Many people feel powerless in the face of what they see on TV or read in the news – a world in crisis, with wars and violence taking place across the globe. Scilla Elworthy has written a book for all those who want to step out of helplessness and apply their own personal skills to do something about the challenges now facing us. Packing a punch with facts and figures, the first few chapters investigate the forces that drive armed conflict, and then, by contrast, show what is already effective in building peace at both local and international levels. The crucial heart of the book is a first-ever costed Business Plan for Peace, showing that war can be prevented for $2 billion. The final, upbeat, pages reveal the massive impact that ordinary people can have in making a peaceful world possible, and how they can do it.