STRONGMEN

Five noted writers and thinkers profile five of the world's leaders. For some of us, these leaders are heroes; for others, villains: for all of us—strongmen.

We're edging towards a new kind of global fascism driven by aggression and strident nationalism. In this energetic, focused book, a group of five accomplished writers confronts five would-be dictators.

- American playwright Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) gets beneath the Day-Glo skin of Donald Trump.

- Danish Husain, Indian storyteller and actor, finds himself recounting the story not only of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but also of the ascension of the extremism of the Sangh Parivar.

- Burhan Soenmez, Turkish novelist, dissects the bewildering career of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

- Lara Vapnyar, Russian-American novelist and journalist, excavates the manly origins of the Supreme Leader of All the Russias.

- Ninotchka Rosca, Filipina feminist novelist, unravels the crazily macho world of Rodrigo Duterte.

These essays do not presume to be neutral. They are by partisan thinkers, magical writers, people who see not only the monsters but also a future beyond the ghouls. A future that is necessary. The present is too painful.

About the editor: Vijay Prashad is the executive director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is the author or editor of several books, including The Darker Nations: A Biography of the Short-Lived Third World and The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South. His most recent book is Red Star Over the Third World. He writes regularly for Frontline, The Hindu, Alternet and BirGun.