Political leaders and leadership Books

Book SynopsisPatrice Lumumba was a leader of the independence struggle in what is today the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the country’s first democratically elected prime minister. After a meteoric rise in the colonial civil service and the African political elite, he became a major figure in the decolonization movement of the 1950s.Trade Review“Lumumba…was a pivotal player in the history of African nationalism, in the same league as Mandela in terms of his influence. Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja provides an excellent short introduction to Lumumba’s life and historical significance.”“The contribution [Nzongola-Ntalaja makes] to the literature of Patrice Lumumba, and the Congo, is ironically not concentrating on Lumumba’s iconic Cold War death but instead placing his life and words into the proper cultural, economic, and historical context of Congolese history. …I would highly recommend [Patrice Lumumba] for students in African or Congolese politics. …[It challenges] us not to dwell on his death but breathe life into his words, because the questions Patrice Lumumba raised about self-determination then are still relevant for all of us today.” * African Studies Quarterly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWilliam Hague has written the life of William Wilberforce who was both a staunch conservative and a tireless campaigner against the slave trade.Hague shows how Wilberforce, after his agonising conversion to evangelical Christianity, was able to lead a powerful tide of opinion, as MP for Hull, against the slave trade, a process which was to take up to half a century to be fully realised. Indeed, he succeeded in rallying to his cause the support in the Commons Debates of some the finest orators in Parliament, having become one of the most respected speakers of those times.Hague examines twenty three crucial years in British political life during which Wilberforce met characters as varied as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Tsar Alexander of Russia, and the one year old future Queen Victoria who used to play at his feet. He was friend and confidant of Pitt, Spencer Perceval and George Canning. He saw these figures raised up or destroyed in twenty three years of war and revolution.Hague preTrade Review'The author has produced a splendid read for which he deserves the utmost credit. He tells Wilberforce's story with such enthusiasm and narrative skill that, in this bicentennial year, his book seems assured of bestsellerdom. I put it down liking Hague as much as I was moved by his tale, one of the most remarkable in British political history.' Sunday Times 'An authoritative account of a remarkable life.' Sunday Times 'A fine, informative tribute.' Observer 'A superb biography.' Daily Express 'An enthusiastic and balanced portrayal of an appealing figure.' Sunday Telegraph 'Gripping…absorbing…the definitive biography.' Daily Mail 'Informed by a nuanced sense of what was and was not politically possible at that moment…lucid and convincing…gripping.' Daily Telegraph ‘William Hague has assumed from Roy Jenkins the mantle of Britain's foremost politician-biographer. This magnificent biography of William Wilberforce succeeds his good debut life of William Pitt…his achievement goes far beyond an attractive prose style and meticulously accurate historical re-recreation. The insights drawn from a wide parliamentary and political experience bring to life the genius of the great anti-slave trade campaigner in a wholly new and vivid way.’ Evening Standard

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis riveting graphic novel biography chronicles Vladimir Putin''s rise from a mid-level KGB officer to the autocratic leader of Russia and reveals the truth behind the strongman persona he has spent his career cultivating.In the West's collective imagination, Vladimir Putin is a devious cartoon villain, constantly plotting and scheming to destroy his enemies around the globe and in Ukraine. But how did an undistinguished mid-level KGB officer become one of the most powerful leaders in Russian history? And how much of Putin's tough-guy persona is a calculated performance? In Accidental Czar, Andrew S. Weiss, a former White House Russia expert, and Brian Box Brown show how Putin has successfully cast himself as a cunning, larger-than-life political mastermindand how the rest of the world has played into the Kremlin's hands by treating him as one. They shatter all of these myths and expose the man behind the façade.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCelebrating and critiquing the life of one of Africa’s most important anti-imperialist leadersTrade Review'The legendary Thomas Sankara - hero, revolutionary leader, anti-imperialist - receives deserving analytical treatment from the most prominent radical voices here assembled for one the greatest sons of Africa. The book enhances our understanding of the pragmatism of politics, the rhetoric of revolutionary actions, and the resurgence of reactionary forces. A must read' -- Toyin Falola, Honorary Professor, University of Cape Town, University Distinguished Professor and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities, The University of Texas at Austin'This book by a wide range of committed scholars, including, crucially, a significant number of African scholars, is a necessary and illuminating intervention. The Sankara that emerges here is more than 'Africa's Che Guevara', a man whose ideas and politics are 'rich with a thousand nuances' that distinguish them from other forms of Marxism and Pan-Africanism. Sankara comes alive in all his complexity' -- Sean Jacobs, Associate Professor of International Affairs at The New School and Founder and Editor, Africa is a CountryTable of ContentsForeword by Horace G. Campbell Acknowledgements Introduction by Amber Murrey Part I: Life and Revolution 1. Military Coup, Popular Revolution or Militarised Revolution?: Contextualising the Revolutionary Ideological Courses of Thomas Sankara and the National Council of the Revolution - De-Valera N.Y.M. Botchway and Moussa Traore 2. The Perils of Non-Alignment: Thomas Sankara and the Cold War - Brian Peterson 3. Thomas Sankara and the Elusive Revolution - Leo Zeilig 4. When Visions Collide: Thomas Sankara, Trade Unions and the Revolution in Burkina Faso, 1983-1987 - Craig Phelan 5. Africa’s Sankara: On Pan-African Leadership - Amber Murrey 6. Who Killed Thomas Sankara? - Bruno Jaffré 7. ‘Incentivized’ Self-Adjustment: Reclaiming Sankara’s Revolutionary Austerity from Corporate Geographies of Neoliberal Erasure - Nicholas A. Jackson Part II: Political Philosophies 8. Madmen, Thomas Sankara and Decoloniality in Africa - Ama Biney 9. With the People: Sankara’s Humanist Marxism - Ernest Harsch 10. Thomas Sankara & Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem: The Untimely Deaths of Two New Generation African Visionaries - Patricia Daley 11. Women's Freedoms are the Heartbeat of Africa's Future: A Sankarian Imperative - Patricia McFadden 12. Re-Reading Sankara’s Philosophy for a Praxeology of Debt in Contemporary Times - Sakue-C. Yimovie 13. Sankara’s Political Ideas and Pan-African Solidarity: A Perspective for Africa’s Development? - Felix Kumah-Abiwu and Olusoji Alani Odeyemi 14. ‘Revolution and Women’s Liberation Go Together’: Thomas Sankara, Gender and the Burkina Faso Revolution - Namakula E. Mayanja Part III: Legacies 15. Balai Citoyen: A New Praxis of Citizen Fight with Sankarist Inspirations - Zakaria Soré 16. La Santé Avant Tout: Health Before Everything - T. D. Harper-Shipman 17. Social Movement Struggles and Political Transition in Burkina Faso - Bettina Engles 18. To Decolonize the World: Thomas Sankara and the ‘Last Colony’ in Africa - Patrick Delices 19. ‘Daring to Invent the Future’: Sankara’s Legacy and Contemporary Activism in South Africa - Levi Kabwato and Sarah Chiumbu Part IV: Contestations and Homages 20. The Academy as Contested Space: Disappearing Sankara from the ‘Acceptable Avant-Garde’ - Nicholas A. Jackson 21. Art and the Construction of a ‘Sankara Myth’: A Hero Trend in Contemporary Burkinabè Urban & Revolutionary Propaganda Art - Sophie Bodénès Cohen 22. Slanted Photography: Reflections on Sankara and My Peace Corps Experience in Burkina Faso - Celestina Agyekum 23. ‘We Are the Children of Sankara’: Memories as Weapons during the Burkinabe Uprisings of 2014 and 2015 - Fiona Dragstra Afterword by Aziz Salmone Fall Notes on Contributors Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Fascinating . . . the most incredible argument for why a female model of leadership might actually be the more powerful and sustainable one' Scarlett Curtis'A bold, rigorous and lyrical work which feels both timely and essential' Musa Okwonga, author of One of ThemWomen have been told to 'lean in' and act like men to get ahead. But as our systems crumble, isn't it time we had a different plan? While some at the top are telling us 'it is what it is' as we face financial collapse, a global pandemic, the devastation of our environment and the disintegration of democracies, a new generation of leaders are showing the world how to be better. They're building trust, investing wisely and actively decisively - and they've got one thing in common.In Strong Female Lead, Arwa Mahdawi investigates the qualities of female leaders who show us how it's done, drawing on original research and interviews with Madeleine Albright, Mary Robinson, Audrey Tang and many others and answering a vital question: what can women in power teach all of us about leadership?Trade ReviewA fascinating, important read and the most incredible argument for why a female model of leadership might actually be the more powerful and sustainable one. I'm giving each of my brothers a copy for Christmas. I'm OBSESSED * Scarlett Curtis *This is a bold, rigorous and lyrical work which feels both timely and essential. Please read it. Engage with it. Then pass it on. -- Musa OkwongaThis timely book explores the potential of women to transform the world * Woman's Own *As razor sharp as it is compelling -- Chimene Suleyman

Read more less

Book SynopsisHungary, once the poster-child of liberal democracy, is fast becoming an autocracy under Viktor Orbán. After winning an absolute majority in 2010, Orbán launched a series of 'reforms', fundamentally undermining the country's twenty-year, post-Cold War liberal consensus. For supporters and foes alike, the rise and rise of Hungary's prime minister is a vivid example of how democracy can be subverted from within. Zsuzsanna Szelényi, a leading member of Orbán's Fidesz in its early years, has witnessed first-hand the party's shift from liberalism to populist nationalism. Offering an insider's account of Fidesz's evolution since its creation, she explains how the party rose to leadership of the country under Orbán and made sweeping legal, political and economic changes to solidify its grip on power-from reining in the public media to slashing the number of parliamentary seats. She answers a key question: why has Orbán been so successful, winning widespread support within Hungary and wielding considerable influence in European politics? And how can Hungary's opposition party Together, which she co-founded in 2014, work to turn the country around? Underpinned by Szelényi's own experiences at the heart of Hungarian politics, Tainted Democracy offers accessible, nuanced insights into the global rise of populist autocracy--and how it can be challenged.Trade Review'[A] masterly new study of the rise of Fidesz and Orbán. Szelényi’s Tainted Democracy … is detailed and thorough. It offers a rigorous account of how Orbán bent an initially liberal party to his will, and how he and his acolytes have subverted institution after institution.' -- The Times Literary Supplement

Read more less

Book SynopsisVladimir Ilyich Lenin visited London on six occasions at the beginning of the twentieth century and it was in this city, where Marx wrote Das Kapital, that the roots of Lenin''s political thought took shape. This book, from a former curator of the Russian collections at the British Library, tells the story for the first time of Lenin''s intriguing relationship with the enigmatic Apollinariya Yakubova a revolutionary known to her comrades as the ''primeval force of the Black Earth''. Based on a series of stunning new archival discoveries from the British Library, published here for the first time, as well as photographs and details of the Russian revolutionaries (and indeed international police spies) who congregated in the East End of London - known then as the ''Little Russian Island'', this is the first full exploration of the formation of one of the leading political visionaries of his age. Revealing Lenin''s London-based accomplices and political rivals, and shedding new liTrade ReviewHenderson has woven his narrative out of a brilliant miscellany of archival sources, with crucial finds in the Hoover Institution's records of the Okhrana, or political police. * Times Literary Supplement *Henderson, a former Russian curator at the British Library, knows everything there is to know about Lenin’s love affair with the BM, and tells it all. This is a level of detailed Leniniana seldom encountered since the demise of the Soviet Union, but even those diligent Soviet researchers who used to track Lenin’s every move and hour didn’t know the BM [British Museum] as Henderson does. It’s what gives his book its charm. * London Review of Books *One hundred fifty years after Lenin’s birth, Henderson’s book does something to bring him back to life. * The Jacobin *Henderson’s revelatory book captures the atmosphere of a time of Jewish idealism preceding that of the horrors of the Gulag. * The Jewish Chronicle *Robert Henderson’s archival snapshots put human flesh on the intellectual and political bones of a figure who remains either revered or hated to this day… [the book] captures the atmosphere of Edwardian London and brings to life many of the players – with its wealth of photographs – in the early moves of a game that would indeed change the world. * Morning Star *Henderson’s book is a very welcome contribution to understanding the role that time spent in London played in the intellectual and practical development of the Russian revolutionary left, especially that of Lenin and his closest comrades. It provides a vivid sense of place and a lot of the human context to a crucially important period in Lenin’s political life. * Counterfire *[A] fascinating and meticulously researched book. As a former curator of the Russian collections at the British Library, Henderson is very well placed to undertake such research. * East-West Review *Henderson’s book should be of interest to Labour historians of the early 20th century. It reveals many of Lenin’s London based political networks and the roots of the politics that continue to influence the party’s left-wing. * Tides of History blog *Henderson has succeeded once again in writing another important and captivating history…Henderson’s book makes an original contribution to our knowledge of Lenin by providing us with a clearer understanding of his activities, the associates with whom he connected and, generally speaking, the milieux in which he moved during his London years. Today this research is invaluable to anyone with an interest in trying to comprehend how Lenin and political émigrés generally perceived their work in exile to make essential contributions to the promotion of revolutionary change in their countries of origin. * European History Quarterly *Based on thorough archival research in Britain, France, Russia, and the USA, the story recreated by the author is presented in an elegant and engaging narrative style, combining meticulous factual accounts with humor, vivid details, and emotional attachment to historical figures. Although the title quite accurately points at the main focus of the book – Lenin’s political activities during the periods when he stayed in London – I would add that Henderson’s narrative can also be described as a chronicle of love and politics that evolved around libraries in the turn of the century London, full of police, radicals, and spies. In this work, Henderson offers up a piece of fascinating historical research, weaving stories of various libraries and their collections into the fabric of his narrative. * Slavic & East European Information Resources *Henderson’s book concentrates on new archival finds and previously unpublished materials. Much of what he uncovers is fascinating and valuable information. * Look Left *[Henderson] makes excellent use of a wide variety of archival sources. * Socialist History *Flawlessly researched, lucidly written, replete with exhaustive archival evidence, including previously undiscovered photographs, Henderson has produced the definitive study of the numerous occasions that Lenin, the world's best known revolutionary, spent in London refining and developing his influential views. * John Gonzalez, author of An Intellectual Biography of N.A. Rozhkov: Life in a Bell Jar (2016) *In this outstanding work Robert Henderson deploys new archival discoveries and a lifetime’s research into the Russian émigré community of the early twentieth century to throw new light upon both the revolutionary and the personal life of one of the towering figures of modern history. One could ask for no more expert or convivial guide to Lenin’s various sojourns on London’s “Little Russian Island” during the birth of Bolshevism. * Dr Jonathan Smele, Queen Mary University of London, UK *Henderson’s book is the product of thirty years of research. Time well spent. Pending future openings of Soviet archives or chance discoveries of unpublished diaries of memoirs, this gripping narrative bids fair to remain the definitive version, in Roman poet Horace’s words, ‘a monument more lasting than bronze’. * The Spokesman *Robert Henderson takes us into the cheap lodgings, much-frequented libraries, packed meeting halls, favourite bars and restaurants which were the backdrops to the intense lives of the Russian revolutionary emigration in London. We become witnesses to their ferocious arguments and observers of their lives, loves and hopes for a better future for their homeland. * Professor Christopher Read, University of Warwick, UK *In this fascinating study, Robert Henderson takes us on a trail through the archives to reconstruct Lenin's life in London: the places he lived, the circles he moved in, and the relationships he built. * Professor Charlotte Alston, Northumbria University, UK *Table of ContentsContents Note on Transliteration and Calendars Acknowledgements Frontispiece Introduction Chapter 1 The Little Russian Island: The First Castaways Chapter 2 'Lirochka' and Lenin – The Spark That Lit the Flame? Chapter 3 1902–1903: Iskra and Shaping the Party Chapter 4 1905: A Congress of Conspirators Chapter 5 The London Congress of 1907 and the Triumph of Bolshevism Chapter 6 Two Last Visits: 1908 and 1911 Postscript Apollinariya's Story Appendix Select Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMy Uncle Zhou Enlai paints a candid and heartwarming picture of one of China’s most beloved leaders and its first premier, Zhou Enlai (1898-1976). Written by his nephew, Zhou Erliu, who found himself at the heart of the political turmoil of the 20th century, this deeply moving and personal account is at once a touching family portrait of the Zhou clan and a comprehensive overview of China’s modern political history.Through personal anecdotes, letters, poems, photographs and other relics from the premier’s epoch-making life, the reader gets up close and personal with Zhou Enlai as never before and gets an intimate peek at life in China during these turbulent times.This book interweaves the fascinating life story of its author, from his childhood in Shanghai’s French concession through his involvement with the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the years of war and revolution up to the present day, and the story of his ‘Qi Ba’, the prominent CPC leader who was at the forefront of major events such as the founding of the PRC, the Cultural Revolution, the Nanchang Uprising, the Chinese Civil War and US president Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1971, yet always found time to advise his beloved nephew about work, life, love and politics.My Uncle Zhou Enlai aims to set straight the historical facts and to convey the great impact Zhou Enlai had on Chinese and international politics, which paved the way for China’s re-entry into the international community. Always honest, wise, humble and kind, Zhou Enlai is warmly remembered by millions of people today both within and outside China, and this book serves as a testament by a close relative to the many Chinese and foreign lives he touched. A must-read for anyone interested in China’s history and cultural landscape, its gradual opening-up to the rest of the world, and its notable leaders and key figures.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Book of the Year for The Times and the Sunday Times ‘The writer is the engineer of the human soul,’ claimed Stalin. Although one wonders how many found nourishment in Turkmenbashi’s Book of the Soul (once required reading for driving tests in Turkmenistan), not to mention Stalin’s own poetry. Certainly, to be considered great, a dictator must write, and write a lot. Mao had his Little Red Book, Mussolini and Saddam Hussein their romance novels, Kim Jong-il his treatise on the art of film, Hitler his hate-filled tracts. What do these texts reveal about their authors, the worst people imaginable? And how did they shape twentieth-century history? To find out, Daniel Kalder read them all – the badly written and the astonishingly badly written – so that you don’t have to. This is the untold history of books so terrible they should have been crimes.Trade Review‘Daniel Kalder has slogged his way through the 20th century’s “Krakatoa-like eruption of despotic verbiage” so you don’t have to… Kalder’s dispatches from “the transnational empire of ultra-boredom” are not only very funny, they also form a quirky, pacey guide to recent world history.’ * Sunday Times, Books of the Year *‘Full of…wonders, and startling individual facts… An overwhelmingly powerful reminder of 20th-century misrule, and of just how delusional human beings can be – especially if they’re literate.’ * Telegraph *‘This wonderfully entertaining book is a cautionary tale about how societies are easily wooed by foolish demagogues spouting gibberish.’ * The Times, Books of the Year *‘I enjoyed this book a great deal…it’s actually a rather snappy read.’ * Will Self, Guardian *‘Hugely compelling…Like coming across a planet-sized car crash, with hundreds of millions snarled up in the wreckage: you can’t look away. Kalder has really dug deep into the minds of these infernal texts’ creators, and thus delivers some truly enlightening insights.’ * Irish Independent *‘Daniel Kalder…deserves a medal…Dictator Literature is a great book... An insightful book, but also a funny one.' * The Times *‘Very funny… After reading Dictator Literature you will never look at books with such a benevolent eye again.’ * Spectator *‘A engaging, brisk, and morbidly humorous haul of the lives and literary pretensions of the murderous wingnuts who defined a century.’ * Irish Times *‘Kalder's book is an informative, lively and often hilarious account of some of the worst authors who ever lived, doubling as a history of the terrible ideologies that marred the last century. Some execrable books have come out of communism and fascism, but Dictator Literature is certainly not one of them.’ * Catholic Herald *‘A fascinating study…partly an enjoyable romp but mostly a sombre sidelong-glance history of 20th-century totalitarianism.’ * Sunday Telegraph *‘Brisk, and full of antic fun.’ * New Statesman *‘Highly readable.’ * Herald *‘A mesmerizing study of books by despots great and small, from the familiar to the largely unknown.’ * Washington Post *‘Kalder is our cheeky and irreverent guide to the (generally aggressively tedious) prose by history’s despots.’ * Tatler *‘This is about the most discomforting book I’ve read in the past year. Never mind Trump and never mind Twitter: Kalder demonstrates that words themselves, and the escapist spells we weave with them, are our riskiest civic gift.’ -- Simon Ings, author of Stalin and the Scientists‘A compelling examination of why bad minds create bad writing, and therefore a valuable read for anyone interested in literature – or the world, in fact. Kalder’s dry humour makes Dictator Literature a fun tour de force through the mad history of the 20th century and the present.’ -- Norman Ohler, author of Blitzed

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe International BestsellerThe inspiration for Impeachment: American Crime StoryThe definitive account of the Clinton-Lewinsky sex scandals, A Vast Conspiracy casts an insightful eye over the extraordinary ordeal that nearly brought down a president.First published a year after the infamous impeachment trial, Jeffrey Toobin's propulsive narrative captures the full arc of the Clinton sex scandals from their beginnings in a Little Rock hotel to their culmination on the floor of the United States Senate with only the second vote on presidential removal in American history.Rich in character and fuelled with the high octane of a sensational legal thriller, A Vast Conspiracy has indelibly shaped our understanding of this disastrous moment in American political history.Trade Review‘[An] admirably clear, vigorously written, plain-spoken and commonsensical book’ The New York Times Book Review ‘A superb work of factual and legal analysis … Few novels are as gripping’ The New York Review of Books ‘A good read … a brave book’ Economist ‘A story as taut and surprising as any thriller …. Unimpeachable page-turner’ People

Read more less

Book SynopsisSensational One of the most explosive political diaries ever to be published As candid, caustic and colourful as the sensational Alan Clark Diaries of the 1990s' DAILY MAILThe Sunday Times bestsellerAs Minister of State at the Foreign Office, Alan Duncan was once described as Boris Johnson's pooper-scooper'. For two years, he deputised for the then Foreign Secretary, now Prime Minister. Few are more attuned to Boris's strengths and weaknesses as a minister and his suitability for high office than the man who helped clear up his mistakes.Riotously candid, these diaries cover the most turbulent period in recent British political history from the eve of the referendum in 2016 to the UK's eventual exit from the EU. As two prime ministers fall, two general elections unfold and a no-confidence vote is survived, Duncan records a treasure-trove of insider gossip, giving biting and often hilarious accounts of petty rivalries, poor decision-making, big egos, and big crises.Nothing escapes AlaTrade Review‘Sensational … Johnson’s Cabinet [has been] rocked … It is unprecedented for a politician to lift the lid on feuding in the corridors of power so soon after leaving office … One of the most explosive political diaries ever to be published … Candid, caustic and colourful … In the style of great political diaries like those by Clark or Chips Channon that capture the spirit of the age. The political memoir of the year’Daily Mail ‘More than merely bracingly readable … Duncan chronicles the despair, bafflement, plotting and rising acrimony’The Times ‘In the Thick of It initially grabbed the headlines thanks to the sheer gleeful bitchiness of the insults littered throughout. But there’s a more serious message at the heart of this book … Duncan frankly has a point; that after four years of purging remain supporters from the Tory ranks, what’s left is hardly a government of titans’Gaby Hinscliff, Guardian ‘Thoughtful and nuanced … Alan’s insights into the role of a foreign office minister provide many of the highlights of the book. I am enjoying it immensely’Iain Dale ‘A compelling compendium of high gossip and low intrigue, full of withering put-downs and waspish observations’Rachel Sylvester, The Times ‘The diaries are thoughtful, but can be brutal. The book contains deep thought about Britain’s long-term foreign policy objectives, enlivened by highly amusing recollections’Salma Shah, Spectator ‘Always witty, usually waspish and unremittingly withering about those for whom he does not care … Closely observed, perceptive, amusing … They are fascinating; they are riveting’Christopher Pincher, The Critic ‘One of the most sensational, no-holds-barred political diaries of the decade’Tatler ‘I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Alan Duncan’s incendiary diaries, in which he buries more bodies than a Mafia undertaker’Piers Morgan 'Hugely entertaining'John Humphrys

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisMohandas Gandhi and Winston Churchill: India''s moral leader and Great Britain''s greatest Prime Minister. Born five years and seven thousand miles apart, they became embodiments of the nations they led. Both became living icons, idolized and admired around the world. Today, they remain enduring models of leadership in a democratic society.Yet the truth was Churchill and Gandhi were bitter enemies throughout their lives. This book reveals, for the first time, how that rivalry shaped the twentieth century and beyond. For more than forty years, from 1906 to 1948, Gandhi and Churchill were locked in a tense struggle for the hearts and minds of the British public, and of world opinion. Although they met only once, their titanic contest of wills would decide the fate of nations, continents, peoples, and ultimately an Empire.Here is a sweeping epic with a fascinating supporting cast, and a brilliant narrative parable of two men whose great successes were always haunted by personal failure - and whose final moments of triumph were overshadowed by the loss of what they held most dear.Trade ReviewYou finish Gandhi & Churchill knowing that you can evaluate the world today, particularly modern India, with more knowledge and insight * USA Today *Exquisitely detailed ... replete with stories underscoring the gulf between Churchill's robust realism and Gandhi's ascetic utopianism * Washington Times *The rivalry between Winston Churchill and Mohandas Gandhi could hardly have been played for higher stakes. The future of British India hung upon the outcome of their 20-year struggle ... Herman has researched Gandhi & Churchill meticulously and written it fluently * Wall Street Journal *An insightful and engaging interpretation of a common history * Time Out *Herman's dual biography artfully depicts the personalities of the two men ... [and] takes careful account of the constellation of modern and antimodern currents of late Victorian thought in situating these vastly influential figures in a fascinating narrative of their times * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Burden of Power is the fourth volume of Alastair Campbell''s diaries, and perhaps the most eagerly awaited given the ground it covers. It begins on September 11, 2001, a day which immediately wrote itself into the history books, and it ends on the day Campbell leaves Downing Street. In between there are two wars: first Afghanistan, and then, even more controversially, Iraq. It was the most difficult decision of Tony Blair''s premiership, and almost certainly the most unpopular. Campbell describes in detail the discussions with President Bush and other world leaders as the steps to war are taken, and delivers a unique account of Blair as war leader. He records the enormous political difficulties at home, and the sense of crisis that engulfed the government after the suicide of weapons inspector David Kelly. And all the while, Blair continues to struggle with two issues that ran throughout his time in government - fighting for peace in Northern Ireland, and

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Campbell is recognised as one of Britain's leading political biographers. In addition to Edward Heath, which won the NCR Award in 1994, his subjects have included Lloyd George (1977), F.E. Smith, Lord Birkenhead (1983), Roy Jenkins (1983) and Aneurin Bevan (1986). His most recent books are If Love Were All: The Story of Frances Stevenson and David Lloyd George, and Pistols at Dawn, published by Jonathan Cape in June 2009. He is currently writing the authorised biography of Roy Jenkins.Trade ReviewAnyone who really wants to know what happened between 1979 and 1990 should read this book -- John Rentoul * Daily Telegraph *The best book yet written about Lady Thatcher -- Frank Johnson * Daily Telegraph *Superbly researched...unlike so many others is neither hagiography nor hatchet-job, and probably gets closer to the truth than any...magnificently told * Sunday Express *An enormously useful achievement...every twist and turn of her political life is here * The Times, Books of the Year *[A] thorough biography... brought together in a useful abridged paperback version... Campbell is a leading political biographer... Campbell's vivid account is easy to read * Financial Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA spectacular, elegant, brilliant portrait of skulduggery, murder and sex in Renaissance Florence' Simon Sebag Montefiore, Evening Standard, Books of the Year 1531 after years of brutal war and political intrigue, the bastard son of a Medici Duke and a half-negro' maidservant rides into Florence. Within a year, he rules the city as its Prince. Backed by the Pope and his future father-in-law the Holy Roman Emperor, the nineteen-year-old Alessandro faces down bloody family rivalry and the scheming hostility of Italy's oligarchs to reassert the Medicis' faltering grip on the turbulent city-state. Six years later, as he awaits an adulterous liaison, he will be murdered by his cousin in another man's bed.Nothing in sixteenth-century history is more astonishing' Hilary MantelTrade ReviewA spectacular, elegant, brilliant portrait of skulduggery, murder and sex in Renaissance Florence -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * Evening Standard, Books of the Year *Nothing in sixteenth century history is more astonishing to our era than the career of Alessandro de’ Medici. His story, told by an exact and fluent historian, challenges our preconceptions. Catherine Fletcher’s eye for the skewering detail makes the citizens of renaissance Florence live again: courtesans and cardinals, artists and assassins -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallAstonishing … gripping and original … a compelling portrait -- Matthew Lyons * Financial Times *Packed with intrigue … Fletcher describes with cool menace the plotting and politicking that dominated Alessandro’s rule … brought splendidly to life in this excellent book -- Dan Jones * Sunday Times *A scintillating book that glisters and gleams with stabbings, poisonings, adultery and intrigue – and a startling reminder of how visceral and dangerous Renaissance Florence was. The drama of events is perfectly complemented by careful scholarship and lucid writing. This is everything a historical biography should be -- Ian Mortimer, author of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval EnglandIn this brilliantly written and impeccably researched biography, Catherine Fletcher brings Renaissance Florence vividly to life. The story of Alessandro de' Medici's brief and bloody ascendancy reveals the darker side of this most dazzling and cultured of cities, beset by intrigue, violence and betrayal. A stunning book. -- Tracy Borman, author of Thomas Cromwell: The untold story of Henry VIII's most faithful servantBold, breathless and full of suspense -- Daisy Dunn * The Times *A seductive, shimmering and significant retelling of a man whose rise to power was ... as unlikely as it was extraordinary -- Thomas Penn * Guardian *Engrossing … bursts with stabbings, poisonings, duels, eye-gougings, arquebus shootouts and people being run through with swords. Fletcher’s approach is scholarly yet dramatic, immersed in Renaissance glamour … a tremendous step forward in our knowledge of this intriguing man -- Alex von Tunzelmann * Spectator *More than just a forensic reconstruction of the period … Like a detective, Fletcher interrogates her witnesses … But it is among the detailed records of Alessandro’s wardrobe-keepers that she finds her treasure … These lend her narrative a sensuous vividity -- Frances Wilson * Sunday Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed author of John F. Kennedy: An Unfinished Life, the biography of one of America''s greatest presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt.''Meticulously researched and authoritative, heroically objective and wide-angled ... Roosevelt is with us again in Dallek''s outstanding cradle-to-grave study'' Douglas Brinkley, Washington Post''Assuredly the best single-volume Roosevelt biography'' Eric Rauchway, The Times Literary Supplement''Essential ... a master of the presidential biography captures Roosevelt''s compassion and sense of solidarity'' Greg Grandin, Guardian''An insightful, incisive and intelligent one-volume work - and a pointed primer on how things in Washington get done. In a period defined by division, Dallek crafts a pointillist portrait of the four-term president, who knew almost intuitively how to reach consensus'' Peter M. Gianotti, NewsdayTrade ReviewMeticulously researched and authoritative ... Roosevelt is with us again in Dallek's outstanding cradle-to-grave study -- Douglas Brinkley * Washington Post *A landmark work that deserves to be placed on the same shelf as those of Arthur Schlesinger Jr., James MacGregor Burns, and William E. Leuchtenburg -- Richard Moe

Read more less

Book SynopsisCourt politics is about who in British government did what to whom, when, how, why, and with what consequences. In The Prime Ministerial Court Rod Rhodes provides a thorough depiction of the court politics of the Conservative governments of the twenty-first century, namely the courts of David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson. Exploring specific topics, including the courtiers, the prime minister''s craft, reshuffles, resignations, and leadership challenges, and the political games and feuds in the court between ministers, advisers, and civil servants, Rhodes concludes that the British government has a new Establishment in which the skills of ''knavery'' abound. He finds evidence of betrayal, revenge, lying, scandals, and bullying with such machinations oiled by gossip, humour, and alcohol. Analysing the everyday practice of the ''dark arts'' by the British political and administrative elite, each chapter includes a short case study of the court in action, covering the education

Read more less

Book SynopsisRobert Dallek''s masterful John F. Kennedy: An Unfinished Life was a number one national bestseller, and it remains the most widely read one-volume biography of the 35th President. Now, in this marvelous short biography of John F. Kennedy, Dallek achieves a miracle of compression, capturing in a small space the essence of his renowned full-length masterpiece. Here readers will find the fascinating insights and groundbreaking revelations found in An Unfinished Life. The heart of the book focuses on Kennedy''s political career, especially the presidency. The book sheds light on key foreign affairs issues such as the Bay of Pigs debacle, Khrushchev''s misguided bullying of Kennedy in Vienna, the Cuban Missile crisis, the nuclear test ban, the race for space, and the initial dealings with Southeast Asia, especially Laos. It also highlights the difficulties Kennedy faced getting a domestic agenda passed, from a tax cut to spur the economy, to federal aid to education, Medicare, and civil rights. Dallek reveals the thinking behind Robert Kennedy''s appointment as Attorney General and convincingly argues that Kennedy would never have expanded the war in Vietnam the way that Lyndon Johnson did. The book also addresses questions about Kennedy''s assassination and concludes with his presidential legacy and why he remains so popular despite serving only a thousand days in office.Trade Review"One of the most engrossing biographies I have ever read.... Nothing less than a masterpiece." David Herbert Donald, author of^iLincoln^r"It's hard to believe that someone could find anything new to say about John F. Kennedy, but Dallek succeeds in this riveting and well-documented biography."^iThe New Yorker^r"An intimate portrait indeed...unexpected and important.... This is nothing if not a profile in courage."^iNew York Times Book Review^rTable of Contentssingle chapter

Read more less

Book SynopsisStarting from the very beginning of Mandela's life in the tribal Thembu clan, read how this unassuming young man became a figure that led the people of South Africa into a new world, away from the apartheid regime and into a multi-racial democracy.Table of ContentsGirding for Battle' • 'I Have Crossed Famous Rivers' • 'The People Shall Rule' • The Winds of Change Blow – Backwards • The Attack of the Wild Beast • 'Esiquithini' – 'At the Island' • The Path to Freedom • 'I Feel Like an Old Battery That Has Been Recharged!' • President Nelson Mandela • 'I Can't Rest' • 'Nelson Mandela, There is No One Like You' • Memorial and Funeral.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSarah Bradford is a historian and biographer. Previous books include biographies of Disraeli, George VI, Elizabeth II and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (America's Queen), as well as two previous accounts of the Borgia family. She lives in London.Trade ReviewThere has not been, nor will there be, a better biography of Jackie * Times Literary Supplement *Exceptionally intelligent and well-written . . . a thumping good read * Daily Mail *The definitive biography -- Anthony Howard * Sunday Times *A timely reminder of the contradictory and complicated character of the First Lady . . . a revealing portrait * Daily Mail *Long before Diana Spencer, Jacqueline Kennedy was the world's ultimate fantasy princess . . . In public, at JFK's side, Jackie's air of breathless sophistication, her chic cultural warmth complemented [him] perfectly. In private she could be softly malicious . . . scurrilously funny, and full of the entertaining intolerance of those who are young, rich, beautiful . . . a lucid, well-written new biography * Guardian *A masterly biography * Daily Telegraph *Sarah Bradford is very good, and very detailed, about the Kennedys. A good biography, and a good history * Evening Standard *Bradford has a real grasp of history and the ability to make it spark into new life -- Anne Chisholm * Sunday Telegraph *Bradford's forte, ever since she was a history-mad girl, is thinking herself into other lives * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisRosemary Goring took a degree in Economics and Social History at St Andrews University. She started her career in publishing in the role of in-house editor for Chambers Biographical Dictionary and has since edited and written for many reference books, among them the Larousse Dictionaries of Writers and Literary Characters. She was Literary Editor of Scotland on Sunday for several years before becoming Literary Editor of the Herald.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe compelling story of the army chaplain who was sent to save the souls of the Nazis incarcerated at Nuremberg, raising questions of faith, guilt, morality, vengeance, forgiveness, redemption and the essence of humanity.Trade Review· Engagingly told…Townsend illuminates a hidden gem of World War II history and brings to light the life and career of a truly heroic Christian man…an important book. It deserves a wide audience. * Christianity Today *· Gripping. * Daily Mail *In a clear, gripping, and extensively researched narrative, Townsend raises the hard questions of good and evil, forgiveness and retribution; and, also, whether these killers, obeying orders and ignoring morality, deserved spiritual succor in what were, for many of them, their final days. There is much to ponder and bemoan in this detailed report of the trials and of a brave, kindly pastor moving through the "most frightening experience of his life" * Booklist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA balanced biography of Golda Meir, who was both adored and abhorred, from award-winning author Deborah E. LipstadtTrade Review“Lipstadt offers a distilled, delicate account of Meir’s remarkable dedication to her nation that encourages a learned reckoning with her complex legacy.”—John Knight, New York Times Book Review“Engaging writing and fresh perspectives on key moments. . . . An important and captivating short biography of a unique figure in modern Jewish life.”—Avi Shilon, Literary Review“Israel owes Golda much of its legislation in support of working mothers, its housing projects for new immigrants, and the biggest crack yet in its glass ceiling—a female premier.”—Amit Assis, Segula“Deborah Lipstadt offers a comprehensive and fresh portrait of the former Israeli prime minister. Through her attention to gender, Lipstadt provides novel insights into the life of this iconic woman!”—Rabbi David Ellenson, author of Jewish Meaning in a World of Choice: Studies in Tradition and Modernity

Read more less

Book SynopsisThomas Jefferson asserted that if there was any leader of the Revolution, Samuel Adams was the man. With high-minded ideals and bare-knuckle tactics, Adams led what could be called the greatest campaign of civil resistance in American history. Stacy Schiff returns Adams to his seat of glory, introducing us to the shrewd and eloquent man who supplied the moral backbone of the American Revolution. A singular figure at a singular moment, Adams amplified the Boston Massacre. He helped to mastermind the Boston Tea Party. He employed every tool available to rally a town, a colony, and eventually a band of colonies behind him, creating the cause that created a country. For his efforts he became the most wanted man in America: When Paul Revere rode to Lexington in 1775, it was to warn Samuel Adams that he was about to be arrested for treason. In The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, Schiff brings her masterful skills to Adams''s improbable life, illuminating his transformati

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe questions have haunted our nation for half a century: Was the President killed by a single gunman? Was Lee Harvey Oswald part of a conspiracy? Did the Warren Commission discover the whole truth of what happened on November 22, 1963?Philip Shenon, a veteran investigative journalist who spent most of his career at The New York Times, finally provides many of the answers. Though A CRUEL AND SHOCKING ACT began as Shenon''s attempt to write the first insider''s history of the Warren Commission, it quickly became something much larger and more important when he discovered startling information that was withheld from the Warren Commission by the CIA, FBI and others in power in Washington. Shenon shows how the commission''s ten-month investigation was doomed to fail because the man leading it - Chief Justice Earl Warren - was more committed to protecting the Kennedy family than getting to the full truth about what happened on that tragic day. A taut, page-turning narrativTrade ReviewWith meticulous rigour and the sure-handed storytelling of a gifted thriller writer . . . Shenon's careful delineation of the limits of the facts is more necessary than ever * Metro *A masterful piece of modern history * Independent *Compelling * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Transfer of Power Between Presidential Administrations examines the problems that can occur when a new president enters office, with a focus on historical case studies. The transition between presidentsespecially when changing partiesis a wildcard in U.S. foreign policy that often confuses or concerns nations engaged with the United States. Though there are systems in place to ensure information gets passed from one administration to another, ideas and their execution can change dramatically when a new president takes office. Using case studies of six different incoming administrations during the Cold War and 21st century, this book will explore how the successes and failures in presidential transitions have had long-term effects on U.S. foreign policy, grand strategy, and international position. Looking at transitions involving multiple presidents, this book offers a fresh perspective on how foreign policy is formulated and carried out. The Table of Contents0.Introduction. 1.Roosevelt to Truman: The Beginning of the Superpower Era. 2.Truman to Eisenhower: Harry Dislikes Ike and his Foreign Policy Rhetoric. 3.Eisenhower to Kennedy: Quagmire of Vietnam. 4.Kennedy to Johnson: The Tragic Transition. 5.Johnson to Nixon: The Treacherous Transition. 6.Carter to Reagan: The Definitive End of Détente. 7.The Transition in the 21st Century. Afterword: The Big Lie

Read more less

Book SynopsisOver the last two hundred years Parliament has witnessed and effected dramatic and often turbulent change. Political parties rose and fell. The old aristocratic order passed away. The vote was won for the working classes and, eventually, for women. The world was torn apart by two extraordinarily bloody wars. And individual politicians were cheered for their altruism or their bravery and jeered for their sexual or financial misdemeanours.This second volume of Chris Bryant's majestic Parliament: The Biography has a cast of characters that includes some of British history's most famous names: the Duke of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel, Gladstone, Disraeli, Lloyd George, Churchill and Thatcher. Its recurring theme is reform and innovation, but it also lays bare obsessive respect for the past and a dedication to evolution rather than revolution, which has left us with a fudged constitution still perilously dependent on custom, convention and gentlemen's agreements.This is riveting, flawlessly researched and accessible popular history for anyone with an interest in why modern Britain is the nation it is today.Trade ReviewImpressive * Independent *A sweeping history of Britain's political system... One of the most thoughtful accounts I have read -- Francis Beckett * BBC History *Parliament is a very good read, with interesting anecdotes and observations enriched by the fact the author is an MP * Total Politics *An entertaining read * The Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisEdward Pellew, captain of the legendary Indefatigable, was quite simply the greatest frigate captain in the age of sail. An incomparable seaman, ferociously combative yet chivalrous, a master of the quarterdeck and an athlete of the tops, he was as quick to welcome a gallant foe into his cabin as to dive to the rescue of a man overboard. He is the likely model for the heroic but all-too-human Jack Aubrey in Patrick O''Brian''s novels.Pellew was orphaned at eight, but fought his way from the very bottom of the Navy to fleet command and a viscountcy. Victories and eye-catching feats won him a public following. Yet as an outsider with a gift for antagonizing his better-born peers, he made powerful enemies. Redemption came with his last command, when he set off to do battle with the Barbary States and free thousands of European slaves. Contemporary opinion held this to be an impossible mission, and Pellew himself, in leading from the front in the style of his

Read more less

Book SynopsisBefore the Communists came to power, China lay broken. Today it is a global force, but its leaders are haunted by the past. Sulmaan Wasif Khan chronicles the grand strategies that have sought to protect China from aggression and ensure it would never again experience the powerlessness of the late Qing and Republican eras.Trade ReviewWritten with verve and insight, this will become the go-to book for anyone interested in the foundations of China’s grand strategy under Communist rule. -- Odd Arne Westad, author of The Cold War: A World HistoryKhan’s brilliant analysis will help policymakers understand the critical rise of China in the twenty-first century. He has written the essential guidebook to the evolution of China’s strategy—crucial if we are to avoid conflict with this emerging superpower. -- Admiral James Stavridis, U.S. Navy (Ret.), former Supreme Allied Commander of NATOHaunted by Chaos is an ambitious and masterful study. In seeking to crack the ‘operational code’ of successive Chinese leaders, Khan argues that they all have been deeply driven by a profound sense of national insecurity. His book is a useful reminder that for all of China’s apparent strengths today, its fragilities and insecurities continue—a paradox worth watching as Beijing becomes a world power. -- David Shambaugh, author of China’s FutureBy emphasizing geography, Khan has unraveled the mystery of Chinese grand strategy, showing why insecurity lies at the root of Chinese power projection. A wise and seasoned book; readers will not find a shrewder analysis as to why the Chinese act as they do. -- Robert D. Kaplan, author of The Revenge of Geography[A] fine survey of Chinese grand strategy. -- Richard Aldous * American Interest *The foreign policy cognoscenti in Washington have spent the past three years in a collective China reckoning, based in part on the presumption that China’s foreign policy has radically changed. Khan argues that since before the People’s Republic of China’s founding, Chinese rulers have held remarkably consistent objectives, even as their definition of security has expanded. -- Mira Rapp-Hooper * War on the Rocks *An authoritative treatment of Chinese statecraft since Mao Zedong…Given China’s outsize presence on the world stage, Khan’s insights into the underlying rationale of its leadership will afford his own effort an audience beyond the field of international relations. * Publishers Weekly *Useful for decision-makers who might not understand that Beijing’s grand strategy is structural and firm and will not be charmed away or pared back by trade deals. * Choice *An outstanding contribution to our understanding of that most urgent of contemporary geopolitical questions: what does China want? Khan shows that Chinese grand strategy has always been a blend of ideology and pragmatism—sometimes skillful, sometimes careless, but always crucial to understanding global history and politics. -- Rana Mitter, author of Forgotten Ally: China’s World War II, 1937–1945

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe concluding volume of David McCullagh's new life of Eamon De Valera.In this, the concluding volume of David McCullagh's monumental new biography of the revolutionary and statesman, we join de Valera in 1932 as he takes the reins of power in the first Fianna Fáil government and follow him as he confronts one challenge after another the Economic War, the drafting of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the Emergency, the North, the declaration of the Republic, economic stagnation in the 1950s and sets about gradually remaking a sovereign Ireland in his own image.Beautifully written and deeply researched, McCullagh's De Valera is a provocative and nuanced portrait of Ireland's most enigmatic leader, as well as a balanced assessment of his role in shaping our national self-image.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Fine Gael entered a coalition government with Fianna Fáil in 2020 the party did what would have been unthinkable for its forefathers who fought and won a bitter civil war to establish the institutions of an independent Irish state almost a century earlier.Told through the lens of its leaders and Taoisigh, Saving the State is the fascinating story of the wilderness years and the achievements in government, the defeats and crises, the partnerships and the leadership upheavals that have shaped Fine Gael over the decades.From the special place in the party's pantheon of heroes occupied by Michael Collins to the dark era of the Blueshirts, and from its role as the founders of the state to its claim to be the defenders of the state, the ways that members perceive their own history is also explored.This book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding how Fine Gael came to be the party it is today and the role that it played in sh

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith exclusive access to the Haughey archives, Gary Murphy presents a reassessment of Charles Haughey's life and legacy.Saint or sinner? He was the most talented and influential politician of his generation, and his presence still looms over the Irish body politic, yet the very roots of his success his charisma, his intelligence, his ruthlessness, his secrecy have rendered almost impossible any objective evaluation of his life and work. He is, depending on whom you ask, either the great villain of Irish political life or the benevolent and forward-thinking saviour of a benighted nation.That is, until now. Based on unfettered access to Haughey's personal archives, as well as extensive interviews with over 80 of his peers, rivals, confidantes and relatives, Haughey is a rich and nuanced portrait of a man of prodigious gifts, who, for all his flaws and many contradictions, came to define modern Ireland.A superbly balanced exploration of the life and politics of one of the most fascinating figures in 20th century Ireland.' Professor John HorganAn indispensable read for anyone with an interest in modern Irish history.' David McCullaghOffers much new detail - and not a few surprises - about the personality and career of a political titan who is still, in equal measure, revered and reviled in 21st century Ireland.' Conor Brady

Read more less

Book SynopsisLife of one of the greatest British Prime Ministers - by an author who knows the scene from his years as a senior Minister in Margaret Thatcher''s Cabinet.Robert Peel, as much as any man in the nineteenth century, transformed Great Britain into a modern nation. He invented our police force, which became a model for the world. He steered through the Bill which allowed Catholics to sit in Parliament. He reorganised the criminal justice system. Above all he tackled poverty by repealing the Corn Laws. Thanks to Peel the most powerful trading nation chose free trade and opened the door for our globalised world of today.Peel was not all politics. He built two great houses, filled them with famous pictures and was devoted to a beautiful wife. Many followers never forgave him for splitting his Party. But when in 1850 he was carried home after a fall from his horse crowds gathered outside, mainly of working people, to read the medical bulletins. When he died a few days later, factories closed, flags flew at half mast and thousands contributed small sums to memorials in his honour. He was the man who provided cheap bread and sacrificed his career for the welfare of ordinary people.Trade Review[An] impressive and entertaining biography -- John Stevens * THE TIMES *Hurd delivers a vivid and readable portrait of a semi-modern British titan. This biography is elegantly written -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * NEW STATESMAN *The author has a good grasp of the period, he has done a great deal of homework, and he has shaped the story magnificently -- A. N. Wilson * DAILY MAIL *[A] fascinating, eminently readable biography of Peel * ECONOMIST *This warm, sensible biography of Peel does a fine job of rescuing an important figure from relative obscurity -- Dominic Sandbrook * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Intelligent, rich reading with a lovely droll tone -- Duncan Fallowell * DAILY EXPRESS *Hurd writes well, and the book has the merit of bringing Peel alive as a human being -- Jane Ridley * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *The book is rich in every respect -- Mark Stuart * THE SCOTSMAN *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDr. Youssef Mahmoud is Senior Adviser at the International Peace Institute (IPI) and a Visiting Professor at the African Leadership Centre at King's College London. Before retiring from the United Nations in January 2011, he was the Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT). From 2007 to 2009 he served as Executive Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Burundi (BINUB). Albert Mbiatem is an alumnus of the African Leadership Centre at King's College London, UK.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Perspectives on Peacebuilding and Leadership 2. An Uncharted Leadership Path 3. Burundi: A Wounded Puzzle 4. Leading BINUB in a Fragile Context 5. A Trans-Border Humanitarian Crisis and a Contested Response 6. Leading MINURCAT to the Exit Door 7. What It Would Take to Build Peace Better? Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Last Suffragist Standing is an unprecedented study of a pioneering Canadian suffragist and politician and an illuminating work on the history of feminism, socialism, internationalism, and activism in Canada.Trade ReviewStrong-Boag's account of Jamieson's life deepens the appreciation of the ending of one phase of feminist activism and the passing of the torch to successor generations. -- Jane Arscott, Athabasca University * Histoire Sociale *[The Last Suffragist Standing] makes a valuable contribution to the wider historiography of women’s political activities in Canada and to British Columbia politics in general. Jamieson would undoubtedly be pleased with this study of her life and times. -- Patricia Roy, author and professor emeritus of History at the University of Victoria * The Ormsby Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The Girl from the Saugeen Peninsula, 1882–19112 The New Woman as Wife, Suffragist, and Activist, 1911–183 Still Bettering the World, 1918–264 Widowed Judge and Progressive Activist, 1927–395 The Challenge of Electoral Politics, 1927–396 Suffragist in the BC Legislature, 1939–417 Legislative Veteran, 1941–458 Taking on Post-war Misogyny and Vancouver Politics, 1945–649 Faithful Social Democrat, 1945–64ConclusionPostscript from Four Granddaughters / Dorothy O’Connell, Anne Jamieson, Karen Jamieson, and Marion-Lea JamiesonNotes; Selected Bibliography; Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewFor years, I have longed to be in the same room with Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. And now Lewis Lehrman has given all of us that chance with this sweeping, yet intimate study of the war leadership of both remarkable men. With penetrating insight, Lehrman unfolds the contrasts and similarities between these two leaders: their points of origin, their temperaments, the nature of their ambitions, their leadership styles. I savored every page of this magnificent work. -- Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the Lincoln Prize-winning Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham LincolnFew men have more profoundly shaped modern history than Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. In this enlightening, original analysis of their leadership, Lewis E. Lehrman not only sheds a bright light on their remarkable achievements but he also deepens our understanding of the nature of statesmanship. How two leaders of such radically different backgrounds and temperaments led their nations to victory in wars of national survival—thus vindicating government of the people, by the people, and for the people—is an inspiring story, based on deep research, told by Lehrman with great skill. Admirers of both leaders, as well as history fans in general, will enjoy this very well written book and wonder why no previous historian has undertaken such an important comparative study. -- Professor Michael Burlingame, Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois-Springfield and author of Abraham Lincoln: A LifeLewis E. Lehrman’s book brings a laserlike focus to bear on the two greatest English-speaking statesman of the 19th and 20th century—Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. The latter is the grandson of a duke, the former was born in rural poverty . . . one a soldier in early maturity, the other a self-taught lawyer who never served more than one summer in the militia . . . one written down by some as a bounder and a prodigal, the other notable for his humility and thrift. Lehrman's dual examination is a compelling study, beautifully written, about the ideals and temperament of these two very different men—their restless intelligence . . . their wonderful stamina . . . their resilience in the face of defeat and disaster . . . their feel for the power of the English language . . . their mix of calmness and aggression . . . their commitment to free institutions. Lehrman’s book is much more than elegant biography; he has also given us a well-wrought primer on national leadership. This book will amply repay every moment spent studying it. -- Allen C. Guelzo, Henry R. Luce Professor of the Civil War Era at Gettysburg College and author of several prize-winning books on Lincoln and the Civil War, including Gettysburg: The Last Invasion and Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer PresidentIn Lincoln & Churchill:Statesmen at War, Lewis E. Lehrman has accomplished a triumph of interpretation—to unite and to compare the leadership of two great English-speaking statesmen, eight decades apart, engaged in entirely different wars, by showing us what matters about both wars and war leaders, what they had in common, and how they differed. A beautifully written interpretive history, backed by over 1,200 carefully considered footnote-references, Mr. Lehrman illustrates the steel in both war leaders, however vastly they contrasted in upbringing, experience, and personality. This remarkable book is the very first major scholarly effort to compare the greatest English-speaking statesmen of the 19th and 20th centuries. -- Richard M. Langworth, CBE, Founder of the Churchill Centre, Founding Editor of Finest Hour and the Chartwell Bulletin, and author of Churchill in His Own Words, among other Churchill booksThe relationship between biography and general historical writing can be at times fraught. Because the historian is charged with not only telling history but also explaining it, any book structured around a single person will find itself at constant risk of adopting the thrilling but untestable idea that the events of human history are principally driven by a select group of once-in-a-generation “Great Men.” And yet, great men have always existed—men who in select moments make significant contributions to the direction and survival of our civilization. Lewis E. Lehrman’s most recent book tackles the wartime efforts of two such men—Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill—but manages to remain cool-tempered and analytical in the process. Though they lived in different eras and nations, both men valiantly led their respective countries through existentially perilous struggles (Lincoln’s Civil War and Churchill’s fight against Hitler’s Germany). The two had drastically different personalities, but held in common a rare gift for oratory, similar war strategies, and, most of all, an undying commitment to core principles of freedom and liberty. * The New Criterion *The enduring fame of Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill rests chiefly on their leadership during existential conflicts. And while the American Civil War and World War II differed in scale, strategic difficulty and technological complexity, the two leaders indelibly stamped their respective causes in similar ways, as Lewis E. Lehrman observes in his penetrating new book, Lincoln & Churchill: Statesmen at War. . . . Deeply researched and elegantly written, Mr. Lehrman’s Lincoln & Churchill is a valuable contribution to our knowledge of the past. By expertly conjoining two great leaders in a single volume, he has enhanced our understanding of both. -- Michael F. Bishop * The Wall Street Journal *But rarely does posterity compare and contrast these two historical giants to seek a better understanding of both men. Thankfully, this is what Lewis E. Lehrman has accomplished in his newest book, Lincoln & Churchill: Statesmen at War, an unparalleled examination of war leadership, character, and statecraft by two of the greatest men of their respective generations…. In Lincoln & Churchill, Lehrman offers up a book of inspired insight, impressive erudition, and monumental historical achievement. It is a book worthy of every history lover’s shelf. * American Spectator *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor some, Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe is a liberation hero who confronted white rule and oversaw the radical redistribution of land. For others, he is a murderous dictator who drove his country to poverty. This concise biography, in a highly successful series, reveals the complexity of the man who led Zimbabwe for its first decades of independence.Trade Review“In this sober biography of one of Africa’s longest-serving presidents, Onslow and Plaut provide a brief but comprehensive overview of a controversial leader who’s largely reviled in the West but often revered in Africa.…Written in lucid prose, the informative book is commendable for its balanced assessment of 37 years’ worth of very tumultuous events.” * Publishers Weekly *“An excellent, accessible book on the opaque life and legacy of Robert Mugabe.”“Using paradoxes and ironies, [Onslow and Plaut] skillfully portray the dilemma Mugabe weaved Zimbabwe into: ‘support for democracy, good governance, human rights, and rule of law,’ the authors write, yet brutal repression of political opponents; the dispossession of land from former colonial white farmers, and land redistribution creating a new class of a few top official landowners.…Summing Up: Highly recommended.” * CHOICE Reviews *Praise for the Ohio Short Histories of Africa series: “I am a huge fan of Ohio University Press’s Ohio Short Histories of Africa series. I use them to teach my introductory-level African politics students about oppression, resistance, liberation, and corruption, and I recommend the books to anyone who asks as an affordable and accessible introduction to a wide range of topics in African studies.” * The Washington Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA respected historian of medieval Scotland releases the authentic historical Macbeth from a prison of literary and folkloric myth.Trade Review'A lucid picture of a Celtic warrior-king of some sophistication who was respected and loved... A fascinating read through Scotland's Middle Ages' Big Issue. * Big Issue *'The Macbeth Shakespeare discovered had already been demonised for several centuries. But, as Fiona Watson's scholarly study demonstrates, the real story is very different' Daily Telegraph. * Daily Telegraph *'A brilliantly researched and engaging study ... She's a bonny writer ... and has that rare gift of combining impressive knowledge with a lively and winning voice' Herald. * Herald *'Thrilling' The Scotsman. * Scotsman *'Gripping ... An essential corrective to generations of scholarship' BBC History Magazine. * BBC History Magazine *Table of ContentsList of illustrations. Map. House of Alba Family Tree. Acknowledgements. Introduction. Prologue. PART ONE - THE FORGING OF A KINGDOM: All the King's Men; Christendom in 1050; Light on a Dark Age; Accidental Birth of a Nation; View from the North. PART TWO - THE MAKING OF A KING: Murder as Usual; Kings in Waiting; Macbeth the King; The Testing Time; From Death to Demonisation. Sources. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe revised 2nd edition of this successful textbook explores Japanese politics in the postwar era from theoretical and comparative perspectives. After providing historical context, it offers an in-depth exploration of postwar political institutions, political reform in the 1990s, the policymaking process, and the politics of economic growth and stagnation. By delving into Japan's international relations, the book sheds light on Japan's security and foreign policies, and Japan's role in Asia. The textbook concludes by addressing what has changed since party alternation in 2009, the triple disaster in March 2011 and the global Covid pandemic.Themes and questions addressed throughout the text include: How and why did Japan modernize so successfully when so many other countries fell prey to colonialism and authoritarianism? What explains the Japanese economic miracle and its subsequent economic stagnation? What accounts for Japan's successful Table of Contents1. Introduction: Why Japan matters 2. The making of a modern state 3. The postwar settlement 4. The postwar political system 5. Political parties 6. Elections and electioneering 7. The economic miracle 8. Economic slowdown 9. Policymaking 10. State-society relations 11. Prime ministerial leadership 12. National security and foreign policy 13. Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume considers the use of impeachment within a global context. The book brings together leading scholars and experts to give an insight into significant periods in the development of impeachment and its modern comparative use. Divided into five parts, the opening chapter introduces the topic and underlines its significance in terms of understanding the relationship and inter-dependence among politics, governance and the law. It also offers a novel conceptual framework that facilitates the global mapping of impeachment processes. Part I presents a thematic approach that explores the topic of impeachment through the lenses of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. With these themes in mind, Part II focuses on those parts of the world where impeachment is generally recognised as a core constitutional process including the United States, South Korea, Brazil and other countries in South America. Part III continues with the process of constitutional mapping by moving to a focTrade Review‘A book for our troubled times. Monaghan, Huq, and Flinders have convened an exceptional cast of contributors to illuminate the uses and abuses of impeachment in a comparative context. From Africa to the Americas and from Asia to Europe, this outstanding volume draws from doctrine, history, and theory to highlight understudied problems and questions through riveting case studies that expose the many functions of impeachment as a check on executive power, as a device for accountability, and as a weapon for retribution in constitutional politics. “Impeachment in a Global Context” is a home run study of impeachment around the world.’Richard Albert, Professor of World Constitutions, The University of Texas at Austin‘Whether it is a judge, minister, or chief executive in removal proceedings, impeachment brings with it thorny legal questions and often intense political ramifications. Impeachment in a Global Context acknowledges and engages these difficulties by providing deeply contextualized accounts of impeachment within individual countries, set within a broader framing of comparative analysis and theoretical insight. From those systems in which impeachment is core to constitutional governance to countries where it is only newly emerging as a tool, the book’s breadth is a boon for scholars and practitioners interested in constitutional design. And the book’s empirical focus on how impeachment actually functions sheds important light on its normative desirability. In short, this deftly constructed volume will serve as an essential resource on impeachment long into the future.’Erin F. Delaney, Professor of Law, Northwestern University‘Impeachment looms large in the current US political imaginary. It also shapes democratic politics across presidential systems worldwide: it has been deployed on almost every continent in the last decade, in ways that served both to bolster and undermine commitments to democracy and rule of law. In this important new volume, Monaghan, Huq, and Flinders bring together a star-studded list of contributors to survey these trends, their underpinnings, and significance for our understanding of democratic constitutional design and practice.’Rosalind Dixon, Professor of Law, University of New South Wales‘Impeachment remains a central institution to constrain executive power, but it is often abused. This rich volume transcends the conventional study of impeachment proceedings in presidential regimes to show their role in semipresidential and parliamentary systems across the world. The contributors address the impact of impeachment on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.’Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs, University of Notre DameTable of Contents1. Understanding Impeachment: An Exercise in Comparative Cartography; PART I. FOUNDATIONS; 2. Impeachment as Cause or Cure of Human Rights Violations; 3. Impeachment and Democracy: Does Impeachment Have an Effect on Democracy in Third Wave Presidentialism?; 4. Impeachment and the Rule of Law: It’s Complicated; PART II. CORE; 5. The Role of the Judiciary in the Presidential Impeachment Process in Korea; 6. Latin America: Between Governability Crises and the Impeachment Trap; 7. Contemporary Impeachment in Brazil: Political Time and Aporias; 8. Impeachment in the United States; PART III. PERIPHERY; 9. Impeachment in Iceland; 10. Impeachment in Denmark: Law and Practice; 11. The Impeachment of the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, Dr Shirani Bandaranayke; 12. Impeachment in the Philippines: Politics, Institutions and Leadership; PART IV. SATELLITE; 13. Impeachment in Central and Eastern Europe; 14. Impeachment in Nigeria: Process, Practice and Failure; 15. The Politics of Impeachment in Pakistan’s Hybrid Democracy; 16. The United Kingdom and Impeachment: Justification, Renewal, and the House of Commons as a Guardian of the Constitution; PART V: FUTURES; 17. Impeachment in Comparative Perspective: An Empirical View

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten by experienced leaders in gifted education, this book is a foundational guide for supervisors, administrators, and districts seeking to create culturally responsive and equity-focused gifted policies and programs.Engaging chapters supported by real-world vignettes and interactive contemplation corners outline key elements of culturally responsive leadership and the administrative actions necessary for disrupting systems of oppression within gifted programs. Topics covered include culturally responsive gifted education, multitiered systems of support, authentic family engagement, the use of data to inform systemic change, and more.Featuring authentic applications of culturally responsive gifted leadership practices and an innovative tool to evaluate gifted program inclusivity, this book is essential reading for all current and future leaders in gifted education.Table of ContentsList of Figures Foreword 1. Overview and Introduction: Urgency and Need 2. Creating Culturally Inclusive Learning Environments 3. Culturally Responsive Leadership 4. Creating Sustainable Culturally Responsive Gifted Education Systems 5. Data Driven Approach 6. Systems of Support 7. Commitment to Families 8. Engaging in Equity Challenges and Charting a Course for the Future Appendix A: Checklist for Culturally Responsive Gifted Best Practices: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners Appendix B: Gifted-Program Inclusivity Evaluation (G-PIE)

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst published in 1990, Global Capitalism and National Decline is a major contribution to the study of British political and economic decline. The author concentrates on the global nature of capitalism as the context for the development of national capitalism, and on the relationship between internal and external factors. A long-term view of British politics enables him to demonstrate that competing popular explanations of Britain's crisis and the rise of Thatcherism in response to it, are in fact interconnected. The long decline of Britain originating in the 19th century, the inherent weakness of the post-1945 settlement, and the critical events of 1970s, acquire their fullest meaning when seen as different layers' of one and the same historical process. Henk Overbeek takes the story of Britain's decline through to Margaret Thatcher's tenth anniversary in office. His book will be invaluable to scholars and students of economics, politics, and history. it offers aTable of ContentsList of abbreviations List of tables and figures Preface Introduction 1. Long waves of class formation 2. The rise and fall of British hegemony 3. Between New Deal and fascism: depression, war and transition in Britain 4. The redefinition of Britain’s global position 1941-73 5. The postwar Fordist offensives 6. Global crisis and the rise of neo-liberalism 7. Thatcherism in power 8. Perspectives for Thatcherism Notes References Subject Index Name Index Author Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this passionately argued book, James M. Curry introduces legislative scholars to the value and importance of interpretive research. His field guide for getting started on using an interpretive approach is designed so that the reader can understand a new methodological approach, not just new methods âœtoolsâ within a singular approach.Weaving in his own story from student to scholar, Curry begins by demystifying the importance and value of interpretive research. He later provides background on what interpretive methodologies are and how they differ from the quantitative and positivist approaches that dominate in the field. Focusing primarily on the study of the U.S. Congress and the 50 American state legislatures, Curry employs Richard Fennoâs âœsoaking and pokingâ language as a bridge to the language of interpretivism, aiming to show legislative researchers how they can connect between the two and begin to use the richer terms of the latter in place of the former.

Read more less