Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs Book

I picked up this audiobook at the library used book store because I am a big Madeleine Albright fan and I was looking for a new audiobook. I found the subject very fascinating and a good examination of some of the problems facing the world today, even though it is about 10 years old. Many of the issues she discussed in terms of what is happening with Iraq, Al Qaeda, and the surge in "conservative" or "radical" Islam (or those who claim to represent that religion) were quite prescient and I wondered what an addendum to this book would be like, with the new issues of the Arab Spring, the election of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the changes in the government in Turkey, and the rise of ISIS.

She starts off with the concept that for so long, people's religious beliefs, while important to them, were not really given much play on the world stage because they were believed to be personal. But 9/11 changed all that, making religious points of view crucial to diplomatic dialogue, and the many screeching voices of bigotry within religion, from Pat Roberston to the reigning clergy in Iran, have only made matters worse. In addiiton to discussing history and how the different cultures and religions view the central issue of individual dignity and the question of freedom, Albright covered ideas on how to foster tolerance. I was impressed with her candor, and her willingness to see a basis of reason in many of the actions by President George W. Bush that the Left often write off as mere examples of hubris and/or stupidity. Her arguments are compelling and her tone both thoughtful and passionate. In the end, she offered ideas for working together to create a better world for everyone.

Normally, I would look to pass along this copy of the book to another, but it had several discs with some big skips or scratches in them -- probably costing the ear-reader no more than a paragraph or two at a time -- which were annoying and would likely mar the listening experience of others. But I would recommend it to anyone interested in world affairs and the role that religion plays on the world stage today.