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Debt crises, high unemployment and now BREXIT...it hasn't been a great year for the European Union as it fights to hold together what's left of the bloc whilst retaining and building the credibility of the single currency. Can the Euro survive or is it hamstrung by Europe's competing visions of what the future is supposed to be? It all points to a philosophical difference between the founding countries of the single currency bloc, France and Germany. Can the differences be resolved or have events reached a point from which there is no turning back. Professor Harold James, is one of three authors of the new book, The Euro and the Battle of Ideas. Harold James now joined Juliette Foster in the studio.

Joining Steve Clarke in the studio is distinguished historian, Sir Richard J. Evans, to discuss his new book 'The Pursuit of Power: Europe, 1815-1914', out now and published by Allen Lane. There's been a flood of literature in the past couple of years associated with the anniversary of the first World War - but what was happening in Europe in the 100 years that led up to that? Themes explored within Sir Richard's new book and in the studio include rationalistic excess, scientific revolution, the inevitability of WW1 and the dramatic diplomatic ruptures that have permeated our past and present.

It's time for another one of our weekly book reviews. Today Share Radio's Ed Bowsher was joined by American entrepreneur Terri Sjodin, author of 'Scrappy' - a little book about choosing to play big. It tells the stories of extraordinary people who play scrappy in order to attain elusive goals - from a Girl Scout who sold 117 boxes of cookies in 2 hours outside a medical marijuana dispensary to the founder of the Rainforest Cafe restaurant chain. Tune in to see how such a fighting spirit can allow you to attain your goals faster and easier.

What's the connection between a 16th century Polish astronomer and a 19th century British naturalist? Nicolaus Copernicus and Charles Darwin may have lived three centuries apart but their thinking changed scientific perspectives. Thanks to Copernicus, we know the sun and not the earth is at the centre of the Universe, whilst Darwin's theory of evolution challenged the orthodox view that the species were created the same time as earth and in their current form. So what about the science of economics? Is it also due for a major re-think? Yes, according to George Cooper, an author and Chief Investment Officer of Equitile Investments. In his new book 'Fixing Economics', he argues that modern economics needs to embrace a new way of looking at and understanding the world if financial crises are to be prevented in the future. George Cooper joined Juliette Foster in the studio to discuss his book and ideas.

Everyday the world's stock markets carry out trades worth trillions of Dollars. Some of that business grabs the headlines whilst the rest largely goes by unnoticed. Given the volume of cash turned over each year and the crises that markets have to deal with, it's easy to see why some people prefer to leave the management of their money in the hands of so called market professionals. However in his new book "Success in the Stock Market", author and investor Dermod J Sweeney argues that anyone can play the financial markets…just as long as they have an understanding of how they work. Dermod J Sweeney spoke about the book and his top tips with Juliette Foster.

He's an award winning fund manager with a career of more than 30 years standing whose also been described as "the Warren Buffet of the UK". It's fair to say that Keith Ashworth Lord knows a thing or two about investing and he's the first to acknowledge that Warren Buffet, the legendary US investor known as The Sage of Omaha, has influenced his financial philosophy. In between setting up "Sanford Deland Asset Management" and the "UK Buffettology Fund", Keith Ashworth Lord has also written a book. "Invest in the Best", explains his approach to business and the qualities he looks for in companies that could be potential investment opportunities. Keith Ashworth Lord joins Juliette Foster in the studio.

The banking industry's reputation has yet to fully recover from the impact of the 2008 global financial crisis and the perception that greed and the payment of oversized bonuses to key staff made it out of control. In his new book "Why Aren't They Shouting" Kevin Rodgers argues that highly sophisticated computer systems and financial models, has made banking chronically unstable. He joined Juliette in the studio.

A new book - The Rise and Fall of Nations - gives a global view of economic health and wealth as it stands today - using such guides as how many billionaires do you have and the role of depopulation amongst countries. It's author is Ruchir Sharma - Head of Emerging Markets and Chief Global Strategist at Morgan Stanley Investment Management - and he joined Steve Clarke to discuss the book, his experience of markets (particularly emerging markets) post-2008 & his view on Brexit.

We begin this edition of The Book Review with a clip from Prime Minister David Cameron speaking in 2013 in Liberia during a United Nations meeting discussing new targets for replacing the Millenium Development goals. Those targets expired in 2015 yet in spite of renewed promises to lift the world's most vulnerable people out of poverty the hard faced reality shows there is still some way to go. Last night some 800 million people went to sleep without having eaten: today 19,000 children will die of easily preventable causes....that's one unnecessary death every five seconds. Do rich nations have a duty to help poorer countries…or does aid discourage the poor from standing on their own feet? Those are just some of the issues explored in the new book "Should Rich Nations Help the Poor, by David Hulme Executive Director of the Global Development Institute at Manchester University. David Hulme joined Juliette Foster in the studio for more.

Satyajit Das, Australian former banker and corporate treasurer, turned consultant and now author discusses his book "A Banquet of Consequences". He believes that the factors that caused the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 have not been addressed and he discussed this and more with Ed Bowsher.