This May Help You Understand the World: A Timely Book for Those Confused by the Problems of a Troubled World - Softcover

Potter, Lawrence

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0714531375 ISBN 13: 9780714531373

Publisher: Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd, 2007

Synopsis

Everyone has insecurities about what they think they should know—the popularity of Lawrence Potter’s previous book, Mathematics Minus Fear, proves that. With its humorous style, his book makes knowledge accessible to anyone.

Each day, newspapers deliver fresh information on conflicts all around the world. This May Help You Understand the World assures you that it is okay to need more information than what is carried in today’s papers. People do want to understand the facts behind the headlines, and Potter makes it his business to enable this by discussing the following topics:

• Who has won more battles: the autocrat, plutocrat, theocrat, meritocrat, bureaucrat, democrat, or pornocrat?
• What did you say this country was called? Identity crises in Eastern Europe.
• Charisma or coercion: leaders we fell out of love with.
• Who’s kicking now? Political footballs.
• Buckle up: ideology through the window of a private jet.

About this title

Review

'A great book, essentially a Dummies' Guide to Now, which simply and clearly explains the background to all manner of world situations, from Darfur to climate change for anyone who, like me, sometimes feels bewildered at the sheer amount of news information thrown at them.' -- Charlie Brooker, The Guardian, December 2007

'The complexities of politics can evade even the most clued up: What we need is a primer that answers these fundamental questions...One that settles that quandary: 'Is Bush stupid?' Answer: No more than his predecessors according to Lawrence Potter, author of the funny This May Help You Understand The World' -- GQ Magazine, October 2007

...written with disarming honesty and a wonderful sense of humour, explaining quite difficult problems with just the right level of detail and analysis.His book is a pleasure to read and certianly worth buying for those new to politics.' -- Morning Star, November 2007

`...more like a debate with a friend than some pompous know-it-all. His book is a pleasure to read and certianly worth buying for those new to politics.' -- Morning Star, December 2007

'Lawrence Potter's engaging little book is a kind of bluffer's guide to some of the thorniest topics facing us today. Questions such as what is going on in Iraq; what is the nature of the Arab-Israeli conflict; and is George W. Bush really stupid?... entertaining and informative.'
-- Mail on Sunday, November 2007

Synopsis

Many of us do not fully understand the world, or its recent past. It's all too complicated, and well, foreign and far away. Every day the newspaper brings us more news than we can possibly assimilate in a single morning but without much of the background needed to put it into context. Lawrence Potter assures you that it is ok to need more information than is carried in the newspapers, people do want to understand the facts behind the headlines, and makes it his business to help. Answering questions on a wide range of current themes such as: 'How do we know if an NGO is doing a good job?' Is George Bush stupid?' and 'What's Wrong with Plastic Bags?', this book provides a guide to the world events that we think we ought to know about.

About this edition

• Publisher: Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0714531375
• ISBN 13: 9780714531373
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 320