Political leaders and leadership Books

Book SynopsisStar Parker was among the many reeling and confused as Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States. But, she argues, a silver lining to this outcome is the debate that rules our media and private conversations.The noise of debate can seem overwhelming, but our country needs the authentic and candid dialogue of its people. And this controversial presidency provides us with an opportunity like never before to engage in such a way. Necessary Noise honestly examines the crossroads where we find ourselves and suggests ways of moving toward healing and resolution. Tackling a wide range of topics on which citizens should get noisy--from white privilege, to male privilege, to criminal justice, to abortion, to welfare--Necessary Noise provides the framework for how to take part in this important time in history using our voices.

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Book Synopsis“This book will inspire people to work with and for their neighbors in all kinds of ways!” —Bill McKibben, author of Falter Heather Lende was one of the thousands of women inspired to take an active role in politics during the past few years. Though her entire campaign for assembly member in Haines, Alaska, cost less than $1,000, she won! And tiny, breathtakingly beautiful Haines isn’t the sleepy town it appears to be. Yes, the assembly must stop bears from rifling through garbage on Main Street, but there is also a bitter debate about the fishing boat harbor and a vicious recall campaign that targets three assembly members, including Lende. In Of Bears and Ballots we witness the nitty-gritty of passing legislation, the lofty ideals of our republic, and the way our national politics play out in one small town. With her entertaining cast of offbeat but relatable characters, the writer whom the Los Angeles Times calls “part Annie Dillard, part Anne Lamott” brings us an inspirational tale about what living in a community really means, and what we owe one another.Trade Review"Written in her usual sprightly, witty, humble, effervescent style, this one will please [Lende's] fans." —Kirkus Reviews "Lende’s vivid descriptions, good-natured humor, and adoration for her quirky neighbors further energize this engaging tale." —Library Journal “A detailed and amiable chronicle of [Lende's] three-year term as assemblywoman in Haines Borough, Alaska . . . Lende successfully balances the dry facts of assembly reports with humorous character sketches and lyrical odes to the natural beauty of Alaska. The result is an honest and inspirational investigation into why 'it’s easy to say what’s wrong with government; it’s harder to fix it, and progress can be very slow.'” —Publishers Weekly “In this fraught, bewildering American era, Heather Lende’s latest memoir is a blessed balm…What a blessing Lende’s view of democracy, which she calls ‘glorious chaos,’ is in this dark era.. She reminds us about the dreams we share, especially now, as we cry for, and struggle to save, our beloved country.” – The Minneapolis Star Tribune “[Lende’s] hard-won experience serves as both a Trump-era warning and a clarion call for citizens everywhere to honor public service and the representative democracy that depends on it.” – Anchorage Daily News ““As the reader follows [Lende’s] soul-searching perseverance, a heartwarming realization of our common humanity and of our struggles to understand and live with each other shines through. This is, above all, an uplifting story of democracy at work in a far-flung, beautiful part of the U.S.” – Booklist “Heather Lende's fourth book about her hometown delightfully and insightfully explores small-town life and politics, Alaskan style.” – Shelf Awareness “Citizenship—real, active citizenship of the kind we badly need—is hard work, as this book makes clear. But it’s also rewarding in a profound way; hopefully this will inspire people to work with and for their neighbors in all kinds of ways!” —Bill McKibben, author of Falter “All politics is local, so it’s said. If you haven’t served on a local board or commission you haven’t lived. If you have served and lived through it, Heather Lende feels your pain, and will have you laughing at hers. Sometimes a first rate writer also happens to be a first rate human being. I love when that happens.” —Tom Bodett, humorist (and former chair of the Selectboard of Dummerston, Vermont) “Heather Lende has the voice of that friend down the street you love to chat with over coffee—the one who knows everything going on in town, but also knows the difference between gossip and storytelling.” —Tom Kizza, New York Times-bestselling author of Pilgrim’s Wilderness and The Wake of the Unseen Object “Heather Lende’s brave, big-hearted book about her run for local office fairly bursts with affection for her place and its people. By the end you’ll be torn between wanting to move to Haines, Alaska, and wanting Heather to take the helm of your hometown.” —Melody Warnick, author of This Is Where You Belong “An uplifting reminder that democracy works in America. While its setting is an extraordinary landscape of mountains, glaciers and the waters of Lynn Canal, the political scene and the cast of characters Lende captures will find resonance in every corner of America.” —Bruce Botelho, former Mayor of Juneau, Alaska “This book is a fine story—many beautifully-woven stories, in fact, told with compassion, wisdom and wit—about democracy, community and decency in small-town America, and how to save the best of who we are. It’s medicine for the soul. I vote for Heather Lende.” —Kim Heacox, author of John Muir and the Ice that Started a Fire “Heather Lende has captured the essence of small-town governing in a community as politically divided as our nation is today. She reminds us that public service is hard, but also meaningful.” —Fran Ulmer, former Lieutenant Governor of Alaska

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate, comprehensive investigation into the life and career of Vice President Kamala Harris from former Washington Examiner and Breitbart News political reporter Charlie Spiering.Who is the real Kamala Harris? And how did she ascend to the second highest office in the country? Despite her limited experience in national politics and confusing professional history, there hasn’t been a comprehensive examination of Vice President Kamala Harris’s journey to the White House...until now. Find out how the San Francisco socialite turned politico fast-tracked her way onto the national stage, only to lose the faith of her base and her president. With exclusive reporting and a detective’s eye, Charlie Spiering delivers the first-ever deep dive into Kamala Harris’s hilarious, incompetent, radical path to the vice presidency. From her tumultuous tenure as California prosecutor to the fiery interrogator in the United States Senate, then to her disastrous presidential campaign and finally, her calamitous first years in executive office, this is an unfettered look at the woman who is only one heartbeat away from leading the free world.Trade Review"A deeply reported account." -- Peter Schweizer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Clinton Cash and Profiles in Corruption “In a functioning meritocracy, Kamala Harris would be a C-list massage therapist working out of a strip mall. Yet somehow she became our vice president. How’d that happen? Charlie Spiering has the answer.” -- Tucker Carlson, Host of Tucker on X"The ascendency of Kamala Harris to the vice presidency is a tragic tale of power, scandal, and incompetence. Charlie Spiering fearlessly reveals the real Kamala Harris in a carefully researched book that is both shocking and hilarious.” -- Mollie Hemingway, editor in chief of The Federalist “With skillful storytelling, Charlie Spiering shows us how a San Francisco gadfly cackled all the to the White House." -- Charles Hurt, opinion editor, The Washington Times

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Book Synopsis‘We can’t do a zigzag,’ Golda Meir insisted as she drove Israel’s 1948 Declaration of Independence through, gaining a bare majority of 6 to 4 in the provisional government. Two decades later, in 1969, she would interrupt her retirement to become the first female leader in the West and earn her nickname, ‘The Iron Lady,’ as Prime Minister of Israel. Who was this remarkable woman and leader? This gripping biography traces Golda Meir’s life from her escape from a Russian pogrom in 1906 to her decisive influence on Israel — often at a hidden cost to her personal life. Full of behind-the-scenes insights — including the 1972 Olympics attacks — and choice quotes, Golda Meir is a spell-binding portrait of the woman and the early State of Israel.Trade Review'A good read' BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week; SUNDAY TIMES ‘Breaks significant new ground.’ ;MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘Excellent.’ ;GUARDIAN ‘Fair-minded.’ ; HISTORY TODAY ‘Riveting.’ ; JEWISH NEWS ‘Riveting.’ ; THE JEWISH CHRONICLE ‘Sensitive... beautifully written.’ ; JEWISH TELEGRAPH ‘Deeply-researched.’ ; TRIBUNE ‘The most stimulating biography.’ ;JEWISH BOOKS ‘Masterful.’

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Book SynopsisOn 2nd May 1997, Tony Blair swept into Downing Street, ending almost twenty years of Conservative government and beginning a decade as Prime Minister. Bernard Donoughue, a Labour peer in the House of Lords, chronicled the path to this momentous election victory in his diaries and this volume sheds new light on the process of forming government and on life working as a minister in the House of Lords. Infused with Donoughue's trademark wit and insight, the diaries covers daily life for a working peer - from the committees, bill discussion and public appearances to political spats - both policy-related and personal. Donoughue also casts a wry glance at a peer's extra-curricular events - from dinners and other high-profile social events to his own favourite hobby, horse-racing. Featuring a cast of high-profile political characters, this book is a must-read for fans of political diaries and anyone with an interest in the inside workings of Westminster.Trade Review'A Labour veteran's distinctive take on the Blair years, this is an indispensable volume of diaries. Bernard Donoughue is the insider's insider, a wizard amidst floundering elves. Not to be missed.' - Matthew d'Ancona, Guardian and Evening Standard columnist

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Book SynopsisWe are plagued by leaders who mislead and repress – it is more important than ever to stand up to them. The Covid-19 catastrophe has exposed the fabulists who rule throughout the world, in dictatorships, democracies and hybrids of the two. The misinformation they spread and the fake policy solutions they tout have become their own pandemic. Here, Michael Peel vividly recounts ferocious international battles over truth and the right to tell it. From Britain’s struggle with itself over Brexit to Syria’s civil war, he reveals the trademark deceptions and the powerful interests that profit from them in the defining fight of an era.Trade Review‘Excellent investigative journalism exposing global corruption…devastating.’ * Irish Times *'Quite astonishingly on point... A riveting book' -- James O'Brien, author of How to Be Right‘There are few more important topics than the rise of global authoritarianism, and no better guide than Michael Peel’s The Fabulists – a book that is not just grippingly written but also authoritative and wryly perceptive on the many foibles of the world’s most fascinating fantasist autocrats.’ -- James Crabtree, author of The Billionaire Raj

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Book SynopsisMandela: His Essential Life chronicles the life and legacy of one of the twentieth century's most influential and admired statesmen. Charting his development from remote rural roots to city lawyer, freedom fighter, and then political leader, Peter Hain takes an in-depth look at Mandela's rise through the ranks of the African National Congress (ANC) and subsequent 27 years imprisonment on Robben Island, as increasingly vocal protests against the injustices of Apartheid brought his struggle against overwhelming prejudice and oppression to the eyes of the world. This book encompasses Mandela’s inauguration as South Africa's first democratically elected president, his "retirement" campaigns for human rights, a solution to AIDS and poverty. It goes on to chronicle his later years and death. Throughout, the humanity and compassion of this extraordinary world leader shine through. The author concludes with a critical analysis of his and the ANC’s achievements, its leadership’s subsequent slide into corruption, and whether under new direction South Africa can reclaim the values and legacy of Mandela, and the ‘rainbow nation’ he created and led to such global acclaim.Trade ReviewPassionate and engaging. From a man whose tireless anti-apartheid activism supported the long struggle to free his friend and leader, Nelson Mandela. -- Jon Snow, BroadcasterHighly readable and inspirational. -- Desmond TutuHis life and times told succinctly and compellingly. -- Sello Hatang, CEO, Nelson Mandela FoundationPeter Hain’s excellent Mandela: His Essential Life, does not pretend to be anything more than, as he writes, a “short, popular and accessible book that tells Mandela's entire and remarkable story in a nutshell”. Actually, he does himself a disservice: it is much more than that, and is a serious analysis of Mandela’s place in history, his failings as well as his virtues. It also contains a powerful final chapter on the betrayal of the Mandela legacy. In recent years, Hain, a second-generation anti-apartheid activist, has exposed the corruption of the Zuma presidency, and played no small part in bringing down the PR firm Bell Pottinger. It is a sad sequel to Mandel's life but a story of modern-day South Africa that needs to be told. * The Sunday Times, 15 July 2018 *Borrowing extensively from works such as Anthony Sampson’s Mandela (1999) and Nelson Mandela’s own autobiography Long Walk to Freedom (CH, Apr'95, 32-4642), Hain, a former anti-apartheid activist, offers a more condensed biography of the freedom fighter turned statesman, and combines it with personal observations of his encounters with the legendary South African. Hain tracks Mandela’s rural roots, political awakening, trial and imprisonment, progressive estrangement from his wife, Winnie, and triumph in South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994. Despite several chronological issues (i.e., the Congress of the People took place in June 1955), Hain’s narrative of Mandela’s long struggle for justice and reconciliation falls in line with other scholarly biographies, even if it does not break new ground. The most original material in Hain’s book comes in the later chapters, where he relates several encounters with the man known as Madiba. “It was not just his towering moral stature, his courage and his capacity to inspire that endeared Nelson Mandela to so many,” Hain observes. “Despite being one of the world’s most prominent statesmen—perhaps the most revered—he retained his extraordinary humanity.” Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsMandela Time Line Preface Introduction: International Icon Chapter 1: Roots Chapter 2: Grooming a Chief Chapter 3: Second Class Chapter 4: Freedom Fighter Chapter 5: Prisoner Chapter 6: Resistance Chapter 7: Victory Chapter 8: President Chapter 9: Mandela Magic Chapter 10: Legacy Betrayed? Selected Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisMandela: His Essential Life chronicles the life and legacy of one of the twentieth century's most influential and admired statesmen. Charting his development from remote rural roots to city lawyer, freedom fighter, and then political leader, Peter Hain takes an in-depth look at Mandela's rise through the ranks of the African National Congress (ANC) and subsequent 27 years imprisonment on Robben Island, as increasingly vocal protests against the injustices of Apartheid brought his struggle against overwhelming prejudice and oppression to the eyes of the world. This book encompasses Mandela’s inauguration as South Africa's first democratically elected president, his "retirement" campaigns for human rights, a solution to AIDS and poverty. It goes on to chronicle his later years and death. Throughout, the humanity and compassion of this extraordinary world leader shine through. The author concludes with a critical analysis of his and the ANC’s achievements, its leadership’s subsequent slide into corruption, and whether under new direction South Africa can reclaim the values and legacy of Mandela, and the ‘rainbow nation’ he created and led to such global acclaim.Trade ReviewPassionate and engaging. From a man whose tireless anti-apartheid activism supported the long struggle to free his friend and leader, Nelson Mandela. -- Jon Snow, BroadcasterHighly readable and inspirational. -- Desmond TutuHis life and times told succinctly and compellingly. -- Sello Hatang, CEO, Nelson Mandela FoundationPeter Hain’s excellent Mandela: His Essential Life, does not pretend to be anything more than, as he writes, a “short, popular and accessible book that tells Mandela's entire and remarkable story in a nutshell”. Actually, he does himself a disservice: it is much more than that, and is a serious analysis of Mandela’s place in history, his failings as well as his virtues. It also contains a powerful final chapter on the betrayal of the Mandela legacy. In recent years, Hain, a second-generation anti-apartheid activist, has exposed the corruption of the Zuma presidency, and played no small part in bringing down the PR firm Bell Pottinger. It is a sad sequel to Mandel's life but a story of modern-day South Africa that needs to be told. * The Sunday Times, 15 July 2018 *Borrowing extensively from works such as Anthony Sampson’s Mandela (1999) and Nelson Mandela’s own autobiography Long Walk to Freedom (CH, Apr'95, 32-4642), Hain, a former anti-apartheid activist, offers a more condensed biography of the freedom fighter turned statesman, and combines it with personal observations of his encounters with the legendary South African. Hain tracks Mandela’s rural roots, political awakening, trial and imprisonment, progressive estrangement from his wife, Winnie, and triumph in South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994. Despite several chronological issues (i.e., the Congress of the People took place in June 1955), Hain’s narrative of Mandela’s long struggle for justice and reconciliation falls in line with other scholarly biographies, even if it does not break new ground. The most original material in Hain’s book comes in the later chapters, where he relates several encounters with the man known as Madiba. “It was not just his towering moral stature, his courage and his capacity to inspire that endeared Nelson Mandela to so many,” Hain observes. “Despite being one of the world’s most prominent statesmen—perhaps the most revered—he retained his extraordinary humanity.” Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsMandela Time Line Preface Introduction: International Icon Chapter 1: Roots Chapter 2: Grooming a Chief Chapter 3: Second Class Chapter 4: Freedom Fighter Chapter 5: Prisoner Chapter 6: Resistance Chapter 7: Victory Chapter 8: President Chapter 9: Mandela Magic Chapter 10: Legacy Betrayed? Selected Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisFor a long time, Cyril Ramaphosa was the nearly-man of South African politics. He was Nelson Mandela's preferred successor, but the ANC opted for his rival, Thabo Mbeki, as the second post-apartheid president. Ramaphosa had led South Africa's huge mineworkers' union against the apartheid regime and was the key architect of the much-praised 1996 'rainbow' constitution. He later prospered in business on the back of the first big empowerment deals with white-owned enterprises, before returning to politics and the ANC in 2012. His eyes firmly on the prize, Ramaphosa played a long game as President Zuma became mired in scandal. In early 2018, Deputy President Ramaphosa persuaded the party to throw out Zuma and install him in his place. Announcing a 'new dawn', he has captivated the nation, but now faces his greatest challenge: fixing a broken economy, weeding out Zuma's corrupt minions and the legacy of 'state capture' by the Gupta brothers, and delivering on the promise of a better life for the poor. This captivating biography outlines Ramaphosa's extraordinary political and business career. It tells the story of one of the greatest political comebacks of modern times.Trade Review'A fine biography: Ray Hartley reveals the complexities of an enigmatic President with effortless prose and the sure touch of a veteran journalist.' -- Martin Plaut, former BBC World Service Africa Editor, and author of 'Understanding Eritrea''A good mystery deserves a good detective and Hartley delivers with a crisp and timely exploration of the enigmatic man promising to steer a struggling South Africa away from the cliff’s edge.' -- Andrew Harding, BBC Africa Correspondent and author of 'The Mayor of Mogadishu'

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Book SynopsisCan you name the creator of the Territorial Army and the British Expeditionary Force? The man who laid the foundation stones of MI5, MI6, the RAF, the LSE, Imperial College, the ‘redbrick’ universities and the Medical Research Council? This book reveals that great figure: Richard Burdon Haldane. As a philosopher-statesman, his groundbreaking proposals on defence, education and government structure were astonishingly ahead of his time—the very building blocks of modern Britain. His networks ranged from Wilde to Einstein, Churchill to Carnegie, King to Kaiser; he pioneered cross-party, cross-sector cooperation. Yet in 1915 Haldane was ejected from the Liberal government, unjustly vilified as a German sympathiser. John Campbell charts these ups and downs, reveals Haldane’s intensely personal side through previously unpublished private correspondence, and shows his enormous relevance in our search for just societies today. Amidst political and national instability, it is time to reinstate Haldane as Britain’s outstanding example of true statesmanship. A Sunday Times Politics and Current Affairs Book of the Year, 2020. A Telegraph Best Book of the Year, 2020.Trade Review'An act of homage to a man for whom [Campbell] asserts lifelong admiration … [This is an] intelligent book.’ -- The Sunday Times'[Campbell] makes a persuasive case for his subject’s importance and, along the way, touches on larger questions of culture and governance … [With a] wealth of detail and insightful character sketches … [this is a] splendid portrait.’ -- The Wall Street JournalA work of real scholarship.’ -- The Telegraph‘Richly informed … [an] engaging biography.’ -- Financial Times‘[A] valuable book … the research has been done superlatively. … Anyone interested in political history who is unacquainted with Haldane will find this book illuminating and informative.’ -- The Spectator‘The author must be congratulated on shaking up the creaking cradle-to-grave style of conventional political biography. … Campbell has succeeded in his aim of writing a biography of Haldane which might serve as a handbook of leadership and statesmanship in this post-Brexit age.’ -- The Literary Review‘Well-researched and well-written.’ -- The Critic‘A noble undertaking that does much to revive the lamentably neglected legacy of one of Britain’s finest statesmen.’ -- The Irish Examiner‘[An] engaging biography … Campbell makes a good case that Haldane was a key catalyst in improving the effectiveness of certain aspects of the British state in the years either side of the first world war.’‘Excellent … [Haldane] is timely, well researched and reminds us what we owe to a great statesman.’ -- Reaction'There is something perennially fascinating about the sensitive polymath. John Campbell has written a magisterial biography of such a figure--an immensely readable account of an extraordinary life. This is, quite simply, a triumph of the art of conveying the texture of human affairs and the events of an era. It is a major and lasting achievement.' -- Alexander McCall Smith'A labour of love. Haldane is rescued from "the condescension of posterity", his achievement in war and peace is finally recognised, and his rightful place in history is secured.' -- Gordon Brown‘This is a delightful, rather personal and yet thorough and rigorous story of a man who for once lives up to the title of his biography … it is worth submersing yourself in it over a reasonably lengthy period.’ -- The Round Table'An outstanding biography that will have Haldane recognised, at long last, as one of our very greatest twentieth-century statesmen.' -- Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former Secretary of State for Defence and Foreign Secretary'This captivating, ground-breaking book firmly re-establishes Lord Haldane in the national consciousness as a remarkable statesman of the early twentieth century. Many of his innovations are still flourishing today, and his thoughts on statecraft have much to teach our leaders.' -- Sir Anthony Seldon, British political biographer'My Grandfather found Haldane to be unfailingly kind and in particular supported him in 1915 when Haldane lost Office. This book brings Haldane marvellously to life, centre stage on the then political map of Britain. It not only remarkably tells Haldane's extraordinary and neglected story, but the exceptional images so cleverly illustrate his life and the turbulent times in which he lived. A must read.' -- The Rt Hon Sir Nicholas Soames'Impressively well-researched, wonderfully written and so obviously relevant to the present day.' -- Brendan Simms, Professor in the History of International Relations, University of Cambridge, and author of 'Britain's Europe: A Thousand Years of Conflict and Cooperation''We should thank John Campbell and we should thank Haldane. Haldane saw what our country needed and he quietly and brilliantly introduced those changes and creations, many of which are still with us. We in intelligence, and many others, are much indebted to Haldane. Mr Campbell tells us why.' -- Sir Colin McColl, former chief of MI6'Most politicians would view themselves as an outstanding success if only one of Haldane's reforms were credited to them. He transformed the British Army, brought into existence many of the great civic universities, and even proposed a Supreme Court 100 ahead of his time. John Campbell brings Haldane to the front of the political stage, where he belongs, and details well his supreme intellect and political method, which has so much to teach for today's politics.' -- The Rt Hon Frank Field DL, former MP'A welcome and enjoyable biography of a towering yet overlooked figure - Haldane was a transforming war minister, a visionary Lord Chancellor, a passionate supporter of education, and much more. Like the best biographies, this book casts revealing light on the times in which he lived.' -- The Rt Hon. The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, former President of the UK Supreme Court'A refreshing and compelling new biography of the leading philosopher-statesman of modern Britain. Haldane has had enormous influence, not least in re-organising the British Army to prevent a quick German victory in 1914, as well as in developing British education, the security services and the machinery of modern government.' -- Martin Pugh, former Professor of History, Newcastle University, and author of 'The Making of Modern British Politics''I wish I could have read this as my guidebook before taking on my Prime Ministerial duties, back in 2009. Now I can only hope that current and future leaders will use their chance to do so.' -- Gordon Bajnai, former Prime Minister of Hungary'An immensely readable, painstakingly researched biography of a little-known polymath statesman to whom Britain is more indebted than it knows. In this Who's Who of early-twentieth-century politics, Campbell delves deep into Haldane's complex and fascinating personality, in so many ways ahead of his time. He makes his hero our hero.' -- Sir Peter Westmacott GCMG LVO, former British Ambassador to Turkey, France and the United States'A meticulously researched life of Haldane which rightly defines him as the ultimate polymath. Haldane's multiple achievements are a lesson to today's politicians: that so much more can be achieved by reaching across party lines when searching for benign change. We have all forgotten how much our military, intelligence services, universities and research communities continue to benefit from Haldane’s impact, a century later. This work sets the record straight.' -- Sir David Cooksey GBE, Chair of the Francis Crick Institute'The debt the United Kingdom owes to Haldane is as great as to any other statesman of the first half of the twentieth century. John Campbell's immensely readable study reminds us of the achievements of this extraordinary public servant. Haldane's instinct to work constructively across the Party divide shows the importance of broad consensus in delivering lasting institutional reform. His search for long-term solutions to our country's needs has never seemed more apposite.' -- Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury, former Leader of the House of Lords'A remarkably intimate story of an exceptional man who created the British Army of 1914. These carefully considered reforms, resolutely fought for by Haldane in 1907, saved the nation from defeat.' -- Major-General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter'A truly superb book. Not only is it a remarkable biography of an extraordinary life, it also provides important insights into Haldane's role in laying the foundations of the British university system. It traces how his education in Scotland and Germany moulded his beliefs about the purpose of life and the capacity of universities to inspire minds that contribute to the intellectual advancement and well-being of society. A profoundly humane account of one of Britain’s most enlightened and influential, yet insufficiently recognised, reformers of the twentieth century.' -- Colin Mayer CBE FBA, Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies, Said Business School, University of Oxford'The great sadness is that Richard Haldane was Chancellor of St Andrews, Scotland's first university, for only two months before he died in August 1928. In inviting him to fill this key governing role, St Andrews knew it was appointing one of the most powerful, subtle and encyclopaedic intellects ever devoted to the public service of his country. This great and long overdue book explains why St Andrews was so keen to make him one of its own.' -- Sir Ewan Brown CBE FRSE, former senior governor of the University of St Andrews‘Makes the case splendidly for Haldane’s achievements and his importance to this country … Anyone interested in British political history who is unacquainted with Haldane will find this book both illuminating and informative, a genuine revelation … Truly a lifetime’s dedicated work.’

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Book SynopsisJoseph Chamberlain was a dynamic orator, notable reformer and superb parliamentary tactician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In his early political career Chamberlain was a radically minded Liberal Party member and a supporter of political reform, yet after the Liberal Split, his allegiance changed dramatically when his Liberal Unionist Party entered into alliance with the Conservatives. As Colonial Secretary in Salisbury's government, he was a prime instigator of the Boer War and an important negotiator in the attempts to build an Anglo-German alliance. Ultimately disenchanted with the Conservative leadership of Salisbury and Balfour, he played an integral role in the Unionist Split over the issue of Tariff Reform which ultimately led to Balfour's downfall. Travis Crosby here sheds light on an often-overlooked, but exceptionally influential politician. He argues that Chamberlain was driven primarily by a personal need for power and control - characteristics that went beyond political loyalties. Nevertheless, his accomplishments as chief spokesman for electoral and social reform, and his achievements as Colonial Secretary, were genuine and lasting. This book sheds new light on an influential character who played an important role in the development of British politics.Table of ContentsChapter 1 - The Pursuit of Power Chapter 2 - An Entrepreneurial Heritage Chapter 3 - The Radical Politician Chapter 4 - Minister of the Crown Chapter 5 - The Making of an Imperialist Chapter 6 - Fluctuating Schemes Chapter 7 - In the Wilderness Chapter 8 - The Puritan Maid Chapter 9 - Power Deferred: the Liberal Interlude Chapter 10 - Power Gained: the Colonial Office Chapter 11 - Joe’s War? Chapter 12 - Tariff Reform: the Final Struggle for Power Chapter 13 - Power Lost

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Book SynopsisMary Lou McDonald is the bookies' favourite to be Ireland's next Taoiseach. She would be the first woman to reach the office, and the first Sinn Féin leader ever to enter government in the Republic of Ireland. But how did a quintessentially bourgeois woman become the leader of a political party with such recent links to terrorism?This exhaustively researched biography unearths new details of her family background and her privileged education, as well as her initial foray into politics through the more traditional Fianna Fáil party. It explores her unusually late commitment to political life and traces her mysterious but meteoric rise through the ranks of Sinn Féin and her relentless drive to reach the top of the party.Scrupulously fair and balanced, Mary Lou McDonald illuminates its subject's political awakening and her interactions with the hard men of the IRA, while posing important questions about the evolution and future of Sinn Féin.Trade Review[A] lively, punchy biography...Ross tells it crisply, bringing it all together and lacing the plot line of her career with interesting anecdotes and occasionally his own acerbic analysis. * Irish Times *Ross has penned an engaging narrative of this chameleon's career so far. A fine achievement considering the party slammed every door it could in his face. * Irish Independent *Extremely well-written...an ideal Christmas present for those interested in current affairs * Sunday Times (Ireland) *Ross has done a thorough job... in which he articulates so well the doubts that will play in the mind of potential voters * Literary Review *Table of Contents1: The Skeleton in the Cupboard 2: From the Cradle to the Altar: A Politics-Free Zone 3: Into the Arms of Gerry Adams 4: The Anointing of Mary Lou: The Fast Track to Europe 5: Desperately Seeking a Dáil Seat 6: The Mansion in Cabra 7: A Star Takes the Dáil by Storm 8: Adams Calls the Shots 9: Playing the Cemetery Game 10: To Hell and Back 11: A United Ireland or Bust

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Book SynopsisYesterday's Man: The Case Against Joe Biden exposes the forgotten history of Joe Biden, one of the United States' longest-serving politicians, and one of its least scrutinized.Over nearly fifty years in politics, the man called "Middle-Class Joe" served as a key architect of the Democratic Party's rightward turn, ushering in the end of the liberal New Deal order and enabling the political takeover of the radical right.Far from being a liberal stalwart, Biden often outdid even Reagan, Gingrich, and Bush, assisting the right-wing war against the working class, and ultimately paving the way for Trump.The most comprehensive political biography of someone who has tried for decades to be president, Yesterday's Man is an essential read for anyone interested in knowing the real Joe Biden and what he might do in office.Trade ReviewMeticulous * The National *

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Book SynopsisThe working hypothesis of this book is that the issue of leadership is neglected by mainstream democratic and liberal theories. This deficiency has especially become evident in the last three or four decades, which have witnessed a revival of deontological liberalism and radical theories of participatory and ''deliberative'' democracy. The contributors examine, discuss and evaluate descriptive, analytical and normative arguments regarding the role of leadership in liberal and democratic theory. The volume seeks to provoke debate and to foster new research on the significance and function of leaders in liberal democracies. The book (as a whole and in its constitutive chapters) works on two levels. First, it aims to expose the lack of systematic treatment of leadership in mainstream liberal and democratic theory. Second, it explores the reasons for this neglect. Overall, the book tries to convince the reader that liberal and democratic theories should revive the issue of leadership.

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Book SynopsisWhat drives Marine Le Pen and France's Front National? Has her party really changed its ways, or is she merely rebranding its old ideas and policies for a new era? In the age of Brexit and Trump, France too has seen a growing audience for identity-based politics. Under 'Marine', the FN is enjoying unprecedented success. But what's her secret? This is a probing investigation into the philosophy of Marine Le Pen's FN. It seeks answers in her speeches, in the history of French nationalism and in revealing interviews with those on the far right--including Jean-Marie Le Pen himself. Michel Eltchaninoff exposes a vision of France tyrannised by liberalism and seduced by the offer of an uncompromising alternative: a Republic 'beyond Left and Right', defined by its enemies and aligned with Putin's Russia. Whatever Marine Le Pen is thinking, she has not forgotten the FN's roots. The French far right is now stronger than ever.Trade Review'Michel Eltchaninoff's task is . . . an important and urgent one: to subject Le Pen's words to rigorous analysis, exposing their true meaning. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that the leopard has not changed its spots.''Drawing on interviews with many of the politicians and thinkers . . . close to . . . Le Pen [Eltchaninoff] . . . . persuasively show[s] how ideas that have shaped the culture [of Le Pen] have in turn shaped [her].''As President Macron tries to save the Eurozone and stabilise the continent, he faces no greater challenge than Marine Le Pen's Front National. This brilliant and carefully argued book shows how despite her efforts to project a more "acceptable" face the party remains the bastion of an anti-globalist, anti-capitalist, xenophobic, anti-European right which continues to borrow from classic anti-semitic tropes.' -- Brendan Simms, Professor of the History of International Relations, University of Cambridge, and author of 'Europe: The Struggle for Supremacy, 1453 to the Present''This book will be of great interest to English readers. It says much about an important, and oddly neglected, political figure but Eltchaninoff also ranges more widely — introducing a range of figures who are influential in the Front National and the intellectual traditions to which they refer.' -- Richard Vinen, Professor of History, King’s College London, and author of 'The Unfree French: Life Under Occupation''In painting a vivid portrayal of the ideas that have shaped Marine Le Pen, Michel Eltchaninoff makes a big contribution to one of the most urgent undertakings of this political moment: to understand the authoritarian populists who are gaining more and more power across North America and Western Europe. An important book that is as engrossing as it is erudite.' -- Yascha Mounk, author of 'The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom is in Danger and How to Save It''There is no point in demonising Marine Le Pen. Instead we must understand the path she has beaten between the liberal right, which has abandoned traditional Gaullism, and the left, which has forgotten about those left behind. Eltchaninoff picks apart her writings, interviews and TV appearances to do just that.' -- Liberation'Marine Le Pen has changed the face of the FN. But Michel Eltchaninoff demonstrates with a sharp pen and a clear-eyed gaze that she hasn’t broken with any of the four pillars of the far right: the land, the people, life and myth. She has dusted them off.' * Marianne *'Marine Le Pen is reinvigorating [the FN] by reforming its ideology. The power of Michel Eltchaninoff’s book is to rip off the mask.' * Stéphane Rio, L’Université Syndicaliste *

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Book SynopsisXi Jinping wants to become the world's most powerful leader. To succeed, he must balance Mao's Little Red Book with the Analects of Confucius, and more. For Xi, the task ahead of China is to preserve the guiding ideology of Marxism, while challenging mistaken credos like neoliberalism, constitutional democracy, and 'universal values'. China must have total faith in its own brand of socialism, blended meaningfully with Chinese tradition. And this system must revolve around one man--around Xi and 'Xi-ism'. François Bougon's compelling biography exposes the historical, philosophical, political and personal narratives that Xi has skilfully woven together to create a superpower in his own image. Is Xi's China a land of 'new market totalitarianism'? Will this be the price of the Chinese dream?Trade Review'Bougon . . . peers into the black box of Xi’s ambitions and strategy.’'Compact and accessible.''One of the best features of 'Inside the Mind of Xi Jinping', an information-packed, briskly written and engaging work by François Bougon, is the way it makes sense of contradictions like these.' * Times Literary Supplement *‘[A] livel[y] and … accessible biograph[y] of the Chinese leader.’ -- New Statesman, 'Books of the Year 2022'‘Bougon . . . peers into the black box of Xi’s ambitions and strategy.’' An engaging analysis of Xi’s thinking based on the Chinese leader’s own words . . . it has much to offer as a guide to contemporary Chinese political thought.''A riveting biography, "Inside the Mind of Xi Jinping" delves deep into the mindset of the Chinese President.''An engrossing and vitally significant book.''A rare journalistic attempt . . . refreshing.''French journalist Bougon's compelling account delves deep into the mentality of the Chinese president . . . offer[ing] important insights for anyone interested in understanding the mindset of the current Chinese leader and the implications for China’s prospects. Timely, accessible, and concise.'A succinct account of the Xi Jinping phenomenon by an eyewitness to the key moments of his rise--but with a healthy dose of scepticism. Bougon sheds highly readable, and often humorous, light on China's seemingly omnipotent leader, and on how he is shaping our world. -- Kerry Brown, author of 'The World According to Xi'An excellent account of Xi Jinping's life and career, what drives him, and why he is different from his predecessors. Its range and depth are impressive. -- Jonathan Fenby, author of 'The Penguin History of Modern China'Timely and compact, 'Inside the Mind of Xi Jinping' probes China's current posture through the thinking of its most assured leader since Mao. Unlike his counterparts in the West, Xi emerges as cultured, capable, politically adept and unashamedly authoritarian. The world, no less than China, should take note. -- John Keay, author of 'China: A History'

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Book SynopsisThe British Prime Minister Arthur Balfour led an eventual premiership, but will always be remembered for the 'Balfour Declaration', in which he told Lord Rothschild that Britain 'favoured the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish People'.

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Book SynopsisAsquith's administration laid the foundation of Britain's welfare state, but he was plunged into a major power struggle with the House of Lords. The budget of 1909 was vetoed by the hereditary upper chamber, and in 1910 Asquith called and won two elections on this constitutional issue. The Lords eventually passed the 1911 Parliament Act, ending their veto of financial legislation. Asquith was Prime Minister on the outbreak of World War I, but his government fell in 1916 as a result of the 'Shells Scandal'.

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Book SynopsisThis is a biography of the Liberal British Prime Minister, 'Who Won the War'.

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Book SynopsisBonar Law was a prominent opponent of Home Rule for Ireland; he also served the shortest term of any of Britain's 20th century Prime Ministers. In 1922 he was responsible for ending the coalition.

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Book SynopsisParadoxically his success with the USA jeopardised his efforts to get Britain into the European Economic Community, for it was one of the reasons why the French President Charles de Gaulle vetoed Britain's application to join in 1963.

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Book SynopsisDouglas-Home had a complex career between the two Houses of Parliament, disclaiming his peerage to become Prime Minister. His term in office was short elected in 1963 he lost the election of 1964.

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Book SynopsisA passionate European, Edward Heath succeeded in taking Britain into the European Community. He was latter challenged for the leadership of the party by Margaret Thatcher who sidelined him during her period in office.

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Book SynopsisBarack Obama: The Movement for Change tells the story of a visionary leader who refuses to be limited by America's history and determines instead to change it. His plan for change is the latest expression of a movement for justice: a movement that has swept forward with the collective energy of great leaders like Martin Luther King, Robert F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson, Harold Washington, Chicago's first black Mayor, and countless others who have bent the 'arc of morality' towards justice. By looking at the biography of the man, this mixed race Hawaiian with Kenyan and Kansan parents, a window on America in twenty-first century is revealed. His life touches and is touched by a sinking community of Chicago's South Side. He challenges the lazy assumptions of American racial discourse. He creates an argument for political change and a different America. He wins a presidential election few thought possible when his formidable campaign was launched.Barack Obama: The Movement for Change tells a story for our times. It is not the story of a single man. It is the story of a movement and of the people who drove the movement forward. It is a new American story that will cascade down the generations. America has changed and Barack Obama's story tells us how and why and what we can expect.

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Book SynopsisA Labour Whip once revealed that in their office they sang songs about certain backbenchers. In the case of the Member for Maryhill, their choice was ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?’A frank account of fourteen years in Westminister from the rebellious Maria Fyfe – the only female Labour MP in Scotland when she was first elected. Fyfe recounts some of the most significant moments of her political career, from the frustrating and infuriating, to the rewarding and worthwhile.A significant aim of writing this book was to set the record straight on that period in our UK Parliament. Another aim was to encourage interest in a political life when widespread cynicism discourages good people from thinking about it. MARIA FYFECovering some of the most turbulent years of British and Scottish political history, A Problem Like Maria takes the female’s perspective of life as an MP in the male-dominated Westminister. This book reaches the parts of politics some people hope you never reach. The intimidating Maria Fyfe sounds like strong Scottish domestic drama. Edward Pearce, LONDON EVENING STANDARDThe terrifying Maria Fyfe stamped in … her of the sharpened claws. Matthew Parris, THE TIMESAn incorrigible Bevanite. THE OBSERVERTrade ReviewThe intimidating Maria Fyfe sounds like strong Scottish domestic drama. Edward Pearce, LONDON EVENING STANDARDThe terrifying Maria Fyfe stamped in … her of the sharpened claws. Matthew Parris, THE TIMESAn incorrigible Bevanite. THE OBSERVER

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Book SynopsisThe perfect stocking filler, Secret Santa gift or conversation starter for Corbyn haters and lovers this Christmas! This is the man In His Own Words. This is Corbyn on Party Politics, Vision & Principles, Defiance, Leadership and World Affairs, plus a special chapter to capture all his Observations. And if The Little Book of Corbyn isn't enough, you can collect, compare and contrast the wisdom of Trump, Boris and Corbyn with the full set of in His Own Word titles. Use them to start a lively debate*, to induce a case of riotous laughter, to inspire or to keep you entertained on the loo. *Orange Hippo! publishing takes no responsibility for debates that get out of hand at the pub quiz, office Christmas party or anywhere else. Please read, think and debate responsibly. Table of ContentsIntroduction. Party Politics. Vision & Principles. Defiance. Leadership. World Affairs. Observations.

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Book SynopsisInspirational leadership quotes from every President of the United States of America. The Little Book of United States Presidents is a fascinating collection of over 170 quotes from each person who has held the office, from George Washington to Donald Trump. Sometimes referred to as the Leader of the Free World, the President is elected to lead the United States in times of peace, struggle and in the face of war. The breadth and depth of the responsibility that comes with leading the executive branch offers each President the opportunity to let their thoughts be known and to influence the lives of the people. The Little Book of United States Presidents is a beautifully presented collection of inspirational and thought-provoking quotes from every US President, each of which offers the opportunity to learn from this remarkable collection of leaders. 'The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave.' Ronald Reagan (40th) Republican, January 20, 1981 - January 20, 1989, Address to the Nation on the Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger, January 28, 1986. 'Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.' John F. Kennedy (35th) Democratic, January 20, 1961 - November 22, 1963, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961. 'Throughout our history the American people have always been the true source of American greatness.' Donald Trump (45th), Republican, January 20, 2017 - Incumbent, Security strategy speech, December 18, 2017. Table of ContentsBy the Dawn’s Early Light • We the People • Big Stick Diplomacy • What You Can Do For Your Country • The Rockets Red Glare • Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness.

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Book SynopsisWomen, Equality, Power is a celebration of an outstanding leader who continues to strive and work for change, and it's a rallying call for other women leaders, whether they are in positions of political, economic or social power.Helen Clark has been a political leader for more than 40 years, since first running in local elections in the 1970s. She entered New Zealand parliament as a 31-year-old in 1981, led the Labour Party to victory in 1999 and was Prime Minister of New Zealand for nine years. She then took on a critical international role as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme in New York. One of her key focuses throughout this time has been the empowerment of women, and she has paved the way for other women to step up and lead. With a foreword by the Rt Hon. Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, this is a timely and important book.'If more issues of importance to women are to rise to the top of political, legislative and budget priorities, more women must sit at the top tables . . . Women must be drivers of development - not just passive beneficiaries of plans designed by others.' HELEN CLARK ONZ'Helen Clark often said, and continues to say, that having women in leadership positions not only sends a powerful message to other women but also changes societies' perceptions of gender roles and encourages girls to believe that no door is closed to them.' JACINDA ARDERN, PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND

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Book SynopsisBased on research, this book focuses on the wartime powers presidents wield at home. It shows that congress is more likely to defer to the president's policy preferences when political debates center on national rather than local considerations.Trade Review"William G. Howell, Saul P. Jackman, and Jon C. Rogowski continue the valuable and highly regarded line of presidency research that integrates modern analytical techniques with deep substantive knowledge. No question in American politics is of greater importance-or more timely-than the power of the president and his relationship with Congress, and The Wartime President makes a clearly written and cutting-edge contribution that is sure to spur further research." (Steven Callander, Stanford University)"

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Book SynopsisWas it an omen? Richard Nixon and the film industry arrived in Southern California in the same year, 1913. As Mark Feeney relates in this unusual and unusually absorbing book, Nixon and the movies have shared a long and complex history. Some of that history--the president's multiple screenings of Patton before and during the invasion of Cambodia, or Oliver Stone's Nixon--is well known. Yet much more is not. How many are aware, for example, that Nixon was an enthusiastic filmgoer who watched more than five hundred movies during his presidency? Nixon at the Movies takes a new and often revelatory approach to looking at Nixon's career--and Hollywood's. From the obvious (All the President's Men) to the less so (Elvis Presley movies and Nixon's relationship to '60s youth culture) to several onscreen alternate Nixons (Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity, Tony Curtis in The Sweet Smell of Success, Gene Hackman in The Conversation), Feeney sees aspects of Nixon's character, and the nation's, reTrade Review"Feeney bases his study on the little-known fact that Nixon, all his life, was an avid moviegoer. Like the rest of us, he formed his idea of America from the silver screen. By the same token, a number of American films provide the best explanation of Nixon. Feeney's book, therefore, is a study not only of his protagonist but of America, as well. . . . Feeney's book is lucid, well-argued and full of fascinating details."-- (12/05/2004) "It's not surprising . . . that the 37th U.S. president most often figures in cinema not as a character but as a touchstone of an era of frustration and corruption in which the American Dream seemed to be grinding to a halt. . . . Thankfully, Feeney doesn't focus narrowly on Nixon in the movies, so he never gets bogged down explaining the symbolism obvious in some of these films. Instead, Feeney construes his subject far more broadly -- hence, Nixon at the movies. Feeney uses many films in which Nixon isn't referenced at all, from Double Indemnity to The Conversation, as lenses for interpreting the president and his times. And most originally, he ponders Nixon's infatuation with the silver screen, revealing the loner president to be a compulsive moviegoer who watched more than 500 pictures while in office."-- (12/28/2004) "Mark Feeney's Nixon at the Movies shows us how movie images, themes and myths reverberate with the biography of one of America's most enigmatic presidents. . . . It's a truly inspired idea: examining the connection between the devious, uptight Richard Milhous Nixon, the man who wore wingtips at the beach, and the glittery, greedy, glamorous movies."-- (12/19/2004) "Formidably intelligent analyses of some key episodes and themes from Richard Nixon's life. . . . 'Nixon at the Movies' is not a book to be judged by the coherence or originality of its argument but by the quality of its performance. . . . There are brilliant star turns here, as when Feeney likens Nixon to the director Frank Capra."-- (12/12/2004) "Feeney's book is not simply a chronicle of a president's incurable cinemania. It's an exploration of a rendezvous between a politician's personality and a medium of dreams and fantasies, playing themselves out larger than life in darkened auditoriums--and in theaters of the mind."--Robert Sklar "Boston Sunday Globe " "[An] ingeneous study of Nixon's mythomania. . . . Feeney's a perceptive analyst and a vividly aphoristic writer."-- (01/09/2005) "A gloriously offbeat examination of how movie images, themes, and myths reverberate with the biography of one of America's most enigmatic presidents."--San Jose Mercury News (01/16/2005) "Exploiting the most recent scholarship on US political culture and connecting this learning with perceptive readings of scores of popular films, Feeney captures both the spectacle and the pathos associated with Nixon's rise and fall. Alongside Gary Wills's Nixon Agonistes, this work merits a place as one of the two most insightful books yet written on a character who never ceases to fascinate."--Choice "Feeney persuasively shows that studying Nixon and the movies makes perfect sense. . . . Nixon at the Movies is a rewarding book for those interested in assessing the relationship between politics and the movies and, more specifically, for readers intrigued by the multifaceted connections between Richard Nixon and the Hollywood that he was both fascinated by and, at times, despised."--;/DIV>--Charles Maland "Cineaste " "Feeney is the former literary editor of the Boston Globe, and is not only thoroughly conversant with the cinema, but with American popular entertainment generally. He has also made himself familiar with every word written by and about Nixon, and the eleven closely packed chapters of Nixon at the Movies juxtaposes different stages of the man's fascinating career with a series of "alternate [sic] Nixons" as presented by various films and film stars, the majority of them from the period 1940-70. . . . Throughout this audacious book, one comparison or analogy brings up another in such a manner as to invite re-reading. What may be called Nixon's Hollywood years have been made memorable by the creative fantasies of Mark Feeney, right there with him at the movies.--William H. Prichard, Times Literary Supplement" -- (01/14/2005) "Mark Feeney, a reporter and editor at the Boston Globe, takes up the 37th president's fondness for the silver screen in his very readable Nixon at the Movies, which is somewhat mysteriously subtitled A Book About Belief. Mr. Feeney's theme, however, is far wider than Nixon and the films he watched, as surprisingly interesting and entertaining as that subject turns out to be in Mr. Feeney's hands. . . . Rather, the author uses the movies and the president as the basis for a broader look at America and its history in Nixon's time, a very big subject indeed. Nixon at the Movies becomes a social and cultural history of the United States in the mid-20th century."-- (01/02/2005) "In Nixon at the Movies, Mark Feeney has given us a thought-provoking and truly original book--a work filled with incisive insights into a fascinating figure."--Robert A. Caro "Movies and Richard Milhous Nixon can each tell us a lot about America. In this sui generis study--combining film analysis, social history, psychological observation, and political biography--Mark Feeney reminds us that Nixon and the movies can also tell us a lot about each other. It will take further decades fully to understand the subliminal life of RMN. Here's a great beginning."--Kevin Starr, author of Americans and the California Dream series "Nixon at the Movies hits home from the start, when Mark Feeney draws out the Nixon in Fred MacMurray's Walter Neff in Double Indemnity--as for the rest of the book he will, along with countless other characters, draw the Neff out of Nixon. Feeney is as playful as he is determined, and this book is as infectious as David Thomson's Biographical Dictionary of Film--and as like-minded people disagree over movies more than anything else, people will be arguing over Nixon at the Movies as much as, for more than half a century, the country at large has been arguing about Nixon." --Greil Marcus

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Book SynopsisWhen the United States goes to war, the nation's attention focuses on the president. This title reveals that even in politically sensitive wartime environments, individual members of Congress frequently propose legislation, hold investigative hearings, and engage in national policy debates in the public sphere.Trade Review"Douglas Kriner closely scrutinizes how and when Congress influences foreign policy in this very fine book. This is the best statement, quantitative or qualitative, I've seen on the role of Congress in American foreign policy making." - David Clark, Binghamton University"

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Book SynopsisWhen the United States goes to war, the nation's attention focuses on the president. This title reveals that even in politically sensitive wartime environments, individual members of Congress frequently propose legislation, hold investigative hearings, and engage in national policy debates in the public sphere.Trade Review"Douglas Kriner closely scrutinizes how and when Congress influences foreign policy in this very fine book. This is the best statement, quantitative or qualitative, I've seen on the role of Congress in American foreign policy making." - David Clark, Binghamton University"

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Book SynopsisFor decades, Woodrow Wilson has been remembered as either a paternalistic liberal or reactionary conservative at home and as a na ve idealist or cynical imperialist abroad. Historians' harsh judgments of Wilson are understandable. He won two elections by promising a deliberative democratic process that would ensure justice and political empowerment for all. Yet under Wilson, Jim Crow persisted, interventions in Latin America increased, and a humiliating peace settlement was forced upon Germany. A generation after Wilson, stark inequalities and injustices still plagued the nation, myopic nationalism hindered its responsible engagement in world affairs, and a second vastly destructive global conflict threatened the survival of democracy worldwide leaving some Americans today to wonder what, exactly, the buildings and programs bearing his name are commemorating. In Power without Victory, Trygve Throntveit argues that there is more to the story of Wilson than these sad truths. Throntveit makes the case that Wilson was not a Wilsonian, as that term has come to be understood, but a principled pragmatist in the tradition of William James. He did not seek to stamp American-style democracy on other peoples, but to enable the gradual development of a genuinely global system of governance that would maintain justice and facilitate peaceful change a goal that, contrary to historical tradition, the American people embraced. In this brilliant intellectual, cultural, and political history, Throntveit gives us a new vision of Wilson, as well as a model of how to think about the complex relationship between the world of ideas and the worlds of policy and diplomacy.

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