Hey, it's Marcel Dirsus and this is The Next Best.
I spoke to Charles Hecker this week. Charles has spent 40 years traveling and working in the Soviet Union and Russia. He speaks fluent Russian and he just wrote a book called Zero Sum.
At first glance, the book is about international business in Russia. And it is, but it is also a lens to look at political and economic developments more generally. We spoke about the chaos of the early 1990s. Western governments pushing their companies to invest in Russia and the impact that closer engagement with Moscow had on our own societies. I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed talking to Charles and I hope you enjoy our discussion.
Let's go.
My guest
Website: https://www.charleshecker.com
Book: https://www.charleshecker.com/purchase-links
Twitter: https://x.com/Charles_Hecker
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/charleshecker.bsky.social
Me
Newsletter: https://thehundred.substack.com
Book: https://www.marceldirsus.com/tyrants
Twitter: https://x.com/marceldirsus
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/marceldirsus.com
I'll see you soon.
My guest this week is Steve Coll. Steve is a senior editor at The Economist and he has written nine books. He has won the Pulitzer Prize not once, but twice. His most recent book is about Saddam Hussein, the CIA and America's invasion of Iraq. It is called The Achilles Trap.
In this episode, we talk about Saddam Hussein's childhood, chemical weapons use against Iran, and a series of miscalculations that ultimately led to war. I had lot of fun talking to Steve, and the discussion is relevant beyond America and Iraq, because misunderstanding the opposite side can still lead to tragedy. Let's go.
My guest
Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602066/the-achilles-trap-by-steve-coll/
Me
Newsletter: https://thehundred.substack.com
Book: https://www.marceldirsus.com/tyrants
Twitter: https://x.com/marceldirsus
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/marceldirsus.com
I'll see you soon.
Hey, it's Marcel Dirsus and this is The Next Best.