2084 // Admiral Stavridis’ Latest

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Charleston Library Society

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2084 at CLS

With a PhD in International Relations, Admiral James Stavridis has published fifteen books and hundreds of articles in leading journals around the world, yet NYT bestselling author is only one of his many titles. Retired 4-star officer of the US Navy, Supreme Allied Commander, Dean at Tufts University are a few others, along with his current role as Partner and Vice Chairman with Carlyle Group. Following the success of 2034, which he co-authored with Elliott Ackerman, we could not be more honored to welcome Admiral Stavridis to Charleston to share its next iteration – 2084: A Novel of Future War. We look forward to seeing you for a special opportunity to share the room with this decorated Navy Veteran and prolific author.

If you are unable to attend the event but would like to purchase one or more signed copies, please visit Buxton Books.

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About the Author

Admiral James Stavridis is Partner and Vice Chairman of Carlyle and Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Rockefeller Foundation, following five years as the 12th Dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. A retired 4-star officer in the U.S. Navy, he led the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009 to 2013 as Supreme Allied Commander with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counter piracy, and cyber security. He also served as Commander of U.S. Southern Command, with responsibility for all military operations in Latin America from 2006-2009. He earned more than 50 medals, including 28 from foreign nations, in his 37-year military career. Earlier in his military career, he commanded the top ship in the Atlantic Fleet, winning the Battenberg Cup, as well as a squadron of destroyers and a carrier strike group – all in combat. In 2016, he was vetted for Vice President by Hillary Clinton and subsequently invited to Trump Tower to discuss a cabinet position in the Trump Administration. Admiral Stavridis earned a PhD in international relations and has published fifteen books and hundreds of articles in leading journals around the world, including the recent novel 2034: A Novel of the Next World War, which was a New York Times bestseller and To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and The Crucible of Decision. His most recent novel, The Restless Wave: A Novel of the United States Navy, was published in October 2024, and The Admiral’s Bookshelf was published in March 2025. His 2012 TED talk on global security has close to one million views. Admiral Stavridis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and Senior Military Analyst for CNN.

About the Book

A gripping drama and chilling prophecy about the possible path to war for a planet devastated by climate change. In their novel 2034, decorated military officers and award-winning authors Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis imagined a war between the US and China. In their follow-up novel, 2054, they envisioned a breakdown in American politics fueled by a radical advance in AI. Now they make their boldest, most astonishing, and arguably most necessary leap—imagining the consequences of a climate war. By the year 2084, the world is divided into the equatorial countries that bear the brunt of the climate crisis—led by Nigeria, Brazil, and Indonesia—and wealthier countries like China and the US, beset by their own problems after a series of civil wars. Tensions between the two sets of countries have reached a breaking point, until finally the so-called Reparationist nations of the equator decide that only military force can bring them justice. A fascinating and disturbingly plausible extrapolation from current realities, 2084, like other classics of the genre such as Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future and Neal Stephenson’s Termination Shock, deploys a global cast of characters, all protecting their interests as the fate of human civilization hangs in the balance. Individuals often seem small in the face of the forces that drive global change, but in the end, human agency proves surprisingly decisive. Big doors can swing on small hinges. We have it within ourselves to write a different destiny, if only we can imagine it.