Includes bibliographical references and index.

Funny old world -- The journey so far -- Les big macs -- Skies of flame -- Mushromm clouds -- A hundred million rifles -- Greed, conflict and the 'bottom billion' -- Blood and water -- Stuff happens -- Hooked -- Filling the tank -- Hottong up -- Coughs and sneezes -- 'Let freedom ring' -- And so ... -- Notes.

What next? tackles the big questions about our global condition and our collective future with a verve and authority no other current commentator or political figure, on either side of the Atlantic or the Channel, could match. Energy, food, water, international crime, weapons proliferation, drug trafficking, climate change, epidemic disease, migration, - the challenges facing our world is itself proliferating rapidly. On each of them, Chris Patten digests vast amounts of information from many different sources, and analyses them for the reader using his experience at the highest levels of national and international politics. Readers of Patten's previous books will know what a penetrating analyst and engaging writer he is. This is his most ambitious and impressive yet.