nation on the planet to tactfully navigate the next cold war. This sharp, timely book is the essential blueprint for doing just that"--

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

The leading national security expert who predicted Putin's intention to invade Ukraine argues that China's Xi Jinping is preparing to conquer Taiwan in the coming years--with dire stakes for America and the world if he is not deterred

We are fully in the midst of Cold War II, this time with China. Taiwan is a new West Berlin, a perilous strategic flashpoint where localized events could trigger a devastating war between nuclear powers.

But this outcome is far from inevitable. Laying out the grand strategy for the United States and allies to avoid this fate, the highly respected security analyst Dmitri Alperovitch reveals key actions that could enable America to win the race for the twenty-first century. This sharp, timely book is the essential blueprint for preventing a catastrophe.

Review Quotes

"The Washington consensus is that China represents the pre-eminent threat to America. This jargon-light book neatly sketches the China challenge and makes a number of sensible prescriptions."--Economist

"A breezy and mercifully jargon-light book and an excellent source for the layman. Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a think-tank in Washington, and Garrett Graff, a journalist, neatly sketch the relevant history and current predicament, quote intelligently from a range of top 'China hands' and suggest a number of prescriptions... This book's biggest contribution is that it also proposes a single goal for American policy, which is deceptively simple: America should just play for time."
--Economist

An Economist Best Book of 2024

"World on the Brink serves as an alarm bell. It successfully highlights aspects of Sino-American competition that have long been overlooked by policymakers -- for example, the significance of rare earth metals and critical minerals. Better still, it does so engagingly, which is no mean feat given the technical and hypothetical and jargon-laden way these discussions usually are written about."--Washington Examiner

"An important book that stands apart from much of the current writing (and posturing) on China by its lack of hype, a clear exploration of the challenge China poses, and practical and well considered policy options... In the upcoming election, regardless of who wins, there will be changes (perhaps wholesale) in the national security team and whoever those people are - they would do well to spend time reading this book."
--Cipher Brief

"A thorough investigation of 'America's top foreign policy challenge'...Deeply insightful advice for the coming decades."--Kirkus Reviews

"World on the Brink is a clear-eyed analysis of Cold War II and a game plan for winning it. Provocative and insightful, this is essential reading for understanding the American-made world order and the threats it faces."

--CHRIS MILLER, New York Times-bestselling author of Chip War

"An urgent, thought-provoking warning about one of the biggest challenges facing America today. A must-read on the most important issue in the world!"

--GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS, US Army (ret.), former director of the CIA

"Deeply researched and provocative, this is a powerful call to arms for Washington's policy makers and a must-read for anyone watching global affairs, the twenty-first-century tech sector, and international business."

--GILLIAN TETT, columnist and editorial board, Financial Times

"The stakes of Cold War II could not be greater. Alperovitch, one of our nation's foremost experts on technology and national security, has skillfully crafted a game plan for freedom to once again be the victor. This is a book that needs to be read by all Americans."

--REP. MIKE GALLAGHER, chairman, Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party

"This is the first book to read if you want to understand the geopolitical landscape, what choices must be made, and how that will impact all of us."

--JAMES LITINSKY, founder, chairman, and CEO of MP Materials

About the Author

Dmitri Alperovitch is a cofounder and chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, a national security think tank. He is also the cofounder of CrowdStrike, one of the world's largest cybersecurity companies. He has been named in Foreign Policy's Top 100 Leading Global Thinkers and MIT Technology Review's Top 35 Innovators Under 35. Alperovitch serves on the Department of Homeland Security's Advisory Council and has previously served as a special advisor to the Department of Defense. He is the host of the Geopolitics Decanted podcast.

Garrett M. Graff is the New York Times-bestselling author of several books on politics and national security, including The Only Plane in the Sky, Watergate, and UFO. The former editor of Politico and a current contributor to Wired and CNN, Graff also serves as the founding director of the Aspen Institute's cybersecurity program.