If you want to know why the world is the way it is, read this book. Having been in Sevastopol during 2013-2014, it was strange reading about events that I had experienced first hand, and gratifying that my interpretations of why they happened weren't that far wide of the mark. Every chapter had information that surprised me and things I had suspected about how geography influences politics and the decisions countries make about attack, defence, and their economies. Highly recommend.

I found this fascinating, and learnt some new facts to me about various countries and areas of the world. I kept looking back at the maps as I was reading it, and it helped to explained some actions that nations have taken in the past and what helps to make them decide to take those actions.
My favourite quote from the book is ‘what is now the EU was set up so that France and Germany could hug each other so tightly in a loving embrace that neither would be able to get an arm free with which to punch each other’.