Global poverty, economist Collier points out, is actually falling quite rapidly for about 80% of the world. The real crisis lies in a group of about 50 failing states, the bottom billion, whose problems defy traditional approaches to alleviating poverty. Here, Collier contends that these fifty failed states pose the central challenge of the developing world in the twenty-first century. This group of small nations, largely unnoticed by the industrialized...

Presents a history of the Peace Corp and exposes Washington infighting, presidential influence, and the struggles volunteers faced abroad.

This insightful and original book explores the key issues that countries in Africa and South Asia need to address in order to escape poverty. Challenging traditional assumptions about the worlds poorest countries, the top priorities to address are identified as adult literacy, electricity for manufacturing, and the consequence of the relationship between fertility and savings. These suggestions are placed within a historical perspective, placing discussions...

Hailed by John le Carré as an act of courage on the part of its author" and singled out for praise by the leading medical journals in the United States and the United Kingdom, The Body Hunters uncovers the real-life story behind le Carré's acclaimed novel The Constant Gardener and the feature film based on it. Sonia Shah's riveting journalistic account shines a much-needed spotlight on a disturbing new global trend. Drawing on years of original...