The Fix

We all know the bad news. Our economies are stagnant. Wages are flat and income inequality keeps rising. The Middle East is burning and extremism is spreading. Frightened voters are embracing populist outsiders and angry nationalists. And no wonder: we are living in an age of unprecedented, irreversible decline--or so we're constantly being told.

Jonathan Tepperman's The Fix presents a very different picture. It identifies ten pervasive and seemingly impossible challenges--including immigration reform, economic stagnation, political gridlock, corruption, and Islamist extremism--and shows that, contrary to the general consensus, each has a solution, and not merely a hypothetical one. By taking a close look at overlooked success stories--from countries as diverse as Canada, Botswana, and Indonesia--Tepperman discovers practical advice for problem-solvers of all stripes, making a data-driven case for optimism in a time of crushing pessimism.