Book Club: America in Retreat

October’s book is America in Retreat by Bret Stephens

In “America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder,” Bret Stephens argues that a growing sense of isolationism in the United States poses a significant threat to global stability. Stephens, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, claims that America’s reluctance to intervene in international conflicts and its withdrawal from global leadership are creating a vacuum that could lead to widespread disorder. He examines historical examples, suggesting that when the U.S. has stepped back from its leadership role, the world has experienced chaos, instability, and the rise of aggressive powers.

About CPL Book Club:
This monthly gathering’s mission is simple: to explore profound opinions and accounts of our nation’s and the world’s most critical issues through in-depth books. But it’s not just about reading – it’s about embracing diverse perspectives, sparking discussions, and sharing thoughts with fellow explorers of knowledge.

What you’ll get out of book club: our hope is for you to dare to dive deep, analyzing topics and navigating the twists and turns of politics together. If you share a passion for continuous learning and want to explore the intricacies of our world’s challenges, then this club is your intellectual haven (or entry) into finding out more.

How It Works:

We will announce our book list 6 months in advance in the hopes of giving our members time to acquire, read, and consider the books prior to our meetings. We will start with an initial list of books that were hand-selected by the host and other members of the CPL leadership team. Three months into the initial list, members will propose and select the next 3 to 6 books to be read.

One month before the club reads a book, we will publish a primer (see link above), providing information about the book and the author, plus questions to consider while reading the book.

At our meeting, we’ll spend about 15 minutes sharing thoughts as a group, then move into breakout rooms for a more intimate discussion of the book and the ideas it presents.

Where To Find the Books:
We promise that all the books we will discuss will be available online, in bookstores and in most cases, in your local library. Most will be available in hardcopy, audiobook, and e-book. Please consider borrowing the books from your local library. If you find purchasing new copies of the books beyond your budget, we encourage you to look for used copies, which you are likely to find online at Powell’s Bookstore, ThriftBooks, or on Amazon (listed below the hardcover or paperback prices).

Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.