Thanks, Michael!

Short but good write up in Princeton Alumni Weekly "Helfont’s book offers a concise account of one of the most consequential and relevant geopolitical narratives of today."

Merci beaucoup!

Thank you, @h-diplo.bsky.social. Our hopes exactly: "This article is, so far as I know, the first to seriously consider the question of what normalization means, not just in the specific context of US–China relations, but also in US foreign policy more broadly."🗃️ issforum.org/reviews/PDF/...

outright dismissing Fukuyama because "haha end of history" is quickly becoming a very useful filter for who has actually done the reading and who hasn't

this is really true. Lots to disagree with in End of History but it is a surprisingly weird and interesting book to have become a foreign policy bestseller.

I had a great time speaking with @rjgranieri.bsky.social on the War Room podcast about The Iraq Wars: A Very Short Introduction. Listen here: warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/ira...

Musings On #Iraq Review Samuel Helfont, The Iraq Wars, A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2025 musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2026/02/revi...

Musings On #Iraq Review Samuel Helfont, The Iraq Wars, A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2025 musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2026/02/revi...

“The Iraq Wars is only about 150 pages of text and yet it packs a big punch. It adds a depth of analysis to the decades long conflict between the United States and Iraq making it a worthwhile read.” Thanks, Joel!

“The Iraq Wars is only about 150 pages of text and yet it packs a big punch. It adds a depth of analysis to the decades long conflict between the United States and Iraq making it a worthwhile read.” Thanks, Joel!

How did a Yemeni militia become one of Tehran's most powerful proxies? @osto.bsky.social and @thomasjuneau.bsky.social analyze the rise of the Houthis on the latest episode of The Iran Reckoning. (Members Only) Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...

Always great to see it out in the wild! #aha @academic.oup.com

Always great to see it out in the wild! #aha @academic.oup.com

This is my first deliberately academic read of 2026, and so far my thought is to tell students researching related topics that this is their essential orientation #Iraq

See everyone there!

I am looking forward to assigning @samuelhelfont.bsky.social's "The Iraq Wars" from @academic.oup.com in a class on the subject during the spring semester. I used a couple "A Very Short Introduction" books this fall & they worked well & were well received by students. global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Thanks Michael!

I had a great time speaking with Miranda Melcher @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social about “The Iraq Wars: A Very Short Introduction.” @academic.oup.com newbooksnetwork.com/the-iraq-wars

Did anyone else get an email about the Anthropic settlement?

Happy news: My new book -- Humanitarianism: A Very Short Introduction -- now has a cover and is available for preorder! The book is a concise history of humanitarianism in an international and global perspective, from the 18th century to the present. More info here: global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Lisa Blaydes et Samuel Helfont (eds.) - Ba‘thist Iraq Through Archives Reflections, Explorations, and Opportunities À paraître en juin aux Stanford UP

It’s being read by someone named Tom Campbell. If you click on his name, you can hear samples of the other books he has narrated. Sounds pretty good to me! www.audible.com/pd/The-Iraq-...

Very proud to have a chapter examining Kurdish and Iraqi attempts to claim human rights violations in the '90s in "Ba'thist Iraq Through Archives," coming June 2026 from @stanfordpress.bsky.social, edited by @samuelhelfont.bsky.social & @lisablaydes.bsky.social www.sup.org/books/histor...

I had the pleasure of reading a draft: it’s outstanding!!!

Can’t wait to read.

I am happy to announce the publication of my latest book The Iraq Wars: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press). amazon.com/Iraq-Wars-Shor… An audio-book version is scheduled for release in December.

I am happy to announce the publication of my latest book The Iraq Wars: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press). amazon.com/Iraq-Wars-Shor… An audio-book version is scheduled for release in December.

Glad to see this important volume come to fruition- kudos to @lisablaydes.bsky.social & @samuelhelfont.bsky.social for putting us all in conversation with each other. Thrilled to have co-authored a critical chapter with @marsin.bsky.social on archival access & hierarchies of knowledge production

Now this looks like a really incredible list of chapters and contributors.

Looking forward to this.

Woot!

I reckon Ba'thist Iraq is one of the most interesting episodes in late 20th century history and the regime archives are an incredible resource. So I'm very excited about this book coming out!

Oh wow that looks incredible. That's one heck of a list of contributors! Congratulations.

@aldabenjamen.bsky.social, @eckartwoertz.bsky.social, @davidpatel.bsky.social, and several others not on this site. 2/2

It's an honor to have a chapter in @samuelhelfont.bsky.social & @lisablaydes.bsky.social's book, alongside @marsin.bsky.social, @smako.bsky.social, @joosthiltermann.bsky.social, @ibrahimpasha.bsky.social, @kmwoods.bsky.social, @malfridbh.bsky.social, @lilyhindy.bsky.social... 1/2

Coming from @stanfordpress.bsky.social in the summer of 2026! @lisablaydes.bsky.social and I edited a book "Ba'thist Iraq through Archives" with a star studded list of contributors!

Coming from @stanfordpress.bsky.social in the summer of 2026! @lisablaydes.bsky.social and I edited a book "Ba'thist Iraq through Archives" with a star studded list of contributors!

Happy to share the news that Catastrophic Diplomacy won the 2025 Tonous and Warda Johns Family Book Award (for the best monograph in the history of U.S. foreign relations, immigration history, or military history) from the PCB-AHA.

If you are an advanced PhD student working on US foreign relations or early career scholar in the area, check this out and consider applying to the #SHAFR Summer Institute being hosted by the @mershoncenter.bsky.social at The Ohio State University in June 2026🗃️: mershoncenter.osu.edu/events/socie...

Thanks for sharing it!

I read an early version of this, and I recommend it very highly! I plan to use it in my own teaching. A brilliant and concise summation.

I always forget to tag 🗃️ #skystorians

All the books in this series have similar covers so this was expected but it’s still great to see! global.oup.com/academic/pro...

I enjoyed listening to @abuaardvark.bsky.social's conversation with Alissa Walter about her new book "Contested City" for @pomeps.bsky.social podcast. Nice mentions of the work by great scholars like @samuelhelfont.bsky.social & @lisablaydes.bsky.social. pomeps.org/contested-ci...

Applications for the Second Book Workshop are due 3/17 www.shafr.org/index.php?op...

A must read from @shafrhistorians.bsky.social in Passport on 7 question on US-Middle East relations. Thanks to @joestieb.bsky.social and Kate Tietzen-Wisdom for the shout outs about my book, Iraq against the World! www.shafr.org/assets/docs/...

Like @shafrhistorians.bsky.social, Passport is now on BlueSky! The January issue of Passport is still delayed due to a technical issue. We are working diligently to get it to you asap

We are now accepting proposals for the Second Book Workshop! Deadline is March 17 tinyurl.com/3szajzzb