With the election season in somewhat early full swing it is important to consider geopolitical challenges our next president must overcome. In the book subtitled “Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower”, Brzezinski covers the accomplishments and shortcomings of George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in the context of world events that played out during their respective terms (1989-present). As both an avid observer, as well as a powerful actor on the international arena, the author strikes a fine balance between historical narrative and political commentary.

The final result is an excellent book which clearly reconstructs and analyzes the presidents’ (mis)handling of major events such as the last days of the Cold War, the Solidarity movement in Poland and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Block, the rise of globalization, the challenge of fundamentalism and many others. The last, and in my opinion most interesting, chapter includes a ‘presidential GPA’ calculation and offers the next president forward-looking advice to ensure America retains its world leadership role.