WACHH BoOK CLUB

The Book Club is the newest addition to the World Affairs Council of Hilton Head (WACHH) program offerings. The Book Club presents an opportunity for us all to learn more broadly and deeply about both world affairs and domestic politics, to engage in stimulating discussions, and to make new friendships.

The Book Club is free and open to WACHH members and the public, but advance registration is required. Registration for each book club discussion will open one month in advance and is limited to 35 participants.

The Book Club meets the second Thursday of each month from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at The Island Rec Center Board Room, 20 Wilborn Rd, Hilton Head Island (next to the High school).

Click HERE to download the Book Club Flyer for more information. 

June 8, 2023

Culture Hacks: Deciphering Differences in American, Chinese and Japanese Thinking by Richard Conrad

"Richard Conrad wades with aplomb and expertise into the most sensitive and maddeningly elusive topic for anyone trying to grapple with Asia's rise: the tricky role of culture in countries like Japan and China and its intersection with economics, business, and trade." -- Richard McGregor, author of The Party and Asia's Reckoning

The central theme in Culture Hacks is that a lack of understanding of how critical cultural differences impact approaches to problem-solving, negotiations, decision making and general worldview exacerbates much of the current tensions with and in East Asia . . . These cultural misconceptions can pose a national security risk. Author Richard Conrad provides a framework for understanding American, China, and Japanese cultures that include distinct forms of thinking (linear - lateral – intuitive), view of time (relative – absolute), and culture characteristics (literal – abstract). Registration opens May 8.

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July 13, 2023

The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure by Yascha Mounk

“The fundamental argument of The Great Experiment is correct both morally and practically. Building diverse democracies is indeed hard. But, given the current composition of our societies, no alternative exists . . . A coherent and well-written call to arms.”—Martin Wolf, The Financial Times

Some democracies are highly homogeneous. Others have long maintained a racial or religious hierarchy, with some groups dominating and exploiting others. Never in history has a democracy succeeded in being both diverse and equal, treating members of many different ethnic or religious groups fairly. And yet achieving that goal is now central to the democratic project in countries around the world. It is, Yascha Mounk argues, the greatest experiment of our time. The Great Experiment provides real reason for hope about the outcome that can be achieved by using crucial insights from the past to illustrate how to do better in the future. Registration opens June 13.

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Past Book Club Selections

• September 9, 2021: The Room Where it Happened: A White House Memoir by John Bolton
• October 14, 2021: The New Map: Energy, Climate And The Clash Of Nations by Daniel Yergin
• November 11, 2021: After the Fall: Being American in the World We’ve Made by Ben Rhodes
• December 9, 2021: War: How Conflict Changed Us by Margaret MacMillan
• January 13, 2022: How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
• February 10, 2022: Black Wave by Kim Ghattas
• March 10, 2022: Us vs Them: The Failure of Globalism by Ian Bremmer
• April 14, 2022: The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage and Fear in the Cyber Age by David E. Sanger
• May 12, 2022: Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump by Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
• June 9, 2022: The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy
• July 14, 2022: The Peace Makers by Bruce W. Jentleson
• August 11, 2022: The Chancellor by Kati Marton

• September 8, 2022: Lessons from the Edge: A Memoir by Marie Yovanovitch

• October 13, 2022: Twilight of Democracy by Anne Applebaum

• November 10, 2022: On Corruption in America: What’s at Stake by Sarah Chayes

• December 8, 2022: Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy by Henry Kissinger

• January 12, 2023: Peace, War and Liberty: Understanding US Foreign Policy by Chris Preble

• February 9, 2023: Sanctions: What Everyone Needs to Know by Bruce W. Jentleson

• March 9, 2023: Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China by Michael Beckley and Hal Brand

• April 13, 2023: Wretched Refuse? The Political Economy of Immigration and Institutions by Alex Nowrasteh and Benjamin Powell

• May 11, 2023: The American Imperative: Reclaiming Global Leadership through Soft Power by Daniel Runde

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