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  • Book Review: The Spy and the Devil by Tim Willasey-Wilsey

    October 20, 2025 8:17 AM | Anonymous

    The Spy and the Devil: The untold story of the MI6 agent who penetrated Hitler’s inner circle
    by Tim Willasey-Wilsey
    May 8, 2025
    Publisher: Blink Publishing
    The Spy and the Devil
    by Tim Willasey-Wilsey
     
    This is the forgotten tale of MI6's top spy in Nazi Germany and his bid to stop the Second World War. In the world of espionage, where the accounts of renowned spies often dominate the narrative, this is a rare gem - an untold story of a completely unknown spy.

    Baron William de Ropp, a Baltic German aristocrat, wasn't just any ordinary spy; he was MI6's top-secret agent in Nazi Germany from 1931 to 1939, managing to escape Berlin just before war broke out. This unsung hero had direct access to Adolf Hitler and an inside track on the Nazi regime. His reports, shrouded in secrecy, had the power to shape British policy toward Germany in a pivotal period of history.

    The Spy and the Devil is a riveting tale of espionage, intrigue, and the untold impact of one man's secret mission on the course of history. A journey into the shadows of Nazi Germany, where a forgotten British spy worked tirelessly to avert catastrophe, and discover the secrets that history almost left behind.
    Although aspects of de Ropp's activities appear in other books, notably the authorised history of MI6, his story has never been published in full before, adding an extra dimension to what is, by any standard, the account of a very remarkable man. Drawing on his years of service in the Foreign Office, Tim Willasey-Wilsey offers an insider's view of this enigmatic British spy.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    None currently available
    See also:

    The Spy and the Devil as reviewed by Michael Smith for The Cipher Brief - September 16, 2025 

    Michael Smith is the author of The Real Special Relationship: The True Story of How MI6 and the CIA Work Together (with a foreword by former CIA Director, General Michael Hayden, and an introduction by former MI6 Chief Sir John Scarlett).
     Tim Willasey-Wilsey CMG speaks with Richard Iron CMG OBE to discuss The Spy and the Devil. They discuss the complexities involved in uncovering the life story of a secret agent and the effects which his reporting had on British foreign policy. Australian Institute of International Affairs - October 6, 2024

    About the book: 
    The Spy and the Devil; 
    The untold story of the MI6 agent who penetrated Hitler’s inner circle
    by Tim Willasey-Wilsey
    Blink Publishing- 512 pages 10.99 (Kobo)
    Publication Date: May 8, 2025


    About the Author: Tim Willasey-Wilsey
     

    Tim Willasey-Wilsey is an author, historian, academic, and former diplomat. In addition to his role at RUSI, he is a Visiting Professor of War Studies at King’s College, London. His first book, The Spy and the Devil, was published in May 2025. He also advises a leading AI company.

    Tim served for twenty-seven years as a British diplomat in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He worked in Angola during the Cold War, South Africa in the years just before majority rule, Central America at the time of the Sandinista/Contra war and in the Middle East following the Oslo accords. Latterly he focussed on South Asia and Northeast Asia.

    He lectures and writes on government approaches to conflict and its resolution and on terrorism and insurgency. Tim has a particular interest in the Kashmir dispute, India-Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Koreas and the survival of a sovereign and secure Ukraine.

    Tim advises international banks and large companies on geopolitical risk and on how to calibrate their risk-appetites to international clients and transactions. 

    He writes and speaks extensively on geopolitics. In the UK his main outlets are RUSI and Times Radio. Overseas he is a regular contributor to the US global security website Cipher Brief and the Indian Council on Global Relations.

    He was elected by the membership to two three-year terms on the Chatham House Council and reviewed books for their journal, International Affairs. He also lectures to overseas universities and governments.

    Tim has an MA (First Class) in Modern History from St Andrews University. He was awarded the CMG in the 2007 New Year Honours List.
    Biography Credit:  RUSI

    À propos du livre :
    L'espion et le diable ;
    L'histoire inédite de l'agent du MI6 qui a infiltré le cercle restreint d'Hitler
    par Tim Willasey-Wilsey
    Blink Publishing - 512 pages 10,99 (Kobo)
    Date de publication : 8 mai 2025

    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.
    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 
    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com


  • Book Review: Shadow Cell: An Insider Account of America's New Spy War by Andrew Bustamante & Jihi Bustamante

    October 12, 2025 12:34 PM | Anonymous

    Book Review:
     Shadow Cell: An Insider Account of America's New Spy War
    by Andrew Bustamante & Jihi Bustamante
    September 9, 2025
    Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
    Shadow Cell: An Insider Account of America's New Spy War
    by Andrew Bustamante & Jihi Bustamante
     
    INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | A thrilling firsthand account by husband-and-wife CIA operatives who, against all odds, triumphed in a deadly cat-and-mouse game against a mole within the agency—an unprecedented insider account of 21st-century spycraft in the tradition of Argo and Black Ops.
     
    Andrew and Jihi Bustamante were a “tandem couple”: married spies who’d dedicated their lives to the CIA. They met as trainees at Langley, and got married while hunting terrorists across the globe. Then, suddenly, they were assigned to a mission so sensitive and explosive that the CIA still has never acknowledged it. The CIA’s source network in a country code-named "Falcon"—one of America’s most formidable rivals—had been compromised by a mole, and the agency needed a new way to collect intelligence there. Young newlyweds, the Bustamantes were considered safe choices for this daunting task precisely because they had no experience in Falcon. They were also loyal, forgettable, and completely disposable—operatives who could help to strengthen the CIA’s position in Falcon while simultaneously serving as bait for the mole.
     
    But although their superiors at the CIA didn’t realize it, the Bustamantes also brought another advantage to the table: a granular understanding of how terrorist cells operate, and how the agency could exploit those same tactics to keep America safe. Assembling a rag-tag team of fellow operatives and recruiting new sources from Falcon, the Bustamantes pioneered a new way of spying by building a cell of their own—right at the heart of the CIA.

    The propulsive, untold tale of one of history’s greatest intelligence crises and the unlikely band of agents who were sent in to clean up the mess, Shadow Cell allows us to peer behind the curtain to see how today’s spy wars are being fought—and won.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    "Shadow Cell rips the curtain off the modern spy game with the kind of insider access only two former CIA operatives could provide. It’s a rare glimpse into the shadow war of the 21st century, where loyalty is tested, trust is weaponized, and victory comes at a personal cost."―Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Sky Mourning

    “A fast-paced account of an effort to root out a mole and recruit double agents in an unnamed enemy nation...The adventures and misadventures are plentiful here, but of equally great interest to readers are the authors’ lucid explanations of how spycraft proceeds to begin with...A gripping espionage yarn that happily contradicts the authors’ advice for crafting a cover story: ‘Make it boring as hell.’”―Kirkus

    “The ‘Shadow Cell’ operation is arguably one of the most esoteric, innovative and successful by CIA to date. It is also proof of how important fresh blood is to any organization. As you will read, the selection of these two young officers was a gamble that not only paid off but also exceeded everyone's expectations. Reads like a novel, educates like a thesis. I truly enjoyed the read and even learned a trick or two."―Ric Prado, New York Times bestselling author of Black Ops, and former Chief of Operations at CIA's Counterterrorism Center

    “Nail-biting…An unusual window into the normally closed world of spies’ private lives.…Part autobiography, part true crime—or rather, true espionage—their tale of the hunt for a highly placed mole, which is also partly an exposé of the sometimes-dubious practices of CIA corporate culture, is a page-turning read.”―Telegraph (UK)

    “A pacy and fascinating read. I suspect the closest an outsider will get to sitting in on CIA training in agent-running.”―Professor Sir David Omand, former British Security and Intelligence Coordinator

    "A tense thriller in which Andrew and Jihi Bustamante are both the hunters and the hunted in a cat-and-mouse game with a dangerous double agent working in the heart of the CIA. Every page is more gripping than the last, propelling the reader to its exciting finale."
     ―Robert Verkaik, author of The Traitor of Colditz and Jihadi John

    "This is a uniquely compelling spy memoir. Two former CIA field operatives take turns to recount clandestine life in the world’s hot spots. Together they reveal the latest CIA techniques, including building their own look-alike terrorist cell. It is a behind-the-scenes story of a secret war that blends love, mystery and betrayal."―Richard J. Aldrich, author of GCHQ
    See also:

    Shadow Cell as reviewed by Kirkus Reviews - February 14, 2025
    Andrew and Jihi Bustamante speak with Chris Collins of Syndicate X Library about Shadow Cell. September 15, 2025

    About the book: 
    Shadow Cell: An Insider Account of America's New Spy Warby Andrew Bustamante & Jihi Bustamante
    Little, Brown and Company - 261 pages 20.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: September 9, 2025


    About the Author: Andrew Bustamante
     

    Andrew Bustamante is a former covert CIA Intelligence Officer and decorated US Air Force combat veteran with deep expertise in espionage, human intelligence, and high-stakes operations. After graduating with honours from the US Air Force Academy, he began his career as an Officer-in-Residence, a leadership role that set the tone for his work in hostile environments and global conflict zones. He later rose to Officer in Charge before joining the CIA, where he led covert missions, built expertise in human behaviour, counterintelligence, and negotiation under pressure.

    Following his distinguished government service, Andrew transitioned into corporate consulting, advising Fortune 10 companies and high-performing teams around the world. Today, he is a trusted voice in strategic leadership, decision-making, and influence. Andrew is the cofounder of EverydaySpy, a one-of-a-kind global training platform he built with his wife, Jihi Bustamante. Together, they left the CIA to pursue a new mission: building their family and their company. EverydaySpy teaches spy-inspired tools for business, leadership, and personal growth.

    He is the host of the EverydaySpy Podcast, which reached the iTunes Top 100, and has been featured across major platforms including The Diary of a CEO, Lex Fridman Podcast, FOX, ABC, NBC, Forbes, the History Channel, and the Discovery Channel. He has also co-authored the book Shadow Cell. A regular speaker at corporate events, government forums, and academic institutions, Andrew blends real-world experience with psychological depth and a storyteller’s gift. His keynotes are known for their humour, clarity, and inspiration. He’s a perfect fit for keynote engagements, sales strategy workshops, and leadership development. Hire Andrew Bustamante via the Champions Speakers Agency today.
    Biography Credit:  Champions


    About the Author: Jihi Bustamante

    Jihi Bustamante is a former covert CIA Targeting Officer and Co-Founder of EverydaySpy. Born in Venezuela, Jihi spent her formative years living in Japan and traveling around the world as a dual-documented American and Venezuelan citizen. Her passion for service and gift for foreign language led her to work with war-torn refugees and ultimately brought her to the attention of CIA recruiters. After 7 years of dedicated service to her country, Jihi left CIA in 2014 with her husband, Andrew, to build a young family and new company. A true introvert at heart, Jihi avoids the big screen and bright lights in favor of a cozy home office, family walks on the beach, and running a fully digital company from her laptop and cell phone.
    Biography Credit:  Everyday Spy

    À propos du livre :
    Shadow Cell : un témoignage privilégié sur la nouvelle guerre de l'espionnage américaine
    par Andrew Bustamante et Jihi Bustamante
    Little, Brown and Company - 261 pages 20,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 9 septembre 2025

    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.
    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 
    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com


  • Book Review: Chasing Shadows: Cyber Espionage, Subversion, and the Global Fight for Democracy by Ronald J. Deibert

    October 12, 2025 12:33 PM | Anonymous

    Chasing Shadows: Cyber Espionage, Subversion, and the Global Fight for Democracy
    by Ronald J. Deibert
    February 4, 2025
    Publisher: Simon & Schuster
    Chasing Shadows: Cyber Espionage, Subversion, and the Global Fight for Democracy
    by Ronald J. Deibert
     
    Like a John Le Carré novel updated for the digital age, Chasing Shadows provides a gripping account of how the Citizen Lab, the world’s foremost digital watchdog, has uncovered dozens of cyber espionage cases and protects people in countries around the world. Called “essential reading” by Margaret Atwood, it’s a chilling reminder of the invisible invasions happening on smartphones and computers around the world.

    In this real-life spy thriller, cyber security expert Ronald Deibert details the unseemly marketplace for high-tech surveillance, professional disinformation, and computerized malfeasance. He reveals how his team of digital sleuths at the Citizen Lab have lifted the lid on dozens of covert operations targeting innocent citizens everywhere.

    Chasing Shadows provides a front-row seat to a dark underworld of digital espionage, disinformation, and subversion. There, autocrats and dictators peer into their targets’ lives with the mere press of a button, spreading their tentacles of authoritarianism through a digital ecosystem that is insecure, poorly regulated, and prone to abuse. The activists, opposition figures, and journalists who dare to advocate for basic political rights and freedoms are hounded, arrested, tortured, and sometimes murdered.

    From the gritty streets of Guatemala City to the corridors of power in the White House, this compelling narrative traces the journey of the Citizen Lab as it evolved into a globally renowned source of counterintelligence for civil society. As this small team of investigators disarmed cyber mercenaries and helped to improve the digital security of billions of people worldwide, their success brought them, too, into the same sinister crosshairs that plagued the victims they worked to protect.

    Deibert recounts how the Lab exposed the world’s pre-eminent cyber-mercenary firm, Israel-based NSO Group—the creators of the phone-hacking marvel Pegasus—in a series of human rights abuses, from domestic spying scandals in Spain, Poland, Hungary, and Greece to its implication in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    “[Chasing Shadows] will chill the blood of any journalist, human rights worker, or civil society activist. Or, come to think of it, any ordinary citizen who believes that criticizing your own government does not merit extra-judicial execution, and that private communications should remain private . . . an utterly gripping, petrifying read.” — The Spectator

    “Essential reading for all those interested in the digiverse, especially its underbelly!” — @MargaretAtwood on X

    “For almost a quarter of a century, Ron Deibert and his Citizen Lab team have been in the vanguard of the global struggle to protect the public internet from the schemes of criminals, autocrats, and spies. Deibert's new account of the battle to expose and combat the powerful Pegasus spyware sold by the Israeli firm NSO reads like a cloak-and-dagger spy novel, complete with high drama and a rogue's gallery of villains. Essential reading for anyone concerned with the future of the internet and the fate of freedom.”
    — DANIEL DEUDNEY, award-winning author of Dark Skies: Space Expansionism, Planetary Geopolitics, and the Ends of Humanity

    “Canada should be hugely proud of Ron Deibert and his outrageously smart team at Citizen Lab. The rest of the world should just be thankful—except, that is, the dictators, oligarchs, criminals, thugs, and those allegedly democratic governments that use the most intrusive spyware to snoop on, intimidate, troll, and even murder their opponents. Part memoir, part thriller, and part manifesto of hope, Chasing Shadows details how a small group of people committed to the truth has taken on the world’s most powerful and unscrupulous forces. My book of the year—Read it!”
    — MISHA GLENNY, multi-award-winning author of McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld and DarkMarket: Cyberthieves, Cybercops and You

    “Chasing Shadows reads like a thriller and shines light in the dark places of hacking, intimidation, and espionage. In this spectacular book by one of the world’s most brave, ethical, and skilled researchers, Ron Deibert writes with authority but without ego and unveils his journey through the invisible world of spyware and spy craft in the most engaging way.”
    — MARIETJE SCHAAKE, author of The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley

    “With the pacing of a John le Carré thriller, the rigor of world-class journalism, and the seriousness of breakthrough science, Ron Deibert tells a little-known story that every citizen of the modern world needs to know about.”
    — JOHN PALFREY, President, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

    “A thrilling, terrifying, and, above all, true story of the shadowy industry that makes billions by exploiting defects in our most intimate, powerful devices, abetted by powerful autocrats and so-called democracies all around the world. Don't let this give you nightmares: rather, let it inspire you to demand action!”
    — CORY DOCTOROW, author of Little Brother, The Internet Con, and Red Team Blues
    See also:

    Chasing Shadows as reviewed by Jean-Thomas Nicole for The Cipher Brief - February 14, 2025
    Ronald J. Deibert speaks about his recent book, Chasing Shadows, for the Rotman School of Management with Michelle Shephard moderating. February 5, 2025 (Toronto)

    About the book: 
    Chasing Shadows: Cyber Espionage, Subversion, and the Global Fight for Democracy
    by Ronald J. Deibert
    Simon & Schuster - 448 pages 20.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: February 4, 2025


    About the Author: Ronald J. Deibert
     

    Ronald J. Deibert is the founder and director of the Citizen Lab, a world-renowned digital security research center at the University of Toronto. The bestselling author of Reset: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society and Black Code: Surveillance, Privacy, and the Dark Side of the Internet, he has also written many landmark articles and reports on espionage operations that infiltrated government and NGO computer networks. His team’s exposés of the spyware that attacks journalists and anti-corruption advocates around the world have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Financial Times, and other media.

    Deibert has received multiple honors for his cutting-edge work, and in 2022 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada—the country’s second-highest honor of merit.
    Biography Credit:  Simon & Schuster

    À propos du livre :
    Chasing Shadows: Cyberespionnage, subversion et lutte mondiale pour la démocratie
    par Ronald J. Deibert
    Simon & Schuster - 448 pages 20,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 4 février 2025

    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.
    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 
    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com


  • Book Review: Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley

    October 05, 2025 7:35 AM | Anonymous

    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.

    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com

    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 

    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    A drone view shows Palestinians walking past the rubble of houses and buildings in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip on January 19, 2025 [Reuters/Mahmoud Al-Basos]

    Book Review:
     Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine
    by Hussein Agha & Robert Malley
    September 16, 2025
    Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
    Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine
    by Hussein Agha & Robert Malley
     
    Two insiders explain why the Israeli–Palestinian peace process failed, and anticipate what lies ahead.

    On October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters killed more than eleven hundred Israelis and took more than two hundred hostages, prompting an Israeli response that has in turn taken tens of thousands of lives and devastated the Gaza Strip. Why did this happen, and can anything be done to grant peace and justice to Israelis and Palestinians alike?

    In Tomorrow Is Yesterday, veteran negotiators Hussein Agha and Robert Malley offer a personal and bracing perspective on how the hopes of the Oslo Peace Process became the horrors of the present. Drawing on their experience advising the Palestinian leadership (Arafat and Abbas) and US presidents (Clinton, Obama, and Biden) and their participation in secret talks over decades, Agha and Malley offer candid portraits of leading figures and an interpretation of the conflict that exposes the delusions of all sides. They stress that the two-state solution became a global goal only when it was no longer viable; that U.S. officials preferred technical schemes to a frank reckoning with the past; that Hamas’s onslaught and Israel’s war of destruction were not historical exceptions but historical reenactments; and that the gaps separating Israelis and Palestinians have less to do with territorial allocation than with history and emotions.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    “In Tomorrow Is Yesterday [Agha and Malley] argue the peace process was doomed from the start―not by tactical missteps or bad faith, though these existed in abundance, but because it fundamentally misunderstood the conflict itself. . . . Malley and Agha’s account is clear-eyed and unsparing, rejecting the very conventions that upheld the imbalance at the heart of the process. It reads like the work of people who have burned their bridges―and it fits the gravity of the moment.” ―Noam Sheizaf, The Guardian

    “A blistering, magisterial work of political and psychological insight that questions the viability of a two-state solution. Its most important message zeroes directly in on what most people avoid at all costs when discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The fact that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at heart a narrative clash.” ―Nora Berman, Forward

    “Beautifully written . . . [Agha and Malley are] two people who have genuinely distinct perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and who have been in the room . . . A great book." ―Chris Hayes (from "The Ezra Klein Show"

    “Tomorrow Is Yesterday performs the vital service of encompassing competing narratives, cutting through lies, and telling the full story of how and why efforts to achieve a two-state solution repeatedly failed. This is an honest, eloquent, courageous, and deeply personal blend of history and memoir written by two people who have been at the center of the politics of Israel–Palestine for decades, and still insist upon a future that must be better than the excruciatingly painful present.” ―Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor and author of After the Fall: The Rise of Authoritarianism in the World We’ve Made

    “The Middle East is the birthplace of the most influential religious traditions, and its inability to find peace constantly reignites the bitter resentments that plague our world. With their powerful narrative and elegant prose, the authors explain very convincingly why neither the local protagonists nor the foreign mediators have been able to put an end to the ordeal―and why tomorrow doesn’t look more promising than yesterday.” ―Amin Maalouf, perpetual secretary of the Académie Française and author of Origins and The Crusades Through Arab Eyes

    “Fascinating and essential reading for anyone interested in the Israel–Palestine conflict and peace process, this bleak yet bracing, vivid, and acute work, part analysis, part memoir, part history, by two veteran negotiators, one Palestinian, one American, is one of the best I’ve read on the Middle East peace process and the October 7 wars. I read it in one sitting.” ―Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Jerusalem: The Biography

    “An exceptional book in the genre, Tomorrow Is Yesterday offers a brilliant and uniquely perceptive interpretation of what may be the most resilient, intricate, and multifaceted conflict of modern times. Combining the competencies of the historian and the essayist, even the dramatist, with the perspective of the insider, the authors lead us from the prehistory of the “peace process” and its presumed highest moments to its deceptions, mis-encounters, and tragic decline into oblivion. An unorthodox interpretation of the Israel–Hamas War, brilliantly woven into the book, makes it even more urgently relevant reading. Though it can be read as an obituary for the two-state solution, this is not a nihilistic treatise. The future scenarios the authors discuss could make the future somewhat brighter than “yesterday.” ―Shlomo Ben-Ami, former foreign minister of Israel and author of Prophets Without Honor: The 2000 Camp David Summit and the End of the Two-State Solution

    “This must-read book is the work of two experienced deep thinkers who are strong believers in peace. True to the character of its authors in its thoughtfulness, creativity, and constructive candor, it brings to life the pain of the Israeli–Palestinian tragedies and offers important insights into the politics and personalities of Middle Eastern peacemaking. It is highly recommended for all believers in the greater good.” ―Nabil Fahmy, former foreign minister of Egypt
    See also:

    Yesterday is Tomorrow as reviewed by Mike Watson for Hudson Institute -  September 19, 2025

    Yesterday is Tomorrow as reviewed by Kirkus Reviews -  June 13, 2025

    About the book: 
    Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine
    by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley
    Farrar, Straus & Giroux - 272 pages 21.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: September 16, 2025


    About the Author: Hussein Agha
     

    Hussein Agha has been involved in Israeli-Palestinian affairs and negotiations for more than half a century. He was a senior associate fellow at Chatham House and, until 2023, had been a senior associate member of St. Antony’s College, Oxford for over 25 years. He has co-authored books on Syria, Iran, Palestinian national security, and Track-II diplomacy with A. S. Khalidi. He is the editor of Mideast Mirror.
    Biography Credit:  MacMillan Publishers


    About the Author: Robert Malley
     

    Robert Malley is a lecturer and Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson School and the author, with Hussein Agha, of Tomorrow is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine. He served as Special Envoy for Iran from January 2021 to April 2023. Prior to that, he was president and CEO of the International Crisis Group. Under President Barack Obama, he served as Special Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President for the Counter-ISIL campaign, and White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf Region in 2015-2016 and, before that, as Senior Director for the Gulf Region and Syria.

    Before joining the National Security Council staff in February 2014, Malley founded and directed the International Crisis Group’s Middle East and North Africa Program from January 2002. Prior to that, he was a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

    Until January 2001, Malley was Special Assistant to President Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs and Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council. Mr. Malley first joined the National Security Council staff in August 1994 as Director for Democracy. In July 1997, he became Executive Assistant to the National Security Advisor from July 1997 to September 1998, acting as an informal chief of staff for Samuel R. Berger.

    Malley served as a law clerk to Justice Byron R. White of the United States Supreme Court in 1991-1992.

    Malley is a graduate of Yale University, Harvard Law School and Oxford University, England, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He is the author of The Call from Algeria: Third Worldism, Revolution and the Turn to Islam, and of articles published in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Affairs, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Le Monde, and several other publications    .
    Biography Credit:  Yale University - Jackson School of Global Affairs

    À propos du livre :
    Demain, c'est hier : la vie, la mort et la quête de la paix en Israël/Palestine
    par Hussein Agha et Robert Malley
    Farrar, Straus & Giroux - 272 pages 21,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 16 septembre 2025


  • Intent to Destroy: Russia's Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine by Eugene Finkel

    September 13, 2025 11:01 AM | Anonymous
    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.

    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com

    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 

    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Russian soldiers in the Kherson region of Ukraine.Alexei Konovalov / TASS

    Book Review: Intent to Destroy: Russia's Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine
    by Eugene Finkel
    November 19, 2024
    Publisher: Basic Books
    Intent to Destroy: Russia's Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine
    by Eugene Finkel
     
    Written with “erudition and verve” (Timothy Snyder, New York Times-bestselling author of On Tyranny), this is the full story of how and why Russia has tried to violently subjugate Ukraine across the centuries, and how Ukrainians have resisted

    Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 shocked the world. And yet, to Ukrainians, this attack was painfully familiar, the latest episode in a centuries-long Russian campaign to divide and oppress Ukraine.  
     
    In Intent to Destroy, political scientist Eugene Finkel uncovers these deep roots of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Ukraine is a key borderland between Russia and the West, and, following the rise of Russian nationalism in the nineteenth century, dominating Ukraine became the cornerstone of Russian policy. Russia has long used genocidal tactics—killings, deportations, starvation, and cultural destruction—to successfully crush Ukrainian efforts to chart an independent path. As Finkel shows, today’s violence is simply a more extreme version of the Kremlin’s long-standing policy. But unlike in the past, the people of Ukraine—motivated by the rise of democracy in their nation—have overcome their deep internal divisions. For the first time, they have united in favor of independence from Russia. 
     
    Whatever the outcome of the present war, Ukraine’s staunch resistance has permanently altered its relationship to Russia and the West. Intent to Destroy offers the vital context we need to truly understand Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    “The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is the culmination of centuries of painful interactions involving a punctuated but progressive rise of Ukrainian national consciousness and a concomitant rise of fear in a Russia threatened by an independent Ukrainian nation. Finkel provides an accessible, nuanced, and dynamically presented historical background to the conflict, highlighting Russia’s imperial drive, and juxtaposing the historical places two nations find themselves in today.”―Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, director of Russia Institute, King’s College London

    “A masterpiece. This is a must-read to understand Russia’s mission to destroy Ukraine over hundreds of years—and the heroic resistance against it. Utterly essential if you want to know what’s at stake in the greatest war in Europe since WWII.”―Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible

    “Vladimir Putin claims that Russians and Ukrainians are one and the same people, but as Finkel convincingly argues in his new book, the relationship between the two nations has been anything but brotherly, with Russians doing their best to dominate and recently destroy Ukraine. A powerful antidote to those who claim that NATO is the main culprit responsible for the current war.”―Serhii Plokhy, author of The Russo-Ukrainian War

    “A powerful indictment of Russia’s centuries-long obsession with eliminating the Ukrainian identity, language, and people.”―Yaroslav Trofimov, author of Our Enemies Will Vanish

    “Eugene Finkel, who correctly called Russia’s war against Ukraine ‘genocidal,’ makes the case here with erudition and verve. Those who want Russian perspectives on the war will find the relevant ones here.”―Timothy Snyder, New York Times-bestselling author of On Tyranny

    “Finkel’s Intent to Destroy spans several centuries, delving into some of the most heinous atrocities perpetrated by the Kremlin on Ukrainian lands. Despite the extensive scope, the text is rich in nuanced analysis, being equally valuable for scholars and accessible to readers unfamiliar with the region. What stands out most is Finkel’s approach: Rather than striving for unattainable objectivity, he bravely acknowledges his deep investment in producing responsible scholarship that is guided by honesty.”―Olesya Khromeychuk, director, Ukrainian Institute London

    “An unprovoked invasion, a forced-adoption program, massacres of civilians, the upending of truth, a jagged Z symbol deployed to signal loyalty to a repressive regime—the parallels between present and past in Russia’s war on Ukraine are breathtaking. A work of deep expertise and sober sensitivity, Intent to Destroy connects these threads and details the repeated waves of devastation that have resulted from Russia’s long-term obsession with eradicating Ukraine’s separate identity.”―Charles King, New York Times–bestselling author of Gods of the Upper Air

    “Finkel tells a story of violence, identity, and the final stages of empire in Europe—the story of Ukraine. Starting with attempts by imperial Russia in the nineteenth century to destroy Ukrainian identity, Intent to Destroy stretches through Stalin’s genocidal famine in the 1930s to Putin’s invasion today. However, as Finkel shows, Ukrainian identity, even in military or political defeat, survived until the collapse of the Soviet Union; since then, and especially since 2014, it has evolved into something powerful and enduring. This is a book that can help explain the most important war and geopolitical crisis in Europe today, and which does so with clarity, learning, and sensitivity. Anyone interested in understanding what is happening in Ukraine should read it.”―Phillips Payson O’Brien, author of The Strategists
    See also:

    Intent to Destroy as reviewed by Maria Lipman for Foreign Affairs -  April 22, 2025

    Intent to Destroy - as reviewed by Kirkus Review -  September 27, 2024

    About the book: 
    Intent to Destroy: Russia's Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine
    by Eugene Finkel
    Basic Books - 382 pages 21.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: November 19, 2024


    About the Author: Eugene Finkel

    Eugene Finkel  works at the intersection of political science and history. He was born in Ukraine and grew up in Israel. Finkel received a BA in Political Science and International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD in Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on how institutions and individuals respond to extreme situations: mass violence, state collapse, and rapid change.

    Finkel's most recent book is Intent to Destroy: Russia's Two-Hundred-Year Quest to Dominate Ukraine (Basic Books, 2024). He is also the author of Ordinary Jews: Choice and Survival during the Holocaust (Princeton University Press, 2017), Reform and Rebellion in Weak States (Cambridge University Press, 2020, co-authored with Scott Gehlbach) and Bread and Autocracy: Food, Politics and Security in Putin’s Russia (Oxford University Press, 2023, co-authored with Janetta Azarieva and Yitzhak M. Brudny). His articles have appeared in the American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Comparative Politics, East European Politics and Societies, Slavic Review, and several other journals and edited volumes. Finkel also published articles and op-eds in The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Foreign Affairs, The Spectator and other outlets. 
    Biography Credit:  JohnHopkins
    À propos du livre :
    Intention de détruire : La quête bicentenaire de la Russie pour dominer l'Ukraine
    par Eugene Finkel
    Basic Books - 382 pages 21,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 19 novembre 2024


  • The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong's Greatest Dissident, and China's Most Feared Critic by Mark L. Clifford

    September 13, 2025 10:46 AM | Anonymous
    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.

    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com

    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 

    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Jimmy Lai, center, is escorted from a protest area by police officers in 2014.Credit...Kin Cheung/Associated Press

    Book Review:
    The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong's Greatest Dissident, and China's Most Feared Critic
    by Mark L. Clifford
    December 3, 2024
    Publisher: Free Press
    The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong's Greatest Dissident, and China's Most Feared Critic
    by Mark L. Clifford
     
    The “extraordinary life story” (Publishers Weekly) of the billionaire businessman Jimmy Lai, a leading Hong Kong democracy activist fighting for freedom of speech who became China’s most famous political prisoner.

    Jimmy Lai escaped mainland China when he was twelve years old, at the height of a famine that killed tens of millions. In Hong Kong, he hustled and often slept overnight on a table in a clothing factory where he did odd jobs. At twenty-one, he was running a factory. By his mid-twenties, he owned one and was supplying sweaters and shirts to some of the biggest brands in the United States, from Polo to The Limited. His ideas about retail led him to create Giordano in 1981, and with it “fast fashion.” A restless entrepreneur, as Giordano prepared to go public, he was thinking about a dining concept that would disrupt Hong Kong’s fast-food industry. But then came Tiananmen Square democracy protest and the massacre of 1989.

    His reaction to the violence was to enter the media industry to push China toward more freedoms. He started a magazine, Next, to advocate for democracy in Hong Kong. Then, just two years before the city was to return to Chinese control, he founded the Apple Daily newspaper. Its mix of bold graphics, gossip, local news, and opposition to the Chinese Communist Party was an immediate hit. For more than two decades, Lai used Apple and Next as part of a personal push for democracy—in weekly columns, at rallies and marches, and, memorably, sitting in front of a tent during the 2014 Occupy Central movement.

    Lai took his activism abroad, traveling frequently to Washington. China reacted with fury in 2019 when he met with Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. A draconian new security law came into effect in Hong Kong in mid-2020, effectively making human rights advocacy and free speech a crime and censorship a fact. Lai was arrested and held without bail before being convicted on trumped-up charges. At the end of 2023, a lengthy national security trial, that could see him jailed for life, alleged “collusion with foreign forces” and printing seditious materials. China’s most famous political prisoner has been held in solitary confinement since December 2020, while his supporters and family continue the fight to have him freed. “A sympathetic and inspiring biography” (The Wall Street Journal) and “a genuinely gripping yarn” (The New York Times), The Troublemaker is his story.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    “The Troublemaker recounts the vertiginous rise and fall of Hong Kong’s most famous tycoon-turned-political prisoner. . . . [Clifford] has written a compelling biography and shows an eye for detail." ― The Economist

    "In reading about Lai’s life, one finds it difficult not to feel inspired by a man of boundless generosity and fearlessness, whom even prison cannot truly contain." ― Foreign Affairs

    "Through conversations with Lai and those who know him best, Clifford portrays a man equal parts mythical and ordinary, who has poured his considerable resources into opposing an oppressive regime—at great personal cost." -- Rishi Iyengar ― Foreign Policy

    "Lai’s journey — from an impoverished childhood in China’s southern Guangdong province during the Chinese civil war era to becoming one of Hong Kong’s richest men — is a genuinely gripping yarn." -- Kevin Peraino ― The New York Times

    "A sympathetic and inspiring biography. . . . Prison was the only way this irrepressible—no, magnificently stubborn—man could be silenced." -- Tunku Varadarajan ― The Wall Street Journal

    “As this brilliant biography shows, Lai is a beacon for all of us in the West.” -- Bill Browder, New York Times bestselling author of Red Notice and Freezing Order
    See also:

    The Troublemaker as reviewed by Elizabeth Economy for Foreign Affairs -  May/June 2025

    The Troublemaker as reviewed by Kevin Peraino for The New York Times -  December 20, 2024

    About the book: 
    The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong's Greatest Dissident, and China's Most Feared Critic
    by Mark L. Clifford
    Free Press - 281 pages 20.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: December 3, 2024


    About the Author: Mark L. Clifford
     

    Mark L. Clifford is the president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. He holds a PhD in history from the University of Hong Kong. A Walter Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, he lived in Asia from 1987 until 2021.

    Previously, Clifford was the editor-in-chief of the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), and publisher and editor-in-chief of The Standard (Hong Kong). He held senior editorial positions at BusinessWeek and the Far Eastern Economic Review in Hong Kong and Seoul. He was a director of Next Digital, publisher of Jimmy Lai’s pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, when the government shut it in 2021.
    Biography Credit:  Mark L. Gifford
    À propos du livre :
    Le fauteur de troubles: Comment Jimmy Lai est devenu milliardaire, le plus grand dissident de Hong Kong et le critique le plus redouté de Chine
    par Mark L. Clifford
    Free Press - 281 pages 20,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 3 décembre 2024


  • The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia by Karen Elliott House

    September 13, 2025 10:44 AM | Anonymous
    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.

    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com

    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 

    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2018. Photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE/Getty Images

    Book Review:
    The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia
    by Karen Elliott House
    July 8, 2025
    Publisher: Harper
    The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia
    by Karen Elliott House
     
    Based on exclusive interviews, an eye-opening biography of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), head of the House of Saud, the calculating ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and a central Middle East power broker.

    Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and former Wall Street Journal publisher, Karen House has gained unprecedented insights into Saudi Arabia and its controversial leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman through her more than forty years of experience covering the Arab kingdom.

    House reveals a leader who like Peter the Great, is a reformer determined to modernize his kingdom but also an autocrat who jails political opponents and rival princes to assure his grip on power. Drawing on extensive interviews with the Crown Prince, his royal relatives, and his inner ring of advisors, The Man Who Would Be King explains in full what shaped the man who is reshaping Saudi Arabia.

    Drawing on fresh, headline-making reporting, House balances both sides of this complex ruler. We are introduced to MBS the visionary, who has ushered in reforms for women to participate more equitably, encouraged tourism to the Kingdom, and placed long term bets on green energy and trillion dollar mega-projects like The Line, a hundred-mile-long enclosed futuristic city in the desert that will be run by AI. And we meet MBS the Machiavellian prince, widely accused of having Washington Post columnist and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi murdered, and of sports washing the kingdom's reputation by investing billions in teams globally, from Premiere League soccer to the LIV (liv) golf tour to the World Cup which the Kingdom will host in 2034.

    The Man Who Would Be King reveals MBS in all his complexities, from his rise to power and his vision for the future of his Kingdom, to his ruthless maneuvers to project power—a shrewd broker working to seal a viable deal with Israel and bring peace to Gaza while he cuts oil supplies to manipulate Western politics. It is an unprecedent and much needed in-depth portrait of the leader who, at only thirty-nine, will be a major player on the world stage for the next half century.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    "Longtime journalist House draws on 40 years of travels to Saudi Arabia to present a portrait of a nation transforming, for good and ill. . . . A well-crafted key to understanding a central player in world politics." — Kirkus Reviews

    "An insider's insights into a transformative leader who may turn out to be the next Lee Kuan Yew—or the next Gorbachev?" — Graham T. Allison, author of Destined for War

    "Karen Elliott House brings her decades of experience and deep personal relationships within Saudi Arabia to offer her reader a compelling, balanced view of where the Kingdom stands today. Offering a portrait of the Crown Prince that few could paint, Elliott House captures both the immense ambition driving Mohammed bin Salman’s vision for Saudi Arabia and the significant challenges facing its realization. A compelling read for those interested in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, the evolution of religion and society in the Arab world, the global energy transition, and the exercise of geopolitical power in a turbulent age." — Meghan O'Sullivan, Former Deputy National Security Adviser on Iraq and Afghanistan

    "Karen House understands the history, culture, and society of Saudi Arabia the way few outsiders can. Based on a lifetime of travels and reporting inside the Kingdom, The Man Who Would Be King chronicles the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his singular quest to turn Saudi Arabia into a global powerhouse. Any American who wants to preserve and strengthen our 80-year partnership with Saudi Arabia should read this book." — Senator Tom Cotton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Seven Things You Can't Say About China

    "In The Man Who Would Be King, Karen House has given us an exclusive view into the Saudi royal family and unique insight into the person who is transforming the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Her compelling and accessible portrait of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the man, learning the history of his ascent to power, and anticipating how he might use that power to influence the history of the Kingdom and the Middle East." — H.R. McMaster, New York Times bestselling author of Dereliction of Duty, Battlegrounds, and At War with Ourselves

    "Karen House has combined decades of experience in Saudi Arabia with rare access to its current leadership in order to provide us with an unmatched analysis of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and where he is taking his country." — David H. Rundell, author of Vision or Mirage: Saudi Arabia at the Crossroads

    "Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Karen Elliott House provides fascinating insights into the actions and vision of Mohammed Bin Salman, the ruler of Saudi Arabia, and a major player in the Middle East. Her book, The Man Who Would Be King, covers the spectrum from the crown prince’s climb to absolute power to the murder of journalist Khashoggi to MBS’s Vision 2030 plan for transforming his country, particularly the role of women. This in-depth analysis is a 'must read' for all who want to better understand Saudi Arabia and its dynamic young leader." — Senator Susan Collins, member of the Senate Intelligence Committee
     
    See also:

    The Man Who Would Be King as reviewed by Joe Zacks for The Cipher Brief -  August 19, 2025 

    Joe Zacks is the Deputy Assistant Director of the CIA for Counterterrorism. He has previously served as the Agency’s Chief Learning Officer and the CIA’s Chief of Operations for Counterterrorism. He has served a number of times as a Chief of Station to include one of CIA’s flagship station’s in South Asia. Prior to joining the CIA, Joe served a full career of over 21 years as an officer in the U.S. Army.

    The Man Who Would Be King - as reviewed by Kirkus Review -  May 15, 2025

    The Man Who Would Be King as reviewed by Walter Russell Mead for The Wall Street Journal -  July 3, 2025

    About the book: 
    The Man Who Would Be King: Mohammed bin Salman and the Transformation of Saudi Arabia
    by Karen Elliott House
    Harper - 304 pages 14.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: July 8, 2025


    About the Author: Karen Elliott House
     

     Karen Elliott House served as the publisher of The Wall Street Journal from 2002 until her retirement in 2006. She also held various roles throughout a 32-year career at Dow Jones & Company, most recently as senior vice president and a member of the company's executive committee. She is a broadly experienced business executive with particular knowledge and expertise in international affairs. Currently, House is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, as well as the author of On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines, and Future (Knopf, 2012).

    As part of her career with Dow Jones, House served as foreign editor, diplomatic correspondent, and energy correspondent. Her journalism awards include a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting for coverage of the Middle East (1984), two Overseas Press Club awards for coverage of the Middle East and of Islam, and the Edwin M. Hood Award for Excellence in Diplomatic Reporting for a series on Saudi Arabia (1982). In both her news and business roles, House interviewed world leaders including, Saddam Hussein, Lee Kwan Yew, Vladimir Putin, Margaret Thatcher, Richard Nixon, George H. W. Bush, and Yasser Arafat, among many others.

    House has appeared frequently on television over the past three decades including on Washington Week in Review, Meet the Press, and Face the Nation, and more recently has been featured on PBS, Fox, CNN, and CNBC as an expert on international relations.

    House serves multiple nonprofit boards including the Rand Corporation, the Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Asia Society, the German-American Council, and Boston University, and is also a member of the advisory board of the College of Communication at the University of Texas.

    House is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and has studied and taught at Harvard University's Institute of Politics. House holds honorary degrees from Boston University and Lafayette College and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. House also received the honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy in 2013.
    Biography Credit:  Pepperdine
    À propos du livre :
    L'homme qui voulait être roi : Mohammed ben Salmane et la transformation de l'Arabie saoudite
    par Karen Elliott House
    Harper - 304 pages 14,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 8 juillet 2025


  • Swap: A Secret History of the New Cold War by Drew Hinshaw & Joe Parkinson

    September 13, 2025 10:42 AM | Anonymous
    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.

    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com

    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 

    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich at the "Palace of Justice," in Yekaterinburg, Russia - July 2024

    Book Review:
     Swap: A Secret History of the New Cold War
    by Drew Hinshaw & Joe Parkinson
    August 19, 2025
    Publisher: Harper
    Swap: A Secret History of the New Cold War
    by Drew Hinshaw & Joe Parkinson
     
    From the Wall Street Journal's award-winning international investigations team comes a spellbinding account of a spy war between the U.S. and Russia that transformed into a ruthless game of hostage-taking, in which Putin held all the cards.

    Narrated with the propulsive drive of a spy thriller and packed with revelatory reporting, Swap takes you deep inside a shadow war that will upend how you think about global politics. It is the first full account of the Kremlin’s game of human poker—and the extraordinary lengths the U.S. had to go to to retrieve its citizens, including Brittney Griner, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, and numerous others whose arrests were unseen collateral damage in a hidden conflict.

    Swap unspools the history behind the series of prisoner trades that returned Moscow and Washington to the crude transactional logic of the Cold War, culminating in the two rivals’ largest and most complex swap ever. On August 1, 2024, twenty-four people jailed in seven nations were exchanged, including eight Russian spies, smugglers, hackers, and a professional hit man. But that headline moment was only the climax of a secret war two decades in the making.

    Investigative reporters Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson were Pulitzer finalists for their work with Gershkovich to uncover the Russian officials responsible for resurrecting a brutal tactic once wielded by the KGB. Now they reveal the story of how the Russian government planted deep-cover agents in the West, how the CIA tracked them down, and how Russia responded by snatching American citizens—imprisoning them under false or jacked-up charges—forcing the U.S. government to play Putin’s game.

    Swap takes you inside the Oval Office, the Kremlin, the headquarters of the CIA and MI6, and the living rooms of ordinary families forced to become activists in order to bring their loved ones home. You’ll meet the Gulf royals, billionaire tech moguls, and unlikely Hollywood intermediaries navigating back channels to save lives. You’ll visit remote Arctic prison camps and cordoned-off Middle Eastern airstrips. And you’ll discover how the CIA and MI6 waged a quiet, high-stakes campaign against a Kremlin that was abducting Americans to build leverage.

    Tracking each move and countermove in a multilayered Rubik’s Cube of negotiations, Swap unscrambles and decodes the spy craft really going on between the U.S. and Russia, offering a chilling diagnosis for how power works in the twenty-first century.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    “A tale of high tension and fear. . . . Swap is the inside story of a terrifying yet largely secret front in Vladimir Putin’s war on the West. It is a battle fought in the back alleys, with brazen deception and wrenching choices.” — David E. Hoffman, author of The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal

    “Prisoners are exchanged, hostages are released, spies are captured—but how does it happen? Swap provides the deep background: how and why the Kremlin hides its citizens deep in Western societies and trades people like poker chips—and how the U.S. fights back. Essential reading for an era when authoritarians barter in human lives.” — Anne Applebaum, author of Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World

    “A riveting, real-life thriller that reveals how spy swaps, once relics of the Cold War, have returned with chilling urgency. Drawing on exclusive interviews and never-before-seen documents, this groundbreaking book lays bare the high-stakes human drama behind today’s great power competition—and asks what the United States is willing to sacrifice to bring its citizens home.” — Calder Walton, author of Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West

    "This gripping book reads like a thriller screenplay with a stellar ensemble cast, but this is real life. The protagonists are real people—Americans and Russian dissidents—and the authors were at the heart of the intense international efforts to free them. They wield their inside knowledge to brilliant and dramatic effect." — Fiona Hill, former Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States

    “At a time when the Kremlin has adopted hostage-taking as statecraft, this deeply researched piece of investigative reporting shines a light on the geopolitical horse trading that gets dissidents out of Russia—and spies and assassins returned to the Motherland.” — Mark Galeotti, author of We Need to Talk about Putin: How the West Gets Him Wrong
    See also:

    Swap as reviewed by Will Englund for The Washington Post -  August 19, 2025
    Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson interview on "Morning Joe" on their new book, "Swap". MSNBC - August 20, 2025

    About the book: 
    Swap: A Secret History of the New Cold War
    by Drew Hinshaw & Joe Parkinson
    Harper - 303 pages 14.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: August 19, 2025


    About the Author: Drew Hinshaw
     

    Drew Hinshaw is a senior reporter with The Wall Street Journal who has reported from more than fifty countries for the paper since 2010. He travels widely, covering breaking news and reporting longer-form investigations.

    He was a part of a team of reporters whose coverage of China's rising nationalism was a 2021 Pulitzer international reporting finalist. His investigation into cargo ship crews abandoned at sea was a finalist for the Overseas Press Club's top prize for human interest journalism, as well as a Gerald Loeb Award feature finalist.

    The Society of Publishers in Asia gave Drew and his colleagues its public service journalism award for their reporting on the origins of Covid-19. His coverage of Liberia during its Ebola epidemic won the 2015 Deadline Club's Enterprise Reporting award.

    He is the co-author of "Bring Back Our Girls," an account of the rescue effort to free 276 teenage schoolgirls who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram, which was named the Overseas Press Club’s best nonfiction book on international affairs of 2021.
    Biography Credit:  Wall Street Journal


    About the Author: Joe Parkinson
     

    Joe Parkinson leads The Wall Street Journal's world enterprise team, deploying to the world's biggest breaking stories and piloting deeply reported investigations.

    His stories often follow financial flows into some of the most opaque corners of the global economy. He is based in Europe but roving widely, working with bureau chiefs and reporters to catalyze our best reporting from the field.

    Joe was previously the Journal's Africa bureau chief in Johannesburg and Turkey bureau chief in Istanbul. A Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2016 for reporting on the abortive Turkish coup, his work has won a string of international awards. His first book, “Bring Back Our Girls,” co-written with Drew Hinshaw, won the Overseas Press Club's Cornelius Ryan Award for best book of 2021.
    Biography Credit:  Wall Street Journal
    À propos du livre :
    Swap : Une histoire secrète de la nouvelle guerre froide
    par Drew Hinshaw et Joe Parkinson
    Harper - 303 pages 14,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 19 août 2025


  • Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush by Steven M Gillon

    September 13, 2025 10:40 AM | Anonymous
    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.

    Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com

    Avertissement : Les articles sont choisis pour leur pertinence et sont diffusés à titre d'information seulement. Les opinions exprimées sont celles des journalistes/auteurs respectifs. La republication n'implique pas d'approbation. 

    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    Dwight Eisenhower addresses second world war troops. Photograph: Alamy

    Book Review:
    Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush
    by Steven M. Gillon
    February 18, 2025
    Publisher: Dutton
    Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush
    by Steven M Gillon
     
    Steven M. Gillon, historian and New York Times bestselling author, is back with the story of how WWII shaped the characters and politics of seven American presidents.

    World War II loomed over the latter half of the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international relationships and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of seven American presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush.

    The lessons of World War II, more than party affiliation or ideology, defined the presidencies of these seven men. They returned home determined to confront any force that threatened to undermine the war’s hard-won ideals, each with their own unique understanding of patriotism, sacrifice, and America’s role in global politics.

    In Presidents at War, Gillon examines what these men took away from the war and how they then applied it to Cold War policies that proceeded to change America, and the world, forever. A nuanced and deeply researched exploration of the lives, philosophies, and legacies of seven remarkable men, Presidents at War deftly argues that the lessons learned by these postwar presidents continue to shape the landscape upon which current and future presidents stand today.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    “Mr. Gillon’s war stories, gripping in themselves, encourage us to be skeptical of any unified theory applied to human conflict. Better, on this Presidents Day, to recognize a generation of American statesmen who demonstrated leadership long before they were entrusted with the greatest responsibilities on the planet.” —Wall Street Journal

    "Gillon skillfully weaves the largely familiar stories of the seven U.S. presidents in office from 1953 to 1993 into a compelling account of how their characters, careers, and views were shaped by World War II." —Foreign Affairs

    "Steven Gillon deftly explores how service in World War II influenced the views, character, and policy positions of seven U.S. Presidents... Serious study should sharpen thinking and reveal mental traps, and Gillon’s insightful work will help military leaders at all levels do both." —U.S. Naval Institute

    "Steven M. Gillon brilliantly blends vivid biographical sketches with astute political analysis to give us a fresh and authoritative take on the “Presidents at War.” With subtlety and grace as well as a thorough grounding in the sources, the author examines the powerful ways that World War II shaped the careers and outlooks of seven men who would go on to occupy the Oval Office. It’s an inspiring story, resonant with meaning for our own troubled age." —Fredrik Logevall, Harvard University and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Embers of War

    "Insightful and nuanced, Presidents at War reveals the lasting impact of World War 2 on seven of America’s Cold War leaders. Their service in that conflict steeled their personal courage and heightened their confidence in the American experiment. But they sometimes drew inflexible analogies from the war that led the country into overseas conflicts and imperial overreach. An exemplary work of presidential history." —William I . Hitchcock, New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Eisenhower

    “In this terrific book about the weight of history, Steven M. Gillon traces the impact of World War II on the American presidents who, as younger men, fought its battles. From Eisenhower through Bush, the war framed their understanding of threats and opportunities, at home and abroad, and the policies they pursued in the postwar era. It also shaped the presidency itself, as Gillon reveals in writing that is clear, smooth and compelling. A powerful reminder that the lessons of the past can obscure as much as they illuminate.” —Marc J. Selverstone, author of The Kennedy Withdrawal and Director of Presidential Studies, Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia

    “As the memories of World War II fade and with them, the lessons of that conflict, Presidents at War presents the compelling story of how the war helped forge the characters of seven American commanders-in-chief and, in turn, helped forge the character of the nation. Cinematically cross-cutting among its protagonists, Gillon gives us a thrilling, narratively-driven, living history interwoven with original insights. Gillon is one of America's most distinguished historians. This is history at its best." —Neal Gabler, author of Walt Disney, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography and USA Today Biography of the Year 
    See also:

    Presidents at War as reviewed by Martin Pengelly for The Guardian -  February 18, 2025

    Presidents at War - as reviewed by Kirkus Review -  January 7, 2025

    Presidents at War as reviewed by Foreign Affairs -  May/June 2025

    About the book: 
    Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush
    by Steven M Gillon
    Dutton - 525 pages 18.99 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: February 18, 2025


    About the Author: Steven M. Gillon
     

    Steven Gillon is the former Scholar-in-Residence at The History Channel and emeritus professor of history at the University of Oklahoma.

    Gillon received his BA in history from Widener University, where he graduated summa cum laude with honors in history. He was named the recipient of the faculty prize for maintaining the highest undergraduate GPA. He went on to earn his MA and PhD in American civilization from Brown University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After receiving his PhD, Gillon spent nine years teaching history at Yale University, where he won the prestigious DeVane Medal for outstanding undergraduate teaching. In 1994, he accepted a position as University Lecturer in modern history at Oxford University. Three years later, he returned to the United States at the invitation of the president of the University of Oklahoma to become the founding dean of a new Honors College.

    Gillon is one of the nation's leading experts on modern American history and politics. He has written or edited nearly a dozen books including the New York Times e-book bestseller, The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry that Defined a Generation (Oxford 2008). Among his many other books are: Boomer Nation: The Largest and Richest Generation and How it Changed America (Free Press 2004); 10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America (Three Rivers 2006); Pearl Harbor: FDR Leads the Nation into War (Basic 2011); That’s Not What We Meant to Do: Reform and Its Unintended Consequences in Twentieth-Century America (W.W. Norton, 2000); The Democrats' Dilemma: Walter F. Mondale and the Liberal Legacy (Columbia University, 1992); and Politics and Vision: The ADA and American Liberalism, 1947-1985 (Oxford 1987). Gillon's next book, Presidents at War, will be released in early 2025.

    Gillon's articles have appeared in both academic journals and popular newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and Boston Globe. He is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post. He has made appearances on NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News as a commentator and expert on issues related to modern American history.

    Over the past decade, Gillon has hosted a number of shows on The History Channel, including the network's flagship public affairs program, HistoryCenter. He has also hosted Our Generation, History vs. Hollywood, and Movies in Time. His last three books have been turned into prime time documentaries on the network: The Kennedy Assassination 24 Hours After, Pearl Harbor: 24 Hours After, and Lee Harvey Oswald: 48 Hours to Live.

    In addition to his scholarly and television work, Gillon has served as a historical consultant for a number of prominent organizations. He was the chief historian for the Woodstock Museum in Bethel, New York. He spent two years as a consultant to News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch. In 2013, AARP chose him as one of ten “Thought Leaders” in the United States on issues related to the aging of the Baby Boom generation.
    Biography Credit:  Miller Center - University of Virginia
    À propos du livre :
    Présidents en guerre : comment la Seconde Guerre mondiale a façonné une génération de présidents, d'Eisenhower et JFK à Reagan et Bush
    par Steven M Gillon
    Dutton - 525 pages 18,99 $ (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 18 février 2025


  • Why Empires Fall; Rome, America and the Future of the West by Peter Heather and John Rapley

    September 13, 2025 10:38 AM | Anonymous
    Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement.

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    Rédacteur en chef des critiques de livres : Ralph Mahar - Les suggestions de critiques de livres sont les bienvenues à l'adresse suivante : thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
    © Peter Zelei Images/Moment/Getty Images

    Book Review:
     Why Empires Fall: Rome, America, and the Future of the West
    by Peter Heather and John Rapley
    September 5, 2023
    Publisher: Yale University Press
    Why Empires Fall: Rome, America, and the Future of the West
    by Peter Heather and John Rapley
     
    A new perspective on parallels between ancient Rome and the modern world, and what comes next
     
    “[A] provocative short book . . . with a novel twist.”—The Economist
     
    Over the last three centuries, the West rose to dominate the planet. Then, around the start of the new millennium, history took a dramatic turn. Faced with economic stagnation and internal political division, the West has found itself in rapid decline compared to the global periphery it had previously colonized. This is not the first time we have seen such a rise and fall: the Roman Empire followed a similar arc, from dizzying power to disintegration.
     
    Historian Peter Heather and political economist John Rapley explore the uncanny parallels, and productive differences, between ancient Rome and the modern West, moving beyond the tropes of invading barbarians and civilizational decay to unearth new lessons. From 399 to 1999, they argue, through the unfolding of parallel, underlying imperial life cycles, both empires sowed the seeds of their own destruction. Has the era of Western global domination indeed reached its end? Heather and Rapley contemplate what comes next.

    Indigo / Amazon 

    Reviews:

    “[A] fascinating book.”—Martin Wolf, Financial Times, “Best Summer Books of 2023: Economics”

    “[A] provocative short book . . . with a novel twist.”—The Economist

    “The book is certainly a useful post-Gibbonian primer in why things went wrong for the Romans—Heather’s scholarship shines through its pages.”—The Telegraph
    See also:

    Why Empires Fall as reviewed by G. John Ikenberry for Foreign Affairs -  January / February 2024

    Why Empires Fall as reviewed by Carlos Norena for TLS -  July 28, 2023

    About the book: 
    Why Empires Fall: Rome, America, and the Future of the West
    by Peter Heather and John Rapley
    Yale University Press - 200 pages 36.74 (Kindle)
    Publication Date: September 5, 2023


    About the Author: Peter Heather
     

    Peter Heather was born in Northern Ireland in 1960 and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and New College, Oxford. He has taught at University College, London, and Yale University, and is currently a Fellow of Medieval History at Worcester College Oxford. He is the author of a number of acclaimed works of history, including The Fall of the Roman Empire, published by Pan Macmillan in 2005.
    Biography Credit:  Pan MacMillan


    About the Author: John Rapley
     

    John Rapley is a political economist specialized in global development, the world economy and economic history. Born, raised and educated in Canada, he returned to his parents’ old meeting-ground, Oxford, on a post-doctoral fellowship.

    After launching his academic career there in the Department of International Development, Rapley decided to immerse himself in his subject by moving to the developing world. There, he spent the next two decades working as an academic, journalist and ultimately the creator of a think tank (the Caribbean Policy Research Institute).

    After helping governments navigate the 2008 financial crisis, he returned to Britain, making his home at the University of Cambridge. Teaching in the University’s Centre of Development Studies, Rapley resumed the writing life, and now divides his time among Europe, Canada, and South Africa, where he is a senior fellow at the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, along with South Korea, where he is a visiting professor at Yonsei University’s Institute for Poverty Alleviation and International Development.

    Rapley still keeps his hand in journalism and, following a long and varied career during which he interviewed everything from prime ministers and billionaires on their private islands to drug-lords and victims of sex-slavery, he contributes frequently to the Globe and Mail.
    Biography Credit:  GlobeandMail
    À propos du livre :
    Pourquoi les empires tombent : Rome, l'Amérique et l'avenir de l'Occident
    par Peter Heather et John Rapley
    Yale University Press - 200 pages 36,74 (Kindle)
    Date de publication : 5 septembre 2023


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