The Forever War

'If you read only one book about America . . . make it this excellent work.' Newtown Review of Books

In this updated edition of The Forever War, Bryant tells the story of Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, which underscored his original thesis that Trump is as much a product of American history as Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama or Joe Biden. It is just the history that has often been forgotten, misremembered or deliberately concealed.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the American experiment is failing. Division, mistrust and misinformation are now its defining characteristics. The storming of the Capitol, the prosecution of Donald Trump and battles over gun rights and abortion raise the spectre of further political violence, and even the possibility of a second civil war.

Nick Bryant explains how the hate, divisiveness and paranoia we see today are in fact a core part of America’s story. Combining brilliant storytelling, historical research and reportage, Bryant argues that insurrections, massacres and civil disturbances should sadly not be seen as abnormalities; they are a part of the fabric of the history of America.

The compromises originally designed to hold the union together – from the drafting of the Constitution to the concessions made after the Civil War in the quest for national unity – have never truly been resolved. Today, a country that once looked so confidently to the future has become captive to its contentious past. This is a book that will challenge readers’ historical belief system about America.

'Bryant writes as both a keen political reporter and a first-class historian, interweaving past and present to supremely powerful effect. It’s a superb achievement.' DOMINIC SANDBROOK, host of The Rest is History

'Bryant parlays meticulous historical research and on-the-ground reportage into a gripping narrative that reads like a political thriller, albeit a deeply disturbing one.' The Sunday Times, South Africa