S&S signs Permacrisis by former Prime Minister Brown, alongside El-Erian and Spence

Simon & Schuster (S&S) UK has signed Permacrisis: A Plan to Fix a Fractured World, a new book by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown alongside Mohamed A El-Erian and Michael Spence, with Reid Lidow.

Holly Harris, publishing director for non-fiction at S&S UK, acquired world English language rights from Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown. The book will be published on 28th September 2023.

The publisher said: “Permacrisis: A Plan to Fix a Fractured World brings together three of the most internationally respected and experienced thinkers of our time. Gordon Brown, Mohamed A El-Erian and Michael Spence found their pandemic Zooms increasingly focused on a cascade of crises: sputtering growth, surging inflation, poor policy responses, an escalating climate emergency, worsening inequality, increasing nationalism and a decline in global co-operation.

“The three friends shared their fears and frustrations. And the more they talked, the more they realised that while past mistakes had set the world on this bumpy course, a better path leading to a brighter future exists.

"Informed by their different perspectives, they sought a common goal: achievable solutions to fix our fractured world. This book is the product of that thinking.”

Brown, who was the longest-serving Chancellor of the Exchequer in UK history, said: “The world is in flux with seismic shifts impacting all of our lives. You cannot explain Russia’s war in Ukraine, the China-America standoff, the low rate of global economic growth, and disruptions to global trade without understanding shifts from a unipolar to multipolar world, from a period of hyperglobalisation to globalisation-lite, and from neoliberal to neo-mercantilist economics.

"So before the cement sets and a new global disorder hardens, we have to integrate these realities into our thinking, and then go a step further with fresh insights to navigate this complex world.”

El-Erian, the current president of Queens’ College, Cambridge, said: “Current economic policies are not working to deliver the level of growth, financial stability, and prosperity we need. Slippages in analysis, design, implementation, communication, and coordination have come to define too many economic policy responses as of late.

"Righting the policy ship is critical not only for restoring inclusive and sustainable growth but also rebuilding resilience in what is sure to be an increasingly shock-prone future. De-risking our economic future demands rethinking economic policy frameworks today.”

Kris Doyle, deputy publishing director for S&S UK non-fiction, has led the editorial process in Harris’ absence on parental leave. Doyle said: “In recent months, like many people, I’ve wondered: what’s gone wrong? Often, books exploring the state of the world are long on problems and a bit short on vision and specifics – not this one! It’s a privilege to publish three of the smartest, most experienced public figures of our age as they offer a plan to get us out of this mess.”