The Peacemaker's Code

This book is a wonderful and powerful combination of elements which come together in an entertaining narrative which pulls the reader into the complex and high stakes world of the characters and the daunting challenge they face! It is full of insightful and educational content while also being a stimulating and thought provoking analysis of the scenarios that many leaders face in their own worlds. Deepak Malhotra has written a superb book which crosses the boundaries between between genres and sets a new standard for reading lists everywhere....on earth or beyond!

Wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I ordered it, I have been following the authors non-fiction work for some time, but just a fantastic novel with likeable, rounded characters and great pace. Kept me reading deep into the night.The concept beautiful illustrates his central message which, I believe, can help us move towards a more effective and compassionate way of living. As much a text book for living a better life as compelling story. One I’m sure I will re-read.

This book is brilliant on so many fronts, and very thought provoking. Cannot recommend it highly enough. Just hope Deepak will write some more.

As a teacher of negotiating skills in tertiary education, I am familiar with a fair amount of the non-fictional literature that has emerged from Harvard's Program on Negotiation (PON). When the publication was announced last week, I immediately ordered the book, which arrived on Tuesday. I started reading Tuesday evening and finished Wednesday mid-morning!As the blurb promises, this piece of fiction integrates many perspectives and genres. Besides, Deepak has integrated the whole gamut of best skills practiced in negotiation into the story and exemplifies techniques in the content throughout: I stopped counting and taking notes of instances on page 17, as I realised I could expect examples throughout the book.The story of a historian advising government on negotiating a global conflict situation draws on historic evidence to build an understanding of parties' interests. The story-line is neatly divided into 130 short chapters on the 490-page oeuvre, which also makes an audio-book version very digestible.Global issues affecting humanity, politics, diplomacy, human nature and its conflict with our environment throughout history remind me of Doris Lessing's Canopus in Argos: Archives, which I devoured in the early 1980s: Lessing's classic also raised these issues in a sci-fi genre.The author critically questions whether we can transfer knowledge from history to current issues and solutions, and continuously questions motivations and interests to build understanding of situations, problems, interests, and need benefits, or values, for constructive problem solving. History does not provide ready-made solutions to current problems. Instead, we need to analyse and understand similarities and differences to get a comprehensive understanding of current issues and whether principles we have learned from history apply or not.The reflections of humanity's internal and external interactions, the conflicts and solutions humanity needs to tackle not only on a global scale but also in our private lives give the reader a constructive and optimistic outlook on how to make peace with ourselves, those near us, and the world at large.This also makes this work of fiction an entertaining and engaging tool for learning and teaching. As Deepak pointed out in his webinar on https://www.pon.harvard.edu/events/the-peacemakers-code-2/ on March 5th, 2021, this self-published book has not only led him into the genre of fiction, but is also stimulating approaches to teaching. In my own skills teaching, the focus is primarily on practice. Theory informs teaching and learning to help cohorts of diverse practitioners improve. Given there is so little time, relevant practical examples and case studies are mainly contributed by participants. With an engaging read like this book, student reflections and discussions will likely demonstrate student recognition and awareness of what makes or breaks negotiations. So in my courses, I am making this recommended reading in addition to other Harvard titles, such as William Ury's Getting to Yes with Yourself. In addition, I believe everybody with an interest in a personal take-away from their reading will enjoy this! As it is difficult to put down, don't make it bedtime reading, though: you'll probably be burning the midnight oil.

This is a true page-turner. I just could not stop reading. It is not only a captivating and entertaining novel but it is also thought provoking. The protagonist of the novel, Professor Kilmer, a renowned historian, has to deal with a hopeless situation – save the world from an attack of a superior extraterrestrial power. While Professor Kilmer is navigating through this situation where nothing is as it seems to be, the novel highlights important ideas on the art of negotiation. The best book I have read for a long time.