FT Business Book of the Year longlist

In *Direct*, Kathryn Judge explores how middlemen have become central to modern capitalism, influencing consumption and investment while often undermining accountability. She argues that direct exchange can foster a more just and resilient economic system by promoting connection and community. The book offers practical guidance on how consumers can engage in more direct transactions to mitigate the negative effects of the middleman economy.

In 'Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century', Helen Thompson provides a comprehensive explanation for the recent disruptions in global politics. She argues that the standard explanations for the rise of populist nationalism and authoritarianism are too simplistic and instead examines the large-scale societal shifts, particularly in how the world produces and consumes energy. The book delves into the geopolitical instability caused by the global energy rivalry between the United States, Russia, and China, and how changes in international monetary policy have remade the world economy along fragile fault lines. Thompson concludes that these factors have precipitated the crisis of democracy in Western nations, highlighting how Western governments have become more focused on the consent of plutocrats than their own citizens.

In 'Chip War', Chris Miller details how the semiconductor industry has become essential for modern life, influencing military, economic, and geopolitical power. The book explores the historical development of microchips, from their origins in Silicon Valley to their current role in global politics, particularly in the competition between the United States and China. Miller explains how the U.S. dominance in chip design and manufacturing contributed to its victory in the Cold War and how China's efforts to catch up are shaping the current geopolitical landscape.

In this book, Gary Gerstle examines America's recent history, focusing on the past forty years during which the nation embraced marketization, global economic integration, a harsh penal state, and increasing inequality. Gerstle discusses how neoliberalism emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, dominated American politics in the 1990s and 2000s, and began to fracture during the 2010s with the rise of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. He highlights the role of the Soviet Union's collapse in securing neoliberalism's triumph and analyzes how neoliberal policies, despite promising universal prosperity, failed to address economic inequality, leading to its eventual decline.

This book tells the story of how humanity transitioned from dire poverty before 1870 to an era of rapid technological advancement and economic transformation. Despite this progress, the world faces issues such as global warming, economic depression, uncertainty, and inequality. DeLong's work reveals the last century as less a march of progress than a slouch in the right direction, examining why the expected utopia was not achieved.

In 'Nomad Century', Gaia Vince explores the seismic consequences of climate change, particularly the inevitable mass migration of billions of people due to rising temperatures. The book delves into the impacts of drought, heat, wildfires, and flooding on human habitats and argues that migration, managed correctly, can be beneficial for both migrants and host countries. Vince draws on extensive environmental reporting and travel to the front lines of climate migration, offering insights into how these changes will transform food, cities, politics, and more. The book is a call to action, emphasizing the need for planned and deliberate migration strategies while working to restore the planet to a fully habitable state.