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SEA CHANGE: AMERICA'S NEW GREAT GAME IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE BY RANA FOROOHAR OCTOBER 6, 2026 PUBLISHER: CROWN
A sweeping account of how the Arctic became the next arena of global conflict as the great powers battle over trade routes, resources, and military dominance from Greenland to Siberia—by award-winning Financial Times journalist Rana Foroohar. As polar ice melts and new sea routes open, the Arctic has become the most consequential—and least understood—geopolitical theater in the world. In Sea Change, Rana Foroohar takes readers aboard America’s only Arctic icebreaker and inside the halls of power in Washington, Beijing, Moscow, and allied capitals to reveal how climate change is reshaping global trade, national security, and industrial policy. Drawing on unprecedented access to Coast Guard missions, senior officials across multiple administrations, labor leaders, and international partners, Foroohar shows how being a strong sea power is vital and how the U.S. is struggling to catch up. She also explains how control of Arctic shipping lanes, shipbuilding capacity, underwater data cables, and untapped natural resources will determine economic and military supremacy in the decades ahead. Both a gripping voyage and a clear‑eyed analysis of global power, Sea Change argues that America’s future prosperity and security may well be decided at the top of the world.
Indigo / Amazon
Reviews: “This book proves it: Rana Foroohar has an uncanny ability to sense seismic shifts in economics and politics before the rest of us. Sea Change reveals as much about China’s vision of the future as it does about the Arctic, but it is also an escapist voyage on the human scale, a sheer pleasure to read.”—Evan Osnos, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of The Haves and Have-Yachts “A new world order is being shaped in the High North, as countries including my own, Canada, as well as the United States, China, Russia, and many European nations stake a claim to one of the richest and most contested parts of our planet: the Arctic. Foroohar’s book gives us a fascinating, firsthand glimpse at what this modern-day Great Game will look like—and why it matters to us all.”—Chrystia Freeland, former deputy prime minister and minister of finance of Canada; economic advisor to the president of Ukraine “The global economic order built by America in the post-WWII era is no longer fit for purpose. At a time when politics seem more polarized than ever before, Sea Change shows how we can build a new order in a way that is bipartisan, and good for both U.S. workers and American allies. A must-read for people who care about a better future.”—Jake Sullivan, former national security advisor of the United States “For centuries, maritime power has been a prerequisite for economic and political supremacy. Today, America’s historic strength at sea is in danger of being eclipsed by China’s. In Sea Change, Foroohar gives us a page-turning tale of why ships matter as much as chips in the global economy, and why we must build again—at home and with allies abroad—to secure our future.”—Admiral James Stavridis, retired four-star U.S. naval officer “Economic security is national security. Rana Foroohar makes that clear in this gripping account of competition between Russia, China, and the United States to shape the Arctic. The story she tells about shipbuilding, critical minerals, and the industrial base we let atrophy, is a must-read for policymakers, executives, and citizens alike.”—Gina Raimondo, fortieth U.S. commerce secretary
See also: Sea Change as reviewed by Heidi Vierow for The Cipher Brief – October 15, 2026
The U.S. Navy destroyers Porter and Donald Cook, right, replenish from the fast combat support ship Supply while operating above the Arctic Circle (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of the Royal Navy)
About the book: Sea Change: America's New Great Game in the Arctic Circle
by Rana Foroohar
Crown – 264 pages $18.99 (Kindle)
Publication Date: October 6, 2026
About the Author: Rana Foroohar
Rana Foroohar is the author of Don’t Be Evil, which won a Porchlight Business Book Award, Makers and Takers, and Homecoming. Currently the global business columnist and associate editor for the Financial Times and the global economic analyst for CNN, she has served as the assistant managing editor and economic columnist at Time and an economic and foreign affairs editor and foreign correspondent at Newsweek. Rana Foroohar is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and sits on the board of the Open Markets Institute.
Biography Credit: PenguinRandomHouse
Book Review / Revue de livres 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
G. Sylvain Giroux lives in Ottawa, Ontario, following a 35-year career CSIS, retiring in April 2024 as the Chief of Management Services in the Counter Terrorism Division. Throughout his public service, he worked across administrative, operational, and support areas while completing his Human Resources degree at Algonquin College in 2010. Now embarking on his next chapter as an author, Sylvain captures the world through his debut novel, a passion for photography, travel and deep genealogical research tracing his lineage back to mid-1500s France. He has already embarked on his second novel, scheduled for release early in 2027. He is happily married and the proud father of two daughters.
INTO THE BREACH: A SOLDIER'S JOURNEY
A riveting memoir about war and peace from Canada’s former top soldier, General Wayne Eyre, chronicling his forty-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces and providing insights on our security, our sovereignty, and our place in a rapidly changing world. When soldiers step forward to take on a difficult task, many say they are going “into the breach.” Few Canadian senior military leaders have jumped into the breach more often than General Wayne Eyre, who was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff in 2021, serving as both commander of the Canadian Armed Forces and as military advisor to the prime minister and cabinet. A career soldier, Eyre rose steadily through the ranks and commanded at all levels in our military, from platoon to the Canadian Army, interspersed with many deployments abroad. Into the Breach recounts his decades-long journey through conflict and crisis with captivating honesty and revealing detail, including his time leading peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, Croatia, and Bosnia; overseeing Canada’s evacuation operation after the fall of Afghanistan; supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression; and confronting Chinese intimidation in the Pacific and suspected spy balloons over North America. Eyre also describes battling floods and wildfires across Canada, supporting the country during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and fighting in the halls of power for the resources to defend our nation as threats increased daily—including to our Arctic sovereignty. Both an enthralling personal account of a distinguished career spent in service and a tribute to the rich history of our military and its members, Into the Breach concludes by addressing the precarious place in which Canada now finds itself from a defence and national security perspective. In this new era of increased global disorder and unrelenting operational demands for the Canadian Armed Forces, Eyre’s thoughts are imperative for all Canadians to contemplate as they consider whether they, too, are ready to jump into the breach.
Indigo /. Amazon
Reviews: “General Eyre’s Into the Breach recounts this remarkable leader's ability to stay above the fray and provide grand strategic guidance under an environment of ceaseless urgency. Few who have not held that level of command can grasp the weight of decisions made with incomplete information, competing priorities, and no room for hesitation. Eyre’s account offers a rare and honest window into what it takes to lead with clarity when the ground itself is shifting. These are lessons as important to soldiers as to anyone charged with leading an institution through crisis. This book deserves to be read not just by those in uniform, but by anyone who will one day be asked to lead when it matters most.” — LIEUTENANT-GENERAL THE HONOURABLE ROMÉO DALLAIRE (Canadian Army, retired) “This vivid account of General Wayne Eyre’s stellar career as a top soldier gives a deeply personal validation to recent Canadian military history. He has seen it all and has written it down in such a meaningful and human way.” — THE RIGHT HONOURABLE ADRIENNE CLARKSON, former governor general of Canada “A farm boy from Saskatchewan who rose to the highest rank in Canada’s military, General Wayne Eyre regales with his personal story of an exciting and arduous career path. Much to his credit and character, he never flinched and always faced the challenges thrown at him head-on, and was rewarded with an appointment as our country’s Chief of the Defence Staff at a time when Canadian senior military leadership was being dragged through the mud.” — MAJOR-GENERAL LEWIS MacKENZIE (Canadian Army, retired) “Into the Breach is a fascinating look at war, at how defence policy is made in Canada, and at the sacrifices our soldiers make. General Wayne Eyre, a retired Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, is one of its most thoughtful and deeply read leaders. He is also a terrific writer. This is a must-read book for anyone interested in Canada’s defence.” — JANICE GROSS STEIN, founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy “Having had the privilege of serving alongside Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, I witnessed firsthand the professionalism, courage, and quiet determination General Eyre describes so vividly in these pages. Into the Breach is not only the story of one remarkable military career; it is also a tribute to generations of Canadians who have answered their nation’s call with distinction. A thoughtful, timely, and deeply important book.” — GENERAL STANLEY McCHRYSTAL (United States Army, retired) “Wayne Eyre was there through it all, eventually becoming the country’s top soldier. He saw everything—the good and the bad—and his memory of events is one we must learn from during this dangerous and critical moment in Canadian and world history. General Eyre has a dramatic story to tell, and if you want to understand how Canada’s military really works, you need to read this book.” — PETER MANSBRIDGE, former chief correspondent for CBC News “As a soldier, a scholar, and the most senior commander of Canada’s military forces, Wayne Eyre built a vast reservoir of experience and wisdom. A must-read from one of Canada’s finest soldiers and leaders of the twenty-first century, indispensable for junior leaders as well as those charged with the most senior military and national security appointments.” — MAJOR-GENERAL MICK RYAN (Australian Army, retired) "A crackerjack spy story that only Ben Macintyre could tell so well. He seems to have talked to everyone, and cracked every file, that might shed new light on this remarkable tale. But a word of advice: before starting to read, settle into a comfortable chair and have snacks close to hand, because you won't be going anywhere for a while." —Scott Anderson, author of King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation
See also: Into the Breach as reviewed by Colin Robertson for Policy – September 28, 2026
'Thrown under the bus': Former defence chief's memoir lays bare his battles with the Trudeau government by Murray Brewster for CBC News – September 28, 2026
Wayne Eyre at CFB Wainwright in 2022. Photo: Master Sailor Dan Bard, Canadian Forces Combat Camera, Canadian Armed Forces photo
About the book: Into the Breach; A Soldier’s Story
by Wayne Eyre Simon & Schuster – 432 pages $24.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: September 15, 2026
About the Author: Wayne Eyre
Wayne Eyre retired in 2024 as Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff. As the commander of the Canadian Armed Forces and military advisor to the Prime Minister and Cabinet, he led Canada’s military through an unprecedented confluence of international and domestic crises and rapidly evolving security stressors. In his 40-year military career, he has commanded at all levels, from an infantry rifle platoon to Commander of the Canadian Army.He led numerous domestic operations in Canada, and overseas he served in Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia, Afghanistan (twice), and South Korea, where he was the most senior Canadian officer ever stationed in the Asia Pacific region.His institutional experience includes working in force development and as Deputy Commander of Military Personnel Command. A graduate of the US Army War College and US Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting, he holds a BSc and three master’s degrees. Biography Credit: uOttawa
THE WHITE LADY: THE STORY OF TWO KEY BRITISH SECRET SERVICE NETWORKS BEHIND GERMAN LINES BY HELEN FRY DECEMBER 8, 2025 PUBLISHER: YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS
A major new history of the two most important British secret service networks in the First and Second World Wars Intelligence gathering was essential to both sides in the First and Second World Wars. At the heart of MI6’s efforts were two key networks in Belgium. Agents in The White Lady acted as couriers, radio operators and spies to facilitate the end of German control. And, when war broke out again two decades later, the leaders of the network regrouped and established a successor: The Clarence Service. Helen Fry charts the history of these pivotal intelligence networks. Drawing on recently declassified information, Fry examines who the agents were, how they were recruited, and how the intelligence they gathered directly impacted the outcome of both wars. Operators in the field sent over eight hundred radio messages to London and delivered more than a thousand reports, including groundbreaking information on Hitler’s secret weapon the V-1. This is a compelling account of the agents who risked their lives and found ingenious ways to smuggle intelligence out of occupied Belgium.
Fernande Volral, a Belgian resistance fighter executed by the Germans at Wolfenbüttel in August 1944. Her courage remains a symbol of Belgian resistance. [Alamy]
The White Lady as reviewed by Lawrence Freedman for Foreign Affairs – September / October 2026
About the book: The White Lady: The Story of Two Key British Secret Service Networks Behind German Lines
by Helen Fry Crown – 300 pages $32.99 (Kobo) Publication Date: December 8, 2025
About the Author: Helen Fry Historian Helen Fry has written extensively on the Second World War with particular reference to the 10,000 Germans & Austrians who fought for Britain; and also intelligence and espionage. Helen's latest book "Women in Intelligence: The Hidden History of Two World Wars" is published in September 2023.
MI9: A History of the Secret Service for Escape and Evasion in World War Two" has been widely covered in the national press. Her critically acclaimed book "The Walls Have Ears: The Greatest Intelligence Operation of WWII" featured in the Top 8 Books of the Year by the Daily Mail (2019).
She is the leading expert on the 'secret listeners' at special eavesdropping sites by British intelligence in WWII. She has been at the forefront of widespread coverage and in-depth research of the greatest intelligence deception of the war: the bugging of Hitler’s generals at Trent Park, North London as well as Latimer House and Wilton Park in Buckinghamshire. Helen is recognised as the official biographer of MI6 spymaster, Colonel Thomas Joseph Kendrick. Her biography of Kendrick - "Spymaster: The Man who saved MI6" - has been highly acclaimed as one of Waterstones best biographies of the year 2021.
Her published books include "The London Cage" about Britain's Secret WW2 Interrogation Centre, amongst a portfolio of books that include "Inside Nuremberg Prison"; "Denazification: Britain's Enemy Aliens, Nazi war Criminals & the Reconstruction of post-war Europe"; "Freuds' War" and "Churchill's German Army", "From Dachau to D-Day" and "German Schoolboy, British Commando". She appears frequently in TV documentaries, podcasts, and broadcasts as well live interviews on the BBC and BBC World News. She can be found on Twitter @DrHelenFry and Facebook.
Helen is an ambassador for The Museum of Military Intelligence; an Honorary member of the Association of Jewish Refugees; and a Trustee of The Medmenham Collection. Helen was honoured as 'A Women of Achievement', alongside 400 women at the Women of the Year Lunch 2022.
Biography Credit: www.Helen-Fry.Com
BRINK: INSIDE THE RACE TO FREE THE OCTOBER 7TH HOSTAGES
The first major insider account of the high-stakes negotiations to free the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7—written in gripping detail by the American mediator who was in the room through it all Having served four American presidents on matters of war and peace, Brett McGurk was no stranger to high-stakes diplomacy, but this was different. With American citizens missing, the hostages’ release critical to ending the war in Gaza, and the desperate situation for civilians, McGurk and his team faced impossible tradeoffs at every turn. Caught between Hamas’s maximalist demands and Israel’s determination that Hamas could not maintain power in Gaza, McGurk and his colleagues worked relentlessly over fifteen months to get a deal that most increasingly thought impossible. Taking readers inside McGurk’s discussions and negotiations with President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and presidents, generals, spies, and diplomats in Qatar, Egypt, Oman, and more, Brink paints a portrait of a region one wrong choice away from tipping into total war, as Iran and its proxy militias seized upon the chaos to open fire on Israeli and American targets. With the 2024 election reshaping the political landscape and time running out on the hostages, McGurk found himself working hand in hand with an unlikely partner—Trump’s emissary from the New York real estate world, Steve Witkoff. They forged a bipartisan front when it mattered most—to secure a ceasefire and save lives. A gripping account of diplomacy under fire, Brink takes readers from the Oval Office to the seats of power in the Middle East and offers a remarkable look inside a crisis that reshaped the world, the consequences of which are still unfolding today.
Reviews
“Readers don’t expect an edge-of-your-seat thriller from a diplomat. But Brett McGurk delivers one with Brink. It is the brutal story of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that left over a thousand Israelis slaughtered and 250 taken into Gaza as hostages. What follows is an account of McGurk’s unrelenting effort to rescue as many of those hostages as possible. It is a tale of promise and frustration, of hope and despair, of sadness and pain and, ultimately, of the persistence and resolve of an extraordinary diplomat.”—Robert M. Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense 2006-2011 “The massacre in Israel by Hamas gunmen in the fall of 2023 kicked off the most tumultuous and far-reaching changes in the region’s history. Brett McGurk takes us inside the White House to give us a dramatic and intimate account of those epochal days, from the moment Israel’s fences were breached to his agonizing final efforts to free Hamas’ hostages. Brink is as riveting as a suspense novel—except it’s true.”—Dexter Filkins, Pulitzer Prize–winning foreign correspondent and author of The Forever War “I have known Brett McGurk through years when the United States faced some of its hardest tests in modern foreign policy. Across administrations of both parties, he earned the confidence of presidents, diplomats, military commanders, and allies through his strategic discipline, mastery of detail, and steady judgment under pressure. In Brink, McGurk brings readers inside the difficult reality of modern statecraft, where diplomacy unfolds in the shadow of war and every decision carries consequence. A serious book about a serious time.”—General Jim Mattis, USMC (Retired), U.S. Secretary of Defense 2017-2018 “A real life thriller, brilliantly written. McGurk takes you into the rooms where it happened, from the Oval Office to a tent in the Saudi desert, with the presidents, prime ministers and royalty who made it happen. Brink is the latest chapter in McGurk’s extraordinary career, spanning four presidencies and covering the war in Iraq, the rise and fall of ISIS and the elusive quest for Middle East peace.”—Ambassador Ryan Crocker, six-time U.S. ambassador, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom “An extraordinary and riveting insider account of diplomacy at the edge of war. Brett McGurk takes us inside the highest-stakes negotiations after October 7, revealing with remarkable immediacy how force, leverage, persistence, and personal relationships shaped the effort to free the Israeli hostages and contain a regional conflagration. Brink is statecraft rendered as a page-turner—authoritative, candid, deeply human, and masterfully told.”—General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.); former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Commander, and Coalition Forces in Afghanistan; former Director of the CIA; co-author of Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare From 1945 to Gaza; Kissinger Fellow, Yale University “Brett McGurk is one of the finest public servants I have ever known, and no book I have read captures the inner working of high-stakes diplomacy better than Brink. The raw emotions, the twists and turns, the gut-wrenching losses and the inspiring and hopeful outcomes will keep the reader glued to the pages. Brink is the book we all need right now to restore our faith in those who serve the American people.”—Admiral William H. McRaven, US Navy (Retired) “This riveting account of a high-stakes bipartisan effort to free hostages is a case study of what diplomacy should be.”—Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Steve Jobs and Elon Musk
See also:
Brink as reviewed by Fintan O’Toole for New York Times – October 6, 2026
The Hostages of October 7, 2023 – Stand With Us
About the book: Brink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7th Hostages
by Brett McGurk Crown – 318 pages $18.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: October 6, 2026
A
bout the Author: Brett McGurk Brett McGurk is a distinguished fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs. McGurk served as deputy assistant to former US President Joe Biden and White House coordinator for the Middle East region. In this role, he spearheaded responses to some of the most complex diplomatic challenges of our time–from helping lead multi-month negotiations across the region to secure the release of Israeli hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza, to coordinating Israel’s defense against the largest ballistic missile attacks in history, and to overseeing all aspects of US engagement throughout the Middle East and North Africa at moments of acute crisis and opportunity.
Throughout his career, McGurk has been at the forefront of modern diplomacy’s evolution—from championing new technology and energy corridors between India, the Gulf states, Israel, Jordan, and Europe, to witnessing firsthand how AI and computing infrastructure have become essential to maintaining strategic partnerships and global influence. He also has a first-hand understanding of how breakthrough defense technologies employed by US military forces can deter future conflicts, provided the United States maintains its leading technological edge.
As special presidential envoy for US Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, McGurk built and then led a global coalition of more than eighty countries together with local forces on the ground to defeat ISIS and prevent future attacks into Europe as well as the US homeland. He also led secret negotiations with Iran to secure the release of American hostages, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, later receiving the James Foley Freedom Award for hostage diplomacy. As a senior White House official under George W. Bush, McGurk was an early advocate for a change in war policy and helped develop “the surge” to better align the ends and means of US strategy.
During a brief period out of government service in 2019 and 2020, McGurk taught graduate courses on strategy and presidential decision-making at Stanford and served on the board of a Lux company, Primer, which harnesses AI and natural language processing for real-time analysis in crisis and operational environments. Biography Credit: Atlantic Council
EDWOOD: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE COLD WAR'S MOST EXTRAORDINARY SPY
BY BEN MCINTYRE SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 PUBLISHER: SIGNAL
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Spy and the Traitor comes the ultimate true-life Cold War thriller: a “page-turning masterpiece” (The Guardian) about a Russian double agent with a desperate secret—and the key to stopping a nuclear apocalypse. “Ben Macintyre has a rare ability to turn history and espionage upside down and give us true, colorful stories that astound us as they draw us in. Redwood might be his best.”—John Grisham In 1981, KGB Major Vladimir Kuzichkin, codenamed “Redwood,” was the best Soviet officer in Iran, running spies in the wake of the Islamic revolution and working with a hidden network of Iranian communists to undermine the new regime. But Kuzichkin had a problem, a sexual secret that, if revealed, would humiliate him with his colleagues, cost him his job, and send him into exile. Desperate for a solution, he reached out to the only place he believed could help: Britain’s MI6. So begins one of the most astounding true spy stories of the Cold War, set against the terrifying prospect of nuclear armageddon. Taking readers through shadowy back alleys of Tehran, across bloody streets and into cloistered intelligence offices, Ben Macintyre unfolds a world in turmoil, where no one’s motive is what it seems, and exposure means death. As Kuzichkin helps the Soviet leadership plot an overthrow of the Ayatollah’s fledgling regime—and the American government secretly contemplates a nuclear response if they do—it falls on MI6’s resourceful young undercover officer Ian McCredie to spirit Kuzichkin’s vital information back to the West. But when both Iranian intelligence and the KGB close in on the Russian double-agent, McCredie must design an improbable high-stakes escape plan for Kuzichkin, in which failure is almost certain and the direction of the Cold War hangs in the balance. This is the gripping tale of one man’s courage, and its extraordinary unintended consequences that still shape our world today. It’s about a moving friendship between spies on opposite sides of the global conflict; about marriage, loyalty, and betrayal. Drawing on never-before-seen archival material and revealing interviews with the participants, Redwood plunges readers back into the world of The Spy and the Traitor, where the fate of millions turns on the split-second decisions of spies under pressure.
Reviews: “"Macintyre writes with a director’s eye. . . . Redwood is a triumph." —The Spectator "Ben Macintyre has made an illustrious career of taking dusty government archives and transforming them into propulsive nonfiction thrillers. . . . With his latest, Redwood, he has done it again." —New York Times "Mesmerising. . . . [Redwood is] chiefly its author’s triumph. . . A masterclass in the ethics of espionage." —The Times "There’s much to like in Redwood. Macintyre. . . is incapable of writing a dull sentence." —The Telegraph "Superb. . . . The rest of Redwood lives up to the attention-grabbing opening scene; I devoured it in a single sitting." —The Guardian "Macintyre remains almost unrivalled in combining the skills of the journalist and of the historian. . . Redwood displays an exceptional array of on- and off-the-record sources alongside deep archival research, all told in economical prose that achieves both pace and clarity." —The Observer "Like the best of Macintyre’s books, Redwood is less concerned with the machinery of espionage than with the unruly people caught inside of it." —The Independent "If there’s a branch of history devoted to espionage, Macintyre is its unchallenged dean. . . . Macintyre’s latest is one of his best." —Kirkus difficult to believe. Redwood might be his best." —John Grisham "A crackerjack spy story that only Ben Macintyre could tell so well. He seems to have talked to everyone, and cracked every file, that might shed new light on this remarkable tale. But a word of advice: before starting to read, settle into a comfortable chair and have snacks close to hand, because you won't be going anywhere for a while." —Scott Anderson, author of King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation
See also: Redwood excerpt as reviewed by Oliver Bullough for The Guardian – September 16, 2026
Redwood excerpt as reviewed by Joseph Finder for New York Times – September 13, 2026
The K.G.B. agent Vladimir Kuzichkin with his wife, Galina, at the National Botanical Garden in Tehran in 1977.Credit...Galina Kokosova Archives
About the book: Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War's Most Extraordinary Spy
by Ben McIntyre Signal – 407 pages $18.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: September 15, 2026
About the Author: Ben McIntyre
Ben Macintyre is the multimillion-copy bestselling author of fifteen non-fiction books including Colditz, Agent Sonya, SAS: Rogue Heroes (adapted into a BBC drama, now in its third season), The Spy and the Traitor, Agent Zigzag, Operation Mincemeat (a major motion picture starring Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen), and A Spy Among Friends (adapted into a six-part ITV drama). His books have sold more than three million copies worldwide and have been translated into over 30 languages.
A columnist and Associate Editor atThe Times, Macintyre has written a weekly column for the newspaper since 1998 covering history, espionage, politics, art, and foreign affairs. He joined The Times in 1992 as New York Correspondent, later serving as Paris Bureau Chief, US Editor in Washington, and editor of the Weekend Review, before taking up his current post as Writer at Large.
His last seven books have all been bestsellers in both the UK and the US, including The Spy and the Traitor which John le Carré called “the best true spy story I have ever read”. Ben’s latest book, The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama, was a Sunday Times Number 1 Bestseller and is being adapted for television by ‘Slow Horses’ showrunner, Will Smith.
Biography Credit: Medalma Clinic
HUMANITARIENNE: A DOCTOR'S STORIES FROM THE CONFLICT ZONE
BY KIRSTEN JOHNSON SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 PUBLISHER: DOUGLAS AND MCINTYRE
The inspiring memoir of a bold, brave global health expert—a pioneering woman working in some of the world’s most volatile places.
As a physician and public health specialist, Kirsten Johnson has led missions in conflict zones, disaster-stricken regions and underserved communities. In Humanitarienne, she traces how a strict childhood marked by trauma pushed her to seek independence early. Living in a punk flop house while trying to finish high school was the unlikely turning point in a life that would be shaped by curiosity, resilience and a commitment to others. Over the years, Dr. Johnson completed medical school, received her Masters in Public Health from Harvard, studied tropical medicine and eventually brought her skills into some of the world’s most precarious settings.
In vivid, unsentimental prose, Johnson recounts a career forged in war-torn and disaster-affected regions: building mental health programs in Liberia, documenting atrocities in Darfur, delivering care in Canada’s North, and training doctors in Beirut. Along the way, she confronts the inequities embedded in humanitarian systems—and sets out to fix them.
It is a story of hard-earned transformation and unwavering commitment: a girl who once felt she belonged nowhere becoming a woman who has built a life of purpose everywhere, defined not by where she came from but by changes she has helped create. Informed by courage and a touch of rebellious spirit, Humanitarienne is essential reading for anyone drawn to international work, social justice, or the ways in which people are shaped by—and in turn shape—the world around them.
Reviews: “Kirsten Johnson skillfully weaves harrowing stories from around the globe as she leaves her family to practise medicine―and a fair bit of politics―in some of the most heartbreaking locales, ravaged by war, poverty and environmental disasters. With astonishing vulnerability, she shows readers what it takes to be a woman in the high-stakes humanitarian field.”― Dr. Blair Bigham, physician, journalist, and author of Death Interrupted
“Dr. Johnson’s memoir paints a detailed picture of the triumphs and the horrors of conducting humanitarian work in developing parts of the world. It’s a fascinating read, and I’m glad that she, and others like her, are willing to do the hard work to actually make the world a better place… one mission, and sometimes one person, at a time.”― George Kourounis, Explorer in Residence, Royal Canadian Geographical Society
See also: Humanitarienne excerpt as written by Dr. Kirsten Johnson and published in the Toronto Star – August 30, 2026
About the book: Humanitarienne: A Doctor's Stories from the Conflict Zone
by Dr. Kirsten Johnson Douglas & McIntyre – 296 pages $14.57 (Kindle) Publication Date: September 1, 2026
About the Author: Dr. Kirsten Johnson
Dr. Kirsten Johnson is a board-certified family and emergency physician and menopause specialist, and an accomplished healthcare leader with over two decades of experience spanning clinical medicine, research, public health, global humanitarian work, and medical education.
Dr. Johnson completed her training in Family and Emergency Medicine at McGill University and holds a Master of Public Health from Harvard University. She is a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Swiss Society of Emergency and Rescue Medicine and is Past President of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, where she played a national leadership role in shaping emergency care in Canada.
Dr. Johnson is a Menopause Society certified specialist, with expertise in midlife women’s health and hormone optimization. She completed over 100 hours of training and examinations and has been awarded certification in Bioidentical Hormone Therapy through The Worldlink Academy of Preventative and Innovative Medicine, and is currently completing her American Board Certification in Anti-Aging and Longevity Medicine—solidifying her place as a leader in the field of hormonal and longevity-focused care.
Internationally, Dr. Johnson has worked as a consultant for the World Health Organization, UK-Med’s Emergency Medical Response Team, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as Health Advisor for the Canadian Red Cross’s Health in Emergencies Program, contributing to national preparedness and crisis response. She is also the founder and Director of Humanitarian U, an internationally recognized NGO that has trained over 500,000 humanitarians and established the global standard for professional humanitarian certification. Dr. Johnson is the author of a recently published book, Humanitarienne: A Doctor’s Stories from the Conflict Zone, in which she shares her experiences and reflections from her career in the humanitarian sector.
She is a Fellow of the Explorers Club and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She has been awarded the Segal Centre’s Janusz Korczak Award for the protection of children in conflict, the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s Award of Excellence in Global Health and was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.
DOMANT FURY
BY MARC LA FERRIERE 2026
Marc La Ferrière served for thirty years as an Intelligence Officer where he worked on a variety of counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations, as well as a myriad of other national security tasks including, training new officers, and internal security matters. Follow the continuing journey of Zack Power in Dormant Fury. What about the happens when the hunter becomes the hunted? The same elite skills are used, but in a different and more manner rigorous. How does one stay hidden when the best in the world are hunting you down? Can one survive indefinitely? You will find out in this riveting thriller, where psychological challenges and tragedy turn Power once again into a furious man on a mission. Marc La Ferrière is also author the author of ESCALATING FURY (2025) and the autobiography, D’ICI À LÀ, which was released in 2024.
Review:
Don’t judge a book by its cover!
This age-old saying has relevancy in a lot of spheres ranging from fashion, appearance to literature. There are variations of this phrase going back into the mid-1800s and it is still as relevant today as it was way back then.
I first was introduced to Marc La Ferriere’s first book, Escalating Fury, when I was asked to review his second novel, Dormant Fury, which was released in late August 2026. I chuckled as I saw the preview of the cover - hence the title of this review. Not sure I would have picked up the second book based on the cover alone.
I proceeded to read Escalating Fury first as Dormant Fury is a continuation of the first book. I could not put it down and waited impatiently for the launch of the Book 2. Marc uses his professional experience well by having a plot with twists and turns as real life intelligence work usually unfolds. Plans are made; ops are outlined but there usually is a twist when one least expects it. Marc keeps the reader interested by sticking to the story line, with very little “filler”. A lot of novels are filled with filler content, nice to read, but it adds nothing to the plot line.
Zack Power, the main character, is determined to survive, using his skills learned on-the-job as an intelligence operative, first for a British agency, then for a private organization, ZENITH, whose role is not clearly defined. This adds to the intrigue, who does he really work for, who is responsible for making operational decisions that determine which terrorists, criminals, intelligence agents ZENITH goes after.
In Dormant Fury, Zack Power has left ZENITH for personal reasons, is living on a remote island, trying to survive. By suddenly leaving the organization his life is now in danger. The love of his life, another ZENITH operative, who too has left the organization, finds him and they reconnect, but not for long.
Zack’s operational skills, knowledge of the intelligence community and his past contacts all come into play as he goes after those who made the decision to make his personal life a nightmare. As I was reading my mind was seeing a film evolving. It just needs book 3, Resurging Fury to complete the script.
In the preface to Dormant Fury Marc writes, “This is a story about choice and consequences, about what it means to step out of a system designed to be inescapable, and the cost of staying gone once you do.” One can equate this to retiring from a world of intelligence work and trying to assimilate into an environment of normalcy, if there is such an entity.
Dormant Fury is a fast read, an intriguing one as the twists and turns are not predictable. Just get past the cover!
Iwona Mooney
CSIS, Retired
Available at: https://librairielouisfrechette.ca/fr/Produit-41263-Dormant-Fury-Neuf-Format-Regulier-Anglais
THE JACKAL: THE RISE AND FALL OF CARLOS, THE WORLD'S FIRST SUPER-TERRORIST
BY JOBY WORRICK AUGUST 18, 2026 PUBLISHER: SCRIBNER
Book Review:
The spectacular rise and dramatic fall of super-assassin Carlos the Jackal—one of history’s most infamous terrorist masterminds and the inspiration for numerous celebrated works of pop culture—told with new revelations from the Jackal himself, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Black Flags. A black-bereted, gun-slinging avatar of one of the most turbulent eras in global politics, Carlos the Jackal burst onto the world stage in 1975 as the first true celebrity terrorist and the TV-ready face of a violent Palestinian resistance movement that was then just beginning to gain traction. In a bloody career that would ultimately span three decades, Carlos innovated a new kind of spectacular terrorism, one that embraced hijackings, hostage crises, airport bombings, and international assassinations. And he personally masterminded one of the era’s most shocking crimes: the kidnapping for ransom of an entire conference of world oil ministers in Vienna. The polar opposite of most modern terrorists, Carlos prized large paychecks over ideology and styled himself as a swashbuckling lady’s man who, despite his charm, murdered his victims with callous disregard, often with his own hand.
Today, even from behind bars, Carlos can see his influence continue to reverberate. Through newly declassified archives, secret police files, long-repressed eyewitness accounts, and a rare interview with the Jackal himself, acclaimed journalist Joby Warrick reveals Carlos’ far-reaching legacy as a pioneer of borderless terrorist attacks designed for television. During his twenty years on the run, the terrorist-for-hire would become a secret weapon used by autocrats to covertly attack their foes. In the process he helped transform how modern societies deal with a new kind of threat: a singular criminal mind that approaches terror with a professional’s devotion to craft.
Reviews:
“AUTHORITATIVE AND ACUTELY READABLE… [Warrick’s] new book functions as a pocket history of terrorism’s early modern period, and it details how Carlos’s exploits helped provide the template for later bad actors such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.” —Dwight Garner, The New York Times “ENGROSSING…recounts the life of a flamboyant Marxist whose exploits riveted and terrified.” —Wall Street Journal “ASTONISHING. Joby Warrick has completely fleshed out this mysterious and lethal man, driven as much by vanity as any of the various causes he embraced, and succeeds like no one before in mapping the global underworld.” —Mark Bowden, bestselling author of Black Hawk Down and Guests of the Ayatollah “JOBY WARRICK HAS DONE IT AGAIN. He taps his amazing intelligence sources to narrate the intimate details of Carlos's life as a killer, sexual predator, and diabolically clever ‘founding father’ of modern terrorism. When he finally tracks Carlos down in a Paris prison, the reader feels a sigh of relief that he's behind bars!” —David Ignatius, columnist at The Washington Post and author of Phantom Orbit “CAN’T-PUT-IT-DOWN THRILLER, ABSORBING PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY, METICULOUS DETECTIVE STORY, ILLUMINATING SAGA—Joby Warrick's brilliant Jackal does it all. Its final, haunting scene is one you’ll never forget.” —David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of When Pride Still Mattered and Path Lit by Lightning “THOROUGHLY IMMERSIVE—a page turner with just the right amount of historical context. As someone who was on the periphery of hunting Carlos, I can assure readers that there’s nary a false note. For those who wonder why terrorism ultimately fails, this is a must read.” —Robert Baer, former CIA case officer and bestselling author of See No Evil and The Devil We Know “PROPULSIVE. The biography of a ‘criminal narcissist’ who made terrorism into a lethal art while also living the life of a louche playboy, gallivanting around the globe. A rattling good yarn and a sobering one.” —Peter Bergen, bestselling author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for bin Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad "EXTRAORDINARY. In a globe-spanning quest, Warrick appears to have tracked down nearly everyone involved in the hunt for the notorious Carlos. Fans of spy-thrillers will be in absolute heaven knowing this is all true." —Scott Anderson, bestselling author of Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly, and the Making of the Modern Middle East “PULSATING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING, The Jackal is a meticulously reported page-turner from one of our finest chroniclers of terrorists and their pursuers.” —Steve Coll, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Ghost Wars, Directorate S, and The Achilles Trap
The Jackal as reviewed by Dwight Garner for New York Times – August 10, 2026
Carlos arrives at the Paris courthouse for his appeal against French anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere. Carlos claims Bruguiere "violated the secrecy of the case" when he allegedly spoke to French journalist Philippe Berti of the Figaro-Magazine about the probe he conducted in Romania in 1998, concerning a 1982 bomb attack rue Marbeouf in Paris. He was seeking one symbolic franc (15 US cents) in damages.JACK GUEZ/AFP (2011)
About the book: The Jackal: The Rise and Fall of Carlos, the World's First Super-Terrorist
by Joby Worrick
Scribner - 384 pages $20.99 (Kindle)
Publication Date: August 18, 2026
About the Author: Joby Worrick Joby Warrick is a best-selling author and a national security reporter for The Washington Post. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, he served for 19 years with the Post’s national and investigative staffs, focusing primarily on intelligence, diplomacy and security in the Middle East and South Asia. His first book, “The Triple Agent” (Doubleday, 2011), is the best-selling true story of an al-Qaeda spy who led the CIA into a deadly trap at Khost, Afghanistan, in the agency’s bloodiest day in a quarter-century. Warrick’s second book, “Black Flags” (Knopf-Doubleday, September 2015), is a narrative account of the personalities and events that gave rise to the Islamic State, or ISIS. It was listed as one of the best books of 2015 by the New York Times, The Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and numerous other publications. The book was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction in April 2016.
As an investigative reporter at The Post, Warrick led the newspaper’s coverage of WMD proliferation and weapons trafficking after 2001, and was among the first American journalists to question pre-war claims about Iraq’s nuclear program. Later, his articles about international proliferation threats earned him the Overseas Press Club of America’s Bob Considine Award in 2004 for best newspaper interpretation of international affairs.
Before coming to The Post, Warrick was an enterprise reporter for The News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., where he co-authored “Boss Hog,” a series of investigative stories that documented the political and environmental fallout caused by factory farming in the Southeast. The series won the 1996 “Gold Medal” Pulitzer Prize for public service and nine other national and regional awards, including citations by Investigative Reporters & Editors and the White House Correspondents’ Association.
Warrick worked for five years as a reporter for United Press International, and at age 29 was appointed UPI bureau chief in Vienna, Austria. While in Europe he covered the fall of the Berlin Wall, the overthrow of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu and the collapse of other communist regimes in the former East Bloc. He also previously worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Delaware County (Pa.) Daily Times.
Warrick graduated summa cum laude from Temple University in 1982 with a B.A. in journalism. A native of North Carolina, he lives in Centreville, Va., with his wife and two children.
Biography Credit: Chartwell Speakers
RUINING REVOLUTION: HOW INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIST AND SALAFI FORCES HAVE HELD LIBYA HOSTAGE SINCE 2011
BY INGA K. TRAUTHIG NOVEMBER 25, 2025 PUBLISHER: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS
The political turmoil in Libya—which has claimed more than 20,000 lives and frustrated international partners since 2011—is an immensely complex struggle for power with a dizzying array of participants. How did Libya’s “Arab Spring” devolve into civil war after the removal of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi? Ruining Revolution examines Libya’s descent into chaos, pinpointing the roles of Islamist and Salafi forces. Focusing on two key but underestimated movements, the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood and Libyan Salafi-Madkhalis, Inga K. Trauthig argues that ideological groups have been of greater importance than previously assumed. She maps out crucial junctions in Libya’s recent history, tying in these movements’ pasts, to show how Islamist and Salafi forces have stoked instability. Although the 2011 Libyan revolution was not religious, these groups proved surprisingly well-equipped to capitalize on social and political fissures and to attract international support. Featuring deep research and rigorous analysis, this book draws on a range of sources, including in-depth interviews and propaganda shared on social media. Ruining Revolution illuminates the dynamics that have shaped contemporary Libya—with significant policy implications for regional engagement—and offers broader insight into the underlying workings of a range of radical groups.
This important and well-written work offers timely insights into Libya’s political development since the Arab Spring. Drawing on a range of painstakingly collected sources, it offers a rich analysis of how Salafist Islamist groups have adapted to the instability and insecurity in Libya over this period. In so doing, it charts and explains the important and complex roles that they have played. A must-read for anyone interested in Islamism and political instability in the Middle East. — Jonathan Hill, director of the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, King’s College London Uniquely focusing on the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood and Libyan Salafi-Madkhalis, this book helps readers understand the current state of Libya, as the promise of the Arab Spring led to what would better be described as an Arab Winter. — Joana Cook, author of The Rule Is for None but Allah: Islamist Approaches to Governance In Ruining Revolution, Inga Trauthig has produced an important work of scholarship with policy relevance. I worked on Libya as a British diplomat and United Nations coordinator, and wish I had had this book to consult. — Edmund Fitton-Brown, senior advisor to the Counter Extremism Project ...Subtle and provocative... — Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs
Ruining Revolution as reviewed by Lisa Anderson for Foreign Affairs – May / June 2026
Ruining Revolution as reviewed by Idriss Mounir Lallali for JSTOR – June 2026
Ghouta residents commemorate the 12th anniversary of the 2013 chemical attack on Aug. 21, 2025, in Zamalka, Syria. (Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images)
About the book: Ruining Revolution: How International Islamist and Salafi Forces Have Held Libya Hostage Since 2011
by Inga K. Trauthig Columbia University Press – 279 pages $44.74 (Kindle) Publication Date: November 25, 2025
About the Author: Inga Trauthig Inga Trauthig is a research professor at the Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy at Florida International University (FIU). She is a security studies scholar and received her Ph.D. from the Department of War Studies at King’s College London (KCL).
Dr. Trauthig’s research interests cover the political and security impacts of emerging technologies (AI, decentralized technologies, encryption, virtual reality). As a social science researcher, she works to understand the effects of emerging technologies–particularly regarding democratic backsliding, shifting power dynamics, extremism and related security implications–and what can be done from a regulatory perspective to counter harmful consequences.
She has authored over 80 publications. The majority of those are peer-reviewed while others are op-eds or shorter, policy-focused pieces such as “Self-Regulation won’t Prevent Problematic Uses of Generative AI” for Lawfare. She has published in peer-reviewed journals like Big Data & Society, Conflict, Security & Development, Journal of Online Trust & Safety, Journal of Public Diplomacy, New Media & Society, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Political Communication and Political Research Quarterly. Dr. Trauthig has co-edited a special journal issue on conspiracy theories for the Journal of Information Technology & Politics, the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Political Science Association (APSA) Organized Section on Information Technology & Politics.
Dr. Trauthig lectured or presented at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Yale’s Law School. Her regional expertise is strongest on the Middle East, but she has also led research projects and authored publications on China, Germany, India, Russia, or the US.
Biography Credit: Florida International University
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