Political ideologies and movements Books

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Book SynopsisAfter 1989, capitalism has presented itself as the only realistic political economic system. What effects has this 'capitalist realism' had on work, culture, education and mental health? Is it possible to imagine an alternative to capitalism that is not some throwback to discredited models of state control? FOREWORD BY ZOE FISHER, INTRODUCTION BY ALEX NIVEN AND AFTERWORD BY TARIQ GODDARD.

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Book SynopsisFew writers have had a more demonstrable impact on the development of the modern world than has Karl Marx (1818-1883). Born in Trier into a middle-class Jewish family in 1818, by the time of his death in London in 1883, Marx claimed a growing international reputation. Of central importance then and later was his book Das Kapital, or, as it is known to English readers, simply Capital. Volume One of Capital was published in Paris in 1867. This was the only volume published during Marx’s lifetime and the only to have come directly from his pen. Volume Two, published in 1884, was based on notes Marx left, but written by his friend and collaborator, Friedrich Engels (1820-1895). Readers from the nineteenth century to the present have been captivated by the unmistakable power and urgency of this classic of world literature. Marx’s critique of the capitalist system is rife with big themes: his theory of ‘surplus value’, his discussion of the exploitation of the working class, and his forecast of class conflict on a grand scale. Marx wrote with purpose. As he famously put it, ‘Philosophers have previously tried to explain the world, our task is to change it.’

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Book SynopsisIn 1965, the U.S. government helped the Indonesian military kill approximately one million innocent civilians. This was one of the most important turning points of the twentieth century, eliminating the largest communist party outside China and the Soviet Union and inspiring copycat terror programs in faraway countries like Brazil and Chile. But these events remain widely overlooked, precisely because the CIA's secret interventions were so successful.In this bold and comprehensive new history, Vincent Bevins builds on his incisive reporting for the Washington Post, using recently declassified documents, archival research and eye-witness testimony collected across twelve countries to reveal a shocking legacy that spans the globe. For decades, it's been believed that parts of the developing world passed peacefully into the U.S.-led capitalist system. The Jakarta Method demonstrates that the brutal extermination of unarmed leftists was a fundamental part of Washington's final triumph in the Cold War.

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Book SynopsisRefreshed and completely restructured to align with the new Edexcel Politics A-Level specification, this is the new edition of Andrew Heywood's highly respected introduction to political ideas, ideologies and thinkers for A-Level students. Essentials of Political Ideas is the only Edexcel-specific text on ideas on the market. Suitable for flexible use across all ideas components of the A-Level course, it offers full coverage of both the core political ideas (conservatism, liberalism and socialism) and the non-core ideas (anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism and nationalism). Drawing on her extensive teaching, examining and workshop experience, Kathy Schindler has adapted the text to make it even more student-friendly and focused on exam success. Practical and informative pedagogy, from Key Thinker boxes to Similarities and Differences summaries, will enable students to understand and analyse key political concepts and thinkers and construct persuasive argu

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Book SynopsisThese Student''s Books will help students understand the core ideas and principles behind the political ideologies, and how they apply in practice to human nature, the state, society and the economy.- Comprehensive coverage of the ideologies of Liberalism, Socialism, Conservatism, Socialism, Feminism and Anarchism- Definitions of key terms and concepts to help clarify knowledge and understanding of political language- Exam focus sections at the end of each chapter to test and develop understanding of key topics, offering practice for short and long essay questions

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Book SynopsisGetting to grips with the overlapping geopolitical, economic, and political crises faced by Western democratic societies in the 2020s. The 21st century has brought a powerful tide of geopolitical, economic, and democratic shocks. Their fallout has led central banks to create over $25 trillion of new money, brought about a new age of geopolitical competition, destabilised the Middle East, ruptured the European Union, and exposed old political fault lines in the United States. Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century is a long history of this present political moment. It recounts three histories - one about geopolitics, one about the world economy, and one about western democracies - and explains how in the years of political disorder prior to the pandemic the disruption in each became one big story. It shows how much of this turbulence originated in problems generated by fossil-fuel energies, and it explains why as the green transition takes place the long-standing predicaments energy iTrade ReviewHelen Thompson's book stands tallest among the recent titles that attempt to make sense of our age of crises. Disorder is a singular work owing to the skill with which Thompson maps the intersecting relationships between energy, global monetary policy, and the state of liberal democracy. * New Statesman *Fascinating * Simon Nixon, The Times *A stimulating read. * Howard Davies, Literary Review *Exceptional * Gavin Jacobson, New Statesman *Excellent. * Peter Franklin, Unherd *Bold and brilliant, studded with insights...one of the year's most essential books. * Christopher Bray, The Tablet *A powerful guide to modern Hard Times...any reader will finish it with a deeper understanding of our contemporary challenges. * Paschal Donohoe, Irish Times *Most of us struggle to keep up [with the news], but not Helen Thompson - she doesn't merely grip each strand, but ties them together. * Tom Clark, Prospect *Bursting with ideas. * James Barr, The Critic *[Disorder is] as disturbing as it is thought-provoking. * Martin Wolf, Financial Times, Summer Books 2022: Economics *If you are looking for a well-developed and convincing theory of our time, I advise you to start here. * Gilles Gressani, Le Grand Continent, 'What to read this summer' *We are on the verge of a fascinating epoch that Thompson might write about in a second volume, but that doesnt invalidate her first. Instead, it underscores her larger point that energy and finance are often at the heart of geopolitics. * Tony Yates, Chatham House *Disorder is a brilliant extended essay on the troubles of the era in terms of energy, global finance, governance and democracy...So much of this tortuously fascinating book gives the background to the global crisis now upon us, specifically in energy and governance. * Robert Fox, Reaction *If you want to understand why Russia invaded Ukraine then this book will help * Richard Lofthouse, QUAD *Deftly weaving together the history of energy, economics, and politics, Disorder restores depth to contemporary history. Refusing familiar stereotypes, Thompson offers a truly eye-opening account of our current predicament and points the way to a deeper understanding of the energy transition that lies ahead. Challenging and essential reading. * Adam Tooze, Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of History, Director of the European Institute, Columbia University *A remarkable history of the complex ways in which the global energy economy has shaped the wealth and politics of nations. Helen Thompson's command of her subject is second to none. Disorder is revelatory, sobering, and indispensable. * Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World during the Free Market Era *To read Thompson on the history of the past century is to see it in a sudden sharp definition. It is akin to looking through glass after the window-cleaner has been. * Tom Holland, bestselling author and co-host of The Rest is History podcast *There could be no better guide than Helen Thompson to the turbulence of the 21st century, with its successive disruptions, from financial crisis to energy transition, from Brexit to emerging geopolitical conflicts. When history seems to have come for us with a vengeance since the turn of the millennium, this magisterial book brings into focus the key structural forces driving, not only recent events, but also the inevitable changes still to come. * Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge *In this absorbing and wide-ranging study Helen Thompson unravels the complex intersections of oil, money, and democracy for understanding the politics of the last century. She provides an indispensable and illuminating guide to our current predicaments. * Andrew Gamble, Professor of Politics, University of Sheffield *Thompson's conceptual work is...elaborate...full of revelations. * Thomas König, Austrian Journal of Political Science *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Disruption I: Geopolitics 1: Eurasian limits 2: The impossible oil guarantee 3: Eurasia remade II: Economy 4: Our currencies, your problem 5: Made in China, need dollars 6: We are not in Kansas any more III: Democratic politics 7: Democratic time 8: The democratic tax state 9: Whither reform Conclusions: The more things change Afterword Index

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Book SynopsisReaching for Utopia brings together insightful essays and profiles chronicling the remarkable political and cultural transformations of the last decade – from the fall of Gordon Brown, to the rise of Corbyn and the radical left, to Brexit. Cowley is fascinated by the men and women who are creating the history of our era as well as those who document it. He has met and interviewed nearly all the major political players shaping and changing the way we live today.The book features fascinating, wide-ranging narrative profiles of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband, Jeremy Corbyn, Alex Salmond, Nigel Farage, David Cameron, George Osborne and Theresa May. Cowley is unusual in having access to party leaders and prime ministers on both the left and right.The book also features penetrating essays on writers such as George Orwell, John le Carré, Kazuo Insiguro, and Ian McEwan, personal essays, an investigation into the so-called Brexit Murder, and a striking conversation with the political philosopher Michael Sandel.Cowley is one of the most influential journalists in Britain. He is notable for being both a political and literary journalist. And he also writes about sport, especially football, and covered the 2006 World Cup in Germany for the Observer.He has been widely credited with transforming the fortunes of the New Statesman, which in 2017 has recorded its highest print circulation for nearly 40 years as well as becoming a major digital title with rapidly growing online profile. According to the European Press Prize, ‘Cowley has succeeded in revitalising the New Statesman and re-establishing its position as an influential political and cultural weekly. He has given the New Statesman an edge and a relevance to current affairs it hasn't had for years.’In 2017, at the British Society of Magazine Editors awards, Cowley won the editor of the year award (politics and current affairs) for the third time. In 2018, he launched New Statesman America.Trade ReviewThe subtitle for this collection of essays, profiles and interviews by New Statesman editor Jason Cowley is “making sense of an age of upheaval” and largely he succeeds. The section on politics and power is fascinating. Cowley is determined to understand antagonists, to explain the dominant individuals shaping our era. The likes of Arsène Wenger, Tiger Woods, Kazuo Ishiguro and Ian McEwan are explored in the Lives and Letters collection, too, making for a well-rounded collection by a thoughtful and engaging writer. -- Ben East * The Observer *A distinctly superior book … Cowley's thoughtful style is a pleasure to read. He has proved himself the rightful heir of the great Victorians. -- Simon Heffer * The Telegraph *These finely woven and open-minded essays have a dark stream trickling through them: of loss, chances missed, past success fading and no longer giving solace. This elegiac strain of regret, disappointment and intimations of mortality is invoked by, or attributed to, most of the public men and women profiled by Jason Cowley in Reaching for Utopia. -- John Lloyd * Financial Times *In their uncertain but foreboding style, the Jesus and Mary Chain once sang of how heaven is too close to hell. It’s not entirely clear what they were inferring, but it remains an intriguing image. A reading of Jason Cowley’s artful new book might lead us to conclude that utopia and dystopia share a similarly close proximity. Strive for the former and you may well end in the latter. Amongst a range of issues covered in this collection of profiles and essays, it is the unyielding pursuit of an unachievable utopia, an overstretching for something better, that is set as the frame. It is here that some understanding of our present malaise might be found in the fragments of recent history. -- David Beer * Berfrois *The strength of this outstanding essay collection lies in Cowley’s access to the key players in British politics, his considerable powers of social and political analysis and his excellent prose style. -- David Patrikarakos * Prospect Magazine *

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Book SynopsisHow identity politics failed one particular identity.A must read and if you think YOU don't need to read it, that's just the clue to know you do' SARAH SILVERMANA masterpiece'' STEPHEN FRYJews Don't Count is a book for people on the right side of history. People fighting the good fight against homophobia, disablism, transphobia and, particularly, racism. People, possibly, like you.It is the comedian and writer David Baddiel's contention that one type of racism has been left out of this fight. In his unique combination of reasoning, polemic, personal experience and jokes, Baddiel argues that those who think of themselves as on the right side of history have often ignored the history of anti-Semitism. He outlines why and how, in a time of intensely heightened awareness of minorities, Jews don't count as a real minority.Trade Review‘Jews Don’t Count is a supreme piece of reasoning and passionate, yet controlled, argument. From his first sentence, the energy, force and conviction of Baddiel’s writing and thinking will transfix you…as readable as an airport thriller…a masterpiece.’STEPHEN FRY ‘I don’t think I have ever been so grateful to anyone for writing a book. Baddiel’s Jews Don’t Count is incisive, urgent, surprisingly funny and short. It’s also a beautiful piece of publishing. It needs to be read’JAY RAYNER ‘Brilliant, furious, uncomfortable, funny. Essential reading.’SIMON MAYO ‘I'm about a quarter of the way into this thus far and it's very well argued and written. It's a book you know the author HAD to write, and those are the best books’JON RONSON ‘I only big up work I really believe is good and this is extra-ordinarily good. And important’JONATHAN ROSS ‘This is brilliant – funny and furious, mostly at the same time’MARINA HYDE ‘A convincing and devastating charge sheet’ Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times ‘It is so gripping – I read it in a single sitting’ Stephen Bush, The Times ‘A fascinating book, I urge you to read it’ Piers Morgan ‘I really think it’s a great book … the real triumph is its tone, its straightforwardness, and its spectacular tact and wit’ Adam Phillips, author of Monogamy ‘this short and powerful book shows, with remarkable humanity and humour, that no contemporary conversation about racism is complete without confronting antisemitism. An essential read – and a compulsory one too, if I had my way.’ Sathnam Sanghera ‘Funny, complex and intellectually satisfying – a really good piece of work’ Frankie Boyle ‘Just so brilliantly argued and written, I was completely swept along’ Hadley Freeman ‘David Baddiel is a brilliant thinker and writer. Even when I disagree with him – especially when I disagree with him – I feel profound gratitude for his intellectual and moral clarity. This is a brave and necessary book.’ Jonathan Safran Foer

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of international bestseller On Tyranny, this prescient analysis of Russia's ongoing interference in the West is now more relevant than ever. 'One of the best...brisk, conceptually convincing account of democracy's retreat in the early years of 21st century' Guardian The past is another country, the old saying goes. The same might be said of the future. But which country? For Europeans and Americans today, the answer is Russia. In this visionary work of contemporary history, Timothy Snyder shows how Russia works within the West to destroy the West; by supporting the far right in Europe, invading Ukraine in 2014, and waging a cyberwar during the 2016 presidential campaign and the EU referendum. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the creation of Donald Trump, an American failure deployed as a Russian weapon. But this threat presents an opportunity to better understand the pillars of our freedoms and face the choices that will determine the future: equality or oligarchy, individualism or totalitarianism, truth or lies. 'A brilliant and disturbing analysis, which should be read by anyone wishing to understand the political crisis currently engulfing the world' Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling author of SapiensTrade ReviewA brilliant and disturbing analysis, which should be read by anyone wishing to understand the political crisis currently engulfing the world -- YUVAL NOAH HARARI, author of SAPIENS and HOMO DEUSThis story of how Russia dismantled democracy, and the man who set its template for fake news, is chilling and persuasive ... unignorable... a disturbing and persuasive insight... Snyder's forensic examination of, for example the news cycle that followed the shooting down of flight MH17 makes essential reading ... Meticulously researched and footnoted. -- Tim Adams * Observer *One of the best…brisk, conceptually convincing account of democracy’s retreat in the early years of 21st century -- Luke Harding * Guardian *Snyder’s central thesis is a strong one… Vividly and insightfully told. -- Edward Lucas * The Times *A rollercoaster world calls for a news editor’s skills in processing facts and a philosopher’s ability to dissect ideologies. He has both. * The Economist *

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Book SynopsisCo-author of the groundbreaking Empire and Multitude, Michael Hardt examines The Declaration of Independence and other texts by Thomas Jefferson, arguing that his powerful concept of democracy provides a biting critique of the current American administration. Introducing this collection of Jefferson's writings, Michael Hardt makes a powerful case for re-examining the foundational writings of this American revolutionary in order to reignite the dialogue that first conceived of a "land of the free".Trade Review"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is its natural manure."--Thomas Jefferson

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Book SynopsisAn explosive exposé of the man who devoted his career to shackling democracy — and succeeded. Libertarian billionaires are using their wealth and power to drastically curtail the US democratic process, disempowering ordinary citizens whilst entrenching the influence of corporations as never before. In Democracy in Chains, award-winning historian Nancy MacLean reveals how the ideas of Nobel Prize-winning political economist James McGill Buchanan have been used to undermine the power of voters in a country whose Constitution is founded on the principle ‘We the people’. Now, with Mike Pence as Vice President, this chilling movement has a loyalist in the White House, as well as supporters in the House, the Senate, a majority of state governments, and the courts. Democracy in Chains is a timely, important book, which should be read by anybody interested in the future of democracy.Trade Review‘It’s the missing chapter: a key to understanding the politics of the past half century. To read Nancy MacLean’s new book, Democracy in Chains is to see what was previously invisible.’ -- George Monbiot * The Guardian *'It’s happening: the subversion of our democratic system from within. How did the political right do it? Nancy MacLean tells the long-overlooked story of the political economist who developed the playbook for the Koch brothers. James McGill Buchanan merged states rights’ thinking with free market principles and helped to fashion the inherently elitist ideology of today’s Republican Party. Professor MacLean’s meticulous research and shrewd insights make this a must-read for all who believe in government ‘by the people.' -- Nancy Isenberg, author of White Trash: the 400-year untold history of class in America'This book is mesmerising. Rarely have I encountered a work that speaks to such significant issues, with evidence rooted in conclusive new sources. In clear prose, MacLean reveals how a public once committed to social responsibility and egalitarian values became persuaded that only an unregulated free market could protect ‘liberty’ and ‘choice.’ Because of this, our once cherished democracy is now subject to attack. Everyone who wants to understand today’s confrontational politics should read this important book, now.' -- Alice Kessler-Harris, author of In Pursuit of Equity: women, men, and the quest for economic citizenship in twentieth-century America‘How did we get to where we are today? How did corporations come to possess ‘rights?’ How did democracy come to be defined as selfish individualism? Or money as free speech? Nancy MacLean’s Democracy in Chains provides the answers. It is essential reading in order to understand the ideas that billionaires use to justify their control of our political institutions. I can’t imagine a more timely or urgent book.’ -- Greg Grandin, author of Fordlandia (finalist for the Pulitzer Prize) and The Empire of Necessity (winner of the Bancroft Prize)‘[MacLean] creates a chilling portrait of an arrogant, uncompromising, and unforgiving man … [she] offers a cogent yet disturbing analysis of libertarians' current efforts to rewrite the social contract and manipulate citizens' beliefs … An unsettling exposé of the depth and breadth of the libertarian agenda.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘MacLean constructs an erudite, searing portrait of how the late political economist James McGill Buchanan (1919 - 2013) and his deep-pocketed conservative allies have reshaped — and undermined — American democracy … A thoroughly researched and gripping narrative, she exposes how Buchanan’s strategies shaped trends in government in favour of ‘corporate dominance’ and against the welfare state … She has delivered another deeply important book … Her work here is a feat of American intellectual and political history.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publisher's Weekly *‘For those who think the Tea Party, Freedom Caucus, and the alt-right are recent constructs, MacLean provides an extensive history lesson that traces the genesis of the right wing back to post-WWII doctrines … A worthy companion to Jane Mayer’s Dark Money, MacLean’s intense and extensive examination of the right-wing’s rise to power is perhaps the best explanation to date of the roots of the political divide that threatens to irrevocably alter American government.’ STARRED REVIEW * Booklist *‘A remarkable new book which argues that the radical right revolution engineered by Charles and his brother David is not just about accruing political and economic power, but about restricting democracy itself.’ * The New Republic *‘[A] vibrant intellectual history of the radical right … [MacLean] has dug deep into her material — not just Buchanan’s voluminous, unsorted papers, but other archives, too — and she has made powerful and disturbing use of it all … The behind-the-scenes days and works of Buchanan show how much deliberation and persistence — in the face of formidable opposition — underlie the anti-governing politics ascendant today. What we think of as dysfunction is the result of years of strategic effort.’ * The Atlantic *‘This sixty-year campaign to make libertarianism mainstream and eventually take the government itself is at the heart of Democracy in Chains … [MacLean] takes the time to meticulously trace how we got here … If you're worried about what all this means for America's future, you should be … And if someone you know isn't convinced, you have just the book to hand them.’ * NPR *‘[A] riveting, unsettling account of 'Tennessee country boy' James McGill Buchanan, key architect of today's radical right.’ * O, The Oprah Magazine *‘Clear and compelling … timely.’ * The Sunday Post *‘A remarkable book … Democracy in Chains is a revelation, as politics and as history.’ * Jacobin *‘Democracy in Chains should be read by every thinking person in the United States. It is disturbing, revealing, and vitally important.’ * new york journal of books *‘Nancy MacLean has done us a true and timely service.’ * New Internationalist *‘This book’s importance cannot be underestimated … powerful and disturbing.’ -- Antony Loewenstein * Weekend Australian *‘Explosive and controversial.’ * Canberra Times *‘Democracy in Chains leaves me with hope: Perhaps as books like MacLean’s continue to shine a light on important truths, Americans will begin to realise they need to pay more attention and not succumb to the cynical view that known liars make the best leaders.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘[T]his book is a superb contribution to our understanding of the rise of libertarian notion and right-wing political power in the US.’ -- Bill McKibbern * TLS *‘Nancy MacLean’s Democracy In Chains is a work of the utmost importance and makes a unique and outstanding contribution in understanding America, in both historic and contemporary terms. It forces us to engage with and think deeply about the use and abuse of power.’ * Economic and Labour Relations Review *

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Book SynopsisAn Introduction to Political Philosophy is a concise, lucid, and thought-provoking introduction to the most important questions of political philosophy, organised around the major issues. Wolff provides the structure that beginners need, whilst also introducing some distinctive ideas of his own.Trade ReviewThis is a staple text on any political philosophy reading list. I always recommend it to my students. * Dr Sarah Fine, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Cambridge *Jonathan Wolff's An Introduction to Political Philosophy is still the best introduction to the subject that I know. It guides the reader through deep questions in a way that is clear, approachable and thought-provoking. * Professor Michael Rosen, Department of Government, Harvard University, USA *The best introductory text about political philosophy currently available. The contents are easy for the newcomer to the subject of political philosophy to assimilate. The narrative is clear and thought provoking. * Professor Ian Godfrey Finlayson, European School of Economics, UK *The go-to teaching guide for the key themes in political philosophy. * Dr Pete Woodcock, University of Huddersfield, UK *An elegantly written introduction, structured by a topical approach to the field. While introducing canonical authors, the focus is on contemporary problems of political philosophy. * Dr Egbert Klautke, University College London, UK *A useful and accessible tool to get students thinking clearly about the political and philosophical thought that conditions their understanding of the world. * Dr Michael Kyriacou, The University of East Anglia, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: The State of Nature 2: Justifying the State 3: Who Should Rule? 4: The Place of Liberty? 5: The Distribution of Property? 6: Justice for Everyone, Everywhere? Guide to Further Reading

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Book Synopsis''A manual for the 21st-century citizen... accessible, refreshingly critical, relevant and urgent'' - Financial Times ''Fascinating and deeply disturbing'' - Yuval Noah Harari, Guardian Books of the Year In this New York Times bestseller, Cathy O''Neil, one of the first champions of algorithmic accountability, sounds an alarm on the mathematical models that pervade modern life -- and threaten to rip apart our social fabric.We live in the age of the algorithm. Increasingly, the decisions that affect our lives - where we go to school, whether we get a loan, how much we pay for insurance - are being made not by humans, but by mathematical models. In theory, this should lead to greater fairness: everyone is judged according to the same rules, and bias is eliminated. And yet, as Cathy O''Neil reveals in this urgent and necessary book, the opposite is true. The models being used today are opaque, unregulated, and incontestable, even when they''re wrong. Most troubling, they reinforce discrimination. Tracing the arc of a person''s life, O''Neil exposes the black box models that shape our future, both as individuals and as a society. These weapons of math destruction score teachers and students, sort CVs, grant or deny loans, evaluate workers, target voters, and monitor our health. O''Neil calls on modellers to take more responsibility for their algorithms and on policy makers to regulate their use. But in the end, it''s up to us to become more savvy about the models that govern our lives. This important book empowers us to ask the tough questions, uncover the truth, and demand change.Trade ReviewFascinating and deeply disturbing -- Yuval Noah Harari * Guardian Books of the Year *This is a manual for the 21st-century citizen, and it succeeds where other big data accounts have failed - it is accessible, refreshingly critical and feels relevant and urgent -- Federica Cocco * Financial Times *Well-written, entertaining and very valuable -- Danny Dorling * Times Higher Education *O'Neil has become a whistle-blower for the world of Big Data... Her work makes particularly disturbing points about how being on the wrong side of an algorithmic decision can snowball in incredibly destructive ways * Time *Cathy O'Neil has seen Big Data from the inside, and the picture isn't pretty. Weapons of Math Destruction opens the curtain on algorithms that exploit people and distort the truth while posing as neutral mathematical tools. This book is wise, fierce, and desperately necessary -- Jordan Ellenberg, author of How Not To Be WrongWeapons of Math Destruction is a fantastic, plainspoken call to arms. Cathy O'Neil's book is important precisely because she believes in data science. It's a vital crash course in why we must interrogate the systems around us and demand better -- Cory Doctorow, author of Little Brother and co-editor of Boing BoingOften we don't even know where to look for those important algorithms, because by definition the most dangerous ones are also the most secretive. That's why the catalogue of case studies in O'Neil's book are so important; she's telling us where to look * Guardian *In today's world, if you want to change your fate you've got to pray at the altar of the algorithm... As math guru Cathy O'Neil argues in her newest book, these models are just the latest way America's institutions perpetuate bias and prejudice to reward the rich and keep the poor, well, poor. It's a nuanced reminder that big data is only as good as the people wielding it * Wired *Not math heavy, but written in an exceedingly accessible, almost literary style; her fascinating case studies of WMDs fit neatly into the genre of dystopian literature. There's a little Philip K. Dick, a little Orwell, a little Kafka in her portrait of powerful bureaucracies ceding control of the most intimate decisions of our lives to hyper-empowered computer models riddled with all of our unresolved, atavistic human biases -- Chris Jackson * Paris Review *O'Neil is an ideal person to write this book... She is one of the strongest voices speaking out for limiting the ways we allow algorithms to influence our lives and against the notion that an algorithm, because it is implemented by an unemotional machine, cannot perpetrate bias or injustice... While Weapons of Math Destruction is full of hard truths and grim statistics, it is also accessible and even entertaining. O'Neil's writing is direct and easy to read - I devoured it in an afternoon -- Evelyn Lamb * Scientific American *

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Book SynopsisLakoff researches how framing influences reasoning, or how the way we say something often matters much more than what we say. the Guardian Over a quarter of a million copies sold worldwide! Ten years after writing the definitive, international bestselling book on political debate and messaging, George Lakoff returns with new strategies about how to frame today’s essential issues. Called the “father of framing” by The New York Times, Lakoff explains how framing is about ideas – ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, ideas that are proactive not reactive, positive not negative, ideas that need to be communicated out loud every day in public. The revised edition picks up where the original book left off – delving deeper into how framing works, how framing has evolved in the past decade, how to speak to people who harbor elements of both progressive and conservative worldviews, how to counter propaganda and slogans, and more. The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant! will make you reconsider everything you think you know about framing: Do you think facts alone can win a debate? Do you know what makes a Tea Party follower tick? Do you understand how to communicate on key issues that can improve people's lives? Whether you answer yes or no, the insights in The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant! will not only surprise you, but also give you the tools you need to develop frames that work, and eradicate frames that backfire.Trade Review"Lakoff single-handedly convinced liberals of the importance of language in winning political battles. Now he's back to finish what he started."--Markos Moulitsas, founder and publisher, Daily Kos"The All New Don't Think of an Elephant! is an indispensable tool for progressives—packed with new thinking on framing issues that are hotly debated right now, and new insights on how to reclaim the political debate on meaningful terms that can yield true progress, not just political gains."--Jennifer M. Granholm, former governor of Michigan"When the original Don't Think of an Elephant! came out in2004, Lakoff showed us that progressive Democrats voted on values, not issues—just like the right. Now, Dr. Lakoff is back to prevent a relapse of bad framing. The ALL NEW Don't Think of an Elephant! is a must read, every bit as important as the first edition. This time we have to train ourselves to think for the long term. Buy this book, memorize it, and teach it to your children. Progressives may be smart, but we don't communicate our ideas well. This book is the blueprint for how to do better."--Howard Dean, former chair of the Democratic National Committee and founder of Democracy for America

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Book Synopsis''A gripping and rigorous crime story about the murder of a once thriving democracy, exposing an arsenal of lethal weapons, some wielded on the streets, others in the courts and press'' NAOMI KLEINEssential reading'' YANIS VAROUFAKISThe world's largest democracy is facing the greatest challenge since the end of British colonial rule in 1947.?The Incarcerations pulls back the curtain on Indian democracy to tell the remarkable and chilling story of the Bhima Koregaon case, in which 16 human rights defenders (the BK-16) professors, lawyers, journalists, poets have been imprisoned, without credible evidence and without trial, as Maoist terrorists.Alpa Shah unravels how these alleged terrorists were charged with inciting violence at a public commemoration in 2018, accused of waging a war against the Indian state, and plotting to kill the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Expertly leading us through the case, Shah exposes some of the world's most shocking revelations of cyber warfare r

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Book SynopsisThe two opposing political figures that shaped Irish life in the 1980s and beyond. In the 1980s, Irish politics was dominated by a fierce rivalry between Charles J.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Daily Telegraph Football Book of the Year Ultras are often compared to punks, Hell's Angels, hooligans or the South American Barras Bravas. But in truth, they are a thoroughly Italian phenomenon... From the author of The Dark Heart of Italy, Blood on the Altar and A Place of Refuge. Italy's ultras are the most organised and violent fans in European football. Many groups have evolved into criminal gangs, involved in ticket-touting, drug-dealing and murder. A cross between the Hell's Angels and hooligans, they're often the foot-soldiers of the Mafia and have been instrumental in the rise of the far-right. But the purist ultras say that they are are insurgents fighting against a police state and modern football. Only amongst the ultras, they say, can you find belonging, community and a sacred concept of sport. They champion not just their teams, they say, but their forgotten suburbs and the dispossessed. Through the prism of the ultras, Jones crafts a compelling investigation into Italian society and its favourite sport. He writes about not just the ultras of some of Italy's biggest clubs – Juventus, Torino, Lazio, Roma and Genoa – but also about its lesser-known ones from Cosenza and Catania. He examines the sinister side of football fandom, with its violence and political extremism, but also admires the passion, wit, solidarity and style of a fascinating and contradictory subculture.Trade ReviewColourful first-hand accounts... Jones is too smart a writer... Ultra does speak direly to wider issues' * Financial Times *[An] intense book... A positive story to tell as well' * Times Literary Supplement *A serious, detailed and entertaining exploration of a fascinating subject... While Jones's analysis of the rise of the ultras is interesting, it is the anecdotes that truly hook the reader' * Catholic Herald *An excellent book * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2018 SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH AND ECONOMIST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2017''A provocative take on the UK''s new tribal divisions ... a book whose timing is pitch-perfect'' Andrew MarrMany Remainers reported waking up the day after the Brexit vote feeling as if they were living in a foreign country. In fact, they were merely experiencing the same feeling that many British people have felt every day for years. Fifty years ago, people in leafy North London and people in working-class Northern towns could vote for a Labour party that broadly encompassed all of their interests. Today their priorities are poles apart. In this groundbreaking and timely book, Goodhart shows us how people have come to be divided into two camps: the ''Anywheres'', who have ''achieved'' identities, derived from their careers and education, and ''Somewheres'', who get their identity from a sense of placTrade ReviewGoodhart offers an impeccably sensible and decent exposition of how the political elites have failed their societies ... The book makes compelling reading both for voters and those who want to get elected by them -- Max Hastings * The Sunday Times *[Goodhart] has written a book that is thoughtful, well argued and dangerously moderate. It may even be an incitement to independent thinking * The Times *[A] provocative take on the UK's new tribal divisions ... And it broadly works ... The Road to Somewhere has the feel of a book whose timing ... is pitch-perfect -- Andrew Marr * New Statesman *Goodhart's exploration of this underlying divide -- and the question of what might be done -- is not only timely but also offers an accessible, evidence-based and direct account of how these conflicts are reshaping the political world around us -- Matthew Goodwin * Financial Times *Goodhart has clarity of argument and courage. He has been making these points for a decade and urging the mainstream to engage with them. He does not do fads * Observer *Whatever other objections Goodhart's new book might provoke, few could call it irrelevant or untimely ... he returns to this most vexed terrain, picking his way through nettles and thorns that might deter thinner-skinned writers -- Jonathan Freedland * The Guardian *[Goodhart] has written what may turn out to be the most sympathetic and insightful book about Britain's discontented masses -- Toby Young * The Spectator *Mr Goodhart's book seems likely to inform the debate on what post-Brexit Britain should look like * The Economist *This meticulously researched book ... enables us to imagine Brexit as a moment that could just prove to be the start of a national renewal * Prospect *Challenging and illuminating -- Will HuttonDavid Goodhart offers the best and most complete explanation I've seen for why things seem to be coming apart in so many countries at the same time -- Jonathan Haidt, author of 'The Righteous Mind'

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis lucid guide is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand leaders such as Trump and Chávez * Guardian *An excellent short book -- Timothy Garton Ash * New York Review of Books *In this essential book, Müller defines populism's most salient characteristics --antielitism, antipluralism, exclusivity -- and explains Trump and other populists through that framework. It is a quick read, and worth every page * Washington Post *Populism is not just antiliberal, it is antidemocratic -- the permanent shadow of representative politics. That's Jan-Werner Müller's argument in this brilliant book. There is no better guide to the populist passions of the present -- Ivan Krastev, author of After EuropeNo one has written more insightfully and knowledgeably about Europe's recent democratic decay than Jan-Werner Müller. His depiction of populism as democracy's antipluralist, moralistic shadow is masterful -- Dani Rodrik, Harvard UniversityAn exceptionally intelligent book about a notoriously slippery, yet essential, political concept. Jan-Werner Müller's sweeping critique of populism will both instruct and challenge anyone who seeks to understand the roots and nature of the political conflicts that are roiling Europe and the United States -- Michael Kazin, author of The Populist Persuasion: An American History

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Book SynopsisThe essential guide to understanding the environment and climate change from multi-award-winning children's magazine The Week Junior, perfect for children determined to make a difference.

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Book SynopsisPopulism is a central concept in the current media debates about politics and elections. However, like most political buzzwords, the term often floats from one meaning to another, and both social scientists and journalists use it to denote diverse phenomena. What is populism really? Who are the populist leaders? And what is the relationship between populism and democracy? This book answers these questions in a simple and persuasive way, offering a swift guide to populism in theory and practice.Cas Mudde and Cristóbal Rovera Kaltwasser present populism as an ideology that divides society into two antagonistic camps, the pure people versus the corrupt elite, and that privileges the general will of the people above all else. They illustrate the practical power of this ideology through a survey of representative populist movements of the modern era: European right-wing parties, left-wing presidents in Latin America, and the Tea Party movement in the United States. The authors delve into the ambivalent personalities of charismatic populist leaders such as Juan Domingo Péron, H. Ross Perot, Jean-Marie le Pen, Silvio Berlusconi, and Hugo Chávez. If the strong male leader embodies the mainstream form of populism, many resolute women, such as Eva Péron, Pauline Hanson, and Sarah Palin, have also succeeded in building a populist status, often by exploiting gendered notions of society.Although populism is ultimately part of democracy, populist movements constitute an increasing challenge to democratic politics. Comparing political trends across different countries, this compelling book debates what the long-term consequences of this challenge could be, as it turns the spotlight on the bewildering effect of populism on today''s political and social life.Trade ReviewMudde and Rovira speak coherently and with nuance about a broad range of global phenomena and grapple nimbly with contextual differences, process, and transition. * George Ciccariello-Maher, Latin American Research Review *inspiring * Henrik P Bang, EUROPP - European Politics and Policy *Table of ContentsChapter 1: What populism is Chapter 2: Populism around the world Chapter 3: Populism and mobilization Chapter 4: The populist leader Chapter 5: Populism and democracy Chapter 6: Causes and responses References Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisTHE REVEALING, DEFINING ACCOUNT OF THE DARK NETWORK THAT BROKE OUR COUNTRY.''An exceptional broadcaster'' - Guardian ''Consistently, forensically, brilliant'' - Emily MaitlisSomething has gone really wrong in Britain.Our economy has tanked, our freedoms are shrinking, and social divisions are growing. Our politicians seem most interested in their own careers, and much of the media only make things worse. We are living in a country almost unrecognisable from the one that existed a decade ago. But whose fault is it really? Who broke Britain and how did they do it?Bold and incisive as ever, James O''Brien reveals the shady network of influence that has created a broken Britain of strikes, shortages and scandals. He maps the web connecting dark think tanks to Downing Street, the journalists involved in selling it to the public and the media bosses pushing their own agendas. Over ten chapters, each focusing on a particular person complicit in thTrade ReviewHow They Broke Britain made me so angry I had to stop listening to it while driving. Superb work -- The Secret BarristerA damning account of how the country ended up in the current mess . . . O’Brien’s scathing voice provides a thorough record of the self-serving actions and pronouncements of those who have held power in Britain -- Tim Jonze * Guardian *The most important political book of the year and a fascinating must-read for anyone who cares about Britain. Eye-opening, jaw-dropping, heart-breaking -- Carol VordermanO'Brien is a punchy and compelling writer. The book is fluent, engaging and thoroughly researched . . . O'Brien eviscerates all of his targets * Times Literary Supplement *A compelling, thought-provoking and illuminating read. O’Brien doesn’t hold any punches . . . It is a book that will make you gasp in shock, shake your head in bewilderment and wonder how any of this was allowed to take place in 21st-century Britain * Herald *[A] brilliant exposé of those who deliberately turned a once admired country into an economically poorer, lamentable parody of its former self: the Brexiteer neoliberal right, their Tory MPs, journalists and think tanks who inflicted such massive self-harm -- Peter HainO'Brien's new book confirms that not only are our politicians and their backers as corrupt and incompetent as you suspected they were, it's actually worse than that. And it's packed full of facts about Brexit, Think Tanks and Tory sleaze that will help you win argument after argument with your irritating relatives -- Stewart LeeExcoriating -- Jon SopelIt’s essential. It should make you angry. Fuming * Adam Rutherford *Intelligent, forensic, devastating and shocking – How They broke Britain is as terrifying as it is brilliant -- Peter Stefanovic

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Book SynopsisThis book arose out of a friendship between a political philosopher and an economic sociologist, and their recognition of an urgent political need to address the extreme inequalities of wealth and power in contemporary societies. It provides a new analysis of what generates inequalities in rights to income, property and public goods in contemporary societies. By critiquing Marx’s foundational theory of exploitation, it moves beyond Marx, both in its analysis of inequality, and in its concept of just distribution. It points to the major historical transformations that create educational and knowledge inequalities, inequalities in rights to public goods that combine with those to private wealth. It argues that asymmetries of economic power are inherently gendered and racialized, and that forms of coercion and slavery are deeply embedded in the histories of capitalism.This book is relevant to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10, Reduced inequalitiesTable of Contents1 Journeying through Marxism - Mark Harvey2 Marx’s Economy and Beyond - Mark Harvey and Norman Geras3 A Note on Profit and Inequality - Mark Harvey4 Making people work for wages. Instituting the capital-labour exchange in the United Kingdom - Mark Harvey5 Coercive capitalisms: Politico-economies of slavery, indentured labour and debt peonage - Mark Harvey6 The long road to democratic justice and equality - Mark Harvey

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Book SynopsisIn this witty and mischievous book, philosopher Peter Cave dissects the most controversial disputes today and uses philosophical argument to reveal that many issues are less straightforward than we'd like to believe. Leaving no sacred cow standing, Cave uses ingenious stories and examples to challenge our most strongly held assumptions. Is democracy inherently a good thing? What is the basis of so-called human rights? Is discrimination always bad? Are we morally obliged to accept refugees?In an age of identity politics and so-called 'fake news', this book is an essential resource for reinvigorating genuine public debate - and an entertaining challenge to accepted wisdom.Trade ReviewLively... Cave forces his readers to interrogate cherished beliefs and see how many of the principles enshrined in public life are not only inconsistent but incoherent, even paradoxical. * The Herald *An elegant and erudite expose of the hypocrisies and evasions that infect the social and political thinking of our times. * John Cottingham, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Reading University *Britain's wittiest philosopher * Raymond Tallis, bestselling author of The Kingdom of Infinite Space *Highly entertaining, informative and challenging... If you want to check whether your beliefs about democracy, human rights and free speech aren't just prejudices - mere myths you happen to have signed up to - this is a great place to start. * Stephen Law, author of The Complete Philosophy Files *With characteristic wit, philosopher Peter Cave takes readers on a journey of discovery through a maze of perplexities. This is a profound book. * Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Professor Emeritus, University of Wales *At its best, The Myths We Live By resembles a lively tutorial, with the genial Professor Cave challenging readers' prejudices... Useful and educational. * Sydney Morning Herald *Table of Contents0: Prologue: On hiding what we know 1: What's so good about democracy? 2: How democracy lies 3: Freedom and discrimination: burqas, bikinis and Anonymous 4: Should we want what we want? 5: Lives and luck: can Miss Fortuna be tamed? 6: The Land of Justice 7: Plucking the goose: what's so bad about taxation? 8: 'This land is our land' 9: Community identity: nationalism and cosmopolitanism 10: What's so good about equal representation? 11: Human duties - oops - human rights 12: Free speech: the Tower of Babel; the Serpent of Silence 13: Regrets, apologies and past abuses 14: 'Because I'm a woman': trans identities 15: Happy Land 16: Epilogue: In denial 17: Notes and References 18: Acknowledgements 19: Index

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Book Synopsis“This country's leading hell-raiser (The Nation) shares his impassioned counsel to young radicals on how to effect constructive social change and know “the difference between being a realistic radical and being a rhetorical one.”First published in 1971 and written in the midst of radical political developments whose direction Alinsky was one of the first to question, this volume exhibits his style at its best. Like Thomas Paine before him, Alinsky was able to combine, both in his person and his writing, the intensity of political engagement with an absolute insistence on rational political discourse and adherence to the American democratic tradition.

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Book SynopsisFriedman discusses a government system that is no longer controlled by “we, the people”. Instead of Lincoln's government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”, we now have a government “of the people, by the bureaucrats, for the bureaucrats”, including the elected representatives who have become bureaucrats.

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Book SynopsisThis authoritative book traces the development of Plaid Cymru'spolitical thought from its birth in 19245 to the establishmentof the National Assembly for Wales in 1999. Through apenetrating study of the political beliefs of its most importantleaders Saunders Lewis, Gwynfor Evans, Dafydd Elis-Thomasand Dafydd Wigley we follow the party's emergence from thepolitical fringe to the threshold of a devolved Wales. Thedevelopment of Plaid Cymru's constitutional and economicpolicies are examined in detail, as well as its attitude towards theWelsh language. A vibrant discussion on the nature of nationalismand nationalist ideas locates the party's intellectual developmentin a broader international context. This is a book that revealsPlaid Cymru in a new and sometimes controversial light.

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Book Synopsis'Enormously readable...excellent' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times 'A superb piece of thorough journalism' David Aaronovitch, The TimesNigel Farage is arguably one of the most influential British politicians of the 21st century. His campaign to take the UK out of the EU began as a minority and extreme point of view, but in June 2016 it became the official policy of the nation after a divisive referendum. In Michael Crick's brilliant biography, One Party After Another, we find out how he did it, despite never once managing to get elected to Parliament until 2024. Farage left public school at the age of 16 to go and work in the City, but in the 1990s he was drawn into politics, joining UKIP. Ironically, it was the electoral system for the European Parliament that gave him access to a platform, and he was elected an MEP in 1999. His everyman persona, combined with a natural ability as aTrade Review'Enormously readable. Farage is...too often reduced to a caricature, and one of the great qualities of Crick's book is that he turns him back into a complicated human being. Crick's Farage emerges as a surprisingly mercurial, anxious, moody figure. Although biographies of modern politicians are usually pretty dreadful, Crick's is excellent.' -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *'Brilliantly well researched and endlessly entertaining' -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *'Like those of all political upstarts, Nigel Farage’s career is marked by generous helpings of luck. His story is full of tantalising what ifs, and in this definitive biography Michael Crick makes the most of them. Crick, a notoriously tenacious political correspondent, has dug deep in the mire of Farage’s fallings-out. He is excellent at following a virtual paper trail, particularly when it involves electoral trickery. His book is fair-minded, frequently amusing.' -- David Runciman * Guardian *'Simply a superb piece of thorough journalism... If you want to know the facts about th[is] strange and discombobulating man...you will never need to go to another place to find them. Crick...would not have been out of place in the CID... It is one of the many great virtues of Crick’s indefatigability that he supplies all the information that allows me to argue with some of his conclusions. And that is quite a recommendation.' -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *'A gripping and vivid biography... Comprehensively researched, fluently written and brimming with both funny stories and jaw-dropping ones, this is the best biography of Farage that will be written.' -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *‘An extended act of investigative journalism…a roller-coaster read, lurching from one sensation to another… Warts-and-all ... an admirable and intelligent biography.’ -- Simon Heffer * Daily Telegraph *'Michael Crick argues convincingly that [Farage] is one of the top five most significant politicans of the past half century... A deeply enjoyable book, written with immense brio and enhanced by some great photos.' -- Lynn Barber * Spectator *'Absorbing, richly detailed biography... One Party After Another is both fluent and authoritative.' -- Fintan O’Toole * Times Literary Supplement *'Michael Crick [is] a writer adept at excavating information his subjects would prefer hidden. Crick has delivered a comprehensive chronicle that details...the internal squabbles and viciousness of the party’s early days, as well as his subject’s love life.' -- Robert Shrimsley * Financial Times *'Crick's enormously readable biography of the man who brought us Brexit insists that, alongside Blair and Thatcher, Farage was one of the most significant politicians of the past 50 years.' * Sunday Times Summer Reading *'Crick offers a 360-degree view of the Brexit saga... More intriguing is his picture of Farage the man. What a picaresque life! Remainers may loathe this humanising of a hate figure...yet Crick is fair, interrogating the worst rumours.' -- Janice Turner * New Statesman *'Nigel Farage...has a good claim to be one of the most influential politicians in postwar Britain. A lively, chaotic and sometimes sinister figure (witness his close friendship with Donald Trump and admiration for Viktor Orban), Farage is an ideal subject for Crick, one of the UK's most experienced political journalists.' -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times Best Summer Reads *'Michael Crick is a brilliant journalist with a perceptive eye, a sharp pen and an admirably Tiggerish energy in pursuit of a story.' -- Julia Langdon * Tablet *'Heavily researched and scrupulously balanced...if this gruesomely compelling biography proves one thing, it’s that mocking Farage can be an extremely risky business.' -- Andrew Lynch * Sunday Business Post *

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Book SynopsisIn a series of 50 accessible essays, Ben Dupre introduces and explains the fundamental concepts of politics including political theory, ideologies and the machinery of politics.From revolution to feminism, monarchy to political parties, 50 Political Ideas You Really Need to Know is a complete introduction to the most important political ideas in history.

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Book SynopsisBefore he was president, he was senator. Written two years prior to the election that would change the face of the United States, The Audacity of Hope discusses the importance of empathy in politics, Obama's hopes for a different America and how the ideals of its democracy can be renewed. With intimacy and self-deprecating humour, he describes his experiences balancing his family life with his public vocation. A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a sceptic, Barack Obama has written a book of transforming power that will inspire people the world over.Trade ReviewYou can sense instinctively why Obama invites devotion -- Peter Preston * * Observer * *At a time when America's standing in the world has sunk to unprecedented depths . . . his book aims at a missile of decency at the White House -- Nicolas Shakespeare * * Telegraph * *Offers readers on this side of the Atlantic a window not just into the mind of one of America's most exciting politicians, but into the political landscope of the post-Bush era -- DAVID LAMMY * * Guardian * *It conveys a rare frankness and humility. The Audacity of Hope is light years ahead of his rivals -- Mary Fitzgerald * * New Statesman * *A model of how a political book for a mass market ought to be written * * Guardian * *An essential book for anyone who would like to know about what the man, who could well be the next president of the United States, in thinking. -- Alice Oswald * * Insight * *

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Book SynopsisA brilliant analysis of identity politics by world-renowned thinker Olivier Roy.

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Book SynopsisStuart Hall was one of the most insightful and incisive critics of the Thatcher era. In this essential selection of his essays during the period, he elaborates both how Thatcher's rise to power exploited weakness in the left, but also how the left itself can refresh itself in the shadow of defeat. This collection is as vital today as it was in 1988. Through the essays Hall shows how Thatcher has exploited discontent with Labour's record in office and with aspects of the welfare state to devise a potent authoritarian, populist ideology. This ranges through the formation of the SDP, inner city riots, the Falklands War and the signficance of Antonio Gramsci. He suggests that Thatcherism is skillfully employing the restless and individualistic dynamic of consumer capitalism to promote a swingeing programme of 'regressive modernization'.In response he elaboraties a new politics for the Left as it is with the project of the Right. Hall insists that the Left can no longer trade on inherited politics and tradition. Socialists today must be as radical as modernity itself. Valuable pointers to a new politics are identified in the experience of feminism, the campaigns of the GLC and the world-wide response to Band Aid.Trade ReviewHall's metier was to tease out the competing histories, the contradictory political, economic, and social forces condensed within a particular historical moment, an excavation of ideology he called 'conjunctural analysis.' . . . [H]is work is all too timely, for the haphazard project of neoliberalism, justified retroactively by nonsensical appeals to the 'free market,' is as advanced as the decades-long economic decline it magics away with bubbles and rhetoric -- Michael Robbins, Bookforum * [For Selected Political Writings] *Hall's work has become especially resonant as Britain has voted for a narrower identity and a more isolationist attitude to the rest of the world.... There is a generosity and literary imagination in his writing-a recognition that humans are complex, contradictory creatures shaped by, among other things, what they believe, where they live, how they shop, and who they sleep with -- New Republic * [For Selected Political Writings] *He has left us a vital legacy of intellectual passion, analytical rigor, and political prescience that should be heeded, especially now, by progressive scholars and activists -- Angela Y Davis * [For The Fateful Triangle] *Hall is a key thinker. His analysis remains profound. In these days of Brexit we need his nuanced view of identity more than ever. -- New Statesman * [For Familar Stranger] *The most significant figure on the British intellectual left over the course of the last 50 years. -- Guardian * [For Familar Stranger] *

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Book SynopsisA LITHUB BOOK OF THE DECADE. The US is one of the largest democracies in the world or is it?America is experiencing an age of profound economic inequality. Employee protections have been decimated, and state welfare is virtually non-existent, while hedge fund billionaires are grossly under-taxed and big businesses make astounding profits at the expense of the environment and of their workers. How did this come about, and who were the driving forces behind it?In this powerful and meticulously researched work of investigative journalism, New Yorker staff writer Jane Mayer exposes the network of billionaires trying to buy the US electoral system and succeeding. Led by libertarian industrialists the Koch brothers, they believe that taxes are a form of tyranny and that government oversight of business is an assault on freedom. Together, they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars influencing politicians and voters, and hijacking American democracy for their own ends. Dark Money brilliantly illuminates a shady corner of US politics. It is essential reading for anybody interested in the future of democracy.

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Book Synopsis'Kerry Brown's Xi is the perfect primer for understanding Xi Jinping's status as China's greatest ruler since Mao and as this century's least assailable statesman' John Keay, author of China: A History'A valuable primer for anyone looking to get up to speed on Xi Jinping's rise to global power' Jeff Wasserstrom, Guardian'Offers a nuanced and thorough explanation of Xi's China and why the Communist Party, for all its flaws, has long life in it' Oliver Farry, Irish TimesAlthough Xi Jinping came to power a decade ago, he remains an enigmatic figure in the West. His priority has always been to keep Chinese society as stable as possible, steering a course through a period of astounding economic growth, while ensuring that nothing challenges the political status quo.But with unrest stirring in Hong Kong, reports of human rights abuses taking place in the Xinjiang region and, devastatingly, the outbreak of a virus that would change the world, suddenly understanding Xi's China is more important than ever before.In this short and timely book, academic and author Kerry Brown examines the complexities behind the man, explaining the impact that his rule is already having on the West. But who is Xi really, and what is his vision for China's future? And, crucially, what does that mean for the rest of the world?Trade ReviewKerry Brown's Xi is the perfect primer for understanding Xi Jinping's status as China's greatest ruler since Mao and as this century's least assailable statesman' -- John Keay, author of China: A HistoryBrown's book provides a very readable account of Xi's childhood and rise through the ranks of the Communist party ... an interesting story -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times *A valuable primer for anyone looking to get up to speed on Xi Jinping's rise to global power -- Jeff Wasserstrom * Guardian *There are many books in English about Xi's China, but you'll struggle to find one on the man himself. This book by an academic who has worked and lived in China is a welcome contribution to filling that gap. -- Tim Marshall * Reaction *Highly readable and concise ... A nuanced and thorough explanation of Xi's China and why the Communist Party, for all its flaws, has long life in it -- Oliver Farry * Irish Times *A zesty, fast-paced, very 'human' read... [a] forensic political account -- Neil Mackay * Herald *Written by the veteran British China-watcher Kerry Brown... Brown pithily sums up [Xi Jinping's guiding vision] as "making China great again by making the Party great again" -- Tom Miller * Spectator *

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