Who is Tooly Zylberberg? How did she end up running a second-hand bookstore in Wales? The Russian emigre Humphrey teaches her to play chess, but how does he fit in? Or Sarah who turns up without warning and then disappears again? And what about Venn, the shadowy and charismatic figure who seems to be one step ahead of everybody? Spanning three decades, and taking us from Bangkok to Brooklyn to the border towns of Wales, The Rise and Fall of Great Powers is a story about how mystifying the past can be, and how the lives we lead can seem indecipherable even to us. It's a story about unexpected connections and the revelations that change everything. The Rise and Fall of Great Powers will consolidate Rachman's reputation as one of the most assured and exciting young writers alive.