
What Next?
Surviving the Twenty-first Century
Chris Patten(Author)
Penguin Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 2. July 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
544 pages
978-0-14-102145-4 (ISBN)
Description
A Financial Times Book of the Year, Chris Patten's What Next? Surviving the Twenty-First Century is a frank and witty survey of our geopolitical future.
At the start of the twenty-first century, the challenges the world faces seem bewilderingly complex. Gone are the old assurances about the triumph of the West and the free market. But what will take their place?
Here Chris Patten draws on his many years at the highest levels of international affairs to tackle the big questions of our time - from financial turmoil to the energy crisis, immigration to the ascendancy of the East - offering a wise, witty and surprisingly optimistic account of the world today.
'An extremely impressive book ... It is a very long time since a leading British politician produced anything so ambitious, or as well written'
John Gray, Guardian
'Chris Patten is the best Foreign Secretary Britain never had ... An encyclopedia of good sense ... Every thinker on, or practitioner of, international affairs will profit from reading any book that Patten writes'
Denis MacShane, Independent
'Compelling ... If only more world statesmen were like Chris Patten'
John Kampfner, Observer
'Entertaining and wide-ranging ... part history, part opinionated guidebook'
Simon Robinson, Time Magazine
'A brilliant tour d'horizon of a fragmenting world'
Christopher Coker, The Times Literary Supplement
Chris Patten is currently Chairman of the BBC Trust, and Chancellor of Oxford and Newcastle Universities. He is well known for being the last Governor of Hong Kong (1992-97), about which he wrote in East and West (1998). Both that and his most recent book, Not Quite the Diplomat: Home Truths about World Affairs (2005), were international best-sellers.
At the start of the twenty-first century, the challenges the world faces seem bewilderingly complex. Gone are the old assurances about the triumph of the West and the free market. But what will take their place?
Here Chris Patten draws on his many years at the highest levels of international affairs to tackle the big questions of our time - from financial turmoil to the energy crisis, immigration to the ascendancy of the East - offering a wise, witty and surprisingly optimistic account of the world today.
'An extremely impressive book ... It is a very long time since a leading British politician produced anything so ambitious, or as well written'
John Gray, Guardian
'Chris Patten is the best Foreign Secretary Britain never had ... An encyclopedia of good sense ... Every thinker on, or practitioner of, international affairs will profit from reading any book that Patten writes'
Denis MacShane, Independent
'Compelling ... If only more world statesmen were like Chris Patten'
John Kampfner, Observer
'Entertaining and wide-ranging ... part history, part opinionated guidebook'
Simon Robinson, Time Magazine
'A brilliant tour d'horizon of a fragmenting world'
Christopher Coker, The Times Literary Supplement
Chris Patten is currently Chairman of the BBC Trust, and Chancellor of Oxford and Newcastle Universities. He is well known for being the last Governor of Hong Kong (1992-97), about which he wrote in East and West (1998). Both that and his most recent book, Not Quite the Diplomat: Home Truths about World Affairs (2005), were international best-sellers.
Reviews / Votes
'Chris Patten is the best foreign secretary Britain never had ... Every thinker on, or practitioner of, international affairs will profit from reading any book that Patten writes on foreign policy' - Denis Macshane, Independent 'Exquisitely written ... he is an eloquent and wise voice in a cacophonous world' - Lionel Barber, Financial Times 'An extremely impressive book. It is a very long time since a leading British politician produced anything so ambitious, or as well written.' - Guardian, John GrayMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Interest Age: From 0 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
396 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-14-102145-4 (9780141021454)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
10/2008
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Chris Patten is currently co-Chair of the International Crisis Group, on the Anglo-Indian Round Table, and Chancellor of Oxford and Newcastle Universities. As a British MP 1979-92 he served as Minister for Overseas Development, Secretary of State for the Environment and Chairman of the Conservative Party, being described afterwards as 'the best Tory Prime Minister we never had' (Observer). He is well known for being the last Governor of Hong Kong 1992-97, about which he wrote in East and West (1998). Both that and his most recent book, Not Quite the Diplomat: Home Truths about World Affairs (2005), were No 1 international best-sellers. He was made a Companion of Honour in 1998 and a life peer in 2005.