Corruption in politics, government and society Books

Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestseller. 'A compulsively readable, carefully researched account of how a malignant combination of rightwing ideology, secretive money (much of it from the US) and weaponisation of social media have shaped contemporary British (and to a limited extent, European) politics... Remarkable' Observer, Book of the Week Democracy is in crisis, and unaccountable and untraceable flows of money are helping to destroy it. This is the story of how money, vested interests and digital skulduggery are eroding trust in democracy. Antiquated electoral laws are broken with impunity, secretive lobbying is bending our politics out of shape and Silicon Valley tech giants collude in selling out democracy. Politicians lie gleefully, making wild claims that can be shared instantly with millions on social media. Peter Geoghegan is a diligent, brilliant guide through the shadowy world of dark money and digital disinformation stretching from Westminster to Washington, and far beyond. Praise for Democracy for Sale: 'Thorough, gripping and vitally important' Oliver Bullough 'A brilliant description of the dark underbelly of modern democracy. Everyone should read it' Anne Applebaum 'A compelling and very readable story of the ongoing corruption of our government and therefore ourselves' Anthony Barnett 'As urgent as it is illuminating' Fintan O'Toole 'This urgent, vital book is essential reading for anyone who wants to make sense of our politics' Carole Cadwalladr 'This forensic and highly readable book shows how so many of our democratic processes have moved into the murky, unregulated spaces of globalisation and digital innovation' Peter Pomerantsev 'A call to arms for all those who value democracy' The Herald 'Geoghegan's words are those of someone who is prepared to keep fighting to defend and revitalise what shadows of democracy still remain'ScotsmanTrade ReviewDemocracy for Sale forensically exposes the fault lines in our politics, and reveals how they have been exploited by the rich and the powerful to further their own interests -- Oliver Bullough, author of MoneylandForensic and highly readable -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of This is Not PropagandaAs urgent as it is illuminating' Fintan O -- Toole, author of Heroic FailureA compelling and very readable story of the ongoing corruption of our government and therefore ourselves -- Anthony Barnett, author of Iron BritanniaA brilliant description of the dark underbelly of modern democracy: dark money, influence games and the new tactics of the new far-right. Everyone should read it -- Anne Applebaum, author of GulagPeter Geoghegan's investigations into Brexit have been essential reading. Now this urgent, vital book is essential reading for anyone who wants to make sense of our politics -- Carole CadwalladrInvestigative journalist and Big Issue contributor Peter Geoghegan has followed the money to uncover the story of how undisclosed donations have infiltrated British politics, undermining public faith in democracy and fuelling the rise of populism across the West * Big Issue *Peter Geoghegan's absorbing and disturbing new book is a call to arms for all those who value democracy... [It is] meticulously researched and highly readable' -- HeraldA damning insight into the dark money which underpins huge areas of global politics... A dispiriting read, exposing a rot which seems to have spread throughout politics across the western world and whose stranglehold appears to be growing. This is was makes it so vital... Geoghegan's words are those of someone who is prepared to keep fighting to defend and revitalise what shadows of democracy still remain' * Scotsman *A fine book. It's a compulsively readable, carefully researched account of how a malignant combination of rightwing ideology, secretive money (much of it from the US) and weaponisation of social media have shaped contemporary British (and to a limited extent, European) politics... [A] remarkable book' * Observer. *Its lucid and compelling narrative explores the likes of disinformation, propaganda, and the way in which technology's rapid evolution renders legislative and regulatory frameworks redundant. At the heart of it all, of course, is money, and Geoghegan offers a perceptive analysis of how the US and British systems differ, and how they compare * Scotsman *We are only at the beginning of understanding how the 21st-century confluence of opaque money, extreme politics and digital technology has frayed our democracy. This book is an important part of that process. We are a long way from having viable solutions, but we owe a debt to relentless journalists like Geoghegan for starting the work of rooting out the source of stench before it overwhelms us * irish Times Weekend *A shocking story of how money, vested interests and digital skulduggery are eroding trust in democracy – and a powerful account of what must be done about it * Irish Times Weekend *[Democracy for Sale] should be the most discussed political book of the year. It is by turns balanced, authoritative, revelatory and scandalous. As the web and unsourced money twist elections, the subject could not be more urgent * Observer *A damning insight into the dark money which underpins huge areas of global politics... Enlightening and alarming... Geoghegan's words are those of someone who is prepared to keep fighting to defend and revitalise what shadows of democracy still remain' * Scotsman *A very timely treatise on what technology allied to dark money can achieve. Released last year in print, it is only just available on audio with author Peter Geoghegan doing a fine job of narrating * Irish Examiner *Excellent * National *Solidly investigative and highly readable * New Internationalist *I urge people to read it and reflect * National *This is what you've been waiting for if you want a clear, jargon-free, exhaustively detailed and wonderfully readable book that explains the bizarre nature of British 'democracy' and the farce that is 'The Mother of all Parliaments'. It's no exaggeration to say that Peter Geoghegan's remorseless analysis [...] is among the very finest guides to the Cayman Islands-on-the-Channel that the UK is becoming * Chartist *

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Book SynopsisWhen André de Ruyter took over as Eskom CEO in January 2020, he quickly realised why it was considered the toughest job in South Africa. Aside from neglected equipment, ageing power stations and an eroded skills base, he discovered that Eskom was crippled by corruption on a staggering scale. Fake fuel oil deliveries at just one power station cost Eskom R100 million per month; kneepads retailing for R150 a pair were purchased for R80 000; billions of rands of equipment supposedly housed in the company’s storerooms was missing. Faced with police inaction, he was compelled to plunge into a world that was foreign to him – a world of spies and safe houses, of bulletproof vests and bodyguards. In Truth to Power, De Ruyter tells the behind-the-scenes story of how he launched a private investigation that exposed at least four criminal cartels feeding off Eskom. While fighting this scourge, he had to deal with political interference, absurd regulations, non-paying municipalities, unfounded accusations of racism, wildcat strikes, sabotage and a poisoning attempt. De Ruyter takes the reader inside the boardrooms and government meetings where South Africa’s future is shaped, with ministers often pulling in conflicting directions. He explains how renewable energy is the cheapest and quickest solution to our power crisis, in spite of fierce opposition from vested coal interests. De Ruyter candidly reflects on his three years at the power utility, his successes and failures, his reasons for leaving and his hopes for the future. As someone who worked at the highest levels of the state but is not beholden to the ruling party, he is uniquely placed to speak truth to power.

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Book Synopsis'A witty, lucid investigation into one of the great mysteries of our time' JONATHAN COE‘Should be read and enjoyed by readers on the left, right and centre’ David Edgerton, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT  ________________________________________________Why do British politics so often play out on the Tories’ terms? What does this say about our democracy? In his revelatory book, Samuel Earle explores the roots of the current crisis and the real reasons for the Conservatives’ unsettling success, from their ruling-class origins in the eighteenth century and their disproportionate influence of the British press to their stranglehold over national identity. He sheds light on the Conservatives’ historic appeal among the working classes and why the Labour Party so often disappoints.Tory Nation describes the making of Britain through one party’s astonishing power oveTrade Review‘A witty, lucid investigation into one of the great political mysteries of our time: the enduring love felt by the British people for the party which regularly manages to persuade them, against all the evidence, that it has their best interests at heart’ -- Jonathan Coe, author of Bournville‘Finally, someone has explained why the British electorate behaves like Turkeys voting for Christmas. Sam Earle has set out clearly and eloquently why our democracy is incapable of solving our political problems’ -- Robert Verkaik, author of Posh Boys‘Eviscerating. Less a political book and more a mystery novel . . . untangles the riddle of the strange cognitive dissonance between the Tories’ bumbling, destructive political record and their inexplicable electoral success’ -- i-D'Explores the remarkable resilience of the Conservative party, which ought to be of interest to friend and foe alike’ * Spectator *Highly readable. Capably explains two innate Conservative traits that are beyond doubt: an unquenchable lust for power, and a deep belief in stooping to conquer. * Observer *'Not only brilliant but also steers well clear of facile ‘crisis of our politics’ analyses' -- Nesrine Malik, author of 'We Need New Stories'‘A rich, well-written and rewarding book narrated with brio and insight. It should be read and enjoyed by readers on the left, right and centre’ * David Edgerton, TLS *

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Book SynopsisIt has been called the political crime of the century: This book from Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter Greg Miller uncovers for the first time the truth behind the Kremlin's attempt to put Trump in the White House, how they did it, when and why.This exclusive book uncovers the truth behind the Kremlin's interference in Donald Trump's win and Trump's steadfast allegiance to Vladimir Putin. Drawing on interviews with hundreds of people in Trump's inner circle, the intelligence communities, foreign officials, and confidential documents.The Apprentice offers exclusive information about:the hacking of the Democrats by Russian intelligence;Russian hijacking of Facebook and Twitter;National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's hidden communications with the Russians;the attempt by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, to create a secret backchannel to Moscow using Russian diplomatic facilities;the firing of FBI Director James Comey;the appointment of Mueller and the investigation thatTrade Review‘The most comprehensive account of the Trump-Russia story to date… Miller trots expertly through this troubling tale’ Sunday Times ‘[A] lucid and startling account… the clearest account yet of what Russia actually did’ The Times

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Book SynopsisAn exclusive fly-on-the-wall account of the epic dysfunction of the American Congress, from the rotating cast of failed Speakers to the MAGA efforts to impeach President Joe Biden to the insanity of the 2024 presidential race?by the star congressional reporters at The New York Times?Mad House contains cyanide and candy on every page, which proves to be a killer combo. I loved it.??Mark Leibovich, author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers This Town and Thank You for Your ServitudeThe United States Congress has always been messy and far-from-august, but as Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater show here, in scorching, shocking detail, it has reached some kind of chaotic bottom. The anarchy that reigned over Congress?s lower chamber in the wake of the January 6th attack on the Capitol Building?the election of serial liar and con-man George Santos, revenge porn being shown on the floor of the house, and the theatrical high jinks of Lauren Boebert?all were a sign of decay and dysfunction of the highest order. Even the members of the 118th Congress would admit it was a circus?but up close, the spectacle was more alarming than funny.Taking the reader into closed door meetings as House Republicans, in thrall to a cult of personality, bumble ever deeper into extremism, and sniping House Democrats lose faith in their President, the authors reveal a level of disorder that we have never seen before. Mad House is a searing, rollicking, and deeply reported portrait of a body at war with itself, riven by pettiness, egomania, and score-settling, and defined by the truly unbelievable antics of people like Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Jim Jordan, who, handed the reins of power, attempted to actually govern a country. They did the bare minimum but voters in the 2024 elections rewarded them nonetheless, giving MAGA Republicans control of the White House, the Senate, and the House?and delivering to President Donald Trump a malleable Congress of loyalists there to serve. If you want a peek at what the next four years might look like, there?s no better place to start than the dysfunction that led us here.

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Book SynopsisHe lived a double-life in the sixties.Faked his own death in the seventies.And retained his cover in the eighties. 'A case more important than Profumo' Financial Times  'A riveting read' Literary Review   A period thriller with powerful political and espionage themes, Agent Twister is the remarkable story behind one of the greatest scandals of the 1970s, told in full for the first time. If you think you know the true story of John Stonehouse – think again. It’s November 1974 and John Stonehouse MP, once a star in Harold Wilson’s Labour government, is missing in Miami, presumed drowned. His disappearance exposes the most lurid details of his life, including identity fraud, corporate corruption, a love triangle, blackmail, links with the Mafia and a decade-long career as a Soviet spy. The public are gripped by thiTrade Review'A cracking account of the life of a man who managed to combine three kinds of betrayal. Agent Twister is a riveting read. It's a good tale, told well, and as a way to measure the mood swings of the 1970s, the book works as well as any.' -- Frances Cairncross * Literary Review *'In the pantheon of modern British political scandals, John Stonehouse is...arguably far more important than either [Profumo and Thorpe]. The Stonehouse story has sex, betrayal, a faked disappearance, widespread criminal fraud and above all, he is the only known case of a UK minister spying for a communist state. Agent Twister lovingly retells the story. Much of the joy of Agent Twister is the glimpse it affords into a different era.' -- Robert Shrimsley * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisThe story of a family in modern China with a history of deceit, betrayal and political intrigue, and the communist party''s long shadow over them, from the Cultural Revolution to today.Following the lives of military intelligence officer Jie and his wife Moon, The Book of Secrets weaves recently found material into a narrative that not only illuminates the shadowy world of intelligence in China, but also the emotional tragedies that political extremism inflicted on those working within. Drawing on Jie's own vivid biography of his youth, Xinran pieces together his trajectory as he joins the great hope of the Chinese young the Communist Party and becomes a loyal cadre until the late 1970s when, as a chief in the security forces, he makes a decision that will poison his family against him. This is a totally unique behind-the-scenes account of a family torn apart by the Tiananmen Square massacre and the attempts of Jie to finally open up thTrade ReviewNo one has done more than Xinran to tell the truth about the lives of ordinary people in twentieth-century China. Her Book of Secrets is a tale of horror, redeemed as always by the story-teller’s warmth, grace and narrative grip. * Hilary Spurling, author of Burying the Bones *An extraordinary book of huge historical interest and value, exactly the kind of book that the Western world needs to read, to understand the complexity of the Chinese political worldview since 1949. * Julia Lovell, author of Maoism: A Global History *Xinran's talent is to survey the vast tidal waves of history and focus in on the human lives floating rudderless in their wake. This is a wonderful and compelling read. * Tim Clissold, author of Mr China and Cloud Chamber *Xinran recounts an epic journey through China's recent history with a rare passion and clarity. The tale is seen through the tragic experience of a once powerful family, whose suffering she describes as though it were her own. * Patrick Marnham, author of The Man Who Wasn't Maigret *Table of ContentsForeword – Words on the Night Breeze Snow’s Story Xinran, December 2018 PART ONE: The Tapes 1 A Family Fragmented by the Chaos of War 2 Tsinghua – An Awakening of Love and Faith 3 Questions of Career and Faith PART TWO: Jie’s Letters to his Wife Moon 4 1951–4 – Fantasy and Romance 5 1954–7 – Confusion and Disruption 6 1957–66 – Betrayal and Adversity 7 1976–2009 – Resurrection and Death 8 2010–17 – The Final Messages Afterword – Xinran Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisINTRODUCTION BY MISHA GLENNY, author of McMafiaA gripping narrative of power, corruption and greed, The Mechanism is the true story of how a simple investigation into money laundering uncovered the biggest corruption scandal in human history.When a small team of investigators discovered that a black market currency dealer was operating out of a Brazilian petrol station, they could never have imagined that their work would destroy the government and lead to the impeachment of two presidents. As the trail leads further and further into the centre of power, the search for the truth and pursuit of justice become ever more crucial.Taut and riveting, with more plot twists than the most compelling political thriller, The Mechanism is an essential work of non-fiction that exposes the rottenness caused when politicians and big businesses believe they are above the law.Trade ReviewThe Mechanism not only recounts in thrilling detail an incredible police operation, but is also a historical document of indispensable value to the nation. -- José Padilha, producer of NARCOS

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Book SynopsisSOON TO BE A FIVE-PART HBO SERIES, STARRING WOODY HARRELSON AND JUSTIN THEROUXThe true story of the White House Plumbers, a secret unit inside Nixon''s White House, their ill-conceived plans to stop the leaking of the Pentagon Papers, and how they led to Watergate and the President''s demise.On July 17, 1971, Egil Bud Krogh was summoned to a closed-door meeting by his mentor and a key confidant of the president John Ehrlichman. Expecting to discuss the most recent drug control program launched in Vietnam, Krogh was shocked when Ehrlichman handed him a file and the responsibility for the Special Investigations Unit, or SIU, later to be notoriously known as The Plumbers.The Plumbers' work, according to Nixon, was critical to national security: they were to investigate the leaks of top secret government documents, including the Pentagon Papers, to the press.The White House Plumbers is Krogh's account of what really happened behind the closed doors of the Nixon White House, how a good man can make bad decisions, and the redemptive power of integrity. Including the story of how Krogh served time and later rebuilt his life, The White House Plumbers is gripping, thoughtful, and a cautionary tale of placing loyalty over principle.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Monbiot is one of the most vocal, and eloquent, critics of the current consensus. How Did We Get into this Mess?, based on his powerful journalism, assesses the state we are now in: the devastation of the natural world, the crisis of inequality, the corporate takeover of nature, our obsessions with growth and profit and the decline of the political debate over what to do.While his diagnosis of the problems in front of us is clear-sighted and reasonable, he also develops solutions to challenge the politics of fear. How do we stand up to the powerful when they seem to have all the weapons? What can we do to prepare our children for an uncertain future? Controversial, clear but always rigorously argued, How Did We Get into this Mess? makes a persuasive case for change in our everyday lives, our politics and economics, the ways we treat each other and the natural world.Trade ReviewA dazzling command of science and relentless faith in people ... I never miss reading him. -- Naomi KleinWhat most impresses in Monbiot's clever, elegant writing is the way he strives to think beyond protest towards realistic, representative solutions to the problems of world politics and trade * The Times *George Monbiot is always original - both in the intelligence of his opinions and the depth and rigour of his research. -- Brian EnoHis passion for social and ecological justice is undimmed by twenty-first-century cynicism. His desire for knowledge across the widest gamut of subjects (scientific, historical, political and cultural) enables him to reach places which are foreign territory to many of us * Herald *A writer of eloquence and passion. * Observer *How Did We Get into this Mess? does an excellent job of articulating the cultural dearth of our times and suggesting ways to counteract its causes and expressions, whilst resisting defeatism...[Monbiot] leaves his reader with a sense of hope, empowered to help build a better future * Marx & Philosophy *

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Book SynopsisIn this explosive memoir, a political consultant and technology whistleblower reveals the disturbing truth about the multi-billion-dollar data industry, revealing to the public how companies are getting richer using our personal information and exposing how Cambridge Analytica exploited weaknesses in privacy laws to help elect Donald Trump.When Brittany Kaiser joined Cambridge Analytica the UK-based political consulting firm funded by conservative billionaire and Donald Trump patron Robert Mercer she was an idealistic young professional working on her fourth degree in human rights law and international relations. A veteran of Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, Kaiser's goal was to utilize data for humanitarian purposes, most notably to prevent genocide and human rights abuses. But her experience inside Cambridge Analytica opened her eyes to the tremendous risks that this unregulated industry poses to privacy and democracy.Targeted is Kaiser's eyewitness chronicle of the dramatic and distu

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Book Synopsis**THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**A ground-breaking investigation into the oil and gas industry, international corruption and world politics. Oil. Corrupt? Yes. Unimaginably lucrative? Of course. But, the enemy of democracy? Blowout is the oil and gas industry as we've never seen it before, as told by America's most incisive political journalist, Rachel Maddow. A blackly comic journey from Washington to Siberia, to deep within the earth's crust and the icy Arctic seas, it reveals not just the greed and incompetence of Big Oil and Gas but why the Russian government hacked the 2016 U.S. election. This is our final wake-up call: to stop subsidizing oil and gas, to fight for transparency, and to check the influence of the world's most destructive industry before it destroys our democracy 'Each page in Blowout is a revelation into the depth of corruption and greed that is infused into the international economy' David Lammy, MPTrade ReviewIt takes enormous talent to balance brutal honesty with scorching wit. Rachel Maddow has it in spades; exposing the truth about how the fossil fuel industry threatens our existence both as a democratic people and as an entire species. Each page in Blowout is a revelation into the depth of corruption and greed that is infused into the international economy. We should be grateful that Maddow has found herself on the frontline of resistance -- David Lammy, MPFulminating comes easy to Rachel Maddow. What sets her apart from other serial fulminators is that she does it with facts – and sardonic wit * Washington Post *[Rachel Maddow] may be a popular, progressive news-and-commentary anchor on MSNBC, but it's not to be forgotten that she holds a doctorate in politics from Oxford and seems to devour whole libraries of data before breakfast each day... Expect a tweetstorm as Maddow's indictment of a corrupt industry finds readers - and it deserves many * Kirkus Reviews *Radiates zing, intelligence, and black humour. Much like its author * In Style *All fans of Maddow, and even her detractors, will learn something new from this highly readable yet impressively detailed book. Anyone interested in the covert deals that change the nature of the global environmental and political landscape will devour. A must-have for all collections * Library Journal *Blowout is a compelling read, fuelled by righteous anger and anecdotes that would be utterly unbelievable were they not documented -- Kieran Pender * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisA gripping and urgent investigation into the secretive world of the global arms trade - from a former member of the African National CongressRevealing the corruption and the cover-ups at the heart of ex-President Jacob Zuma''s South AfricaAndrew Feinstein delves behind BAE''s controversial transactions in South Africa, Tanzania and eastern Europe and the revolving-door relationships that characterise the US Congressional-Military-Industrial Complex. The Shadow World exposes both the formal government-backed trade in arms as well as the illicit deals and lays bare the shocking links between the two.''Essential reading for anyone who cares about justice, transparency and accountability in both the public and private spheres, and for anyone who believes that it is more important to invest in saving lives than in the machinery of death'' Archbishop Desmond Tutu''Andrew Feinstein has written an authoritative guide to the business of war. Chilling, heartbreaking and enraging'' Arundhati Roy''The nobility and justice of Feinstein''s sentiments are indisputable. The arms trade is a loathsome commerce conducted by people who wear suits and occupy big boardroom tables, but should have trouble sleeping at night'' Max Hastings, Sunday Times''Remarkable and courageous . . . The Shadow World is a heroic book by an author who, in writing it, has put himself in the firing line'' Iain Macwhirter''Feinstein''s book is a singularly powerful study, and deserves to be read by anyone who wants to see light shining on such a shadowy world'' Independent

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Book SynopsisGlenn Simpson (Author) Glenn Simpson is the founder of Fusion GPS. He is a former senior reporter for The Wall Street Journal who has specialized in campaign finance, money laundering, tax evasion, terrorism finance, securities fraud, and political corruption. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his family.Peter Fritsch (Author) Peter Fritsch co-founded Fusion GPS. He is a former reporter and bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal based in Mexico City, São Paulo, South and Southeast Asia, and Brussels. He finished his Wall Street Journal career as national security editor in Washington, D.C. He lives in Maryland with his family.Trade ReviewCrime in Progress is the best procedural yet written about the discovery of Trump's Russia ties. * The New York Times *Crime in Progress is a masterclass in how Washington works. -- Peter Nicholas * The Atlantic *I've read all the books on this subject - this is the one you want to read ... I feel fairly steeped in this matter and I learned something on every page. -- Rachel Maddow, Host of the Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBCCrimes In Progress is the most convincing case you are likely to read that the US president is an asset of the Russian government [and] sheds important light on the least likely president in American history. -- Edward Luce * The Financial Times *You don't need to read John le Carré or Tom Clancy to find espionage thrills in Washington these days, turn over any stone in the Beltway's secret world and you'll observe the seething mass of conspiracy and subterfuge beneath ... Take Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch, hard-bitten old newspaper hacks, muck-raking types, who have become central characters in a quite terrifying international spy thriller. -- Josh Glancy * The Sunday Times *An entertaining and readable account, with eye-popping anecdotes, of alleged collusion and the failure of the US media to expose it. * The Guardian *Crime in Progress untangles one of the great mysteries of the Trump era - the full story of the Steele dossier - and provides a fascinating insight into the investigatory mind at work. It's an indispensable guide to the Russia scandals - and a reminder of the redemptive power of facts over lies. -- Jeffrey Toobin

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Book SynopsisCorruption is one of the biggest global issues, ahead of extreme poverty, unemployment, the rising cost of food and energy, climate change, and terrorism. It is thought to be one of the principal causes of poverty around the globe. Its significance in the contemporary world cannot be undervalued. In this Very Short Introduction Leslie Holmes considers why the international community has only highlighted corruption as a problem in the past two decades, despite its presence throughout the millennia. Holmes explores the phenomenon from several different perspectives, from the cultural differences affecting how corruption is defined, its impact, and its various causes to the possible remedies. Providing evidence of corruption and considering ways to address it around the world, this is an important introduction to a significant and serious global issue.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewsensible [and] serious analysis * New Statesman, Peter Oborne *Holmes, a prolific writer on corruption, provides a wonderfully comprehensive and accessible introduction to all aspects of corruption ... Summing up: Highly recommended, undergraduates and above; general readers. Essential for all academic and public libraries. * Gillian Brock, Choice *a pithy yet global and comprehensive view of the subject * New Internationalist *Here the Australian sociologist Leslie Holmes has done us a huge favour in providing this easy and quick to read short guide to corruption * Concatenation *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. What is corruption? ; 2. Why corruption is a problem ; 3. Can we measure corruption? ; 4. Psycho-social and cultural causes ; 5. System-related causes ; 6. What can states do? ; 7. What else can be done? ; Further reading ; Index

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Book SynopsisIn Cooking Data Crystal Biruk offers an ethnographic account of research into the demographics of HIV and AIDS in Malawi in which she rethinks how quantitative health data is produced by showing how data production is inevitably entangled with the lives of those who produce it.Trade Review“A brilliant example of an ethnography of global health. Crystal Biruk offers a very insightful, convincingly argued and well-substantiated account of the effects of what has become the most common type of research not only in global health but the development industry more generally.” -- Anna Wolkenhauer * LSE Review of Books *"Bookended by a thoughtful introduction and conclusion . . . I recommend this book to anyone who does survey work in Africa. . . . Its prose is scholarly but accessible and Biruk does a good job of marrying theoretical concepts to real world examples." -- Kevin Fridy * Journal of Modern African Studies *"Cooking Data succeeds . . . by giving life to the trajectory of data from raw to cooked and troubling what we think we know about what happens in the field." -- Monica Grant * Population and Development Review *"Impressive in its focus and scope, Cooking Data makes a clear and compelling case for the social thickness of numbers. . . . This is a substantive contribution to our understanding of the role of data in global health." -- Damien Droney * Somatosphere *"Cooking Data is a powerful critique of the understanding that survey data are an objective and complete representation of reality. . . . I strongly recommend using this publication as a required reading in undergraduate and graduate courses in Anthropology, Demography, Sociology, and related social sciences that teach students to design and conduct qualitative as well as quantitative research. Further, those interested in African Studies, Global Health, and International Development will tremendously benefit from reading this publication as these disciplines are strongly influenced by survey research. The book is also a must-read for agencies, policy makers, and funding agencies. . . ." -- Alexander Rödlach * Anthropos *“The continued relevance of Biruk’s work is clear in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic…. At a time when trust in numbers is increasingly shaken, Biruk offers nuanced insights on the production of numbers that prompts discussion about the role of feminist science studies to both critically examine how numbers attain their authority and simultaneously build capacity for fact based decision making in a post-truth era where powerful leaders intentionally spread harmful misinformation.” -- Angela Okune * Catalyst *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction. An Anthropologist among the Demographers: Assembling Data in Survey Research Worlds 1 1. The Office in the Field: Building Survey Infrastructures 31 2. Living Project to Project: Brokering Local Knowledge in the Field 67 3. Clean Data, Messy Gifts: Soap-for-Information Transactions in the Field 100 4. Materializing Clean Data in the Field 129 5. When Numbers Travel: The Politics of Making Evidence-Based Policy 166 Conclusion. Anthropology in and of (Critical) Global Health 200 Appendix. Sample Household Roster Questions 217 Notes 223 Bibliography 237 Index 269

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Book Synopsis''Murder in the Gulag is brilliant journalistic writing: punchy, eloquent, page-turning and factual. It''s a powerful reminder of what an extraordinary man Navalny was'' - Roland Oliphant, TelegraphIn this revised and updated paperback edition, award-winning journalist John Sweeney goes behind the headlines to investigate what really happened to Alexei Navalny in the freezing Polar Wolf penal colony in a remote part of Siberia in February 2024. This is a warts-and-all portrayal of the highly charismatic but controversial Russian opposition leader who at one time flirted with the far right. Murder in the Gulag lifts the lid on the reality of life in Russia today and asks what Navalny''s death means for the future of Putin, Russia and the West.

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Book SynopsisTwo award-winning journalists offer the most comprehensive inside story behind our most significant modern political drama: the House impeachment of Donald Trump. Having spent a year essentially embedded inside several House committees, Michael D''Antonio and Peter Eisner draw on many sources, including key House leaders, to expose the politicking, playcalling, and strategies debated backstage and to explain the Democrats'' successes and apparent public failures during the show itself.High Crimes opens with Nancy Pelosi deciding the House should take up impeachment, then, in part one, leaps back to explain what Ukraine was really all about: not just Joe Biden and election interference, but a money grab and oil. In the second part, the authors recount key meetings throughout the run up to the impeachment hearings, including many of the heated confrontations between the Trump administration and House Democrats. And the third part takes readers behind the

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Book SynopsisTHE NO. 1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'A blockbuster . . . Essential reading' GUARDIAN 'Packed with hair-raising revelations' OBSERVER The definitive behind-the-scenes story of Trump's final year in office, by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig, the Pulitzer Prize winning reporters and authors of the #1 New York Times bestseller, A Very Stable Genius The true story of what took place in Donald Trump’s White House during a disastrous 2020 has never before been told in full. Focused on Trump and the key players around him, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig provide a forensic account of the most devastating year in a presidency like no other. With unparalleled access, they reveal exactly who enabled and who foiled Trump as he sought desperately to cling to power.Trade ReviewA blockbuster follow-up to A Very Stable Genius . . . I Alone Can Fix It pulls back the curtain on the handling of Covid-19, the re-election bid and its chaotic and violent aftermath . . . [Leonnig and Rucker's] book is essential reading. They have receipts, which they lay out for all to see * Guardian *[An] incisive, dramatic and masterful account of former US president Donald Trump's last year in office * Spectrum *

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Book SynopsisA bold firsthand account of one of the persistent Arab uprisings, in YemenAt its beginning in 2007, the Southern Movement in South Yemen was a loose merger of different people, most of them former army personnel and state employees of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) who were forced from their jobs after the war in 1994, only four years after the unification between the PDRY and the Yemen Arab Republic.This bold ethnographic account of a persistent Arab uprising, in a rarely studied corner of the Middle East, explores why the Southern Movement has grown so tremendously during the last decade, and how it developed from a primarily social movement demanding social rights into a mass protest movement claiming independence for a state that had long vanished from the world map. Anne-Linda Amira Augustin asks why so many young people born after 1990 joined the movement and demanded the re-establishment of a state that they had never themselves experienced.At the core of South Yemeni resistance lies the transmission from generation to generation of a dominant counternarrative, which may be seen as the continuation and rehabilitation of the PDRY’s national narrative. This narrative, amplified through everyday communication in families and neighborhoods, but also by media-makers, journalists, school and university teachers, civil society actors, and by the movement’s activists, opposes the national-unity narrative of the Republic of Yemen and intensifies the demands for an independent state.Trade Review"Augustin's book is a profound, original, and engaged interior view of intergenerational transmission processes within the Southern Independence movement. . . . She excels in reconstructing the cultural grounding of this movement."—Middle East Journal“An exceptional contribution . . . essential reading . . . . The far-reaching contribution of Augustin’s book is to show the specific ways in which Southern separatism and nationalism have been conceptualized, produced, transmitted, experienced and expanded among different generations of southerners."—Politics, Religion & Ideology"[A] really fascinating book"—New Books Network“It should be read by anyone who needs to understand this movement.”—Arabian Humanities"Remarkable ethnography of the independence struggle in Yemen." —Jemen-Report"Monographs on South Yemeni contemporary politics and society are scarce. Anne-Linda Augustin’s book fills in many gaps, adopting an approach that genuinely sympathizes with the people she studies and cares about the challenges they face as their territory and culture stand at a historical crossroads."—Laurent Bonnefoy, CNRS researcher, Sciences Po, Paris"Based on intensive fieldwork, this book provides a valuable and unique account of one of the living popular uprisings in the Middle East."—Susanne Dahlgren, author of Contesting Realities: Public Sphere and Morality in Southern Yemen

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Book SynopsisGeorge Monbiot is one of the most vocal, and eloquent, critics of the current consensus. How Did We Get into this Mess?, based on his powerful journalism, assesses the state we are now in: the devastation of the natural world, the crisis of inequality, the corporate takeover of nature, our obsessions with growth and profit and the decline of the political debate over what to do.While his diagnosis of the problems in front of us is clear-sighted and reasonable, he also develops solutions to challenge the politics of fear. How do we stand up to the powerful when they seem to have all the weapons? What can we do to prepare our children for an uncertain future? Controversial, clear but always rigorously argued, How Did We Get into this Mess? makes a persuasive case for change in our everyday lives, our politics and economics, the ways we treat each other and the natural world.Trade ReviewA dazzling command of science and relentless faith in people . I never miss reading him. -- Naomi KleinWhat most impresses in Monbiot's clever, elegant writing is the way he strives to think beyond protest towards realistic, representative solutions to the problems of world politics and trade * The Times *George Monbiot is always original-both in the intelligence of his opinions and the depth and rigour of his research. -- Brian EnoHis passion for social and ecological justice is undimmed by twenty-first-century cynicism. His desire for knowledge across the widest gamut of subjects (scientific, historical, political and cultural) enables him to reach places which are foreign territory to many of us * Herald *A writer of eloquence and passion. * Observer *How Did We Get into this Mess? does an excellent job of articulating the cultural dearth of our times and suggesting ways to counteract its causes and expressions, whilst resisting defeatism...[Monbiot] leaves his reader with a sense of hope, empowered to help build a better future * Marx & Philosophy *

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Book SynopsisAlthough, by all appearances, House of Cards is a television series about politics, it in fact explores some of the most subversive questions raised by Machiavelli’s writings: what if the Prince were a ferocious animal? What would happen if our political world were overtaken by vampires? Would they be capable of mastering their bloodthirsty instincts, or would they remain true to their fundamental nature? In their relentless quest for power, Frank Underwood, his wife Claire and his chief of staff Doug Stamper are so ruthlessly ambitious that they demolish all boundaries between good and evil. According to a Machiavellian logic taken to its extreme, the specific necessity of a given situation always wins out over common morality. In the struggle for survival, these people are the predators, determined to come out on top whatever the cost. This book examines how the producers of the series take monstrous characters – who would not be out of place in a crime series or a horror film – and set them in the world of politics, which offers little resistance to violence and turns into a laboratory for systematic destruction. In this variation on the conflict between brutalization and civilization at the heart of power, the political sphere therefore becomes the scene of crime par excellence. Although the book contains concepts and theories in political science, it is accessibly written. It is also didactic: many examples are taken from the series and from the novels, so the reader always understands what is at stake in the analysis. It will find both an academic and a more general audience. Primary academic readership will be scholars and students in law, political science, film studies, media studies and cultural studies. The wider readership will include fans of the show, and of course people interested in politics, political thrillers, political philosophy, corruption and democracy, as well as the nature of political leadership.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: WELCOME TO WASHINGTON The Art of Wordly Wisdom The struggle for positions Real and fictional manoeuvres Chapter 2: THE PRESENCE OF EVIL Progressive descent into crime The dark side of the force Masters and accomplices Chapter 3: ANIMALITY IN POLITICS Political Darwinism Prey and predators A politics of instinct The strange world of politics Chapter 4: ABNORMALITY IN POLITICS A vampire couple Gender and asexuality A wake-up call for democracy Conclusion: SURVIVAL Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis*****'Reads like a John le Carré novel but is, in fact, very real.' - The Big Issue'Very Bad People would be a hugely enjoyable thriller if it wasn't all true.' - Isabella Tree, author of Wilding'Global Witness are fearless.' - Gordon Roddick, Campaigner and Co-Founder of the Body Shop'Part true crime tale, part investigative procedural, this is the account of the brilliant and necessary superheroes of Global Witness, whose superpower is the truth.' - Edward Zwick, Director of Blood Diamond'Very Bad People reads like a non-stop high-speed chase as our fighters against corruption hunt down a litany of criminals and con-men.' - David Farr, Screenwriter, The Night Manager'The story told in this book of three youthful idealists is simply riveting. Don't miss it.' - Misha Glenny, author of McMafia'Alley has produced a clear-eyed account of a world poisoned by dark money, and a welcome reminder that resistance is possible. As it turns out, his book is even more timely than he could have hoped.' - Irish Times'This book is inspirational. It shows how young people with sufficient passion and intelligence have the capacity to go after some of the most powerful governments and corporations and shame, humiliate and just push governments to support important reforms that can make this a more decent world.' - Frank Vogl, Co-Founder of Transparency InternationalArms trafficking, offshore accounts and luxury property deals. Super-yachts, private jets and super-car collections. Blood diamonds, suspect oil deals, deforestation and murder. This is the world of Global Witness, the award-winning organisation dedicated to rooting out worldwide corruption. And this is co-founder Patrick Alley's revealing inside track on a breath-taking catalogue of modern super-crimes - and the 'shadow network' that enables them.VERY BAD PEOPLE is about following the money, going undercover in the world's most dangerous places, and bringing down the people behind the crimes. Case by case we see maverick investigators pitched against warlords, grifters and super-villains who bear every resemblance to The Night Manager's Richard Roper. One dictator's son spent $700 million in just four years on his luxury lifestyle.As they unravel crooked deals of labyrinthine complexity, the team encounter well-known corporations whose operations are no less criminal than the Mafia. This network of lawyers, bankers and real estate agents help park dirty money in London, New York, or in offshore accounts, safe from prying eyes.Patrick Alley's book is a brilliant, authoritative and fearless investigation into the darkest workings of our world - and an inspiration to all of us who want to fight back.Trade ReviewVery Bad People shines a light on the real life dramas that are truly more alarming than the pages of fiction - it is a shocking, important and page-turning book that gives a unique insight into a hidden world of criminality, and into the shadow networks that really run our world. -- Jeff Skoll, Founder and Chairman Participant Media * Skoll Foundation *Stories such as those you will read here are more usually found in the pages of thrillers, but these stories are frighteningly and unfortunately true. Corruption is one of the greatest enemies of democracy, to win the fight we need champions like Global Witness. -- George Soros

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Book SynopsisThis is the first novel by Sammy Wright, a secondary-school teacher with first-hand experience of a contemporary Britain in which children starve and the gulf between rich and poor is vast and growing. Charting the impact on a small community of a girl being plucked by happenstance from her foster home and dropped into a dazzling new life as a London model, Fit is a moving, tragic, but ultimately hopeful look at the ways in which poverty and neglect can echo through a life . . . even after you think you've gotten your fairy-tale ending. Fit was the winner, by unanimous decision, of the 2020 Northern Book Prize.Trade Review'A brilliant song to young people raging against their lot - tender yet unsentimental, and a joy to read.' Maxine Peake ---- 'In precise, rhythmic prose, Sammy Wright captures the fear, electricity and longing of youth. Thick with darkness, violence and joy, Fit explores class privilege through an interrogation of the social constructs that shape our world, illuminating the beauty, fragility and loss of our lives within them.' Jessica Andrews ---- 'This story haunted me. Wright's young characters are complex and vividly alive - they're ingenious, irreverent, intoxicated, traumatised, grieving, violent, vulnerable. Fit presents a picture of contemporary life in the north of England that is by turns tender and deeply unsettling.' Naomi Booth ---- 'The "rags to riches" story given a modern, original and thoroughly satisfying twist; Fit foregrounds lives we rarely get to read about in fiction, and is compelling for the interesting things it has to say about the cost of dreams: who gets to have them, who mediates them, who stands to gain from them, and what happens to those left behind. A work of compassion and insight, crisply written, with a cast of characters who live vividly on the page.' Stephen Kelman ---- 'Fit is quietly, modestly one of the best books about being young, beautiful, and damaged that you're ever going to read. Sentence by sentence, it has a gaunt grace; cumulatively, it has the force of a dark, dark fairytale. Sammy Wright's debut is a tightly-plotted minimal masterpiece.' Toby Litt ---- 'Tender, tough, plainspoken and powerful, Sammy Wright's Fit is a nimble debut from a strong and wise new voice in British fiction. We were impressed by the vivid physicality of its setting and characters, by its simple yet arresting dialogue, by its dry and under- stated wit, and perhaps most by the sheer memorability of the thing: its portrait of teenage life and foster care in a marginalised Northern town remained with all of us long after we'd read it.' Jury for the 2020 Northern Book Prize (Amy Arnold, Sunjeev Sahota, Daniel Trilling, Tara Tobler) ---- 'A heartbreaking fairytale, set mainly in an unnamed northern town, Fit is a brilliant novel with a huge amount to say about class, poverty and approaching adulthood.' David Coates, Blackwells Manchester

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Book SynopsisThe world has been bombarded in recent years with images of the luxurious lives and wealth of corrupt oligarchs and kleptocrats, amassed at the expense of ordinary people. Such images exploit our feelings of injustice, are taken as indicative of moral decay, and inspire a desire to purge our economies of dirty money, objects, and people. But why do anti-corruption efforts routinely fail? What kind of world are they creating? Looking at luxury art, antiquities, superyachts, and populist politics, this book explores the connection between luxury and corruption, and offers an alternative to the received wisdom of how we tackle corruption.Table of ContentsPreface: Luxury, Corruption, and the Assumption of Harmlessness Chapter 1: Luxury, Anti-Corruption, and the Fantasy of Wholeness Chapter 2: Russian Kleptocrat Luxury, Naval’nyi’s Exposés, and the Global Anti-Policy Syndrome Chapter 3: Compliance, Defiance, and the Fight against Crime through the Markets in Art, Antiquities and Luxury Chapter 4: Luxury, Encasement, and the Emptiness of Anti-Corruption’s Ethics Epilogue: Luxury, Corruption, and the Death Drive

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Book SynopsisIn The Great Awakening: Defeating the Globalists and Launching the Next Great Renaissance, the most persecuted man on Earth, Alex Jones, gives you the good news about the failing plans of the globalists to control humanity. The expression “Get woke, go broke” has entered the common lexicon as we’ve seen company after company invoke the false gods of diversity, equity, and inclusion to their financial demise. But this surface discussion masks a much darker truth. What we are witnessing is nothing less than the failed plans of social Darwinists to capture free market capitalism and turn it toward their fascist aims of controlling and depopulating the globe. Working with New York Times bestselling author Kent Heckenlively, Jones masterfully gives you the deeper discussion about such hot button topics as the truth behind the globalists plans for artificial intelligence (AI), the central bank digital currency, social credit scores, Big Tech tyranny, censorship, fifteen-minute cities, the unholy alliance between big business and big government, the military-intelligence-industrial complex—which is hell-bent on eternal war—and the all-out assault on free speech and the Second Amendment. The good news is that these plans are destined to fail, if we wake up to the anti-human future the globalists have planned for us. The globalists hate freedom, and what they hate the most is the greatest freedom document in human history, the United States Constitution. Jones does not shy away from the darker parts of American history—the way we have been systematically deceived by the intelligence agencies since their assassination of President John F. Kennedy—but he provides example after example of people who have broken free from the matrix of lies to tell the truth. The people the globalists fear the most are the members of their own systems of control, who wake up and then decide to act against the machine. The globalists believe they’ve planned for every possible contingency, but they hadn’t counted on the conscience and love of truth, which lives in the souls of good people. St. Augustine once wrote: “The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself.” No figure in our modern times has roared louder against the enemies of freedom than Alex Jones. In the calm and dispassionate style that made his first book, The Great Reset: And the War for the World, such a smash hit, Alex lays out the flaws in the plans of the globalists and how they seek to create a world in direct opposition to God’s plans for our glorious human future. But God consistently works His will in our world, even through imperfect individuals like Donald Trump, Alex Jones, or you. If you want to read one book this year to understand your world and help lead humanity to the next great human renaissance, you need to order this book today.Trade Review“Alex is right about far more than he is wrong about.... He’s the most misunderstood guy on the planet.”—JOE ROGAN “Alex Jones may be the most maligned patriot in the country, but virtually every threat to our liberty that he has predicted has come to pass.”—ROGER STONE "[Alex Jones'] reputation is amazing."—DONALD TRUMP

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Book SynopsisA clear-sighted exploration of how antisemitism has been politicised, and the damaging consequences of its redefinitionTrade Review'Nobody unpacks the confusions currently circulating around antisemitism, nor the complexities of Jewish identity, better than Antony Lerman. This elegantly written, erudite book is essential reading for all of us, whatever our identifications' -- Lynne Segal, author of 'Radical Happiness: Moments of Collective Joy''An urgently needed book. The contemporary debate about antisemitism is both incoherent and appalling. Faced with this hot mess, Antony Lerman offers a cool, well-reasoned, deeply learned and morally courageous meditation on what antisemitism is and isn't' -- Peter Beinart, editor-at-large at 'Jewish Currents''We desperately need this book [...] An essential tool to understand the weaponisation of antisemitism and its dangerous impact on free speech, Palestinian rights, and the very real threat of actual antisemitism' -- Rebecca Vilkomerson, former Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace'This important, essential book by a leading expert on antisemitism offers a nuanced history of the use and abuse of the fight against the world's oldest hatred. It powerfully unmasks the successful effort to twist the battle against antisemitism into a defense of the indefensible: Israel's subjugation of millions of people on the basis of their national and ethnic identity' -- Nathan Thrall, author of 'The Only Language They Understand''The best book I have read on why anti-Zionism has been equated with antisemitism and how the 'new antisemitism' has been mobilised for political gain' -- Neve Gordon, co-author of 'The Human Right to Dominate'Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Acronyms and abbreviations Introduction 1. Varieties of Confusion in Understandings of Antisemitism 2. The Use and Abuse of Antisemitic Stereotypes and Tropes 3. Motivated by Antisemitism? Challenges to Zionism 1975–1989 4. ‘New Antisemitism’: Competing Narratives and the Consequences of Politicisation 5. The Development of Institutions Combatting Antisemitism 1970s–2000 6. The Turning Point: ‘New Antisemitism’ and the New Millennium 7. The Codification of ‘New Antisemitism’: The EUMC ‘Working Definition’ 8. Responding to ‘New Antisemitism’: a Transnational Field of Racial Governance 9. The Redefinition Project and the Myth of the ‘Collective Jew’ Exposed 10. Human Rights: The ‘Mask Under Which the Teaching of Antisemitic Contempt for Israel is Carried Out’ 11. Geopolitics, Israel and the Authentication of ‘New Antisemitism’ 12. ‘War’ Discourse and its Limitations 13. ‘Jewish Power’, Medical Analogies and ‘Eradication’ Discourse 14. Apocalypticism: Defining the Discourse, Writing the Headlines and Generating Moral Panics 15. Against Typological Thinking: Summary and Conclusions Appendix: The IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism Notes Index

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Book SynopsisA generation after the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia shows every sign of having overcome its history- the streets of Phnom Penh are paved skyscrapers dot the skyline. But under this façade lies a country still haunted by its years of terror. Joel Brinkley won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting in Cambodia on the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime that killed one quarter of the nation's population during its years in power. In 1992, the world came together to help pull the small nation out of the mire. Cambodia became a United Nations protectorate- the first and only time the UN tried something so ambitious. What did the new, democratically-elected government do with this unprecedented gift? In 2008 and 2009, Brinkley returned to Cambodia to find out. He discovered a population in the grip of a venal government. He learned that one-third to one-half of Cambodians who lived through the Khmer Rouge era have P.T.S.D.- and its afflictions are being passed to the next generation. His extensive close-up reporting in Cambodia's Curse illuminates the country, its people, and the deep historical roots of its modern-day behaviour.Trade ReviewKirkus, February 15, 2011 "An excellent...account of a country whose historic poverty, exacerbated by the Vietnam War, remains remarkably unchanged." Publishers Weekly "A riveting piece of literary reportage." Booklist"A heartbreaking but vital status report on a people who deserve far better." Foreign Affairs, May/June 2011"Brinkley cuts a clear narrative path through the bewildering, cynical politics and violent social life of one of the worlds most brutalized and hard-up countries."

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Book SynopsisCorruption takes many different forms and the systems that enable it are complex and challenging. To best understand corruption, one needs to examine how it operates in practice. Understanding Corruption tells the story of how corruption happens in the real world, illustrated through detailed case studies of the many different types of corruption that span the globe. Each case study follows a tried and tested analytical approach that provides key insights into the workings of corruption and the measures best used to tackle it. The case studies examined include examples of corporate bribery, political corruption, facilitation payments, cronyism, state capture, kleptocracy, asset recovery, offshore secrecy, reputation laundering and unexplained wealth, and actors include businesses, governments, politicians, governing bodies and public servants.Trade ReviewA generation’s research and reform experiences have taught us much about corruption, its consequences, and possible approaches to control, but much of that knowledge is scattered across many sources and discussions. Understanding Corruption offers a valuable overview and synthesis of what we do – and do not – know, examining major trends in thought and practice while carefully dissecting a variety of cases. It is an essential work for students and teaching, and will help guide the research and debates to come. -- Michael Johnston, Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science Emeritus, Colgate University, USAThis is an important and original book, laying out what corruption is, how it works, and how it should be tackled. I wish it had existed when I was a student. -- Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland: How Thieves & Crooks Now Rule the World & How to Take It BackAlmost 30 years since anti-corruption became part of the global development agenda this is a crucial collection of essays exploring and deepening understanding about the multitude of ways corruption continues to impact lives across the planet; and how corruption itself has morphed over the decades. Essential reading. -- John Githongo, The Elephant and CEO, Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi!The book leads the reader on a tour around the world to describe in a simple and clear way how corruption operates in practice. The collection of case studies shows that corruption is a global, complex, and context-sensitive phenomenon that does not allow for one-fits-all solutions. Excellent teaching material. -- Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair, Transparency InternationalThis book with its deceptively simple title offers readers a rich variety of case-study material that sets out very clearly why those of us working in the anti-corruption field – whether policy-makers, practitioners or academics – need to go beyond existing assumptions about what corruption is, why it happens and then what to do about it. By being more open and more consistent in our diagnosis of the problem, the volume shows how this can help us better think about both the potential benefits and the potential harms of various strategies and interventions, and why this matters. -- Heather Marquette, Professor of Development Politics, and Director of the Serious Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Evidence research programme, University of BirminghamUnderstanding Corruption illuminates the corruption problem in its many different manifestations covering, importantly, not only the more commonly understood phenomenon of bribery, but also the more complex forms such as political corruption or state capture. The case study approach of the book makes it a fascinating read for both veterans and new entrants to the anti-corruption world. -- Gretta Fenner, Basel Institute on GovernanceThe contributors are all current faculty members or recent students at the Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC). Such a concentration of expertise underpins CSC’s status as the UK’s foremost centre of academic research on the topic of corruption. -- Paul Heywood, Professor of European Politics, University of NottinghamThis book uses a storytelling approach to explain complex corruption cases, making it an easy read. Not only does it show how corruption occurs, but it also exposes the reader to different approaches to tackling corruption. I liked that the book identified the victims in each case. Using case studies is a brilliant way to increase the understanding of corruption which is necessary for motivating people to act against it. I highly recommend this book. -- Onyinye Ough, Executive Director, Step Up NigeriaTable of Contents1. Corruption in theory and practice – Dan Hough Part I Bribery 2. A world tour of bribery – Robert Barrington 3. Bribery case studies 3.1 Alstom and corporate bribery – Tom Shipley 3.2 Odebrecht, corporate bribery and political corruption – Francis McGowan 3.3 Panalpina and facilitation payments – Tom Shipley 3.4 Petty bribes in the developed world – Robert Barrington 4. Learning from bribery case studies – Robert Barrington Part II Political Corruption 5. How to make friends, spend money and influence politics – Sam Power 6. Political corruption case studies 6.1 The Council of Europe and Azerbaijan: corruption in parliament – Roxana Bratu 6.2 Darleen Druyun, the defence sector, and the revolving door – Tom Shipley 6.3 Jacques Chirac and French politics – Liljana Cvetanoska 6.4 Jack Abramoff and the US lobbying industry – Tena Prelec 7. Learning from political corruption case studies – Sam Power Part III Kleptocracy and State Capture 8. Accumulating money and power – Elizabeth David-Barrett 9. Kleptocracy and state capture case studies 9.1 Angola and the Dos Santos regime – Tom Shipley 9.2 Erdogan and cronyism in Turkey – Tena Prelec 9.3 Najib Razak and 1MDB in Malaysia: fraud and corruption – Shahrzad Fouladvand 9.4 The Guptas and state capture in South Africa – Tena Prelec 9.5 FIFA: kleptocracy and capture outside politics – Robert Barrington 10. Learning from kleptocracy and state capture case studies – Elizabeth David-Barrett Part IV Corrupt Capital 11. The secret world of corrupt capital – Robert Barrington 12. Corrupt capital case studies 12.1 Teodorin Obiang and asset recovery – Tena Prelec and Georgia Garrod 12.2 The Panama Papers and offshore secrecy – Ben Cowdock 12.3 Bell Pottinger and reputation laundering in South Africa - Ben Cowdock 12.4 Zamira Hajiyeva and unexplained wealth – Ben Cowdock 12.5 Professional enablers in London – Ben Cowdock 13. Learning from corrupt capital case studies – Robert Barrington Part V Conclusion 14. Understanding Corruption – Dan Hough and Elizabeth David-Barrett

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Book SynopsisThe car bomb assassination of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017 shocked the European Union and put the world’s spotlight on an island so small that few knew it was an independent country and even fewer could find it on the map. But Caruana Galizia’s death didn’t come as a surprise to those who lived there.Ryan Murdock had visions of living a slow-paced island life on the Mediterranean while writing about his experiences, so in 2011 he moved from Canada to Malta. To the casual visitor, Malta is a sleepy place with sun-soaked shorelines and ancient fortified harbors. Murdock imagined it to be an archipelago island of warm weather, gorgeous views, busy cafes, and grilled fish dinners. On the surface, it was.The six years Murdock spent in Malta revealed an insular culture whose fundamental baseline is amoral familism, a worldview in which any action taken to benefit one’s family or oneself is justifiable, regardless of w

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Book Synopsis'A shocking, enraging, sometimes hilarious exposé of a tax system that lives down to all our worst fears of further enriching the wealthy at the expense of the little guys.' - Piers Morgan'Very funny (and furious)... By the end of the book you may be spluttering with rage at the injustice of it all. Page after page shows how the rich are exploiting loopholes to reduce their tax bill.... But this is not some crazed figure on the extreme left hoping to bring down the establishment. The book is written by an accountant who has spent his career coming up with the very tax avoidance schemes the super-wealthy use to evade the clutches of HMRC.' - The Telegraph'Funny, clever and really quite brilliant. Taxtopia will make you furiously angry and possibly even filthy rich.' - Tom Peck, The Independent'If you want to know how skewed the system is and how the rich always get richer and stay that way, while you don't, then read this book. Then get angry.' - Patrick Alley, Co-founder of Global Witness and author of Very Bad People'Taxtopia's anonymous author has done the impossible - created a hilarious and deeply troubling expose about how the world's shady tax system is exploited and proves what we always suspected - that our tax system is rigged against us. Read it and weep.' - Geraint Anderson author of City Boy'Would I recommend the book? For readers of Spear's, my answer is 'yes, and it may also be worth going back over some of the more interesting ideas with your accountant' -Spear's'The book is enormously readable ... I would very much recommend reading Taxtopia because it's the most hilarious book about tax I've ever read!' - Siân Pattenden, The BunkerIn TAXTOPIA a rogue accountant breaks ranks to share his journey from clueless naïf to skilled tax consultant -and in doing so blows the lid on the murky world of making the tax burdens of the ultra-wealthy disappear.In the topsy-turvy world of tax avoidance, you can get richer by buying a yacht, the world's biggest exporter of coffee is Switzerland, and billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump and the Duke of Westminster often pay less tax than you do.Written with sharp wit and over-brimming with inside secrets, the anonymous author shows us that not only does the global tax system encourage dubious practice which favours the rich, but that it was specifically founded with that in mind.If you suspect that tax is a rigged game, a con, designed to fleece the little guy, you are about to find out just how shockingly true that really is.Welcome to TAXTOPIA.Trade ReviewI would never ever have believed that a book about accountants could be either compelling or funny but Taxtopia manages both, it is a terrifying and brilliant book. Packed with true stories, many of them hilarious, the Rebel Accountant takes the reader deep inside the accountancy profession's often immoral banality. If you want to know how skewed the system is and how the rich always get richer and stay that way, while you don't, then read this book. Then get angry. -- Patrick Alley, Co-founder of Global Witness and author of Very Bad PeopleTaxtopia's anonymous author has done the impossible - created a hilarious and deeply troubling expose about how the world's shady tax system is exploited and proves what we always suspected - that our tax system is rigged against us. Read it and weep. -- Geraint Anderson author of CITY BOYA shocking, enraging, sometimes hilarious exposé of a tax system that lives down to all our worst fears of further enriching the wealthy at the expense of the little guys. -- Piers MorganVery funny (and furious)... By the end of the book you may be spluttering with rage at the injustice of it all. Page after page shows how the rich are exploiting loopholes to reduce their tax bill.... But this is not some crazed figure on the extreme left hoping to bring down the establishment. The book is written by an accountant who has spent his career coming up with the very tax avoidance schemes the super-wealthy use to evade the clutches of HMRC. * The Telegraph *Would I recommend the book? For readers of Spear's, my answer is 'yes, and it may also be worth going back over some of the more interesting ideas with your accountant * Spear’s *The book is enormously readable ... I would very much recommend reading Taxtopia because it's the most hilarious book about tax I've ever read! * Siân Pattenden, The Bunker *

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Book SynopsisPAPERBACK EDITION INCLUDES AN AFTERWORD WITH NEW INFORMATION ON THE KELLY CASE. A DAILY TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR. 'A compelling, authoritative insight into possibly the most controversial death in Britain this century' The Observer. 'Goslett's like Poirot; he asks questions... Spooky and scary' Evening Standard. 'Masterful... This book made me proud of my trade as a journalist' Daily Mail. 'This searing excavation of the mysterious death of Dr David Kelly is investigative journalism at its best. It is brave, relentless, dazzlingly revealing' Peter Oborne. In March 2003 British forces invaded Iraq after Tony Blair said the country could deploy weapons of mass destruction at 45 minutes' notice. A few months later, government scientist Dr David Kelly was unmasked by Blair's officials as the assumed source of a BBC news report challenging this claim. Within days, Dr Kelly was found dead in a wood near his home. Blair immediately convened the controversial Hutton Inquiry, which concluded Dr Kelly committed suicide. Yet key questions remain: could Dr Kelly really have taken his life in the manner declared? And why did Blair's government derail the coroner's inquest into Dr Kelly's death? In this meticulous account, award-winning journalist Miles Goslett shows why we should be sceptical of the official story of what happened in that desperate summer of 2003.Trade ReviewA compelling, authoritative insight into possibly the most controversial death in Britain this century * Observer *Masterful... This book made me proud of my trade as a journalist' * Daily Mail *A notable contribution to contemporary political history * Open Democracy *This searing excavation of the mysterious death of Dr David Kelly is investigative journalism at its best. It is brave, relentless, dazzlingly revealing -- Peter OborneEveryone, from Tony Blair downwards, was insistent that Dr Kelly had committed suicide yet the evidence, which Goslett examines in scrupulous detail in this gripping narrative, suggests otherwise -- Richard IngramsGoslett confines himself to the demand for an inquest, and his fine book eloquently spells out why all of us, including Dr Kelly's family, friends and colleagues, deserve one * The Lobster *Goslett's well-researched book about the death in 2003 of the weapons expert Dr David Kelly raises troubling questions about abuse of process * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *This book takes us back to those weeks when New Labour 'spin' seemed to generate its darkest, most frantic moments... Goslett argues convincingly that potentially important witnesses were not called and inconsistencies in evidence were left unexplored' * Mail on Sunday *Award-winning investigative journalist Miles Goslett draws together the facts in an intriguing and profoundly disturbing narrative that poses many questions that are yet to be answered * Daily Mail. *Drawing heavily on medical expertise, Goslett carefully unpicks the gaps in Hutton's probe. He finds enough contradictions in the inquiry [...] to leave the reader deeply uneasy about how the scientist ended up dead in the woods * Morning Star. *

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Book SynopsisDetailed and impeccably researched. Eye-opening'' GUARDIANPunchy and well-reported. Sommer is the perfect person to tell this story'' NEW YORK TIMESHow did a conspiracy theory reshape global politics? How did it tear families apart, inspire an insurrection and convince millions that a shadowy cabal was hellbent on eating children, and only Donald Trump could stop them?On the 6th of January, 2021 thousands of Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol. Their banners read, Trust the Plan, a reference to an alarming conspiracy theory that had gained unstoppable momentum over the last four years: these were followers of QAnon.Decoding online clues from a mysterious figure who has claimed to be a high-level government insider QAnon adherents believe that Donald Trump has been anointed by God to stop a depraved deep state government, that sexually abuse, kill, and eat children. But QAnon has also become a broad church of out-there beliefs, offering a welcoming community to anti-vaxTrade Review‘Punchy and well-reported … Sommer is the perfect person to tell this story. He traces the rise of lawless message boards like 8chan, he profiles the key players, he chronicles QAnon’s influence on the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, he sneaks into QAnon rallies, he analyzes Republican reactions to the blight in their fields, and he breathes deep of the madness, while staying blissfully sane himself’ New York Times ‘Sommer emerges to offer a close examination of the rise and continued presence of QAnon on the US political landscape. Detailed and impeccably researched, Trust the Plan is essentially a crash course on a volatile and vocal segment of the US population’ Guardian ‘Will Sommer has established himself as the expert on America’s right-wing fringe. Now he’s exploring the damage that Donald Trump and the QAnon theorists who adore him have wreaked on the country. With kidnappings, murders, and Satanic rituals, this is a story so bizarre, only Will Sommer could report it’ The Atlantic ‘Will Sommer all but invented serious cultural reporting on the far right, inhabiting the worst corners of the internet so that the rest of us could understand them, and his new book on QAnon serves as a vital road map to one of the strangest and most disturbing movements of modern politics. Writing with insight, empathy, and historical expertise, Will masterfully documents how a random anonymous internet post on Reddit in 2017 rose up and swallowed the Republican Party’ Garrett Graff, author of Watergate: A New History ‘This is an absolutely fascinating and deeply troubling book. Rage-inducing and heartbreaking, it’s a rigorously researched, energetically written examination of a phenomenon laughed off for too long as fringe silliness’ Booklist

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Book Synopsis''Breaking Bad meets City of God'' Roberto Saviano, author of GomorrahHUSBAND. This is the story of an ordinary man who became the king of the largest slum in Rio, the head of a drug cartel and Brazil's most notorious criminal. FATHER. A man who tried to bring welfare and justice to a playground of gang culture and destitution, while everyone around him drew guns and partied. DRUG LORD. It's a story of gold-hunters and evangelical pastors, bent police and rich-kid addicts, politicians and drug lords and the battle for the beautiful but damned city of Rio. MOST WANTED CRIMINAL.Trade ReviewBreaking Bad meets City of God -- Roberto Savianofascinating dive into Brazil’s terrifying underworld, where the stakes are all or nothing...Nemesis reads like a fast-paced thriller -- James Hider * The Times *A fast-paced crime story that paints a vivid picture of life in the sprawling favelas -- Joe Leahy * Financial Times *A thrillingly vivid picture of another Rio… [Nemesis] confirms Glenny’s status as one of the most daring and original true-crime writers of today... A rich and riveting book -- Francis Wheen * Mail on Sunday *Glenny doesn’t just write books; he lives them -- John Kampfner * Guardian *gripping narrative of cocaine and slaughter -- Andreas Campomar * Spectator *A magnificent work of reportage by turns raw and courageous -- Ian Thomson * Evening Standard *A dynastic 50-year Shakespearean sweep of organised crime that manages to be both intimate and alarming -- John Kampfner * Observer *

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Book SynopsisAn erudite yet accessible examination of how democracy has failed in the US, from America''s best-known voice of geopolitics, Noam Chomsky.The United States asserts the right to use military force against failed states' around the globe. But as Noam Chomsky argues in this devastating analysis, America shares features with many of the regimes it insists are failing and constitute a danger to their neighbours.Offering a comprehensive and radical examination of America past and present, Chomsky shows how this lone superpower which topples foreign governments, invades states that threaten its interests and imposes sanctions on regimes it opposes has stretched its own democratic institutions to breaking point.And how an America in crisis places the world ever closer to the brink of nuclear and environmental disaster.''The mighty Chomsky lands some crunching punches. His analysis of U.S. double standards is spot-on'' Observer

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Book SynopsisAn exposé of how incredible wealth is funnelled through a country without benefiting its peopleTrade Review'Excellent insights and analysis showing how corporations and the rich are addicted to tax avoidance to the detriment of normal people. Informative and enjoyable to read' -- Prem Sikka, Professor of Accountancy at the University of Sheffield'An important book - it exposes industrial scale tax avoidance being organised by the Irish elites and enjoyed by the world's major corporations. It blends detailed research with impressive insight. It deserves a wide readership'. -- Richard Boyd Barrett: Member of Irish parliament for People Before Profit'An important book that deserves a wide readership. The claims that Ireland is a tax haven have been growing over recent years. This book adds important evidence to the claim and makes a passionate call for a more equal society' -- Professor Eoin Reeves, Head of the Department of Economics, University of Limerick, Ireland'A policy of consistent denial by the government, along with lazy media treatment of the issue, has meant that Ireland's status as a tax haven is an ongoing controversy. This book goes a long way in resolving this argument' -- Terrence McDonough, Emeritus Professor of Economics, NUI Galway, Ireland'A must read for anyone interested in understanding how global capitalism works in the 21st century' -- Dr Stewart Smyth, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham'An extremely important, and possibly the best, book to have been written about one of the world's biggest and most dangerous tax havens. It skewers the self-serving myths of crooked Irish elites to show how going down the tax haven route not only inflicts harm on other countries - it hurts its own population too' -- Nicholas Shaxson, author 'Treasure Islands: Tax Havens and the Men who Stole the World' (Vintage, 2011)Table of Contents1. Porn, Tax Dodging and Exploitation 2. Global Plunder 3. Making Treasure Ireland 4. Dirty Secrets 5. The Fixers 6. The Irish Financial Services Centre 7. Foreign Direct Avoiders 8. The Vultures Have Landed 9. The Case for the Defence 10. How Tax Dodging Harms Irish Society

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Book SynopsisIn this, er, 'unique' illustrated potted history of the human race, Twitter icon James Felton uses his inimitable brand of banter to unveil the slyest, creepiest and/or nastiest specimens who've ever lived. Enter the 16th Century Chinese Emperor Zhegende, whose harem was so big some of the women within it died of starvation, King Charles II's executioner who would only give you a clean beheading if you paid properly for it beforehand, and llya Ivanovich Ivanov, the 19th Century scientist who was a mega asshole and if you buy the book you'll find out why. Darkly funny, highly informative and always unbelievable, these are the dead people you should be mad at.

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Book Synopsis''An astonishing read, plunging you into a toxic world of Insta-wealth, betrayal and ruthless ambition... A con that made Theranos look like small fry'' - The Telegraph''The largest financial scam ever'' - Fortune''The story of OneCoin stands out even among the outlandish capers of the cryptocurrency era'' - Wall Street Journal____________________________________________________In 2014, a brilliant Oxford graduate called Dr Ruja Ignatova vowed to revolutionise money. The self-styled Cryptoqueen launched OneCoin, a bold new cryptocurrency that she promised would earn its investors untold fortunes and change the world. But by the end of 2017, with billions of dollars invested from every country on earth, Ruja Ignatova had disappeared - along with the money.The Missing Cryptoqueen tells the outrageous true story of the world''s most wanted woman and the author''s five-year hunt for the truth. It is a mTrade ReviewThe Missing Cryptoqueen investigates a con that made Theranos look like small fry... The tragic account of how it happened is an astonishing read, plunging you into a toxic world of Insta-wealth, betrayal and ruthless ambition * The Telegraph *A great story and a spectacular con * The Spectator *Outrageously entertaining... populated with the kind of gaudy crooks, ambitious crackpots and tragically hopeful hustlers we'd expect from a Coen brothers comedy. One can only hope this shocking, compulsively readable story serves as a cautionary tale * Irish Times *A story of a very modern scam full of intrigue * The i *A gripping read. Jamie Bartlett races through this compelling tale of corruption, ambition and intrigue * Irish Independent *

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Book SynopsisMaster storyteller Brad Meltzer counts down and decodes the world’s top 10 most intriguing conspiracies stories. Wanted: the truth. In a riveting collection, Brad Meltzer guides us through the 10 greatest conspiracies of all time, from Leonardo da Vinci’s stolen prophecy to the Kennedy assassination. This richly illustrated book serves up those fascinating, unexplained questions that nag at history buffs and conspiracy lovers: Why was Hitler so intent on capturing the Roman “Spear of Destiny?” Where did all the Confederacy’s gold go? What is the government hiding in Area 51? And did Lee Harvey Oswald really act alone? Meltzer sifts through the evidence, weighs competing theories, separates what we know to be true and what’s still––and perhaps forever––unproved or unprovable, and in the end, decodes the mystery and arrives at the most likely explanation.

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Book SynopsisFrom journalist Chris Blackhurst, Too Big to Jail unveils how HSBC facilitated mass money laundering schemes for brutal drug kingpins and rogue nations – and thereby helped to grow one of the deadliest drugs empires the world has ever seen.'Packed with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you' - Oliver Bullough, author of Butler to the WorldWhile HSBC likes to sell itself as ‘the world’s local bank’ – the friendly face of corporate and personal finance – it was hit with a record US fine of $1.9 billion. In pursuit of their goal of becoming the biggest bank in the world, between 2003 and 2010, HSBC allowed El Chapo and the Sinaloa cartel, one of the most notorious and murderous criminal organizations in the world, to turn its ill-gotten money into clean dollars.How did a bank which boasts transparency, come to facilitate Mexico’s richest drug baron? And how did a bank that had been named ‘one of the best-run organizations in the world’ become so entwined with one of the most barbaric groups of gangsters on the planet?Too Big to Jail is an extraordinary story, brilliantly told by writer, commentator and former editor of The Independent, Chris Blackhurst, that starts in Hong Kong and ranges across London, Washington, the Cayman Islands and Mexico.It brings together an extraordinary cast of politicians, bankers, drug dealers, FBI officers and whistle-blowers, and asks what price does greed have? Whose job is it to police global finance? And why did not a single person go to prison for facilitating the murderous expansion of a global drug empire?Trade ReviewPacked with insights and details that will both amaze and appal you . . . if it doesn't make you angry, you need to check your pulse -- Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland and Butler to the WorldThe sheer hubris, greed and arrogance of bankers is laid bare in shocking, and at times hilarious, detail. Blackhurst takes them on and pricks their bubble of self-congratulatory entitlement -- Andrew NeilFull of extraordinary revelations. Epic story-telling about a shocking scandal. Read this! -- Iain Martin, author of Making It HappenBlackhurst’s tale would make an exciting novel. But alarmingly, this is a true story, carefully researched and told with gusto -- Baroness Patience Wheatcroft, former editor of The Sunday TelegraphA pacey, page turning thriller tale of banking collusion with extreme criminality -- Brian Basham, veteran financial PR man and chairman of Equity Development[Blackhurst] writes with gusto ... a diverting book * The Times Literary Supplement *Blackhurst’s attention to detail is excellent, as is his lucid analysis * The Australian *Highly entertaining . . . told with pace, gusto, and a strong sense of moral outrage * The Critic Magazine *

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Book Synopsis‘Explosive . . . a ground-breaking and revealing new book’ – Daily Mail‘In explaining the rise to power of Kim Yo Jong, Lee displays his deep knowledge and understanding of North Korea’s extreme, ruthless and self-obsessed dynastic autocracy, the creators and rulers of a de-facto nuclear weapon state. Not a reassuring story’ – Sir John Scarlett, former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)Written by Dr Sung-Yoon Lee, a scholar and specialist on North Korea who has advised the US government, The Sister is a jaw-dropping account of the spectacular rise of Kim Yo Jong, de-facto deputy to her brother, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, and the most powerful woman in North Korea.In 2022, in a particularly fiery speech, Kim Yo Jong threatened to nuke South Korea, reminding the world of the dangers posed by her state. But how did the youngest daughter of Dear Leader Kim Jong Il, his ‘sweet princess’, become the ruthless chief propagandist, internal administrator and foreign policymaker for her brother’s totalitarian regime?The Sister uncovers the truth about Kim Yo Jong, her close bond with Kim Jong Un and the lessons in manipulation they learned from their father. He also examines the iron grip the Kim dynasty has on their country, the grotesque deaths of family members deemed disloyal, and the signs that Kim Yo Jong has been positioned as her brother’s successor should he die while his own children are young.Readable and insightful, this book is an invaluable portrait of a woman who might yet hold the survival of her despotic dynasty in her hands.‘A detailed, insightful study . . . Lee is excellent on the regime’s reliance on suppressing, distorting and manipulating information . . . His vivid account of surreal, intractable negotiations with the Kim siblings underlines The Sister’s central insight: Kim Yo Jong is very much part of the family’ – The GuardianTrade ReviewA detailed, insightful study . . . Lee is excellent on the regime’s reliance on suppressing, distorting and manipulating information . . . His vivid account of surreal, intractable negotiations with the Kim siblings underlines The Sister’s central insight: Kim Yo Jong is very much part of the family -- The GuardianExplosive . . . a ground-breaking and revealing new book -- Daily MailRiveting, unique, policy-relevant narrative of the first order . . . Lee sees through the North Korean regime's antics, maskirovka, and propaganda – much of it the work of Kim Yo Jong – as does no other. A work of penetrating analysis, caustic wit, and elegant prose -- James Stavridis, PhD., Admiral in US Navy (Retired), and former Supreme Allied Commander at NATOA riveting profile of the rise of the current leader’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, and the resilience of the Kim regime -- Times Literary SupplementExtraordinarily well researched . . . an invaluable resource in understanding one of the most intriguing and least known figures in today’s North Korea -- Stephen E. Biegun, United States Special Representative for North Korea, 2018-2021 and Deputy Secretary of State, 2021-2022 Dr Lee deftly skewers the misperceptions of Kim Yo Jong to insightfully assess her longstanding and powerful role. Comprehensive, provocative, and eloquently written. Should be required reading for policymakers and pundits trying to decipher the North Korean Game of Thrones -- Bruce Klingner, former Deputy Division Chief for Korea, CIA; former North Korea Analyst, DIA, Senior Research Fellow, Asian Studies Center, The Heritage FoundationMr Lee’s book is not just a profile of a central figure in what is arguably the world’s most brutal dictatorship, but also of her clan. By showing how the family operates, The Sister offers insights into the workings of the only hereditary monarchy to style itself as communist; a regime willing to let millions starve while it spends billions on weapons -- The EconomistIn The Sister, Sung-Yoon Lee offers a trenchant analysis of the Kim Jong Un regime and his sister's role in propagating their cult of personality. He employs his deep knowledge of the subject and his fine literary skills to tell a tale that is both fascinating and disturbing -- Dr Sue Mi Terry, Director of the Asia Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for ScholarsAs a former top North Korea official in charge of the supreme leader's slush funds, I have intimate knowledge of the corrupt and very opaque workings of the Kim dynasty. The Sister is revelatory. It is a most rare and enlightening analysis of the Kim regime's deceptions and perversions, and Kim Yo Jong's role in this existential game . . . [an] astute, acerbic, and, at times, even amusing exposé of the pathological ways of the North Korean dynasty -- Ri Jong Ho, former Chairman of the Korea Kum-Kang Economic Development Group (KKG) of the National Defense Commission, DPRKThis captivating, well-researched portrait of one of the world's most secretive and powerful women offers a rare glimpse into the heart of North Korea's leadership and the complexities of its political landscape -- Bradley Hope, author of The Rebel and the Kingdom and co-founder of Project BrazenDr Lee was instrumental in our lawsuit against North Korea for the kidnapping, torture, and extrajudicial killing of our son, Otto. During the trial in a federal court in DC, the entire courtroom and the press were mesmerized by his deep knowledge of the concentration camp known as North Korea. Dr. Lee is able to explain North Korea's behaviour in a way that compels action. Now, he has put his impressive skills to weave a gripping tale on the inner workings of the criminal organization known as North Korea and the sister's sinister role in this scheme -- Fred and Cindy Warmbier, plaintiffs in Warmbier v. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (2018)

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Book Synopsis__________'Many of the world's great leaders request to come to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. They like it. I like it. We're comfortable.' - Donald TrumpA bit too comfortable, perhaps.__________Since losing the 2020 Presidential Election, Donald Trump returned home to Mar-a-Lago. His schedule is restricted to playing multiple rounds of golf and watching his impeachment trial on TV. Donald Trump's opulent Palm Beach club Mar-a-Lago has thrummed with scandal since the earliest days of his presidency. Long known for its famous and wealthy clientele, the resort's guest list soon started filling with political operatives and power-seekers. Meanwhile, as Trump re-branded Mar-a-Lago "the Winter White House" and began spending weekends there, state business spilled out into full view of the club's members, and vast sums of taxpayer money and political donations began flowing into its coffers, and into the pockets of the president.The Grifters' Club is a breakthrough account of the corruption, intrigue, and absurdity that has been on display in the place where the president is at his most relaxed. In these pages, a team of prizewinning Miami Herald journalists reveal the activities and motivations of the strange array of charlatans and tycoons who populate its halls. Some peddle influence, some look to steal government secrets, and some just want to soak up the feeling of unfettered access to the world's most powerful leaders.Filled with the drama of an expose, The Grifters' Club takes you behind the velvet ropes of this exclusive club and into its bizarre world of extravagance and scandal._____An astonishing look inside the gilded gates of Mar-a-Lago, the palatial resort where President Trump conducts government business with little regard for ethics, security, or even the law.This ground-breaking and shocking expose reads like a thriller. Perfect for fans of Fire and Fury, Team of Vipers and Fear.

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Book SynopsisUncovering more than 200 events, organisations, people, symbols, pop-cultural references, and other examples underlying suspicions of the looming New World Order, this book uncovers the truth behind the disconcerting reasons for the rapidly expanding militarisation of the police; the increase in doctors prescribing mood-changing drugs to children; the manipulative actions of the Illuminati and the surveillance of social media and calls, to name just a few. Tracing the power and destructive effects of the global elite, The New World Order Book exposes their unpleasant reach into today's world.Trade Review“… analyzes more than 200 events, organizations, people, symbols, pop-cultural references, and other matters that show ... a clandestine attempt to achieve world domination and create a one-world government overseen by a heartless global elite. ” – Protoview Book News“Theorists and those who like to dig into the other side of society will like unwrapping The New World Order Book by Nick Redfern. Who really runs things? What do various symbols mean on flags or logos? Who wins in a war of world domination? It’s in this book ....” – Bookworm SezTable of ContentsIntroduction A-Z list of 200 entries, including 7/7; 9/11; Anthrax Attack; Bohemian Grove; Brexit; Bretton Woods System; Charlie Hebdo; China’s Influence; Climate Change; Department of Homeland Security; Donald Trump and the NWO; Edward Snowden; European Union; FEMA Detention Camps; Flow of Immigrants; Fourth Reich; Freedom of Information Act Erosion; Freemasonry; Hackers; ISIS; Malta Conference; Manchurian Candidates; Mass Surveillance; Media Manipulation; Medicating the Population; Microchips for People; Mind Control; National Security Agency; No Fly List; Patriot Act; Rise of Russia; Skull and Bones; Spying via a Laptop’s Camera; Surveillance Cameras; Terror Alerts; Tightening Gun Laws; Tor Project; Trilateral Commission; U.K. Independence Party; United Nations; Vatican; Whistleblowers; Wikileaks; Wiretapping; World Bank Group; Your Smart TV is Spying; Zika Virus; and many, many more.. Further Reading Index

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Book Synopsis“A damning investigation of dark money by a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee” (Kirkus Reviews) with a new preface on recent disclosures about efforts to influence the Court “There’s no senator I can think of who’s done more sleuthing to figure out the money trail in American politics, particularly as it affects the courts.”—Jane Mayer, author of the national bestseller Dark Money As the story of Supreme Court malfeasance and ethics violations repeatedly makes front-page news, the paperback version of The Scheme comes at a time of crisis for the American judiciary.Following his book Captured on corporate capture of regulatory and government agencies, and his years of experience as a prosecutor, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, whom Senator Elizabeth Warren calls a “a powerful voice in defending our American democracy against the relentless, pervasive—and often hidden—power of corporate special interests,” here turns his attention to the right-wing scheme to capture the United States Supreme Court. Whitehouse chronicles a hidden-money campaign using an armada of front groups, helped by the infamous Citizens United Supreme Court decision, employing the Federalist Society as an appointments turnstile, and with the same small handful of right-wing billionaires and corporations enticing the Senate to break rules, norms, and precedents to confirm wildly inappropriate nominees who would advance their anti-government agenda.Now available in an affordable paperback edition with a new preface addressing the Reverend Schenck disclosures about politicking the justices and Justice Thomas’s recently disclosed conflicts of interest, The Scheme offers what Kirkus Reviews calls “a maddening indictment of a corrupt and corrupted judiciary.”Trade ReviewPraise for The Scheme:"Chapter and verse on how the U.S. Supreme Court was ‘captured.’"—The Boston Globe“An alarming . . . account of efforts to install conservative judges on the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary. . . . Whitehouse gathers copious evidence and strikes a fiery tone.”—Publishers Weekly “A damning investigation of dark money by a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.”—Kirkus Reviews"A harrowing account of how right-wing billionaires and business interests have worked to capture the American judiciary—all the way up to the Supreme Court—to create an American plutocracy. Anyone who cares about the future of American democracy—indeed, the future of America, writ large—needs to read this book."—Naomi Oreskes, professor of the history of science, Harvard University, and author of Merchants of Doubt

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