With the end of the Second World War a new world was forged. Taking readers from Berlin to Washington, from London to Moscow, and from Delhi to Shanghai, Victor Sebestyen vividly demonstrates that the first year of the peace was pivotal in shaping the world we live in. Drawing on a vast array of archival material and personal testimonies, he explores how people - be they powerbrokers or ordinary men and women -began to rebuild their lives. 'Exceptionally involving ... full of sharp judgements' Sam Leith, Spectator 'Sebestyen's confident style and acid biographical sketches make for a good read . . . he also has a journalist's eye for a human story' Richard Vinen, Evening Standard 'Impressively wide-ranging and detailed'