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Cover of The Clash of Civilizations by Samuel HuntingtonThe Clash of Civilizations
Modern · Nonfiction, Classics, War

The Clash of Civilizations

by Samuel Huntington
1996 · 464 pages · Nonfiction
Critics' pick
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Political scientist Samuel P. Huntington argues that after the Cold War, the main conflicts in the world would be between civilizations, defined by culture and religion, rather than between nations or ideologies, and explores what that means for the West.

Why it's worth reading

It's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It's one of the most influential and debated books on world politics.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

Its thesis is controversial and widely criticized as well as praised.

By the numbers

64.4Must-Read Score
  • Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller6 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

On the lists
TIME All-TIME 100 Nonfiction

Reads as

True story

How we rank

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Quick answers

Is The Clash of Civilizations worth reading?

Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It ranks #1,944 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.4 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Clash of Civilizations about?

Political scientist Samuel P. Huntington argues that after the Cold War, the main conflicts in the world would be between civilizations, defined by culture and religion, rather than between nations or ideologies, and explores what that means for the West.

How long does it take to read The Clash of Civilizations?

About 12 hours (464 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Clash of Civilizations?

If you liked it, try The End of the World Is Just the Beginning by Peter Zeihan, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond or Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson.