"Backed by an impressive historical review and a refreshingly systematic analysis of power?[S]ure to provoke debate among scholars?An ambitious undertaking." -- Patricia Cohen - New York Times"Mearsheimer provides an admirable mixture of conceptual clarity and detailed historical observation?He is an excellent critic of rival perspectives, exposing their weaknesses with real forensic flair. Admirably, he seems to be happiest when swimming against the prevailing tide of academic opinion." -- Adam Roberts - Times Literary Supplement"A signal triumph." -- Robert D. Kaplan - The Atlantic John J. Mearsheimer is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science and codirector of the Program on International Security Policy at the University of Chicago.