Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Flashpoints
- The Emerging Crisis in Europe
- Narrated by: Bruce Turk, George Friedman
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Flashpoints
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
Summary
A major new book by New York Times best-selling author and geopolitical forecaster George Friedman (The Next 100 Years, The Next Decade) with a bold thesis about coming conflict in the world, this provocative work examines the geopolitical flashpoints - particularly in Europe - in which imminent future conflicts are brewing.
George Friedman has forecasted the coming trends (politics, technology, population, and culture) of the next century in The Next 100 Years, and focused his predictions on the coming ten years in The Next Decade. Now, in Flashpoints, Friedman zooms in on the region that has, for 500 years, been the cultural hotbed of the world - Europe - and examines the most basic and fascinating building block of the region: culture. Analyzing the fault lines that have existed for centuries - and which have led to two world wars and dozens more conflicts - Friedman walks us through the "flashpoints" that are still smoldering beneath the surface and are on course to erupt again.
In Flashpoints, George Friedman begins with a fascinating history of the events leading up to the horrific wars that nearly tore apart Western civilization - killing over 100 million people on the "civilized" European continent. Modern-day Europe, and the formation of the European Union, were designed to minimize the built-in geopolitical tensions that led to catastrophic war, but as Friedman shows with a mix of history and cultural analysis, those plans have failed. "Flashpoints" are now simmering as dangerously as in the early twentieth century. Zeroing in on half a dozen locations, borderlands, and cultural dynamics, George Friedman does what few historians can - he explains precisely how certain trends are unstoppable, and what the future holds... both in terms of conflict and also opportunity. Flashpoints also explains in riveting detail how events in Europe will affect the rest of the world.
More from the same
What listeners say about Flashpoints
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- J. C. Ward
- 20-07-15
Interesting primer on the Geopolitics of Europe
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
This is a book for those who are interested in European politics. It is not necessarily about the European Union but it exposes many of the absurdities of the Union
What other book might you compare Flashpoints to, and why?
George Friedman's other books; particularly The Next 10 Years and (to a lesser extent) The Next 100 Years are worthwhile also to gain an idea of the wider world. The Next Ten Years was written 5 years ago now so we are half way through the period in question. Nevertheless , it makes sense and gives a better understanding of why things happen. One example is that Friedman (remember written in 2010) argues that it makes a lot of sense for Russia to be more assertive on it's European border nations and goes as far to predict that, sometime mid-decade, Russia will assert its will on Ukraine. Not all parts as prescient but the background and the arguments used are clear and logical
Which character – as performed by George Friedman and Bruce Turk – was your favourite?
The start of the book is read by George Friedman himself and describes his personal connection to Europe. It is interesting and, whilst not a natural performer, engaging because of the personal element. Bruce Turk is an excellent reader.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
This book was too long for a single listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- J D HOOK
- 03-01-21
Very interesting
I struggled at the beginning but enjoyed the book more once the authors point became clear and he built up the threads of his argument
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anthony M
- 17-05-17
Superb
We'll worth listening to. And listening to again. Insightful, sweeping analysis. Helpful background to understanding current geopolitical events. Will now be following up with other books by the author.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- William
- 21-03-16
GeoPolitical
An excellent book on the past, present and future geopolitical challenges Europe faces.
If you have a growing interest in this topic, then this is the book. The issues are not sensationalised, rather, a solid case for future outcomes explored.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mohammad JAAFAR
- 09-02-15
Simply superb
Rich, enlightening, impeccably written, thoughtful, insightful, Friedman's analysis flows naturally, logically, seamlessly and tells Europe's story like it's never been told before. A must read for every head of state.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
- Gharper
- 09-02-15
A tour of European geopolitics
Highly recommended to anyone interested in the history and future of Europe. The introduction, read by the author, explaining the history of his family was particularly interesting. The narration is nice and clean though not desperately engrossing. It would have been better if read in full by the author. Overall this has really improved my understanding of the relationships between EU countries, Russia and the rest of the world and includes some ideas that the author has about the future of these regions.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Robert Herron
- 11-07-22
not for me.
Some good points made but overall I found it hard to follow due to the voice and not what I expected.
good introduction but lost me in the middle and a bit too heavy on the American bias. I understand it is meant to be critical of Europe but it leans a bit to far over the States side.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- VioletAthena
- 03-02-15
Not as profound, but very educational
This book is not as profound as Friedman's previous titles, but it shines an interesting light on the situation in Europe. It also gives a interesting historical perspective of the current state of affairs. It's strangely melancholic compared to The Next Decade, but that's expected. While his previous book focused on the rise of the U.S., this one generally describes the fall of Europe.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Justin Lane
- 13-03-24
Couldnt finish it.
the story was interesting, but i was expecting it to be more scholarly and fact based, but it seemed more like a memior than fact backed understanding. After a few books by Peter Zeihan, it just didnt hold my interest because of the overbearing use of personal opinion and anecdotes.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!