Created on 13 May 2025
The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is now presented in podcast, bringing you lively conversations between Professor Jeffrey Sachs and authors of inspiring books about history, social justice and challenges of building a decent world. Find ‘Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other major podcast apps. Be sure to subscribe for episode updates! The episodes can also be accessed directly here.
Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and historian, Professor Richard Overy for an insightful conversation on one of humanity’s most unsettling questions on why humanity wages war. In his book ‘Why War?,’ Overy takes us on a journey across time, from the ancient battlefields of the Roman Empire to the devastation of the World Wars and the conflicts shaping our present.
Together, they examine what drives organized violence, discussing whether it is hardwired into human nature, or stems from competition for resources, power, and security. Drawing on psychology, history, and political strategy, Overy dissects the deep-rooted forces behind war— confronting the stark realities of conflict and examining whether war is an inescapable part of our past—or an unavoidable part of our future. This episode doesn’t shy away from the hard truths—there are no easy answers, and Overy delivers no false hope.
How to engage
- Watch
Watch the monthly author conversations. Past session recordings are in the SDG Academy Library for on demand viewing.
- Listen
Subscribe to ‘Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!!
About the Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs
The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is a free global forum to discuss outstanding, recently-published work that examines the most important topics for humanity.
Hosted by Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs, the eminent thought-leader in economics and sustainable development, the Book Club features monthly interviews with renowned authors about their ground-breaking work in sustainability, economics, history, social justice and more.
The Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs is brought to you by the SDG Academy, the flagship education initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. All information about the Book Club with Jeffrey Sachs can be found at www.bookclubwithjeffreysachs.org.
Visit SDG Academy Library at https://sdgacademy.org/sdgacademy-library/
