From acclaimed historian Brendan Simms, The Return of the Great Powers offers a sweeping study of the past, present, and future of global leadership, revealing the new rules governing international relations. This work provides a clear-eyed reckoning with contemporary geopolitical issues, arguing that major global actors have resumed making decisions based on geopolitical rather than purely economic considerations.

• Examines the history of great power rivalries from the modern era through the end of the Cold War.
• Analyzes the temporary shift toward globalization between 1989 and 2000.
• Details the recent return of great power dynamics over the last decade.
• Addresses pressing issues such as the Ukraine war and the future of American dominance.

This book has received high praise from leading voices in international affairs:

• "This bracing tour d'horizon of the once and future world order... is well worth reading." - THE TIMES
• "Timely . . . thought-provoking." - FINANCIAL TIMES
• "Cuts through the noise to give the reader geopolitical clarity." - TIM MARSHALL
• "Shines powerful light on the state of contemporary geopolitics . . . Profound." - ANDREW ROBERTS
• "Wide-ranging and provocative." - FIONA HILL
• "Simms is one of the most knowledgeable and formidable analysts of how the Great Powers will shape the new order." - RANA MITTER

• Author: Simms, Brendan
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Print Length: 480 pages
• Publication Date: June 4, 2026
• ISBN-10: 1399816942
• ISBN-13: 978-1399816946
• Dimensions: 160mm x 238mm x 44mm
• Weight: 722 g

For readers seeking a profound understanding of how historical power struggles inform today's global landscape, The Return of the Great Powers is an essential, authoritative analysis.