In his The Rise of the Creative Class, Florida (Brookings Institute) sparked an international debate over the causes and effects of long-term prosperity, economic development, and innovation. Here he takes his arguments to the next level, explaining how the same conditions that affect regional economic development and talent exchange play out on the world stage. He argues that the US must address problems such as rising inequality and disconnected political leadership to continue to attract foreign students, scientists, creatives, and entrepreneurs. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)