This week's Booksletter features five books that explore history, political thought, and global power in fresh and thought-provoking ways. The first, The Black Death: A Global History by Thomas Asbridge, offers a worldwide look at the devastating 14th-century plague. Asbridge contrasts how different religious groups interpreted the outbreak—Christians and Jews saw it as divine punishment, while Muslims viewed it as a chance to martyr themselves. This perspective led to higher death rates in the Islamic world, with up to 20,000 people dying each day in Cairo. Asbridge uses historical records to highlight the human experience of the plague and challenges the common belief that Europe suffered more than the Muslim world. The second book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future by Daniel A. Bell, delves into the influence of ancient Chinese political philosophy on modern China. Bell uses fictional dialogues between modern-day followers of ancient thinkers like Confucius and Legalists to show how these ideas continue to shape China's political direction today. This approach makes complex historical concepts more accessible and highlights their ongoing relevance. Jared Diamond's Profits, Prophets, Coaches and Kings: (When) Do Leaders Make a Difference? examines the role of individual leaders in shaping history. Using Adolf Hitler as a case study, Diamond argues that while leaders can have a major impact, history is not solely determined by individual actions. He suggests that even without Hitler, a similar figure might have emerged due to broader societal and political conditions. José Ignacio Carnero's novel Los fabuladores is inspired by a nearly forgotten event in 1961, when a group of Spanish and Portuguese exiles tried to take over a cruise ship to start a revolt against authoritarian regimes. The story follows three main characters: Henrique Galvão, a Portuguese military officer turned critic of dictatorship; Xosé Velo, a Galician poet in exile; and commander Sotomayor, a Spanish Republican with a complicated past. Carnero brings this overlooked chapter of history to life through the personal journeys of these individuals. Finally, Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare by Edward Fishman examines the challenges facing American global influence in an era of economic and financial instability. Fishman discusses how the United States' military strength has waned, citing the depletion of missile supplies used to support Ukraine. He also questions the effectiveness of economic sanctions as a tool of power, suggesting that traditional forms of influence are becoming less reliable in the modern world.