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De naderende storm
De dreiging van een directe oorlog tussen grootmachten is lange tijd niet zo groot geweest. Welke lessen kunnen we trekken uit de geschiedenis om zo’n catastrofe te voorkomen?
In De naderende storm wijst Yale-historicus Odd Arne Westad op de vele huiveringwekkende parallellen tussen onze tijd en de vooravond van de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Net als toen strijden opkomende en tanende grootmachten om regionale dominantie, nemen nationalisme en populisme toe, en voelen velen zich slachtoffer van de globalisering. En net als toen lijken we na een relatief vreedzame periode niet te beseffen en hoe groot de dreiging is.
In 1914 leidde een reeks fatale vergissingen tot een dynamiek die niemand meer in de hand had, en die uitmondde in decennia vol bloedvergieten en conflict. Door de politieke en diplomatieke fouten van destijds te analyseren en aan hun hedendaagse equivalenten te koppelen, legt Westad stap voor stap uit hoe we een nieuwe wereldoorlog kunnen voorkomen.
In De naderende storm wijst Yale-historicus Odd Arne Westad op de vele huiveringwekkende parallellen tussen onze tijd en de vooravond van de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Net als toen strijden opkomende en tanende grootmachten om regionale dominantie, nemen nationalisme en populisme toe, en voelen velen zich slachtoffer van de globalisering. En net als toen lijken we na een relatief vreedzame periode niet te beseffen en hoe groot de dreiging is.
In 1914 leidde een reeks fatale vergissingen tot een dynamiek die niemand meer in de hand had, en die uitmondde in decennia vol bloedvergieten en conflict. Door de politieke en diplomatieke fouten van destijds te analyseren en aan hun hedendaagse equivalenten te koppelen, legt Westad stap voor stap uit hoe we een nieuwe wereldoorlog kunnen voorkomen.
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 18, 2026
161 people are currently reading
8431 people want to read
About the author
Odd Arne Westad
39 books182 followersOdd Arne Westad, FBA, is a Norwegian historian specializing in the Cold War and contemporary East Asian history. He is currently the ST Lee Professor of US-Asia Relations at Harvard University, teaching in the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 2, 2025
Title & Author: The Coming Storm, Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History by Odd Arne Westad
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Page count: 256
Format: EBook through Kobo
Release Date: March, 3 2026
Synopsis: You know how the world is frightening? ...That's the end of the thought.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC, which I read through Kobo, in exchange for an honest review.
I find that some of the most brilliant nonfiction writing points to itself continually. An author sets out threads through their introduction/thesis/etc and you feel those threads being picked back up and interwoven into the broader narrative as time goes on. This volume - which I took little bites of until my threshold had been met for the day - does that, but instead of lil itty bitty fabric it braids together wicks of dynamite. The writing here loops on itself, pointing towards its own thesis, which looks suspiciously like the conclusion that we are presently standing in a powder keg.
The long and the short of the book is put forward early: the circumstances that led to WWI and later power conflicts on the world stage are eerily similar to those now. We have reason to be afraid of this, because the stakes are higher and the conflicts are significantly more complex. The author has a perspective about how and why this is the case, and definitely has a perspective on preventing the next major world war. That perspective is encapsulated well in the introduction: "[this] book serves as an argument for seeking Great Power compromise - not agreement, not convergence, not moral equivalence, but tentative deals for at least some of the issues that today are making conflicts more intense".
Hard to disagree with the thesis, really. Many parallels are correctly being drawn at the moment between today's political climate and the time between WWI and WWII. What is being provided here, and which is absent in typical narratives, is at least the first thought on how the hell nations find their way to a different conclusion.
Being a US American, to my eternal consternation, means that the primary comparisons served to us involve the descent of the federal government into fascism. It was refreshing (???) to see just how far this comparison goes outside of American nationalism. I pictured the author lovingly creating place settings at a table before switching out WWI characters with their contemporary counterparts - the U.S. replacing Britain, China taking the place of Germany, etc., and demonstrating to the reader how those roles could play out on a technologically advanced and nuclear-charged stage. He draws comparisons of world leaders, economic conditions, and skirmishes to convincingly posit that our world is perilously close to the edge over which it fell in 1914.
I don't feel that this perspective should be read as an agenda; or, at least, not an agenda that the average reader can do anything to put into action. That is what I feel is the major drawback, at least from my Gen Z perspective. The degree to which the populations of the major Great Powers have changed over the last hundred-plus years is not discussed in much detail. It's my personal perspective that the populace of these major nations, and the populace's character, matters and has more influence over its leaders than it ever has. I doubt that nationalism is so deeply ingrained these days and would be curious to what degree that fact would effect worldwide conflict.
Moving to the practicals: the writing is concise and convincing, and I found the tone remarkably detached considering the seriousness of the topic. This is a book by an academic and the reader cannot forget that while reading. The breadth of the author's knowledge on historical and contemporary international relations is obvious. Moreover, the ability to find connections is a historian's bread and butter and you can tell that the author knows how to do this skillfully.
Altogether: I doubt that you can live right now without feeling that the world is a little tipsy, and this book, if nothing else, arms you with knowledge of why. I enjoyed the read and feel enriched, if not a little like I need to stay away from lit matches.
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Page count: 256
Format: EBook through Kobo
Release Date: March, 3 2026
Synopsis: You know how the world is frightening? ...That's the end of the thought.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC, which I read through Kobo, in exchange for an honest review.
I find that some of the most brilliant nonfiction writing points to itself continually. An author sets out threads through their introduction/thesis/etc and you feel those threads being picked back up and interwoven into the broader narrative as time goes on. This volume - which I took little bites of until my threshold had been met for the day - does that, but instead of lil itty bitty fabric it braids together wicks of dynamite. The writing here loops on itself, pointing towards its own thesis, which looks suspiciously like the conclusion that we are presently standing in a powder keg.
The long and the short of the book is put forward early: the circumstances that led to WWI and later power conflicts on the world stage are eerily similar to those now. We have reason to be afraid of this, because the stakes are higher and the conflicts are significantly more complex. The author has a perspective about how and why this is the case, and definitely has a perspective on preventing the next major world war. That perspective is encapsulated well in the introduction: "[this] book serves as an argument for seeking Great Power compromise - not agreement, not convergence, not moral equivalence, but tentative deals for at least some of the issues that today are making conflicts more intense".
Hard to disagree with the thesis, really. Many parallels are correctly being drawn at the moment between today's political climate and the time between WWI and WWII. What is being provided here, and which is absent in typical narratives, is at least the first thought on how the hell nations find their way to a different conclusion.
Being a US American, to my eternal consternation, means that the primary comparisons served to us involve the descent of the federal government into fascism. It was refreshing (???) to see just how far this comparison goes outside of American nationalism. I pictured the author lovingly creating place settings at a table before switching out WWI characters with their contemporary counterparts - the U.S. replacing Britain, China taking the place of Germany, etc., and demonstrating to the reader how those roles could play out on a technologically advanced and nuclear-charged stage. He draws comparisons of world leaders, economic conditions, and skirmishes to convincingly posit that our world is perilously close to the edge over which it fell in 1914.
I don't feel that this perspective should be read as an agenda; or, at least, not an agenda that the average reader can do anything to put into action. That is what I feel is the major drawback, at least from my Gen Z perspective. The degree to which the populations of the major Great Powers have changed over the last hundred-plus years is not discussed in much detail. It's my personal perspective that the populace of these major nations, and the populace's character, matters and has more influence over its leaders than it ever has. I doubt that nationalism is so deeply ingrained these days and would be curious to what degree that fact would effect worldwide conflict.
Moving to the practicals: the writing is concise and convincing, and I found the tone remarkably detached considering the seriousness of the topic. This is a book by an academic and the reader cannot forget that while reading. The breadth of the author's knowledge on historical and contemporary international relations is obvious. Moreover, the ability to find connections is a historian's bread and butter and you can tell that the author knows how to do this skillfully.
Altogether: I doubt that you can live right now without feeling that the world is a little tipsy, and this book, if nothing else, arms you with knowledge of why. I enjoyed the read and feel enriched, if not a little like I need to stay away from lit matches.
October 6, 2025
Spoilers: Wars will happen.
This book is two things: an analysis of the lead up to World War I, specifically with an interest to how the multi-polar "Great Powers" political situation caused it to come about, and a look at our contemporary world and how it seems that the world is moving once again into a multi-polar circumstance of major empires and no Pax Anybody.
There is a grand analogy at work between now and then, where the U.S. is the U.K., China is Germany, Russia is Austria, India is France, and Brazil is the U.S.. And the emphasis of the history is how something like World War I was as unthinkable to the players then as it would be for major armed conflict between these nations now.
The contemporary section is stronger than the historical one. The author focuses on Asia as the central point of war risk. The prospective pain points and how they might be solved is bracing and open about the limits of our knowledge. The historical one is weak owing to the space allotted. The lead up to World War I is something that multi-volume books are written on without including digressions into modernity.
The key takeaway from the historical section is the aforementioned unthinkablity. Metaphors do not suffice to explain getting into the Great War. Nothing is obvious, except everything that is, and nothing is bound to happen, except those things that are totally predictable. It is humbling if nothing else.
The problem is that there is no hypothesis here. "Look at these two similar things" only gets you so far. Assuming the read is correct that there are a whole bunch of similarities*, the book does not give a reason to expect similar results other than the similarity.
The project is weirdly limited. It would feel like the sort of monopolar 'End of History' world was more the exception than the rule, but here Great Powers acts as a sort of term of art to describe a specific sort of imperal-ish nation-state. Yes, okay, maybe, but we have a lot of examples through history of a lot of other multi-polar scenarios. I feel like any statement about the one we are in now requires more of a general study.
But I feel that the purpose here is more to serve as a sort of alarm to whomever still thinks impossible war-war between two or more contemporary powers, potentially in a way that produces spillage to other power. Snarkily, though, I think that this is a pundit-brain sort of take. Maybe the great unwashed are too ready to predict something big, but that sort of contrarian small c-conservative thinking also only goes so far.
My thanks to the author, Odd Arne Westad, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Henry Holt & Company, for making the ARC available to me.
-
* -In my motto of history does not repeat, I am a bit suspect of this as a narrative. It is an easier sell to me that the problems that exist always existed, and that the different polarities are more about a choice of frame rather than anything politically coherent. But this really runs to the problem of it being too big a topic for the room provided
This book is two things: an analysis of the lead up to World War I, specifically with an interest to how the multi-polar "Great Powers" political situation caused it to come about, and a look at our contemporary world and how it seems that the world is moving once again into a multi-polar circumstance of major empires and no Pax Anybody.
There is a grand analogy at work between now and then, where the U.S. is the U.K., China is Germany, Russia is Austria, India is France, and Brazil is the U.S.. And the emphasis of the history is how something like World War I was as unthinkable to the players then as it would be for major armed conflict between these nations now.
The contemporary section is stronger than the historical one. The author focuses on Asia as the central point of war risk. The prospective pain points and how they might be solved is bracing and open about the limits of our knowledge. The historical one is weak owing to the space allotted. The lead up to World War I is something that multi-volume books are written on without including digressions into modernity.
The key takeaway from the historical section is the aforementioned unthinkablity. Metaphors do not suffice to explain getting into the Great War. Nothing is obvious, except everything that is, and nothing is bound to happen, except those things that are totally predictable. It is humbling if nothing else.
The problem is that there is no hypothesis here. "Look at these two similar things" only gets you so far. Assuming the read is correct that there are a whole bunch of similarities*, the book does not give a reason to expect similar results other than the similarity.
The project is weirdly limited. It would feel like the sort of monopolar 'End of History' world was more the exception than the rule, but here Great Powers acts as a sort of term of art to describe a specific sort of imperal-ish nation-state. Yes, okay, maybe, but we have a lot of examples through history of a lot of other multi-polar scenarios. I feel like any statement about the one we are in now requires more of a general study.
But I feel that the purpose here is more to serve as a sort of alarm to whomever still thinks impossible war-war between two or more contemporary powers, potentially in a way that produces spillage to other power. Snarkily, though, I think that this is a pundit-brain sort of take. Maybe the great unwashed are too ready to predict something big, but that sort of contrarian small c-conservative thinking also only goes so far.
My thanks to the author, Odd Arne Westad, for writing the book, and to the publisher, Henry Holt & Company, for making the ARC available to me.
-
* -In my motto of history does not repeat, I am a bit suspect of this as a narrative. It is an easier sell to me that the problems that exist always existed, and that the different polarities are more about a choice of frame rather than anything politically coherent. But this really runs to the problem of it being too big a topic for the room provided
April 20, 2026
In his introduction,Westad, an historian, states that the book resulted from the work of a Yale seminar he's taught over the years, where other foreign policy experts engaged in leading some of the seminars. The result is a concise, well-thought out book which spreads out across a broad table the nations' power relationships between and among each other and explains how those relationships define the world in which nations interact and, basically, how we can expect to live in coming decades.
There is great value in the conclusions this book reaches, but one statement he made stopped me cold in my tracks:
"But, today, for the first time since World War II, there is a real risk of the United States and Europe drifting apart. There is nothing that could increase chances of war in Europe more than such a development. NATO in its current form may not be salvageable, but an American withdrawal from Europe would open the prospects for conflict that the continent has not seen since 1943." (page 187). I shuddered because Donald Trump has led the United States to that very point, against the advice and counsel of those who lead governments and work in the foreign policy fields.
Westad believes that the relationships among South Asian nations present the most visible and important considerations the world will have to address. And he precisely notes that Iran presents one of the gravest threats to peace, although the book was published prior to Trump's bombing and conducting war at the behest of Israel, and that failure to resolve the nation-state interests of the Palestinians and the Kurds will continue to keep unrest active in the Middle East.
If I have one critical observation, it is that Westad, for reasons that are not clear to me, does not address the disruptive influences of Israel in any meaningful way. He makes a brief case for Palestinian statehood and correctly defends Israel's right and interests in going after those who took hostages in October 2024, but he quietly steps away from any other analysis involving Israel and its ongoing warfare and theft of Palestinian lands in the name of theocratic nonsense.
The book is a must read because it helps understand how these power relationships affect civilizations, and how, he admits toward the end of the book, "personal rulers often fail at the critical moments of war or peace because they fear the perception of weakness more than they fear the consequences of war" (page 210), to which I ask, is that because it is always someone else who fight them and someone else who dies so these leaders can keep their egos intact.
There is great value in the conclusions this book reaches, but one statement he made stopped me cold in my tracks:
"But, today, for the first time since World War II, there is a real risk of the United States and Europe drifting apart. There is nothing that could increase chances of war in Europe more than such a development. NATO in its current form may not be salvageable, but an American withdrawal from Europe would open the prospects for conflict that the continent has not seen since 1943." (page 187). I shuddered because Donald Trump has led the United States to that very point, against the advice and counsel of those who lead governments and work in the foreign policy fields.
Westad believes that the relationships among South Asian nations present the most visible and important considerations the world will have to address. And he precisely notes that Iran presents one of the gravest threats to peace, although the book was published prior to Trump's bombing and conducting war at the behest of Israel, and that failure to resolve the nation-state interests of the Palestinians and the Kurds will continue to keep unrest active in the Middle East.
If I have one critical observation, it is that Westad, for reasons that are not clear to me, does not address the disruptive influences of Israel in any meaningful way. He makes a brief case for Palestinian statehood and correctly defends Israel's right and interests in going after those who took hostages in October 2024, but he quietly steps away from any other analysis involving Israel and its ongoing warfare and theft of Palestinian lands in the name of theocratic nonsense.
The book is a must read because it helps understand how these power relationships affect civilizations, and how, he admits toward the end of the book, "personal rulers often fail at the critical moments of war or peace because they fear the perception of weakness more than they fear the consequences of war" (page 210), to which I ask, is that because it is always someone else who fight them and someone else who dies so these leaders can keep their egos intact.
March 22, 2026
I am reminded from a line from a professor I studied African Politics under: "Liberals love studying World War Two. Realists love World War One. And for the rest of the world, everything is not always Austria-Hungary or Czechoslovakia."
A history of the First World War, then used as an analogy of our times. Proceeds to make recommendations based on that analogy. To be honest, the analogy was weak but the analysis of the current times is strong by Westad.
A history of the First World War, then used as an analogy of our times. Proceeds to make recommendations based on that analogy. To be honest, the analogy was weak but the analysis of the current times is strong by Westad.
March 6, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
While I cannot refute the author being a renowned Yale historian and professor as described on the book’s back cover, I’m hard pressed to find much evidence of such in The Coming Storm itself. Unfortunately, the book all too often reads like a basic freshman introductory global affairs class, rather than serious history or an analytical study of modern global affairs.
The Coming Storm deals with two highly complicated and detailed topics of Great Power relationships: the lead up to World War I and the world we live in today. Its primary thesis involves similarities in the two periods in an attempt to signal warnings about the trajectory of the current state of world affairs. Interestingly, however, these challenging times – either of which individually - have created historical and analytic studies measured in volumes of academic work are now allocated 220 pages. Dealing with such complex topics in this terse and pithy manner creates a feel that lacks any sense of seriousness.
Descriptions of various issues from the two periods of history are provided next to each other with the author’s simple opinions about comparability. As a reader, I was often left with a feeling of disbelief or confusion with comparisons that felt like “I told you so” or “trust me” styled-opinions rather than analytic historic commentary. Overall, the author wants the reader to understand that the strategic priorities of the Great Powers in the twenty-first century have three parts: political aims, alliances, and military planning. These priorities are no different than the Great Powers of one hundred years ago, and, therefore, we are on a comparable trajectory. I get it, but how many periods of global strife lack those same strategic priorities? Very few, in any. So again, I’m left with curt generalities that I found to be serious over-simplifications.
Finally, the final chapter – The Case for Peace – dedicates six pages to solving all the world’s existing major flash points… You get my point.
While I cannot refute the author being a renowned Yale historian and professor as described on the book’s back cover, I’m hard pressed to find much evidence of such in The Coming Storm itself. Unfortunately, the book all too often reads like a basic freshman introductory global affairs class, rather than serious history or an analytical study of modern global affairs.
The Coming Storm deals with two highly complicated and detailed topics of Great Power relationships: the lead up to World War I and the world we live in today. Its primary thesis involves similarities in the two periods in an attempt to signal warnings about the trajectory of the current state of world affairs. Interestingly, however, these challenging times – either of which individually - have created historical and analytic studies measured in volumes of academic work are now allocated 220 pages. Dealing with such complex topics in this terse and pithy manner creates a feel that lacks any sense of seriousness.
Descriptions of various issues from the two periods of history are provided next to each other with the author’s simple opinions about comparability. As a reader, I was often left with a feeling of disbelief or confusion with comparisons that felt like “I told you so” or “trust me” styled-opinions rather than analytic historic commentary. Overall, the author wants the reader to understand that the strategic priorities of the Great Powers in the twenty-first century have three parts: political aims, alliances, and military planning. These priorities are no different than the Great Powers of one hundred years ago, and, therefore, we are on a comparable trajectory. I get it, but how many periods of global strife lack those same strategic priorities? Very few, in any. So again, I’m left with curt generalities that I found to be serious over-simplifications.
Finally, the final chapter – The Case for Peace – dedicates six pages to solving all the world’s existing major flash points… You get my point.
March 21, 2026
Interesting book but very history based where current events and past events are compared. Great at helping fill in the dots for those who may not remember what triggered passed wars, how alliances have changed jn the past 200 years, and what the future could look like. It did require a lot of focus on my part, so it’s a denser read as it does give you a little ot think about.
March 20, 2026
3.5. A tornado warning means there’s a tornado nearby; a tornado watch means all of the conditions necessary to create a tornado are present, and they could potentially lead to a tornado. The Coming Storm argues that all the conditions for another world war are present, drawing extensive parallels between the state of the world today and in the years leading up to WWI.
It would be a convincing argument if anyone needed to be convinced. “Just like in the era before 1914, there is today a deeply held sense that Great Power war is, if not impossible, then highly unlikely.” I’d love to see a source for this. The general tone of the media and public has been pessimistic and concerned about potential war for years now. Ope, we just assassinated some Iraqi general. Is this how it starts? Wow, Russia has finally lost it. This might be World War 3 for real this time. The instability of international relations has never been more apparent, especially with our current administration’s deprioritization of diplomacy. If we don't seem appropriately alarmed, it's because of fatigue.
It’s still interesting to read the scenarios that the author feels are most likely to lead to war and his thoughts on how they could play out, as well as his suggestions for resolving each situation (many of which boil down to “let side X pretend that side Y isn’t doing what they’re doing by not calling it that even though everyone knows what’s happening”). But it’s not particularly mind-blowing.
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
It would be a convincing argument if anyone needed to be convinced. “Just like in the era before 1914, there is today a deeply held sense that Great Power war is, if not impossible, then highly unlikely.” I’d love to see a source for this. The general tone of the media and public has been pessimistic and concerned about potential war for years now. Ope, we just assassinated some Iraqi general. Is this how it starts? Wow, Russia has finally lost it. This might be World War 3 for real this time. The instability of international relations has never been more apparent, especially with our current administration’s deprioritization of diplomacy. If we don't seem appropriately alarmed, it's because of fatigue.
It’s still interesting to read the scenarios that the author feels are most likely to lead to war and his thoughts on how they could play out, as well as his suggestions for resolving each situation (many of which boil down to “let side X pretend that side Y isn’t doing what they’re doing by not calling it that even though everyone knows what’s happening”). But it’s not particularly mind-blowing.
(I received this book for free through a Goodreads giveaway.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Coming Storm by Odd Arne Westad is a solid and informative read, especially for readers interested in global history and geopolitics. I appreciated how the author goes back to the First and Second World Wars to provide important context, helping the reader better understand how past events continue to shape the world today.
One of the strongest aspects of this book is the way Westad draws comparisons between current global actions and historical approaches—highlighting what has worked, what hasn’t, and why. Those reflections made the book feel timely and relevant, and they encouraged deeper thinking about patterns we continue to repeat on the world stage.
That said, while the content is strong, the book does feel a bit too long at times, and some sections could have been more concise. Still, it’s a well-researched and insightful book that offers a lot to think about.
Overall, a good and informative read that I would definitely recommend—especially to history lovers and those interested in understanding today’s global challenges through the lens of the past.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free and advanced copy of this book.
One of the strongest aspects of this book is the way Westad draws comparisons between current global actions and historical approaches—highlighting what has worked, what hasn’t, and why. Those reflections made the book feel timely and relevant, and they encouraged deeper thinking about patterns we continue to repeat on the world stage.
That said, while the content is strong, the book does feel a bit too long at times, and some sections could have been more concise. Still, it’s a well-researched and insightful book that offers a lot to think about.
Overall, a good and informative read that I would definitely recommend—especially to history lovers and those interested in understanding today’s global challenges through the lens of the past.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free and advanced copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
1 Star ⭐️
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Goodreads (giveaway win), for this physical ARC!
Sooo, going into this one, I was already unsure. I'm not into history, and I never really have been. While history is important to learn and be aware of, I'm not sure this medium is the best thing to resonate with me. I did read the entire way through, and it just wasn't for me. I'm not entirely sure why I signed up for this one, and I apologize for taking the chance away from someone who would really enjoy getting a physical copy. 💙
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Goodreads (giveaway win), for this physical ARC!
Sooo, going into this one, I was already unsure. I'm not into history, and I never really have been. While history is important to learn and be aware of, I'm not sure this medium is the best thing to resonate with me. I did read the entire way through, and it just wasn't for me. I'm not entirely sure why I signed up for this one, and I apologize for taking the chance away from someone who would really enjoy getting a physical copy. 💙
April 4, 2026
The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History By Odd Arne Westad 2026
Reviewed by Bruce W. Bean
Odd Arne Westad is a distinguished diplomatic historian, and The Coming Storm arrives with the authority of that reputation. At roughly 220 pages — a fast four-hour read — it promises a reckoning with power, conflict, and the lessons history might offer a world that seems increasingly unwilling to learn them. The central argument is straightforward: the relationships among today's great and near-great powers bear a striking resemblance to those of the early 20th century, just prior to World War I, and the parallels are alarming enough to deserve serious attention. That argument has genuine merit. The pity is that Westad doesn't do much more with it than assert it.
The historical portion of the book is the strongest. Westad reminds us that after 1815, the 19th century was a period of relative peace among the major powers — not because they had become peaceful, but because their aggression was directed outward, toward the building of overseas empires. The violence was real; it simply fell on other people in other places. That arrangement began to unravel as the empires collided with each other and nationalism took hold at home. The Habsburg story captures this well: a dynasty that had ruled since the 13th century, evolving through successive identities — the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and finally from 1867 the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary, the second largest country in Europe and third by population — was by the early 20th century visibly straining under the weight of its own contradictions. Bismarck's seizure of Schleswig and Holstein from Denmark in 1864 was an early signal that the old order's restraints were loosening.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05 makes the point with particular force. Japan attacked the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur and prosecuted an 18-month war that ended at Tsushima in one of the most lopsided naval battles in modern history: Japan lost 3 ships and 100 men; Russia lost 32 ships including 6 battleships and more than 5,000 sailors. Nicholas II sued for peace. The episode exposed what aggressive modernization could accomplish and what imperial overextension could not sustain, lessons that went largely unabsorbed in the chancelleries of Europe. The military arithmetic of the period is itself sobering: before the war that would begin in 1914, England maintained an army of 1.5 million, France 1.8 million, and Russia 3.2 million. German trains running at 80 to 90 miles per hour had made mobilization faster and more precise than any previous generation had experienced, which meant that once the machinery of war was set in motion, stopping it required a political will that proved unavailable.
On the war's actual origins, Westad makes an argument worth taking seriously: alliances have been wrongly credited as a primary cause. The war began, he contends, largely because of poor communications and missed opportunities. There was a full month between the assassination at Sarajevo, carried out by Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old nationalist armed and trained in Belgrade, and Austria's ultimatum. During that month, Germany did nothing to press Austria to articulate what it actually needed from Belgrade. When Belgrade agreed to virtually all the obvious demands, it made no difference. Decisions were made badly, at speed, by men who did not fully understand what they were deciding. The machinery of catastrophe, once engaged, ran on its own.
The contemporary half of the book deploys its historical parallels with varying degrees of persuasiveness. Westad compares Xi Jinping to Kaiser Wilhelm II, which is provocative and not entirely unfair — both project personal authority over states whose institutional culture had previously been more collegial, and both preside over rising powers that feel encircled by the dominant power of their era. China's view of American policy as a strategy of encirclement mirrors precisely Germany's conviction that Britain was conspiring to strangle its growth. The economic data Westad marshals are striking: China's GDP in purchasing power parity terms is now $33 trillion against the American $28 trillion. That is not a subordinate power.
Yet China carries a vulnerability with no precise historical parallel. The one-child policy has produced a demographic profile that will haunt the country for generations. China will be the first great power to grow old before it grows rich, in 2023, its population declined by approximately 2.5 million, and by 2050 it will have lost 200 million or more people. Some Chinese observers, Westad notes, believe Xi's current economic policies resemble Lenin's New Economic Policy in its most cynical interpretation: permit private enterprise to accumulate wealth, then confiscate it. Whether or not that reading is correct, it reflects a level of internal uncertainty that Wilhelm's Germany did not face.
The Russia comparison is less satisfying, and here Westad's book develops a crack that he never repairs. He compares Putin's Russia to early 20th century Austria-Hungary, a declining power seeking to arrest its decline through territorial assertion, which is plausible enough. He then states flatly that there is "little reason today to believe that Putin plans his territorial expansion to extend to countries that are currently members of NATO." Within three pages, however, he observes that the Baltic states, NATO members all, harbor Russian-speaking minorities, and that "Putin's Russia could easily invent an emergency for Russians that would require some form of intervention." Westad appears not to notice that he has just contradicted himself. A reader is entitled to ask which of these two Westads is writing the book.
The treatment of India is more satisfying. Westad compares it to France in the early 20th century: a rising power locked in border disputes with an even faster-rising neighbor, and genuinely anxious about domestic loyalties. The demographic contrast with China is dramatic — by 2050, India will have 1.7 billion people, 25 percent more than China's rapidly aging population, and India’s economic trajectory is pointed in the right direction. Westad's comparison of Trump to Joseph Chamberlain — both attacking free trade as harmful to workers, both representing an industrial constituency that feels displaced by the international order, is one of the book's more arresting observations, though it too could use more development than it receives.
The broader canvas, Southeast Asia's 700 million people, the 40 million Kurds split among four hostile states, Iran's precipitous decline from the second largest Middle Eastern economy in 1970 to an afterthought today, is sketched rather than analyzed. These are data points in search of an argument.
Which brings us to the book's fundamental problem. Westad's thesis and his conclusion sit in awkward tension with each other. He spends 200 pages arguing that today resembles the early 20th century, then concludes that we have no experience with great-power multipolarity and that this makes the years ahead uniquely dangerous. But the early 20th century was an era of great-power multipolarity — which is precisely the point of his entire historical comparison. He cannot have it both ways. Either the parallel holds and history offers genuine guidance, or the situation is genuinely unprecedented and the parallel is illustrative at best. Westad seems unwilling to choose.
The Coming Storm is not a bad book. The historical sections are well-handled, the contemporary comparisons are often stimulating, and the facts Westad assembles are consistently interesting. But a distinguished scholar capable of so much more has produced something closer to an extended think-piece than a work of serious analysis. The storm may indeed be coming. This book describes its clouds without quite explaining its causes.
Reviewed by Bruce W. Bean
Odd Arne Westad is a distinguished diplomatic historian, and The Coming Storm arrives with the authority of that reputation. At roughly 220 pages — a fast four-hour read — it promises a reckoning with power, conflict, and the lessons history might offer a world that seems increasingly unwilling to learn them. The central argument is straightforward: the relationships among today's great and near-great powers bear a striking resemblance to those of the early 20th century, just prior to World War I, and the parallels are alarming enough to deserve serious attention. That argument has genuine merit. The pity is that Westad doesn't do much more with it than assert it.
The historical portion of the book is the strongest. Westad reminds us that after 1815, the 19th century was a period of relative peace among the major powers — not because they had become peaceful, but because their aggression was directed outward, toward the building of overseas empires. The violence was real; it simply fell on other people in other places. That arrangement began to unravel as the empires collided with each other and nationalism took hold at home. The Habsburg story captures this well: a dynasty that had ruled since the 13th century, evolving through successive identities — the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and finally from 1867 the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary, the second largest country in Europe and third by population — was by the early 20th century visibly straining under the weight of its own contradictions. Bismarck's seizure of Schleswig and Holstein from Denmark in 1864 was an early signal that the old order's restraints were loosening.
The Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05 makes the point with particular force. Japan attacked the Russian Pacific Fleet at Port Arthur and prosecuted an 18-month war that ended at Tsushima in one of the most lopsided naval battles in modern history: Japan lost 3 ships and 100 men; Russia lost 32 ships including 6 battleships and more than 5,000 sailors. Nicholas II sued for peace. The episode exposed what aggressive modernization could accomplish and what imperial overextension could not sustain, lessons that went largely unabsorbed in the chancelleries of Europe. The military arithmetic of the period is itself sobering: before the war that would begin in 1914, England maintained an army of 1.5 million, France 1.8 million, and Russia 3.2 million. German trains running at 80 to 90 miles per hour had made mobilization faster and more precise than any previous generation had experienced, which meant that once the machinery of war was set in motion, stopping it required a political will that proved unavailable.
On the war's actual origins, Westad makes an argument worth taking seriously: alliances have been wrongly credited as a primary cause. The war began, he contends, largely because of poor communications and missed opportunities. There was a full month between the assassination at Sarajevo, carried out by Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old nationalist armed and trained in Belgrade, and Austria's ultimatum. During that month, Germany did nothing to press Austria to articulate what it actually needed from Belgrade. When Belgrade agreed to virtually all the obvious demands, it made no difference. Decisions were made badly, at speed, by men who did not fully understand what they were deciding. The machinery of catastrophe, once engaged, ran on its own.
The contemporary half of the book deploys its historical parallels with varying degrees of persuasiveness. Westad compares Xi Jinping to Kaiser Wilhelm II, which is provocative and not entirely unfair — both project personal authority over states whose institutional culture had previously been more collegial, and both preside over rising powers that feel encircled by the dominant power of their era. China's view of American policy as a strategy of encirclement mirrors precisely Germany's conviction that Britain was conspiring to strangle its growth. The economic data Westad marshals are striking: China's GDP in purchasing power parity terms is now $33 trillion against the American $28 trillion. That is not a subordinate power.
Yet China carries a vulnerability with no precise historical parallel. The one-child policy has produced a demographic profile that will haunt the country for generations. China will be the first great power to grow old before it grows rich, in 2023, its population declined by approximately 2.5 million, and by 2050 it will have lost 200 million or more people. Some Chinese observers, Westad notes, believe Xi's current economic policies resemble Lenin's New Economic Policy in its most cynical interpretation: permit private enterprise to accumulate wealth, then confiscate it. Whether or not that reading is correct, it reflects a level of internal uncertainty that Wilhelm's Germany did not face.
The Russia comparison is less satisfying, and here Westad's book develops a crack that he never repairs. He compares Putin's Russia to early 20th century Austria-Hungary, a declining power seeking to arrest its decline through territorial assertion, which is plausible enough. He then states flatly that there is "little reason today to believe that Putin plans his territorial expansion to extend to countries that are currently members of NATO." Within three pages, however, he observes that the Baltic states, NATO members all, harbor Russian-speaking minorities, and that "Putin's Russia could easily invent an emergency for Russians that would require some form of intervention." Westad appears not to notice that he has just contradicted himself. A reader is entitled to ask which of these two Westads is writing the book.
The treatment of India is more satisfying. Westad compares it to France in the early 20th century: a rising power locked in border disputes with an even faster-rising neighbor, and genuinely anxious about domestic loyalties. The demographic contrast with China is dramatic — by 2050, India will have 1.7 billion people, 25 percent more than China's rapidly aging population, and India’s economic trajectory is pointed in the right direction. Westad's comparison of Trump to Joseph Chamberlain — both attacking free trade as harmful to workers, both representing an industrial constituency that feels displaced by the international order, is one of the book's more arresting observations, though it too could use more development than it receives.
The broader canvas, Southeast Asia's 700 million people, the 40 million Kurds split among four hostile states, Iran's precipitous decline from the second largest Middle Eastern economy in 1970 to an afterthought today, is sketched rather than analyzed. These are data points in search of an argument.
Which brings us to the book's fundamental problem. Westad's thesis and his conclusion sit in awkward tension with each other. He spends 200 pages arguing that today resembles the early 20th century, then concludes that we have no experience with great-power multipolarity and that this makes the years ahead uniquely dangerous. But the early 20th century was an era of great-power multipolarity — which is precisely the point of his entire historical comparison. He cannot have it both ways. Either the parallel holds and history offers genuine guidance, or the situation is genuinely unprecedented and the parallel is illustrative at best. Westad seems unwilling to choose.
The Coming Storm is not a bad book. The historical sections are well-handled, the contemporary comparisons are often stimulating, and the facts Westad assembles are consistently interesting. But a distinguished scholar capable of so much more has produced something closer to an extended think-piece than a work of serious analysis. The storm may indeed be coming. This book describes its clouds without quite explaining its causes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an advance copy of this look at the future of the world, with countries fighting wars, even great wars for reasons that many in the past would find familiar, wars that could change the planet, and possibly even destroy it.
What many people find surprising about history is how much time was spent fighting wars. Not the wars that Americans are familiar with, but big wars. Great powers, France, Germany, England, Italy, Russia fought battles over territory, resources, pride. Even the Nordic countries, the one many Americans feel owe us the country of Greenland, fought and battled over succession, pride and territory. Pride is a big reason for many battles. Europe has been relatively peaceful since the end of World War II. The recent Russian-Ukrainian war could be seen as a portent of things to come. Especially since in many ways, like the song by the band the Propellerheads goes "That it's all just a little bit of history repeating". And repeating in ways that could lead to a great troubles in the future, if governments and people don't start working to keep us off this path. Though looking at who keeps winning elections, that seems like a an impossible goal. The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History by Odd Arne Westad is a book about the past, mirroring the future, about conflicts that could arise among Great Powers, either at the top of their game, or waning in influence, and what it could mean for the rest of the world.
The book mines the past to look at the future. Westad describes the time before World War I, with all the small battles between Great Powers, the European countries, bit about America and rising influence of Japan at the time. Westad looks at China today, a country that in many ways was thought as backward and lost during the mid-1970's, but now is both a military and economic power. And not afraid to using this power for its own gains. Westad compares the rise of Japan in the early part of the 20th century, with China now, though China has yet to prove itself as Japan did against Russia. Russia is also examined, looking at both its ability to bluff at being a power, and the fact that with nothing to lose, they will use all that they have to try and keep a seat at the table. Politics is at the heart of this, the isolationist stance of America in the past, the many, many mixed messages the American government sends to the world, only adding to the confusion. Westad also looks at what could be done now to stop these rising tensions, the need to prove itself, to correct long ago errors, and of course nationalism. Though again, one would need a little bit of intelligence, tenacity and a bit of audacity to really come to terms with many of these issues.
A book that is both illuminating and disturbing, and one that gives a very different look at the world, than one would get from many other books. There is a bit of inevitability to a coming war, and even a loss of American stature. The courage to fact these issues is something few in politics want to face. Westad is a very good writer, with a lot of experience in China, academia, and in observation. A few might quibble with his downbeat assessments, but I found more things that will keep me up at night, and few things I could say, well that seems overblown. In fact in some ways, Westad might be a little positive.
Humans have little sense of history, creating narratives of events to fit their own mindsets. Look at the current state of American politics. To tell people that this looks like the world before World War I, and we know how that ended, would get on strange looks. Westad does a very good job of proving his thesis, and offering suggestions for a better future. I do hope people learn from this. This was the first book by Westad I have read, and look forward to reading more.
What many people find surprising about history is how much time was spent fighting wars. Not the wars that Americans are familiar with, but big wars. Great powers, France, Germany, England, Italy, Russia fought battles over territory, resources, pride. Even the Nordic countries, the one many Americans feel owe us the country of Greenland, fought and battled over succession, pride and territory. Pride is a big reason for many battles. Europe has been relatively peaceful since the end of World War II. The recent Russian-Ukrainian war could be seen as a portent of things to come. Especially since in many ways, like the song by the band the Propellerheads goes "That it's all just a little bit of history repeating". And repeating in ways that could lead to a great troubles in the future, if governments and people don't start working to keep us off this path. Though looking at who keeps winning elections, that seems like a an impossible goal. The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History by Odd Arne Westad is a book about the past, mirroring the future, about conflicts that could arise among Great Powers, either at the top of their game, or waning in influence, and what it could mean for the rest of the world.
The book mines the past to look at the future. Westad describes the time before World War I, with all the small battles between Great Powers, the European countries, bit about America and rising influence of Japan at the time. Westad looks at China today, a country that in many ways was thought as backward and lost during the mid-1970's, but now is both a military and economic power. And not afraid to using this power for its own gains. Westad compares the rise of Japan in the early part of the 20th century, with China now, though China has yet to prove itself as Japan did against Russia. Russia is also examined, looking at both its ability to bluff at being a power, and the fact that with nothing to lose, they will use all that they have to try and keep a seat at the table. Politics is at the heart of this, the isolationist stance of America in the past, the many, many mixed messages the American government sends to the world, only adding to the confusion. Westad also looks at what could be done now to stop these rising tensions, the need to prove itself, to correct long ago errors, and of course nationalism. Though again, one would need a little bit of intelligence, tenacity and a bit of audacity to really come to terms with many of these issues.
A book that is both illuminating and disturbing, and one that gives a very different look at the world, than one would get from many other books. There is a bit of inevitability to a coming war, and even a loss of American stature. The courage to fact these issues is something few in politics want to face. Westad is a very good writer, with a lot of experience in China, academia, and in observation. A few might quibble with his downbeat assessments, but I found more things that will keep me up at night, and few things I could say, well that seems overblown. In fact in some ways, Westad might be a little positive.
Humans have little sense of history, creating narratives of events to fit their own mindsets. Look at the current state of American politics. To tell people that this looks like the world before World War I, and we know how that ended, would get on strange looks. Westad does a very good job of proving his thesis, and offering suggestions for a better future. I do hope people learn from this. This was the first book by Westad I have read, and look forward to reading more.
November 24, 2025
The Coming Storm by Odd Arne Westad is an excellent example of how history can be used to warn us about future events by showing how past similarities played out. This isn't predictive but a warning about potentialities.
This is, in many ways, a history book. But not a pure history book in that its purpose is not to simply expound on the past but to make explicit what we can learn from it that can help us with our current world. So there are no digressions from the history since the purpose of the book is what some may think are digressions. If you understand the aim of the book you won't make the same misjudgement or experience the same disappointment. In other words, read it for what it is, not what you might have wanted.
Active readers will not only have a lot to consider here but will also be thankful Westad assumed a certain level of intelligence in his readers and didn't feel the need to repeat the purpose of the book every time a point was made about similarities. Early in this volume he explains why he thinks we can look at the period before WWI and draw parallels with what is happening now. He explains how he will demonstrate that idea and also highlight some big picture ideas for how to steer everything away from another global conflict. As long as you're capable of keeping that in mind while reading, you will have no problem understanding how the similarities operate.
I wasn't sure at first just how much I was going to buy into his overall argument, but by the end I was convinced of the potential for events to follow a path not too different than before. Other multipolar periods of history that came before aren't appropriate for comparison for several reasons. The weapons available before 1800 weren't truly weapons of mass destruction, they weren't capable of killing people who were not in the vicinity of where the weapon was deployed. Additionally, the "world" prior to the "age of discovery" was smaller, in fact, there were several "worlds" on our planet, so while there were widespread destructive wars, they weren't global and weren't going to become global.
I think if you read this without trying to make it seem like Westad is saying that there are exact substitutions for the powers between eras and/or that he is claiming the same things will happen now that happened then, you will be able to engage with the big picture without getting lost and thinking there were no connections made. The point is that there are multiple players each with the ability to start a global conflict, even if they are viewing their actions as being more regional and specific. Between alliances and the interconnected nature of every aspect of live globally, regional power plays have the potential to be the beginning of a catastrophic global war.
Again, this is a warning based on historical facts and similarities. These aren't predictions. If we act with these possibilities in mind we can avoid an outcome similar to what came before. That is one of the main benefits of viewing history as something more than a collection of facts and narratives somehow isolated from our current world. This volume is an example of how to use history properly.
Recommended for history buffs and, more importantly, those in policy positions or studying to get into positions influencing policy.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
This is, in many ways, a history book. But not a pure history book in that its purpose is not to simply expound on the past but to make explicit what we can learn from it that can help us with our current world. So there are no digressions from the history since the purpose of the book is what some may think are digressions. If you understand the aim of the book you won't make the same misjudgement or experience the same disappointment. In other words, read it for what it is, not what you might have wanted.
Active readers will not only have a lot to consider here but will also be thankful Westad assumed a certain level of intelligence in his readers and didn't feel the need to repeat the purpose of the book every time a point was made about similarities. Early in this volume he explains why he thinks we can look at the period before WWI and draw parallels with what is happening now. He explains how he will demonstrate that idea and also highlight some big picture ideas for how to steer everything away from another global conflict. As long as you're capable of keeping that in mind while reading, you will have no problem understanding how the similarities operate.
I wasn't sure at first just how much I was going to buy into his overall argument, but by the end I was convinced of the potential for events to follow a path not too different than before. Other multipolar periods of history that came before aren't appropriate for comparison for several reasons. The weapons available before 1800 weren't truly weapons of mass destruction, they weren't capable of killing people who were not in the vicinity of where the weapon was deployed. Additionally, the "world" prior to the "age of discovery" was smaller, in fact, there were several "worlds" on our planet, so while there were widespread destructive wars, they weren't global and weren't going to become global.
I think if you read this without trying to make it seem like Westad is saying that there are exact substitutions for the powers between eras and/or that he is claiming the same things will happen now that happened then, you will be able to engage with the big picture without getting lost and thinking there were no connections made. The point is that there are multiple players each with the ability to start a global conflict, even if they are viewing their actions as being more regional and specific. Between alliances and the interconnected nature of every aspect of live globally, regional power plays have the potential to be the beginning of a catastrophic global war.
Again, this is a warning based on historical facts and similarities. These aren't predictions. If we act with these possibilities in mind we can avoid an outcome similar to what came before. That is one of the main benefits of viewing history as something more than a collection of facts and narratives somehow isolated from our current world. This volume is an example of how to use history properly.
Recommended for history buffs and, more importantly, those in policy positions or studying to get into positions influencing policy.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Odd Arne Westad for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Always eager to read while educating myself in equal measure, I turned to this fascinating and intellectually rigorous work by Yale historian Odd Arne Westad. In this timely audiobook, Westad examines how the 21st-century world has moved away from the dominance of a single superpower—or even a bipolar order—and toward an increasingly unstable system of competing regional powers, each testing the limits of influence and control.
For much of the modern era, global politics—while far from peaceful—has been relatively predictable. Power blocs behaved in expected ways, and outcomes, if not benign, were often foreseeable. Westad persuasively argues that this predictability is eroding. Drawing compelling parallels to the pre–First World War era, he suggests the world is entering a phase where regional powers seek to consolidate influence over their spheres, preparing—sometimes openly, sometimes quietly—for confrontation. The result is a global landscape marked less by stability and more by strategic tension.
Westad’s analysis is grounded in both deep historical knowledge and a sharp reading of contemporary geopolitics. He carefully weaves together past and present, allowing listeners to trace how old patterns of alliance-building, rivalry, and miscalculation are resurfacing in new forms. His discussion of the United States’ changing role—particularly during the Trump years—and the resulting power vacuums filled by China, Russia, and other unexpected actors is especially thought-provoking. While Westad resists making firm predictions, his repeated references to the collapse of pre-1914 alliances linger uneasily in the listener’s mind.
The audiobook format works particularly well for this material. The narration is clear, measured, and well-paced, making complex arguments accessible without oversimplifying them. Westad’s ideas are given the space they need to breathe, allowing attentive listeners to absorb the many historical parallels and geopolitical “aha” moments along the way.
What I appreciated most is that this book is not history for history’s sake. Westad uses the past as a lens through which to understand the present—and possibly the future—without resorting to alarmism. His themes are thoughtfully developed and supported by real-world events, offering a narrative that is both academically sound and engaging for non-specialists.
With nuclear weapons, cyber warfare, shifting borders, and fragile alliances, Westad makes clear that the world is entering a period of profound uncertainty. Watching from the sidelines may no longer be an option. This audiobook does not offer easy answers, but it provides essential context for anyone trying to understand the forces shaping our increasingly unsettled world. Highly recommended for listeners with an interest in history, international relations, or global affairs.
Kudos, Mr. Westad, for a thoroughly exciting piece of writing.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Always eager to read while educating myself in equal measure, I turned to this fascinating and intellectually rigorous work by Yale historian Odd Arne Westad. In this timely audiobook, Westad examines how the 21st-century world has moved away from the dominance of a single superpower—or even a bipolar order—and toward an increasingly unstable system of competing regional powers, each testing the limits of influence and control.
For much of the modern era, global politics—while far from peaceful—has been relatively predictable. Power blocs behaved in expected ways, and outcomes, if not benign, were often foreseeable. Westad persuasively argues that this predictability is eroding. Drawing compelling parallels to the pre–First World War era, he suggests the world is entering a phase where regional powers seek to consolidate influence over their spheres, preparing—sometimes openly, sometimes quietly—for confrontation. The result is a global landscape marked less by stability and more by strategic tension.
Westad’s analysis is grounded in both deep historical knowledge and a sharp reading of contemporary geopolitics. He carefully weaves together past and present, allowing listeners to trace how old patterns of alliance-building, rivalry, and miscalculation are resurfacing in new forms. His discussion of the United States’ changing role—particularly during the Trump years—and the resulting power vacuums filled by China, Russia, and other unexpected actors is especially thought-provoking. While Westad resists making firm predictions, his repeated references to the collapse of pre-1914 alliances linger uneasily in the listener’s mind.
The audiobook format works particularly well for this material. The narration is clear, measured, and well-paced, making complex arguments accessible without oversimplifying them. Westad’s ideas are given the space they need to breathe, allowing attentive listeners to absorb the many historical parallels and geopolitical “aha” moments along the way.
What I appreciated most is that this book is not history for history’s sake. Westad uses the past as a lens through which to understand the present—and possibly the future—without resorting to alarmism. His themes are thoughtfully developed and supported by real-world events, offering a narrative that is both academically sound and engaging for non-specialists.
With nuclear weapons, cyber warfare, shifting borders, and fragile alliances, Westad makes clear that the world is entering a period of profound uncertainty. Watching from the sidelines may no longer be an option. This audiobook does not offer easy answers, but it provides essential context for anyone trying to understand the forces shaping our increasingly unsettled world. Highly recommended for listeners with an interest in history, international relations, or global affairs.
Kudos, Mr. Westad, for a thoroughly exciting piece of writing.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
April 14, 2026
There are books that attempt to explain global conflict by burying the reader under a small mountain of footnotes, and then there is The Coming Storm: Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History by Odd Arne Westad, which has the audacity to be both concise and readable. For those who would like to understand great power competition without committing to a multi-volume academic pilgrimage, this alone feels like a minor miracle.
One of the book’s most appealing features is its length. Westad clearly understands that not every reader wants to spend 800 pages contemplating the finer points of 19th century trade policy before getting to the present day. Instead, he delivers a work that is compact without being shallow. It is the intellectual equivalent of a well-run staff briefing: focused, efficient, and leaving you with the uncomfortable realization that you now understand more than you did an hour ago, whether you planned to or not.
That accessibility carries through in his approach to writing. Westad avoids the dense, jargon-laden prose that often signals “serious scholarship” and instead opts for clarity. This is not to say the analysis is simplistic; rather, it is presented in a way that does not require the reader to translate every paragraph into plain English. The tone is measured, occasionally wry, and refreshingly free of the need to prove how clever the author is at the reader’s expense.
Perhaps most effective is his use of historical comparisons that feel familiar rather than obscure. Instead of anchoring his arguments exclusively in niche case studies known only to specialists, Westad draws on events and patterns many readers will already recognize, or at least have encountered in passing. The effect is immediate: the connections click faster, the lessons land harder, and the reader is spared the academic scavenger hunt required to understand the point. It is history used as illumination, not decoration.
The result is a book that manages to be both serious and approachable, a combination that is rarer than it should be. Westad does not dilute complexity, but he does respect the reader’s time and attention. For those interested in geopolitics, strategy, or the uneasy rhythms of great power competition, yet reluctant to dive into more sprawling academic works, The Coming Storm offers a compelling middle ground.
In short, it is a book that proves one can be informed without being overwhelmed, and warned without being lectured...an achievement that, in this genre, deserves at least a raised glass and a slightly sardonic nod of approval.
One of the book’s most appealing features is its length. Westad clearly understands that not every reader wants to spend 800 pages contemplating the finer points of 19th century trade policy before getting to the present day. Instead, he delivers a work that is compact without being shallow. It is the intellectual equivalent of a well-run staff briefing: focused, efficient, and leaving you with the uncomfortable realization that you now understand more than you did an hour ago, whether you planned to or not.
That accessibility carries through in his approach to writing. Westad avoids the dense, jargon-laden prose that often signals “serious scholarship” and instead opts for clarity. This is not to say the analysis is simplistic; rather, it is presented in a way that does not require the reader to translate every paragraph into plain English. The tone is measured, occasionally wry, and refreshingly free of the need to prove how clever the author is at the reader’s expense.
Perhaps most effective is his use of historical comparisons that feel familiar rather than obscure. Instead of anchoring his arguments exclusively in niche case studies known only to specialists, Westad draws on events and patterns many readers will already recognize, or at least have encountered in passing. The effect is immediate: the connections click faster, the lessons land harder, and the reader is spared the academic scavenger hunt required to understand the point. It is history used as illumination, not decoration.
The result is a book that manages to be both serious and approachable, a combination that is rarer than it should be. Westad does not dilute complexity, but he does respect the reader’s time and attention. For those interested in geopolitics, strategy, or the uneasy rhythms of great power competition, yet reluctant to dive into more sprawling academic works, The Coming Storm offers a compelling middle ground.
In short, it is a book that proves one can be informed without being overwhelmed, and warned without being lectured...an achievement that, in this genre, deserves at least a raised glass and a slightly sardonic nod of approval.
April 17, 2026
It's amazing that Dr. Westad is a pacifist and yet he understands how to distance himself and write what I consider a very unbiased book. It's also very concise, blunt, and full of incredible details that I looked up and pondered as I read this book. It does not take a rocket scientist to know and understand that the progress we made in the last 80 years or so is over. Westad, who is a fine historian, truly sees patterns that are real and transparent and easy to understand. This was sort of shocking to me, to feel that the world order has shifted and that having bad leaders can lead to wars, misery, and probably economic collapse. A way of life is over.
Fortunately for me, I am older, and have lived what I call a life of abundance even though I am from the working class and had to work all my days and will continue until I die. My husband died early and now I have children who will live in a world of many uncertainties. That is my lament and that is why I bought this book.
Usually I read a book two times before I write a comment here. I bought this book because I knew that Russia, unless Putin dies and their economy collapses, has no intention of leaving Ukraine and the USA under Trump abandoned the people there, obviously because somehow Trump serves Putin who has had his eye on the Dunbas since 2014, and Putin will not let go.
These terrible authoritarian leaders give me the chills. I was never really worried about Iran until Trump bombed it last year and then I knew he would probably bomb it again. I knew that Putin would rearm it. I knew that Bibi would use it to to bomb Lebanon, Iran, and completely mess up the Middle East. Years ago I said No More War for OIl and here we are here again but this is more, this is worse.
We are realigning. And there is China and even India. And I fear for the EU. These little wars, what we call forever wars and struggles often have unintentional consequences. I am not a worrier sort of person, but right now, we are upside down and everything is very uncertain. I am no longer able to say, "Oh, that could never happen."
I am going to read again and highlight what struck me as so true and add my two cents. I need to think about this book for a month. I need to reread. What a big idea from such a little book. BOOM!!!!! Loved it. Highly recommended. I'll be back.
Fortunately for me, I am older, and have lived what I call a life of abundance even though I am from the working class and had to work all my days and will continue until I die. My husband died early and now I have children who will live in a world of many uncertainties. That is my lament and that is why I bought this book.
Usually I read a book two times before I write a comment here. I bought this book because I knew that Russia, unless Putin dies and their economy collapses, has no intention of leaving Ukraine and the USA under Trump abandoned the people there, obviously because somehow Trump serves Putin who has had his eye on the Dunbas since 2014, and Putin will not let go.
These terrible authoritarian leaders give me the chills. I was never really worried about Iran until Trump bombed it last year and then I knew he would probably bomb it again. I knew that Putin would rearm it. I knew that Bibi would use it to to bomb Lebanon, Iran, and completely mess up the Middle East. Years ago I said No More War for OIl and here we are here again but this is more, this is worse.
We are realigning. And there is China and even India. And I fear for the EU. These little wars, what we call forever wars and struggles often have unintentional consequences. I am not a worrier sort of person, but right now, we are upside down and everything is very uncertain. I am no longer able to say, "Oh, that could never happen."
I am going to read again and highlight what struck me as so true and add my two cents. I need to think about this book for a month. I need to reread. What a big idea from such a little book. BOOM!!!!! Loved it. Highly recommended. I'll be back.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"The task is how to manage the transition to multipolarity without creating the kind of spheres of influence for Great Powers that are based solely on might making right. On that ambition rests the future of world peace and of the generations to come" (pg. 219).
This is not a history text and Westad, though relying on WWI history, does not intend it to be. This is a book about grand strategy, about navigating the shifting international order and averting a third world war. Yes, volumes can and have been written on WWI but Westad cares less about micro-level minutiae than about the large-scale, nation-state and regional shifts and patterns that led seemingly inevitably to the devestation of WWI and, more immediately, how those lessons can be applied to modern crises.
Where history is employed, it is used to highlight how pre-WWI Great Powers steadfastly approached war as economic, political, and social forces shifted global power in ways that reflect modern shifts. Westad and this book are at their best when illustrating how those forces are once more ascendent today (in the Taiwan Strait, Southeast Pacific, Middle East, and Eastern Europe) and how it is not yet too late to avoid WWIII.
The Coming Storm is a great introduction and application of core international relations theory and ideas on diplomacy and statecraft, economics, politics and society, and military leadership. If not a rebuttal to Graham Allison's Destined for War, than a strong counterweight that shows escaping Thucydides' Trap is still possible.
Perhaps its largest gap, however, is its near wholesale dismissal of Latin America and Africa. Africa's population is growing faster than any other regions such that by 2050 25% of the world's population will be from the continent. This population will also be young and provide a massive economic engine for shifting power. Brazil is emerging as a mid-level world power and regional hegemon with other states in the region highly impacted by US policy. Despite the focus on the dangers of a retrenchment of spheres of influence, the developing world was paid startlingly little attention.
This is not a history text and Westad, though relying on WWI history, does not intend it to be. This is a book about grand strategy, about navigating the shifting international order and averting a third world war. Yes, volumes can and have been written on WWI but Westad cares less about micro-level minutiae than about the large-scale, nation-state and regional shifts and patterns that led seemingly inevitably to the devestation of WWI and, more immediately, how those lessons can be applied to modern crises.
Where history is employed, it is used to highlight how pre-WWI Great Powers steadfastly approached war as economic, political, and social forces shifted global power in ways that reflect modern shifts. Westad and this book are at their best when illustrating how those forces are once more ascendent today (in the Taiwan Strait, Southeast Pacific, Middle East, and Eastern Europe) and how it is not yet too late to avoid WWIII.
The Coming Storm is a great introduction and application of core international relations theory and ideas on diplomacy and statecraft, economics, politics and society, and military leadership. If not a rebuttal to Graham Allison's Destined for War, than a strong counterweight that shows escaping Thucydides' Trap is still possible.
Perhaps its largest gap, however, is its near wholesale dismissal of Latin America and Africa. Africa's population is growing faster than any other regions such that by 2050 25% of the world's population will be from the continent. This population will also be young and provide a massive economic engine for shifting power. Brazil is emerging as a mid-level world power and regional hegemon with other states in the region highly impacted by US policy. Despite the focus on the dangers of a retrenchment of spheres of influence, the developing world was paid startlingly little attention.
April 25, 2026
I won this book through goodreads, an advanced reader's edition. The author Westad is a Yale historian and scholar, but this book is not a scholarly book for other scholars. It is a thoughtful book, and not an "easy read" per se, but Westad does manage, very successfully I'd say, to step back and provide an overview of what is going on geopolitically in our world - so that the interested everyday person like myself can learn and better understand the news and recent history. However, this book would be helpful for those involved in leading our nation (and other nations) to remind them of the big picture and provide guidance going forward, learning from the lessons of history. The book notes various similarities between what was going on in the world in the late 19th/early 20th century and in the present day. While I do read a lot of non-fiction, geopolitics is not a topic I focus on (except for the Middle East) so I am not really capable of writing a nuanced critique of this book. The Middle East was touched on only briefly, which I thought was strange, but at the end of the book Westad explains why, as the "Great Power" nations are not located here. One thing the book helped me understand better is China. I've often been "confused" about China. How did they move from the backwards Communistic nation that I remember to one of economic influence, manufacturing goods that ship worldwide, and a leader in certain technologies? Westad gave a good overview of the changes that occurred in China. At times earlier in the book I thought Westad was perhaps naive or some type of pacifist, but later he does make it clear that there are times in our world that war is a necessity. Yet, the hope of his book is that it will help leaders heed the warnings of history and perhaps prevent a major war.
March 21, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Coming Storm is already here. This book is an academic look at comparative history, which warns us about a great power clash in the world today. The geopolitics of today were formed before WWI and other wars. This is a bit of a dense read/listen, which talks about instances throughout the late 19th and early 20th century that led to the current climate in the world. I do love informative looks at big picture politics, but I’ll admit that at times I struggled with this dense and argument focused book.
Each successive political struggle builds upon the last, making each conflict or war exponentially more dangerous than the last. Let’s face it, even before January 2025 when the autocratic and fascist regime took control, the geopolitical climate around the world was on tenterhooks. Don’t get me started with the current state of the world, where world leaders are kidnapped and disappeared and fisherman are blown out of the water for sport.
Odd Arne Westad has written a very convincing and meticulously objective book, especially given the seriousness of the topic of geopolitical concerns. They present fact upon fact upon fact, building upon previous examples to show the way the world has progressed to this stage and offers nations an alternative to their current views.
Brian Troxell was the narrator for this audiobook, and he handled the material well. He had an even-measured tone that urges the listener to not freak out as they listen to the case-by-case study of how we got here.
The Coming Storm is already here. This book is an academic look at comparative history, which warns us about a great power clash in the world today. The geopolitics of today were formed before WWI and other wars. This is a bit of a dense read/listen, which talks about instances throughout the late 19th and early 20th century that led to the current climate in the world. I do love informative looks at big picture politics, but I’ll admit that at times I struggled with this dense and argument focused book.
Each successive political struggle builds upon the last, making each conflict or war exponentially more dangerous than the last. Let’s face it, even before January 2025 when the autocratic and fascist regime took control, the geopolitical climate around the world was on tenterhooks. Don’t get me started with the current state of the world, where world leaders are kidnapped and disappeared and fisherman are blown out of the water for sport.
Odd Arne Westad has written a very convincing and meticulously objective book, especially given the seriousness of the topic of geopolitical concerns. They present fact upon fact upon fact, building upon previous examples to show the way the world has progressed to this stage and offers nations an alternative to their current views.
Brian Troxell was the narrator for this audiobook, and he handled the material well. He had an even-measured tone that urges the listener to not freak out as they listen to the case-by-case study of how we got here.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This audiobook was a compelling blend of history lesson and thoughtful reflection on the present moment. Westad walks readers through the political, economic, and social tensions of the 1910s that ultimately led to World War I, while continually drawing comparisons to what we’re seeing unfold in the world today.
What stood out most to me was how familiar many of these patterns felt — rising nationalism, shifting alliances, economic strain, and great-power competition — but on an even larger and more complex scale. Unlike the early 20th century, today’s global landscape includes powerful players in Asia who weren’t part of the equation during WWI, which adds another layer of tension and uncertainty to the parallels Westad explores.
As an audiobook, this worked very well. Brian Troxell’s narration was clear, steady, and easy to follow, which is especially important for dense nonfiction. His delivery made the material accessible without flattening its seriousness, and I found it easy to stay engaged even during more detailed historical sections.
Overall, this was an informative and timely listen — one that feels less like a warning shouted from history and more like a calm but urgent reminder to pay attention. A strong recommendation for readers who enjoy history, geopolitics, or nonfiction that connects the past directly to the present.
Thank you to Odd Arne Westad, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
What stood out most to me was how familiar many of these patterns felt — rising nationalism, shifting alliances, economic strain, and great-power competition — but on an even larger and more complex scale. Unlike the early 20th century, today’s global landscape includes powerful players in Asia who weren’t part of the equation during WWI, which adds another layer of tension and uncertainty to the parallels Westad explores.
As an audiobook, this worked very well. Brian Troxell’s narration was clear, steady, and easy to follow, which is especially important for dense nonfiction. His delivery made the material accessible without flattening its seriousness, and I found it easy to stay engaged even during more detailed historical sections.
Overall, this was an informative and timely listen — one that feels less like a warning shouted from history and more like a calm but urgent reminder to pay attention. A strong recommendation for readers who enjoy history, geopolitics, or nonfiction that connects the past directly to the present.
Thank you to Odd Arne Westad, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2026
Odd Arne Westad writes in his book The Coming Storm amazing comparisons of countries leading up to World War I and the political/economic /cultural conditions that led to what most assume would be the war to end all wars. But it really just led us into World War II and beyond. His ability to show the comparisons between different country's positions and today's positions are truly scary. Basically, the Great Powers have the same complaints today that they had back in 1914. The comparison between 1914 Germany and China of today is quite interesting. His writing is very easy to read and digestible.
This book is more of an overview without getting to much into the weeds of things. I appreciate the way he presented arguments and laid out his findings and supported them with facts. If anything, this book will convince you to dig deeper into understanding these comparisons. Westad does explain in the acknowledgments that this book is based of his undergraduate lecture series, The Grand Strategy, at Yale University so that explains why it seemed to just touch the top two layers of historical interactions of these countries.
I highly suggest this book for anyone who is slightly interested in the world we are living in at the moment and the reason people keep saying history repeats itself. Such an eye opener. It's a terrifying must read.
Thank you NetGalley, Odd Arne Westad, and Henry Holt & Company for this advance reader copy for an honest review.
This book is more of an overview without getting to much into the weeds of things. I appreciate the way he presented arguments and laid out his findings and supported them with facts. If anything, this book will convince you to dig deeper into understanding these comparisons. Westad does explain in the acknowledgments that this book is based of his undergraduate lecture series, The Grand Strategy, at Yale University so that explains why it seemed to just touch the top two layers of historical interactions of these countries.
I highly suggest this book for anyone who is slightly interested in the world we are living in at the moment and the reason people keep saying history repeats itself. Such an eye opener. It's a terrifying must read.
Thank you NetGalley, Odd Arne Westad, and Henry Holt & Company for this advance reader copy for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a timely, important, and thought-provoking book, a skillful example of how we may draw lessons from history while also appreciating the unique circumstances of the present day. Historian Odd Arne Westad unpacks the (all-too-familiar) issues that led the Great Powers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to be vulnerable to conflict and ultimately plunge into a devastating world war. Westad also offers a clear-eyed analysis of the present day and the various forces and challenges that make our world particularly complex -- and, if we are not aware and awake, combustible. The parallels Wested draws in order to illustrate how we might apply past lessons to current realities -- seeing Great Britain of the past in today's United States, or Germany's historical experience replicated in today's China -- are suggestive and useful without crossing the line into prediction. This is a nuanced analysis, perfect for anyone with interest in the either the project of studying World War I or the hope of avoiding World War III.
The excellent narration did justice to this insightful text.
Thank you to Odd Arne Westad, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The excellent narration did justice to this insightful text.
Thank you to Odd Arne Westad, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2026
This is a thoughtful and timely look at history as a lens for understanding our current geopolitical climate. Westad draws clear parallels between today’s global tensions and the conditions that led up to World War I, prompting an important question: what lessons can we learn from the past to avoid—or at least minimize—future conflict?
This is not an easy read. While it is well written and clearly researched, the subject matter itself is heavy and, at times, unsettling. That said, it feels like an important book, especially given the current global climate.
I found the historical analysis strong, particularly in how it frames the fragility and unpredictability of great power dynamics. Where I would have liked to see more depth is in the direct comparisons between past and present. Those moments were some of the most interesting, and I found myself wanting more exploration in that area.
Overall, this is a serious and thought-provoking read that feels both relevant and necessary, even if it’s not the easiest to get through.
Thank you to the author Odd Arne Westad, the publisher Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
Read more reviews at Feed The Bookworm
This is not an easy read. While it is well written and clearly researched, the subject matter itself is heavy and, at times, unsettling. That said, it feels like an important book, especially given the current global climate.
I found the historical analysis strong, particularly in how it frames the fragility and unpredictability of great power dynamics. Where I would have liked to see more depth is in the direct comparisons between past and present. Those moments were some of the most interesting, and I found myself wanting more exploration in that area.
Overall, this is a serious and thought-provoking read that feels both relevant and necessary, even if it’s not the easiest to get through.
Thank you to the author Odd Arne Westad, the publisher Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
Read more reviews at Feed The Bookworm
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An informative deep dive into the driving forces of prior world conflicts with an emphasis on where we are now. Far too many similarities, some I found less obvious than others. Though admittedly, this is world history I haven’t reviewed enough in adulthood. If you’re a true history buff, I think you’ll still get something out of this, but you may want to read more reviews to see if others who consider themselves more knowledgeable feel differently then me.
Aside from the facts, the author Odd Arne Westad added insights into historical reasons leaders made fear or pride based decisions, and shared some potential solutions to at least somewhat defuse the powder keg situations of today. Not that there are answers, but there sure are some warnings of actions to avoid.
I find that audiobook narration can make or break nonfiction for me. Props to Brian Traxell for being engaging. I also appreciate that I was able to follow him clearly with the speed cranked up.
Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies.
Aside from the facts, the author Odd Arne Westad added insights into historical reasons leaders made fear or pride based decisions, and shared some potential solutions to at least somewhat defuse the powder keg situations of today. Not that there are answers, but there sure are some warnings of actions to avoid.
I find that audiobook narration can make or break nonfiction for me. Props to Brian Traxell for being engaging. I also appreciate that I was able to follow him clearly with the speed cranked up.
Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.
“The Coming Storm” is a non-fiction book by Odd Arne Westad. This book is full of history, sometimes it felt a bit too much history. However, there are many many MANY books written about what lead up to the World Wars so I didn’t feel like I learned anything that earth-shatteringly new because I’ve already read most of this information. Where this book could have been more interesting was the comparisons the author makes between the current global situation versus the history leading up to WWI and WWII. While these comparisons might be timely, I found them a little more alarmist because the book makes a note “see, this is similar,” but similar doesn’t always equal “going to happen.” This wasn’t the book for me, but I’d suggest that you read other online reviews because they will give better examples of what worked and what didn’t.
“The Coming Storm” is a non-fiction book by Odd Arne Westad. This book is full of history, sometimes it felt a bit too much history. However, there are many many MANY books written about what lead up to the World Wars so I didn’t feel like I learned anything that earth-shatteringly new because I’ve already read most of this information. Where this book could have been more interesting was the comparisons the author makes between the current global situation versus the history leading up to WWI and WWII. While these comparisons might be timely, I found them a little more alarmist because the book makes a note “see, this is similar,” but similar doesn’t always equal “going to happen.” This wasn’t the book for me, but I’d suggest that you read other online reviews because they will give better examples of what worked and what didn’t.
March 12, 2026
Thanks to Goodreads for the copy of The Coming Storm by Odd Arne Westad that I won in a giveaway. As always, all opinions are my own. Now let’s get into the book! It’s wonderfully researched and does an impressive job of weaving together events from a hundred years ago with the political climate we’re seeing today. The author draws clear parallels between the past and the present in a way that feels thoughtful rather than heavy-handed. It’s written in a way that makes the information easy to follow and understand. Overall, this is a great read for history buffs, anyone interested in modern politics, and people who want a better understanding of the past so we don’t end up repeating it. Definitely worth picking up if you enjoy thoughtful history that connects directly to the world we’re living in now.
Read
February 26, 2026I thought this was a rather good book overall. It was more engaging (or less dull) than I expected it to be. I smiled once I saw that the author dedicating to his students. I really liked that! At 233 pages, it’s not a very long book, and I liked seeing numerous resources cited in the Notes section.
Since I received an evaluation copy, I anticipate that the missing and incomplete portions (including endnotes) will appear in the final version of the book. Since a professor wrote the book, I’m not surprised that he knows his subject well. I can think of other books on similar topics that I enjoyed less than this one, and I found portions of it interesting enough to look through some of the references.
I’m grateful to have received a free evaluation copy. Peace. :-)
Since I received an evaluation copy, I anticipate that the missing and incomplete portions (including endnotes) will appear in the final version of the book. Since a professor wrote the book, I’m not surprised that he knows his subject well. I can think of other books on similar topics that I enjoyed less than this one, and I found portions of it interesting enough to look through some of the references.
I’m grateful to have received a free evaluation copy. Peace. :-)
March 8, 2026
A comprehensive and timely geopolitical analysis.
While I agree with some other reviewers that many of the author’s thesis are not new (the comparison between present situation and that leading to the First World Word was popularized by Christopher Clark’s „The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914” in 2013), he gathers all the arguments and case studies in one place, adding a valuable insight and offering a roadmap to a better future.
Thanks to the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
While I agree with some other reviewers that many of the author’s thesis are not new (the comparison between present situation and that leading to the First World Word was popularized by Christopher Clark’s „The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914” in 2013), he gathers all the arguments and case studies in one place, adding a valuable insight and offering a roadmap to a better future.
Thanks to the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
May 3, 2026
Yale historian Odd Arne Westad’s The Coming Storm is basically a giant "heads up" from history. Westad looks at the mess the world is in right now—stuff like the rise of China, the war in Ukraine, and all the political fighting at home and compares it to the years right before World War I. His big point? We’re repeating the same mistakes, like letting globalization fall apart and choosing nationalism over working together, and it’s creating a perfect storm for a massive conflict we aren't ready for.
Honestly, if you’re worried about where the world is headed, you have to read this book. It’s so well-written and you’ll feel way more informed.
Thank you Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley.
Honestly, if you’re worried about where the world is headed, you have to read this book. It’s so well-written and you’ll feel way more informed.
Thank you Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley.
May 6, 2026
The Coming Storm
Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History
by Odd Arne Westad
Narrated by Brian Troxell
I did appreciate historian Odd Arne Westad’s take on this topic. Everyone has their own opinion regarding history… in my opinion like it or not unfortunately…history repeats itself, right or wrong.
There were many spot on scary references but very real in my opinion… there’s soo much going on today, no matter which way you look at it. He references 1942 where there was war for great power… and here we are again…only there is soo much more involved today…
I was able to stay engaged, which was great I loved his take and the Brian Troxell, was articulate and engaging.
In college I did take many history classes…I love history!!
Thank you @Macmillan Audio @NetGalley for allowing me this read!!
Power, Conflict, and Warnings from History
by Odd Arne Westad
Narrated by Brian Troxell
I did appreciate historian Odd Arne Westad’s take on this topic. Everyone has their own opinion regarding history… in my opinion like it or not unfortunately…history repeats itself, right or wrong.
There were many spot on scary references but very real in my opinion… there’s soo much going on today, no matter which way you look at it. He references 1942 where there was war for great power… and here we are again…only there is soo much more involved today…
I was able to stay engaged, which was great I loved his take and the Brian Troxell, was articulate and engaging.
In college I did take many history classes…I love history!!
Thank you @Macmillan Audio @NetGalley for allowing me this read!!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This book did a great job illustrating the similarities between the world today and the world in 1914, and talked about what we can do to prevent a other Great Power war. I particularly enjoyed the analysis of what happened leading up to World War 1 and how it could have been prevented.
The author also does a good job of avoiding blatant bias, and doesn't go off on political tantrums like most authors would be tempted to do. I do think the book makes it sound like we're closer to World War 3 than we really are, but the author does a good job of explaining his position and makes a lot of great point. I highly recommend reading it.
The author also does a good job of avoiding blatant bias, and doesn't go off on political tantrums like most authors would be tempted to do. I do think the book makes it sound like we're closer to World War 3 than we really are, but the author does a good job of explaining his position and makes a lot of great point. I highly recommend reading it.
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