..... The latest book of Nye, The Future of Power, is a critical review of the different types of power that exist and the author‘s purpose is to bring more clarity in the discussion about power, especially soft power. He also describes the power position of several countries, whereas his main focus is on the US, and also provides a policy recommendation for it. Moreover, it contains several tables which illustrate the key assumptions.
You do neither have to be a political scientist, nor an expert on power or the several countries mentioned in order to understand the arguments made by Nye. In the preface, he states that his book is not aimed at the academic audience but at “the intelligent reader.” In his analysis of power, Nye includes historical facts, as well as simple formulas to bolster his arguments. He does this in a clear and coherent way, while leading the reader with fluidly through his concepts. However, he does not scare the intended audience off with too many historical examples and technical terms. The style of the novel is simple and concise but his conclusions seem self-evident and do not astonish the readers with IR background.....
...In conclusion, Nye believes that those who think America is in a serious state of decline are mistaken because the traditional tools used to measure such a statement are no longer applicable. Power is no longer measured in military forces, or the strength of the currency, etc. However, as sweeping his arguments sound, they do not convince me since most of his sources are very theoretical and not backed up by empirical evidence. The reader is left with the impression that Nye often remains on the surface...Nye’s latest book provides an interesting overview over international politics, but given the author's vast knowledge and experience, he could have, in several instances, provided a more in-depth analysis.