Political leaders and leadership Books

Book SynopsisCharles Hornsby holds a D.Phil on Kenyan politics from St Antony's College, Oxford and has combined a professional career in information technology with a deep engagement with Kenya. He is the co-author of Multi-Party Politics in Kenya (1998).Trade ReviewMagisterial * Richard Waller, Africa *...the definitive work on modern Kenya * Miles Osborne, International Journal of African Historical Studies *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Independence! 3: Struggle for the State, 1964-1965 4: Multi-Party, but not Democracy, 1966-1969 5: Golden Years, 1970-1974 6: Rigor Mortis, 1975-1978 7: Too Many Cooks, 1978-1983 8: Heavy Footsteps, 1984-1989 9: A Second Liberation? 1990-1992 10: Conflict and Change, 1993-1997 11: Unnatural Succession, 1998-2002 12: Back to the Future, 2003-2008 13: Epilogue: Cold War, 2008-2009 14: Conclusions Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisRead the inspiring Sunday Times bestselling memoir from the first woman, and woman of colour, to serve as Vice President of the United States.'A life story that genuinely entrances' Los Angeles TimesThe daughter of immigrants and civil rights activists, Vice President Kamala Harris was raised in a California community that cared deeply about social justice. As she rose to prominence as a political leader, her experiences would become her guiding light as she grappled with an array of complex issues and learned to bring a voice to the voiceless.Now, in The Truths We Hold, Harris reckons with the big challenges we face together. Drawing on the hard-won wisdom and insight from her own career and the work of those who have most inspired her, she communicates a vision of shared struggle, shared purpose, and shared values as we confront the great work of our day.'Personal integrity shines through every page' ObserverTrade ReviewA fascinating insight into a remarkable career -- Clare Fulton * Scotsman, *Christmas Gift Guide 2021* *

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Book SynopsisAbout our author Dr. Afsaneh Nahavandi is professor of Management at the Knauss School of Business at the University of San Diego, and Professor Emerita at Arizona State University. She is the founder and principal investigator of the Cultural Mindset Project and the Individual Cultural Mindset Inventory, and a highly regarded authority in leadership, culture, leadership development, and organizational behavior. She has a BA in Psychology and French from the University of Denver, an MA and PhD in Social Psychology from University of Utah. Prior to coming to USD in 2013, she taught at Arizona State University for 26 years in the Business School and in the School of Public Administration. While at ASU she was director of the MBA program at ASU's West campus, director of University College, associate dean of University College and of the College of Public Programs. Most recently, she was Chair of the Department of Leadership Studies at the University of

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Book SynopsisThe wit and wisdom of Benjamin Disraeli, British statesman and twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – with a new foreword by Lord Lexden.

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Book SynopsisAfter two years of nonstop negotiations with the Russian authorities, Jean-Christophe Brisard and Lana Parshina were granted access to secret files detailing the Soviets'' incredible hunt to recover Hitler''s body: the layout of the bunker, plans for escaping, eyewitness accounts of the Führer''s final days, and human remains-a bit of skull with traces of the lethal bullet and a fragment of jaw bone. For the first time, the skull, teeth and other elements were analysed by a medical examiner with cutting edge forensics equipment. The authors use these never before seen documents and research to reconstruct the events in fascinating new detail.Trade ReviewA thrilling investigation * L'Express *The text holds onto its historical thriller qualities and makes for a gripping read * Le Monde *Orchestrated like a spy novel, this fascinating piece of work weaves the highs and lows of the journalists's investigation with an edge-of-your-seat tale of Adolf Hitler's last days * Journal Du Dimanche *

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Book SynopsisNiccolò Machiavelli provides a remarkably uncompromising picture of the true nature of power, no matter what era or by whom it is exercised. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library, a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold-foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features an afterword by Oliver Francis.Drawing on examples from the ancient Greeks and Romans and from Machiavelli’s contemporaries, The Prince offers – some believed with satirical intent – advice on how a ruler should preserve his power, conduct and warfare, and maintain his reputation. Machiavelli not only influenced many of the great statesmen of his age, but was also one of the founding fathers of modern political thought. The Prince, written in 1513 and published in 1532, is one of the most famous pieces of writing of all time.Trade ReviewFew books have attracted such an influential readership as The Prince -- Michael Arditti * Telegraph *Machiavelli was showing how to achieve power and hold on to it -- Lesley McDowellAt a time when pious drivel, feckless rhetoric and fatal arrogance too often rule the affairs of us all, a realist dollop of Machiavellianism might well be added to the cauldron of post-modern statecraft -- Ronald K. L. Collins * Washington Independent Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisCallaghan term in office was dominated by industrial unrest, culminating in the Winter of Discontent', laying the foundations for Margaret Thatcher's election victory in 1979

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Book Synopsis"An intoxicating read. You'll want to consume it twice." —A.J. Baime, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental President and Dewey Defeats TrumanA fun little book packed with historic Churchill information, drinking companions, locations, and preferences, as well as plenty of cocktail recipes! Churchill was seldom short of a witty remark, and made his views on drinking quite well-known: “I have taken far more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.” When feeling down he said he felt like “a bottle of champagne . . . left uncorked for the night.” And when encouraging a young government minister to indulge in another drink, he promised, “Go ahead, I won’t write it in my diary.”Divided into four sections—Drink Choices, Drinking Companions, Drinking Spots, and Drink Recipes—this book will keep readers turning the pages of fresh and fun material as they lift a drink along with Winston. The book will also focus on the various eras—from the 1910s through the 1960s—the times in which he was drinking alone and with others. Working with the historic companies that kept him refreshed, it will include vintage advertisements and marketing material from their closely guarded archives.Winston certainly drank with a colorful cast of characters, and you’ll glimpse those such as FDR, Stalin, Coco Chanel, Charlie Chaplin, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and various other kings, queens, dukes, and duchesses. Among the elegant settings we will pop in and out of for a drink include Hearst Castle, Chanel’s house in the South of France, the Ritz Hotel in Paris, the Dorchester in London, Monaco, the Savoy, the Biltmore, and of course the bars and first-class cabins of the famed ocean liners the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary. So raise a glass and join us in toasting Churchill’s life and unique abilities!Trade Review"An intoxicating read. You'll want to consume it twice. . . . We've all been asked the question: If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be? Churchill should be high on anyone's list, and that's what this book is: a round of your favorite with the man himself, a deep dive into the life of the man where other biographies don't go." —A.J. Baime, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental President and Dewey Defeats Truman "When Winston Churchill was fighting them on the beaches, he only surrendered to his favorite Champagne (and other punchy libations). Churchill’s fave drinks and lots of fun anecdotes are yours in Churchill: A Drinking Life. This entertaining and, dare I say, bubbly book won’t give you a hangover. Cheers to Churchill!" —Jack Ohman, Pulitzer Prizewinning Editorial Cartoonist, The Sacramento Bee "A breezy informal fun recounting of Winston Churchill’s favorite drinks as well as where and with whom he liked to have a glass. It is nicely presented with several photographs and many illustrations. In terms of what Churchill liked to drink the authors cover Champagne, Whisky, Brandy, Cognac, Gin, Wine, and Port; drinking companions include Lord Beaverbrook, Franklin Roosevelt, and Aristotle Onassis; and where he liked to drink include Claridge’s, Chartwell, and The Savoy. . . . Churchill, A Drinking Life is an enjoyable light-hearted “wander through Winston’s liquor cabinet.” —Bradley P. Tolppanen, Winston Churchill Bllog

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Book SynopsisRussia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was a war long in the making and is the latest in a series of military interventions that have showcased Vladimir Putin’s deadly imperial ambitions and the ruthless and bloody strategies that serve his vision of a greater Russia. Putin’s Russia wants its empire back and it has taken the events in Ukraine for the West to finally realize it. Alex Bellamy examines the road to Ukraine 2022 and charts the path from Chechnya, Putin’s first war which helped propel him to the presidency, through to conflict in Georgia, Crimea, the South Caucasus and Syria. He shows the central role war has played in Putin’s rule and how it has helped craft a new social contract between president and people grounded in a shared vision of Russian national identity. For anyone wanting to understand the hows and whys of the war in Ukraine, Alex Bellamy’s clear and insightful analysis is a must-read.Trade ReviewAll of Putin's cruel wars in one book. Read it. -- John Sweeney, author of Killer in the KremlinAn accessible guide to the last 30 years of the history of Russia and its victims. Alex Bellamy demonstrates clearly how Putin's entire reign has been building up to Russia's war on Ukraine. -- Keir Giles, author of Russia's War on EverybodyTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Collapse 2. Chechnya 3. Georgia 4. Ukraine I 5. Syria 6. Nagorno-Karabakh 7. Shadows 8. Ukraine II

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Book SynopsisModern biographies of Richard Nixon have been consumed with Watergate. All have missed arguably the most important perspective on Nixon as California’s native son, the only U.S. president born and raised in California. In addition, Nixon was also a son, brother, friend, husband, father, uncle, and grandfather. By shifting the focus from Watergate and Washington to Nixon’s deep, defining roots in California, Paul Carter boldly challenges common conceptions of the thirty-seventh president of the United States. More biographies have been written on Nixon than any other U.S. politician. Yet the territory traversed by Carter is unexplored, revealing for the first time the people, places, and experiences that shaped Richard Nixon and the qualities that garnered him respect from those who knew him well. Born in Yorba Linda and raised in Whittier, California, Nixon succeeded early in life, excelling in academics while enjoying athletics through high school. At Whittier College he graduated at the top of his class and was voted Best Man on Campus. During his career at Whittier’s oldest law firm, he was respected professionally and became a chief trial attorney. As a military man in the South Pacific during World War II, he was admired by his fellow servicemen. Returning to his Quaker roots after the war, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate, and the vice presidency, all within six short years. After losing to John Kennedy in the 1960 presidential campaign, Nixon returned to Southern California to practice law. After losing his gubernatorial race he reinvented himself: he moved to New York and was elected president of the United States in 1968. He returned to Southern California after Watergate and his resignation to heal before once again taking a place on the world stage.Richard Nixon: California’s Native Son is the story of Nixon’s Southern California journey from his birth in Yorba Linda to his final resting place just a few yards from the home in which he was born. Trade Review“After decades of pretentious psychobiographies of Richard Nixon’s ‘darkest side,’ Paul Carter has produced a tour de force that is the definitive portrait of Nixon’s life from his childhood until the end of his career.”—Irwin Gellman, author of Campaign of the Century: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960“Paul Carter is the first person to comprehensively review the records of Richard Nixon’s formative years. The result is a book that shines. It is a feat that will never be repeated.”—Luke A. Nichter, author of The Year That Broke Politics: Collusion and Chaos in the Presidential Election of 1968“Richard Nixon: California’s Native Son is remarkably well done and is the best biography of my brother that I have read. . . . Paul Carter has crafted a fascinating, lawyerly narrative, scrupulously following the evidence in his research. By shifting the focus of Dick’s life from Washington, DC, to Southern California for the very first time, the true Dick Nixon is revealed. For those who have not yet made up their mind about my brother, this will provide revelatory reading.”—Edward C. Nixon, brother of Richard Nixon“Richard Nixon: California’s Native Son is superb—there’s really nothing like it in the Nixon literature, or even in the literature of the American presidency. Ed Nixon refers to Paul Carter’s work as ‘lawyerly,’ and that captures a lot of what makes the book invaluable: the careful assembling of masses of material after exhaustive research, presented with the clarity of style and directness of argument that the best lawyers command. I’m wowed by the whole thing.”—Andrew Ferguson, author of Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America and former speechwriter for President George H. W. Bush“Paul Carter has done a brilliant job of providing an insightful and revealing portrait of Richard Nixon. Starting from his roots in Southern California and proceeding through his life in the public arena, Carter makes Nixon’s life come alive. Using source materials that have never been assembled so completely, coupled with meticulous attention to detail, the author has put together a compelling and important depiction of the life and emergence of Richard Nixon. . . . A superb portrait.”—John F. Rothmann, host of The John Rothmann Show on KGO 810 AM and lecturer on American politics at the Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning at the University of San Francisco“Richard Nixon: California’s Native Son is a deeply researched, highly readable account of President Richard Milhous Nixon’s life from a distinctly Californian point of view. . . . By showing that Nixon was a product of both his time and his birthplace, Carter retells this very American story in a unique way. Destined to become a classic within Nixon literature, this is a must-add to the presidential bookshelf as well as a must-read for those studying native sons of the Golden State.”—Heather Hardage Lee, author of The League of Wives: The Untold Story of the Women Who Took on the U.S. Government to Bring Their Husbands Home“A highly readable examination of Richard Nixon’s character and career. This story is impeccably detailed, with the author utilizing a wide variety of primary historical sources to illuminate Nixon’s rise, fall, and ultimate redemption on the grandest stage of American politics. Richard Nixon: California’s Native Son portrays the highest highs and the deepest lows that any American politician ever experienced. Paul Carter’s outstanding coverage of Richard Nixon’s remarkable journey stands in a class by itself.”—Joseph Dmohowski, Whittier College librarian and Nixon family author and historianTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword by Tricia Nixon Cox Preface 1. New Beginnings: 1908–22 2. Early Success: 1922–26 3. Nixonville: 1926–30 4. Depression-Era Education: 1930–37 5. Service to Community and Country: 1937–45 6. Congressional Race: 1945–46 7. National Prominence: 1947–49 8. Senator: 1949–51 9. Vice-Presidential Campaign: 1952 10. Vice President: 1953–56 11. Preparation: 1957–60 12. Presidential Campaign: 1960 13. Welcome Home: 1961 14. Governor’s Race: 1961–62 15. Wilderness Years: 1963–68 16. President: 1968–74 17. Exile and Rehabilitation: 1974–80 18. Evening: 1980–94 Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisOne of the great figures of the twentieth century, Chairman Mao looms irrepressibly over the economic rise of China. Mao Zedong was the leader of a revolution, a communist who lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, an aggressive and distrustful leader, and a man responsible for more civilian deaths than perhaps any other historical figure. Now, four decades after Mao''s death, acclaimed biographer Philip Short presents a fully updated and revised edition of his ground-breaking and masterly biography. Vivid, uncompromising and unflinching, Short presents in one-volume the man behind the propaganda - his family, his beliefs and his horrors. In doing so he shows us both the human being Mao was, and the monster he became.

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Book Synopsis'A perfect mirror to its subject... should be compulsory reading' ObserverVladimir Putin is a pariah to the West.He has the power to reduce the West to nuclear ashes. He invades his neighbours, meddles in western elections and orders assassinations. His regime is autocratic and corrupt. Yet many Russians continue to support him. Under Putin's leadership, Russia has once again become a force to be reckoned with.Philip Short's magisterial biography explores in unprecedented depth the personality of Russia's leader and demolishes many of our preconceptions about Putin's Russia.To explain is not to justify. Putin's regime is dark. But on closer examination, much of what we think we know about him turns out to rest on half-truths. This book is as close as we will come to understanding Russia's ruler.'Short's pushback against lazy, convenient myth-making is refreshing' The Times'Elegantly written and pacy' Financial Times 'Extensively covers the dark moments of Putin's career.... The Putin of Short's book is not someone you would invite to dinner' New York TimesTrade ReviewMagisterial... based on access to a Who's Who of senior politicians, diplomats and intelligence sources. * Guardian *An exhaustive profile * Daily Telegraph, *Books of the Year* *Exceptional... unlikely to be matched as a study of the man... It is readable, judicious, critical but balanced and focused on Putin the person rather than on the Putin regime * The Irish Times *[A] revealing and compellingly granular biography * Times Literary Supplement *Anyone wanting to learn more about Putin's personality, ideas, power and the threat he has come to pose to world peace should read this outstanding biography -- Ian Kershaw

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER *WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER * Andy Borowitz, “one of the funniest people in America” (CBS Sunday Morning), brilliantly “chronicles our embrace of anti-intellectualism” (Walter Isaacson) in American politics, from Ronald Reagan to Dan Quayle, from George W. Bush to Sarah Palin, to its apotheosis in Donald J. Trump.Andy Borowitz has been called a “Swiftian satirist” (The Wall Street Journal) and “one of the country’s finest satirists” (The New York Times). Millions of fans and New Yorker readers enjoy his satirical news column “The Borowitz Report.” Now, in Profiles in Ignorance, he delivers “a wittily alarming polemic that tracks the evolution of American politics from grounds for gravitas to festival of idiocy” (The New York Times). Borowitz argues that over the past fifty years, American politicians have grown increasingly allergic to knowledge, and mass media have encouraged the election of ignoramuses by elevating candidates who are better at performing than thinking. Starting with Ronald Reagan’s first campaign for governor of California in 1966 and culminating with the election of Donald J. Trump to the White House, Borowitz shows how, during the age of twenty-four-hour news and social media, the US has elected politicians to positions of great power whose lack of the most basic information is terrifying. In addition to Reagan, Quayle, Bush, Palin, and Trump, Borowitz covers a host of congresspersons, senators, and governors who have helped lower the bar over the past five decades. Profiles in Ignorance aims to make us both laugh and cry: laugh at the idiotic antics of these public figures, and cry at the cataclysms these icons of ignorance have caused. But most importantly, the book delivers a call to action and a cause for optimism: History doesn’t move in a straight line, and we can change course if we act now.Trade Review“A wittily alarming polemic that tracks the evolution of American politics from grounds for gravitas to festival of idiocy.” —The New York Times “How did we slide into the abyss of liking our politicians to be—or to act—dumb rather than smart? In this funny but serious book, Andy Borowitz chronicles our embrace of anti-intellectualism.” —Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Code Breaker “This is one of these brilliant books that makes you laugh until you cry. Borowitz masterfully throws light (and shade) on the confederacy of dunces who have fumbled their way into power. His writing has never been smarter, sharper, or more necessary.” —Susan Orlean, New York Times bestselling author of The Library Book “Highly recommended. Can't remember the last time I read something so maddening that was also so hilarious. Also, it is diagnostically astute about the rise of ignorance in American politics.” —Kathryn Schulz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize “In his illuminating and hilarious book, Andy Borowitz not only skewers political stupidity, he identifies its three key phases. . . . Much as the great lampooners of late 18th-century London helped expose ruling class excesses, Borowitz’s withering mockery is a weapon against the creeping authoritarianism of early 21st-century America.” —Edward Luce, Financial Times “A devastatingly funny takedown of a veritable Mount Rushmore of incompetents . . . In the hallowed tradition of Will Rogers, Mark Twain, H.L. Mencken, Ambrose Bierce, and other clear-eyed satirists, Borowitz skewers all manner of chronically befuddled, willfully ignorant dolts. . . . Ravaging this seemingly endless rogues’ gallery of buffoonery and corruption, Borowitz marshals mind-boggling, breathtaking evidence. . . . While there are countless laughs in the book, they have a rueful edge given that we are all affected by such widespread ignorance.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Readers may laugh, cry, or swear under their breath (sometimes all at once) with this scathing survey of the seemingly increasing ignorance of American politicians. Borowitz, a writer of page and screen and satirist for The New Yorker, humorously examines the ever-increasing, lowering-of-the-bar expectations of presidential candidates’ knowledge and beyond in this book that is perfect for fans of The Daily Show or John Lithgow’s ‘Dumpty’ series. . . . For readers who have ever looked at the political landscape and asked how or why, this is a book that will inform and infuriate.” —Library Journal (starred review) “A stinging indictment of how the Republican Party has, by design, devolved from at least somewhat reasonable or coherent discussions of politics and policy to full-on celebration of idiocy.” —Salon “Andy makes me laugh out loud, that’s a given. In this book he has also made me think out loud. Profiles in Ignorance is hilarious, original, scary, prescient and a wake-up call for us all. A must-read.” —Susie Essman, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm “Borowitz always hits the target. . . . The book is hilarious and scary . . . because it's TRUE!” —Larry Wilmore, Black on the Air “[Borowitz] sheds light on the cultural and economic trends that gave intellectualism a bad name and identifies the political operatives . . . who facilitated the rise of ignorance. Fans of The Borowitz Report will gobble this up.” —Publishers Weekly “Is it better to laugh or cry at America’s most profoundly stupid politicians? Why not both laugh and cry, as anyone will by reading this new book by Andy Borowitz. He is one of our sharpest satirists, as evidenced by his column The Borowitz Report, but he’s wisely made this book nonfiction, skewering the dumbest of the dumb.” —Air Mail “Hilarious and wildly entertaining.”—Indiana Capital Chronicle “Worth every penny . . . Profiles in Ignorance is funny because it's true—and nutty. . . . Borowitz uses his skills to skewer and expose politicians. . . . An equal-opportunity historian, he pulls back the curtain on Democrats as well as Republicans.”—Worcester Magazine “Borowitz details a staggering array of obliviousness, lending his penetrating gibes to the estimable tradition of political mockery championed by Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, and H. L. Mencken.” —Los Angeles Review of Books Praise for Andy Borowitz: “We need a new emoji to signal the uniquely brilliant humor of Andy Borowitz: savage but gentle, hilarious but sad, thought-provoking but never hard to figure out, ironic but without cheap sarcasm, snarky but never cruel. He’s a national treasure!” —Laurence Tribe, coauthor of To End a Presidency: The Power of Impeachment “A witty diagnosis of the political troubles of the US.” —Jewish News “I expected a laugh. . . . How much better to also find a cogent explanation for our current political climate. . . . Borowitz takes us on a well-researched journey of the past 40+ years of American politics, leaving no president un-examined, and he does so with humor and curiosity.” —Presbyterian Outlook, Book of the Month “Literally had me laughing out loud. . . . Profiles in Ignorance is a treasure trove of quotes by elected officials and would-be elected officials who not only enjoy the taste of shoe leather but demonstrate that they either slept through high school civics and American history, or don’t care enough to even learn the basic facts that any person taking the examination to become an American citizen must learn.” —Cool Cleveland “Both humorous and frightening as it explains how we got to where we are today in the national political scene.” —Boston.com, Favorite Reads of 2022

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Book Synopsis'Always forgive your enemies - but never forget their names.' JFK'What do you want to be a sailor for? There are greater storms in politics than you will ever find at sea. Piracy, broadsides, blood on the decks. You will find them all in politics.' David Lloyd George'Unchallenged master of the self-inflicted wound.' Nicholas Soames on Boris Johnson, apropos his switch to campaigning for BrexitStructured to follow the arc of a life in politics - from childhood aspirations and first attempts at getting elected, to navigating the back benches, ascending the greasy pole, dealing with detractors, facing crises, and finally escaping - this unique collection weaves together the wittiest, wisest and most acerbic political quotations from the last 2,000 years. Punctuated throughout by candid insights from Sir Vince Cable, How to Be a Politician is a timeless and entertaining education in the dark arts of politics.

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Book SynopsisChristopher de Bellaigue is the award-winning author of The Lion House: The Rise of Suleyman the Magnificent, which was chosen as a book of the year by The Times, Sunday Times, Spectator and New Yorker among others, as well as five previous books, including The Islamic Enlightenment, which was shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction and the Orwell Prize for Political Writing in 2017. As a reporter he has covered war, politics, society and the environment in five continents for the Economist, the New York Review of Books, the Guardian and the BBC. He is the founder of the Lake District Book Festival in Cartmel, Cumbria, an Honorary Fellow of the University of St Andrews and in 2026 he will take up a Visiting Fellowship at All Souls College, Oxford. www.christopherdebellaigue.comTrade ReviewThere are books that enlarge the mind, there are books that enrich the soul, but rarely comes a book so beautifully-written and profound that it manages to do both -- ELIF SHAFAK, author of The Island of Missing TreesThe most daring history book of the year ... told in the present tense with all the dash and flair of a novel. The research is faultless: we are immersed ... it brilliantly conveys a sense of colour and momentum, placing the reader in the thick of the action. Unforgettable -- Dominic Sandbrook * The Times & Sunday Times Best Books of 2022 *This is history, but not as we know it. It is non-fiction posing as a novel, rich in incident and cinematic detail ... it's tremendous -- Justin Marozzi * Sunday Times *An urgent, immersive, present-tense gallop ... the book reads as a non-fiction novel ... cinematically vivid tableaux ... Each spangled scene ... rests on a solid foundation in the primary sources ... De Bellaigue enriches his storytelling with the colourful, meticulous dispatches of its traders, envoys and spies ... behind the bejewelled descriptive prose a thumping pulse of action tugs us through ... de Bellaigue's glittering, deft and often witty prose adds pleasure to each page * Financial Times *Luminous, erudite ... a gripping account that evokes an epic poem, saga or 'book of kings' ... It is as immersive as the blurb claims, conjuring the world of the eastern Mediterranean, Anatolia and south-eastern Europe in the early 16th century with the limpid clarity of the many gems that stud its pages ... Even more than the detail, it is the characters that intrigue and often inspire ... The book leaves the reader with Suleiman truly magnificent * Spectator *Mesmerising . . . steeped in the sensuous detail of banquet and ceremony, stratagem and conspiracy -- Colin ThubronA brilliantly written account of the Ottoman empire in all its opulence and brutality. Rich in colourful historical anecdotes, de Bellaigue brings 16th-century statecraft vividly alive, and offers a chilling insight into the ruthlessness and loneliness of one of the most powerful men of the age * Guardian *A vivid, cinematic account of the rise of Suleyman the Magnificent ... de Bellaigue follows with exhilarating clarity and suspense the era's broader battles across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and the individual trajectories - grand ambitions, rivalries, betrayals - of these outsiders in Suleyman's court, a place rife with intrigue and back-stabbing, rich with colourful characters -- Claire Messud * Harper's *Those lucky readers who come to Christopher de Bellaigue's book in proximity to reading Mantel can suddenly have a new panel thrown open to them like an unfolding altarpiece ... all written in the present tense. This creates the obvious sense of liveliness and urgency ... Bellaigue sets about the task with such confidence and skill that it works ... a dazzling and dark work. Witty and often wise, it speaks to the frailties and the precarity of power -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *Vivid and compelling ... He presents his story like a novel, but it is not fiction; every detail has been diligently researched, for example by perusing diaries in difficult Venetian dialect ... Whether he is describing a lavish dinner for Italian merchants on the Bosporus, the stately progress of Suleiman's armies through the Balkans or a mass circumcision, he has an eye for the colourful, absurd and ironic ... As this book shows, living in the penumbra of such supreme power can be seductive and intoxicating. But the end of the story is often tragic * Economist *Wolf Hall for the Ottoman Empire ... History at its most gripping * Daily Telegraph *This account really grips... it does so by bringing out the fascinating individuals, the adventure, the lurid details, the barbarities, the opulence and squalor and near misses of the story -- Melanie McDonagh * Evening Standard *Poised effortlessly between two worlds and two ages, a book as pungent and mysterious as the age it depicts -- RORY STEWART, former British Cabinet Minister and author of The Places In BetweenA complex piece of history told with extraordinary clarity * Spectator, *Best Books of 2022* *Christopher de Bellaigue has a magic talent for writing history It is as if we are there as the era of Suleyman the Magnificent unfolds -- ORHAN PAMUK, Nobel Laureate in LiteratureEssential reading for anyone wishing to understand political ambition and the role of narcissistic leaders and scheming courtiers in any age -- ROBERT PESTON, Political Editor ITV NewsGripping, novelistic ... brisk and muscular ... written in a sure-footed historical present, the book creates a simulacrum of the 16th century through the painstaking accumulation of attested details ... [giving] the book its vividness and energy ... [De Bellaigue] writes with supreme confidence about power, diplomacy, clothing, avarice, war, statecraft and the exceptional brutality of the era ... While The Lion House unfolds like a novel, through scenes rich with authenticating detail -- Marcel Theroux * The New York Times Book Review *De Bellaigue is a riveting and expert guide to the story of Suleyman's quest for power -- PETER FRANKOPAN, author of The Silk RoadsNarrated with a verve and flair that make the characters burst from the pages. Outstanding history and an incredibly good read -- EUGENE ROGAN, author of The Fall of the OttomansExquisite ... So arresting is this book, so enveloping in the tensions of its narrative, that most readers will feel a pang of sorrow that the tale does not run on. The Lion House leaves us with a tease, or taunt: "Who, apart from God, can say what will come next?" A sequel, surely. Although it was the peak of the Ottoman Empire, Suleyman's reign also offers clear glimpses of a great decline to come. Who better to tell us about it than Mr de Bellaigue? * Wall Street Journal *Non-fiction with the readability of a thriller. Unputdownable -- VICTORIA HISLOP, author of The IslandSensuous and scholarly, meticulously researched and deliciously irreverent, The Lion House is an intoxicating journey through the Ottomans' golden age -- AMBERIN ZAMAN, correspondent, Al-Monitor, Turkey correspondent for the Economist (1999-2016) and Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DCReads like the most gripping fiction ... could very well be Netflix's next epic * Radio Times *The Lion House presents a historical universe that captivates and astonishes and is near-impossible to put down. A superb example of historical literature and research -- RICHARD WHATMORE, Professor of Modern History at the University of St AndrewsFull of breath-taking events at the cross-roads of empires at a moment in history when notions such as Europe, Asia, Christianity and Islam were infinitely more fluid and permeable than they are today -- KEREM OKTEM, Professor of International Relations at Ca' Foscari University, VeniceOriginal... de Bellaigue... offers a vivid presentation of events, re-imagined as scenes and episodes... a different, literary kind [of history] -- Noel Malcolm * Times Literary Supplement *De Bellaigue writes with impecable scholarship, piecing together contemporary accounts to create a thrilling narrative * Church Times *De Bellaigue is an expert stylist, sensitive to rhythm and vocabulary, and passionate in his pursuit of the fugitive detail that gives meaning to a whole episode * Literary Review *An exhilarating read -- Rose Shepherd * Saga Magazine *An engrossing book... This is history turned into drama and poetry, awesomely spectacular yet also intensely intimate -- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown * iNews *

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Book SynopsisPulitzer Prize­–winning reporter and dean of Trumpologists David Cay Johnston reveals years of eye-popping financial misdeeds by Donald Trump and his family.While the world watched Donald Trump’s presidency in horror or delight, few noticed that his lifelong grifting quietly continued. Less than forty minutes after taking the oath of office, Trump began turning the White House into a money machine for himself, his family, and his courtiers. More than $1.7 billion flowed into Donald Trump’s bank accounts during his four years as president. Foreign governments rented out whole floors of his hotel five blocks from the White House while lobbyists conducted business in the hotel’s restaurants. Payday lenders and other trade groups moved their annual conventions to Trump golf resorts. And individual favor seekers joined his private Mar-a-Lago club with its $200,000 admission fee in hopes of getting a few minutes with the President. Despite earning more than $1 million every day he was in office, Trump left the White House as he arrived—hard up for cash. More than $400 million in debt comes due by 2024, and Trump still lacks the resources to pay it back. “Few people are as well positioned to write an exposé of the former president as Johnston” (The Washington Post), and The Big Cheat offers a guided tour of how money flowed in and out of Trump’s hundreds of enterprises, showing in simple terms how a corrupt president used our government for his benefit, even putting national security at risk. Johnston details the four most recent years of the corruption that has defined the Trump family since 1885 and reveals the costs of Trump’s extravagant lifestyle for American taxpayers.Trade Review"We know more than ever why Trump should not have been president and why he or any of his minions cannot be president of this democracy again. Johnston’s book is filled with amazing research." * Eugene Weekly *"The Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and longtime Trump-watcher Johnston delivers enough charges to fuel a few hundred indictments. . . . Johnston assembles a case that’s full of news and startling incidents. . . . Those inclined to despise Trump and Trumpism will find ample reinforcement." * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *"A devastating roundup of malfeasance." * Publishers Weekly *“Few people are as well positioned to write an exposé of the former president as Johnston. . . . The Big Cheat is a guided tour of the Trump circus in 18 colorful vignettes. . . . A good book, full of old-fashioned reporting based on original sources and primary documents, colorfully written and convincingly argued.” -- James Kwak * The Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2019 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR. FROM THE JUDGES:''Rick Reilly lets Donald''s Trump relationship with his favourite sport speak for itself. Commander in Cheat is full of astonishing ''you could not make it up'' detail delivered in full knowledge that nothing revealed would embarrass the President one jot. You will be howling with laughter and gasping in disbelief in equal measure so be careful when reading this fascinating book in public.''SHORTLISTED FOR THE GENERAL OUTSTANDING SPORTS WRITING AWARD AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS.THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.''An eye-watering account of the president''s abuse of the rules of golf'' The Sunday Times''Reilly pokes more holes in Trump''s claims than there are sand traps on all his courses combined. It is by turns amusing and alarming'' The New YorkerCommander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trade ReviewAn eye-watering account of the president's abuse of the rules of golf - The Sunday TimesReilly pokes more holes in Trump's claims than there are sand traps on all his courses combined. It is by turns amusing and alarming' - The New Yorker[Rick Reilly] is the closest thing sportswriting ever had to a rock star - USA Today[Rick Reilly] is one of the funniest humans on the planet - New York Daily News

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Book Synopsis'The task of all who believe in multiracialism in this country is to survive. Quite inevitably time is on our side...' Helen Suzman was the voice of South Africa's conscience during the darkest days of apartheid. She stood alone in parliament, confronted by a legion of highly chauvinist male politicians. Armed with the relentless determination and biting wit for which she became renowned, Suzman battled the racist regime and earned her reputation as a legendary anti-apartheid campaigner. Despite constant antagonism and the threat of violence, she forced into the global spotlight the injustices of the country's minority rule. Access to Suzman's papers, including her unpublished correspondence with Nelson Mandela, was granted by her family to the author, former British ambassador to South Africa Robin Renwick, who has penned a book rich with examples of her humour and political brilliance. This first full biography goes beyond her famous struggle against apartheid into her criticisms of the post-apartheid government. It is a fascinating insight into the life of a truly great South African and her role in one of the most important struggles in modern history.Trade Review"Helen Suzman was sharp, incisive, principled and loads of fun. So is this biography... Brings Helen Suzman to life." John Carlin, Author of Invictus "Robin Renwick was British Ambassador in the 1980s, and writes lucidly and carefully as both friend and historian, taking us through the years of tightening apartheid and its educational, social and domestic repressions. It covers Sharpeville, Soweto, Robben Island and the atrocities and injustices which Suzman fought... as a character she emerges superbly." Libby Purves, The Times "[T]he truest of liberals... this crisp, lucid account is persuasive in presenting her as the doughtiest of fighters for human rights anywhere and one of the finest parliamentarians." The Economist "Robin Renwick's biography brims with anecdotes. In an era of overlong biographies, it shares her fondness for clarity, concision and humour. It is also exquisitely timed... and relevant today." Alec Russell, FT "The new insights that Robin Renwick brings to the extraordinary life and achievements of the late Helen Suzman will help to ensure that this exceptional South African and universally acknowledged human rights campaigner is accorded her rightful place in history." John Battersby, former editor of the Sunday Independent "Wonderfully readable story of someone I think of every day." Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape "Lord Renwick has done us all a great service." FW de Klerk "A wonderful book." Peter Bruce, Financial Mail "Timely, easy to read, elegant biography of the redoubtable Helen Suzman." Business Day "This well told story of Lord Renwick's old friend, revered by a whole generation of Robben Islanders, is also the history of the rise and fall of apartheid... brilliant use of vignettes and anecdotes." City Press "A fascinating insight into the life of a truly great South African... Former British Ambassador to South Africa Robin Renwick has penned a book rich with examples of her humour and political brilliance." The South African "A story of sheer political grit, courage and conviction, proving that even in the darkest hour there remain people loyal to their principles." South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe "Brilliantly written portrait of an inspiring figure." Mamphela Ramphele "An admirable and affectionate portrait of a remarkable woman." David Welsh, author of The Rise and Fall of Apartheid "A remarkable biography about a memorable woman. As British ambassador to South Africa, Lord Robin Renwick established a lasting friendship with Helen Suzman. Hence the excellence of this biography: the clarity of language, grasp and depth of issues, the human touch that pervades every chapter, and the deceptively easy readability. Coming at a time when liberalism has again come to the forefront of the national debate, it could not have appeared at a better moment." Stanley Uys, veteran South African journalist and political commentator

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Book SynopsisIn 1969, an eruption of armed violence traumatized Northern Ireland and transformed a period of street protest over civil rights into decades of paramilitary warfare by republicans and loyalists. In this evocative memoir, Malachi O'Doherty not only recounts his experiences of living through the Troubles, but also recalls a revolution in his lifetime. However, it wasn't the bloody revolution that was shown on TV but rather the slow reshaping of the culture of Northern Ireland - a real revolution that was entirely overshadowed by the conflict.Incorporating interviews with political, professional and paramilitary figures, O'Doherty draws a profile of an era that produced real social change, comparing and contrasting it with today, and asks how frail is the current peace as Brexit approaches, protest is back on the streets and violence is simmering in both republican and loyalist camps.Trade ReviewTimely and hugely absorbing... A beautifully layered and engaging profile of Northern Ireland as it reels into the 21st century. * The Herald *A personal, humane and very readable reflection on the profound changes that have occurred in the North during the half-century since the emergence of conflict in 1969. * TLS *An essential and fascinating memoir which also doubles as an important historical and social reference, shining a light into aspects of life here that sometimes are overshadowed by conflict. * Máiría Cahill, journalist and political activist *A superbly written and thought-provoking book, replete with Malachi O'Doherty's expert observations on how the past can be a catalyst for both change and continuity. * Aaron Edwards, author of UVF: Behind the Mask *Fifty Years On explores changes wrought in Northern Ireland by a half century of political and social ferment, not only the Troubles and their aftermath but also the growing secularisation of society... In this highly readable and up-to-date book, the author proves himself an astute and tireless chronicler of his times. * Linda Anderson, co-editor of Female Lines: New Writing by Women from Northern Ireland *Malachi O'Doherty's fascinating and intimate account of the outbreak of the Troubles is compelling. He skilfully weaves his personal family history through the layers of turmoil engulfing his city. * Yvette Shapiro, journalist, commentator and TV producer *In this widely diverse book, O'Doherty's subject matter includes: the tensions within the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, the split within republicanism, the slide into armed conflict, the IRA, the Loyalists, sexism, abortion, gay rights and Brexit... What does shine is the lucidity and persuasiveness of his arguments. He made me stop and think. I like that. * Richard O’Rawe, biographer and novelist *Fifty Years On is a compellingly personal alternative history of a turbulent half century... This thoughtful personal chronicle of how a society has changed in the adult lifetime of one man is witty, poignant and beautifully written. * Sam McBride, political editor, Belfast News Letter *Table of Contents1: The Sixties and Me 2: Trouble in the Background 3: Remembering Civil Rights 4: Revolution in the Air 5: The Tilt towards War 6: Revolutionary and Moderate 7: The Troubles Tour 8: The Past in the Present 9: Women's Rights Movement 10: Boys Will Be Boys 11: Whose Body Is It Anyway? 12: Fighting for Life 13: Pride 14: A Fair Cop 15: Loyal Rebels 16: Sick Society or Bad Men?

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Book SynopsisInvestigative journalist Lee Smith's The Plot Against the President tells the story of how Congressman Devin Nunes uncovered the operation to bring down the commander-in-chief. While popular opinion holds that Russia subverted democratic processes during the 2016 elections, the real damage was done not by Moscow or any other foreign actor. Rather, this was a slow-moving coup engineered by a coterie of the American elite, the "deep state," targeting not only the president, but also the rest of the country. The plot officially began July 31, 2016 with the counterintelligence investigation that the FBI opened to probe Russian infiltration of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. But the bureau never followed any Russians. In fact, it was an operation to sabotage Trump, the candidate, then president-elect, and finally the presidency. The conspirators included political operatives, law enforcement and intelligence officials, and the press.The plot was uncovered by Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and his investigative team. They understood that the target of the operation wasn't just Trump, but rather the institutions that sustain our republic. A country where operatives use the intelligence and security services to protect their privileges by spying on Americans, coordinating with the press, and using extra-constitutional means to undermine an election then undo a presidency is more like the third world than the republic envisioned by the founding fathers. Without Nunes and his team, the plot against the president -- and against the country -- never would have been revealed. Told from the perspective of Nunes and his crack investigators -- men and women who banded together to do the right thing at a crucial moment for our democracy -- the story of the biggest political scandal in a generation reads like a great detective novel, feels like a classic cowboy movie. The congressman from the cattle capital of California really did fight corruption in Washington. Devin Nunes took on the "deep state."

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Book Synopsis‘I have the best ghosts, everyone says so’President Ebenezer Trump is a rich old fool, whose heart is as small as his hands and whose words are as false as his hair. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by three spirits, all intent on changing his evil ways: Bill Clinton, the jovial Ghost of Christmas Past; Barack Obama, the big-eared Ghost of Christmas Present; and the terrifying Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, who shows him how abolishing Obamacare will finish off Tiny Tim…'This Scrooge is gonna be yooooge...'

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Book SynopsisLee Kuan Yew, first Prime Minister of Singapore, is a figure whose international stature far exceeds that of the tiny island over which he presided for thirty years. Lee is the principal architect of Singapore's political stability and its international economic success, and often credited with being a leader of economic development throughout Asia. Yet the continuing interest in him several years after his retirement from the prime ministership derives mainly from his many contributions on the greater world stage. This first book ever to analyse the origin and substance of Lee's ideas remains timely and relevant, as well as provocative, and will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, not just of Singaporean history but those who follow the fortunes of Singapore and Asia in the wider connected world of the 21st Century.Trade Review"It is probably the best book on how Lee's world view developed, what factors were responsible for this and how the context and circumstance of Singapore's political development have shaped these changes. It should be required reading for anyone trying to gain insight into one of the most successful politicians Asia has ever produced." Kenneth Christie, Democratization, 8(3), 2001"

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Book Synopsis'Judicious and absorbing' New York Times Book Review In this biography of Edward Lansdale (1908-1987), the man said to be the model for Greene's The Quiet American, Max Boot demonstrates how Lansdale pioneered a 'hearts and minds' diplomacy, first in the Philippines, then in Vietnam. It was a visionary policy that, as Boot reveals, was ultimately crushed by America's giant military bureaucracy, steered by elitist generals who favoured napalm bombs over winning the trust of the people. Through dozens of interviews and access to never-before-seen documents, Boot recasts this cautionary American story, tracing the bold rise and the crashing fall of Lansdale from the battle of Dien Bien Phu to the humiliating American evaculation in 1975. Boot rescues Lansdale from historical ignominy and suggests that Vietnam could have been different had we only listened. With reverberations that continue to resonate, this is a biography of profound historical consequence. 'Essential reading for students of military policy and the Vietnam conflict' Kirkus 'A thoroughly engaging and enlightening biography' Military History MonthlyTrade ReviewJudicious and absorbing * New York Times Book Review *Controversial in some of its conclusions, perhaps, as Lansdale's arguments were in their day, and essential reading for students of military policy and the Vietnam conflict * Kirkus Reviews *A thoroughly engaging and enlightening biography * Military History Monthly *I couldn't stop reading this -- Karl Marlantes, author of MatterhornA fascinating portrait of Lansdale... superb' -- Philip Caputo, author of A Rumor of WarBrilliant... offers important lessons for the present day' -- David Petraeus, former Director of CIAProvides new perspective on a murky period in American history * Choice magazine *

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Book SynopsisFrederick Douglass called the martyred president "emphatically the black man's president” as well as “the first who rose above the prejudice of his times and country.” This narrative history of Lincoln’s personal interchange with Black people over the course his career reveals a side of the sixteenth president that, until now, has not been fully explored or understood.In a little-noted eulogy delivered shortly after Lincoln's assassination, Frederick Douglass called the martyred president "emphatically the black man's president," the "first to show any respect for their rights as men.” To justify that description, Douglass pointed not just to Lincoln's official acts and utterances, like the Emancipation Proclamation or the Second Inaugural Address, but also to the president’s own personal experiences with Black people. Referring to one of his White House visits, Douglass said: "In daring to invite a Negro to an audience at the White House, Mr. Lincoln was saying to the country: I am President of the black people as well as the white, and I mean to respect their rights and feelings as men and as citizens.” But Lincoln’s description as “emphatically the black man’s president” rests on more than his relationship with Douglass or on his official words and deeds. Lincoln interacted with many other African Americans during his presidency His unfailing cordiality to them, his willingness to meet with them in the White House, to honor their requests, to invite them to consult on public policy, to treat them with respect whether they were kitchen servants or leaders of the Black community, to invite them to attend receptions, to sing and pray with them in their neighborhoods—all those manifestations of an egalitarian spirit fully justified the tributes paid to him by Frederick Douglass and other African Americans like Sojourner Truth, who said: "I never was treated by any one with more kindness and cordiality than were shown to me by that great and good man, Abraham Lincoln.” Historian David S. Reynolds observed recently that only by examining Lincoln’s “personal interchange with Black people do we see the complete falsity of the charges of innate racism that some have leveled against him over the years.”Trade Review“Historian Burlingame, the chair in Lincoln studies at the University of Illinois, moves beyond Lincoln’s well-examined speeches and writings on African Americans to examine the personal relations he developed with Black leaders such as Frederick Douglass over time… A moderate defense of Lincoln’s racial views that should invite further debate about the subject.” * Kirkus *"Readers watch Lincoln—galvanized by his experiences with oppressed African Americans—fight to free Blacks from slavery, to open opportunities for them to serve in the Union army, and—most daringly—to give them the vote in the postwar republic. An engrossing portrait of a great statesman’s valiant struggle to give African Americans rights long denied." * Booklist (starred) *"Provocative and extensively documented... Marshaling a wealth of primary sources, Burlingame argues that Lincoln, while at times a pragmatic politician who paid 'lip service' to notions of white supremacy, was at heart a racial egalitarian. A resolute and well-researched vindication of Lincoln’s progressive credentials." * Publishers Weekly *“In Burlingame Lincoln has a worthy advocate, judicious, informed and temperate, and open-minded readers will find his book well worth the reading.” -- James Krohe Jr. * Illinois Times *Praise for Michael Burlingame’s Abraham Lincoln: A Life:"A magisterial enterprise." * The New York Times *"These monumental volumes deserve a wide readership." * St. Louis Post-Dispatch *"If you aspire to ‘Ultimate Lincoln Knowledge’ this is a must-read." * The Chicago Tribune *"The result is a picture of Lincoln from all sides, in a style that is relentless but not daunting." * Bloomberg News *"This book supersedes all other biographies. Future Lincoln books cannot be written without it, and from no other book can a general reader learn so much about Abraham Lincoln. It is the essential title for the bicentennial." * Publishers Weekly *"Burlingame is a towering figure in Lincoln scholarship, and students of the sixteenth president have been waiting for this book for years. For all his learning, Burlingame may know more about Lincoln and his era than anyone in the world, his take on his subject is fresh, and he doesn't gloss over Lincoln's less appealing attributes. Abraham Lincoln: A Life comes as close to being the definitive biography as anything the world has seen in decades." * TIME *“The Black Man’s President is a seminal achievement. It takes its place among the most essential Lincoln books ever written.” -- Edward Steers, JR. * For the People: The Newsletter of the Abraham Lincoln Association *

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017''A brilliant, compelling, propulsively written, magnificent tour de force'' Simon Sebag Montefiore, Evening Standard''The second volume of what will surely rank as one of the greatest historical achievements of our age ... The War and Peace of history: a book you fear you will never finish, but just cannot put down'' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times Well before 1929, Stalin had achieved dictatorial power over the Soviet empire, but now he decided that the largest peasant economy in the world would be transformed into socialist modernity, whatever it took. What it took, and what Stalin managed to force through, transformed the country and its ruler in profound and enduring ways. Rather than a tale of a deformed or paranoid personality creating a political system, this is a story of a political system shaping a personality. Building and running a dictatorship, with power of life or death over hundreds of millions, in conditions of capitalist self-encirclement, made Stalin the person he became.Wholesale collectivization of agriculture, some 120 million peasants, necessitated levels of coercion that were extreme even for Russia, but Stalin did not flinch; the resulting mass starvation and death elicited criticism inside the party even from those Communists committed to the eradication of capitalism. By 1934, when the situation had stabilized and socialism had been built in the countryside too, the internal praise came for his uncanny success in anticapitalist terms. But Stalin never forgot and never forgave, with bloody consequences as he strove to consolidate the state with a brand new elite.Stalin had revived a great power with a formidable industrialized military. But the Soviet Union was effectively alone, with no allies and enemies perceived everywhere. The quest to find security would bring Soviet Communism into an improbable pact with Nazi Germany. But that bargain did not work out as envisioned. The lives of Stalin and Hitler, and the fates of their respective countries, drew ever closer to collision.Stalin: Waiting for Hitler: 1929-1941 is, like its predecessor Stalin: Paradoxes of Power: 1878-1928, nothing less than a history of the world from Stalin''s desk. It is also, like its predecessor, a landmark achievement in the annals of the biographer''s art. Kotkin''s portrait captures the vast structures moving global events, and the intimate details of decision-making.Trade ReviewMasterly, a riveting tale, written with pace and aplomb. [of volume one] * New York Times *Exhilarating, compelling, terrifying and utterly gripping... Stalin emerges from Kotkin's book as that most frightening of figures -- a man of absolute conviction. [of volume one] -- Lucy Hughes-Hallett * New Statesman *Original, engaging, with a sharp, irreverent wit [of volume one] -- Sheila Fitzpatrick * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisAeron Davis takes a close look at the state of elites today. He argues that the Brexit vote and 2017 election outcome are signs of a deeper leadership crisis that has been developing over decades. The great transformations of the 1980s onwards have not only upended societies, they have reshaped elite rule itself. Too many leaders today, regardless of intent, are ignorant, precarious, rootless and self-serving. Although richer, they have lost coherence, influence and control. Increasingly, they are just reckless opportunists, getting what they can amid the chaos they have created. Their failings are not only damaging wider society, they are undermining the very foundations of the Establishment itself.The book, based on interviews with over 350 elite figures, asks: how did we end up producing the leaders that got us here and what can we do about it?Trade Review‘An indispensable addition to elite scholarship that was decades in the making and arrives not a minute too soon. As the West continues to quake in the face of “populist” furore, Aeron Davis’s deft analysis of his “barbarians inside the gate” shows an establishment torn asunder. Scholars and pundits trying to make sense of the establishment overthrow in the West will ignore Reckless opportunists at their own peril’.Janine R. Wedel, Professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University‘Aeron Davis has spent two decades talking to members of the financial, political, and media elites – and here he lines them all up to explain how they’ve created the debacle that is Brexit Britain.’Aditya Chakrabortty, Senior Economics Commentator, The Guardian‘Aeron Davis’s new book on the Establishment re-writes the rules of the genre. He is a rare thing, a critical outsider who has managed to gain extensive insider access. His close-up accounts offer fascinating new insights into the apparent dysfunction of modern politics.’Iain Dale, political commentator, publisher, LBC broadcaster‘Chaos often feels like the best word to describe the world my generation is inheriting. Reckless Opportunists shines a light on how the decay of the Establishment feeds that chaos. It’s terrifying but it also gives me hope that a different and better world is possible.’Joe Earle, author of The Econocracy‘Aeron Davis pulls back the curtain on the wizards of Oz who rule us. And having studied them for decades he tells their story brilliantly. They were never as good as we were led tobelieve.’Danny Dorling, Professor of Geography, University of Oxford -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Barbarians inside the gate1 The end of the Establishment?2 Elites against the institutionPart II: Getting to the top3 Selling leaders4 Rise of the greasy poll expertsPart III: Staying at the top5 Different worlds, different cultures6 Secrets and lies7 The numbers gamePart IV: Exit strategies8 The safety of the herd9 Liquid leaders and networksConclusionsIndex

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Book SynopsisFranklin D. Roosevelt is frequently described as one of the greatest presidents in American history, remembered for his leadership during the Great Depression and Second World War. Antony Sutton challenges this received wisdom, presenting a controversial but convincing analysis. Based on an extensive study of original documents, he concludes that: * FDR was an elitist who influenced public policy in order to benefit special interests, including his own. * FDR and his Wall Street colleagues were 'corporate socialists', who believed in making society work for their own benefit. * FDR believed in business but not free market economics. Sutton describes the genesis of 'corporate socialism' - acquiring monopolies by means of political influence - which he characterises as 'making society work for the few'. He traces the historical links of the Delano and Roosevelt families to Wall Street, as well as FDR's own political networks developed during his early career as a financial speculator and bond dealer. The New Deal almost destroyed free enterprise in America, but didn't adversely affect FDR's circle of old friends ensconced in select financial institutions and federal regulatory agencies. Together with their corporate allies, this elite group profited from the decrees and programmes generated by their old pal in the White House, whilst thousands of small businesses suffered and millions were unemployed. Wall Street and FDR is much more than a fascinating historical and political study. Many contemporary parallels can be drawn to Sutton's powerful presentation given the recent banking crises and worldwide governments' bolstering of private institutions via the public purse. This classic study - first published in 1975 as the conclusion of a key trilogy - is reproduced here in its original form. (The other volumes in the series are Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler and Wall Street and the Bolshevik Revolution.)Trade Review'Sutton comes to conclusions that are uncomfortable for many businessmen and economists. For this reason his work tends to be either dismissed out of hand as 'extreme' or, more often, simply ignored.' - Richard Pipes, Baird Professor Emeritus of History, Harvard University (quoted from Survival Is Not Enough: Soviet Realities and America's Future)Table of ContentsPart I Roosevelts and Delanos The Wall Street lineage of the Roosevelt and Delano families Politics in the Bonding Business FDR as vice president of the Fidelity & Deposit Company (1921-28) FDR: International Speculator Profiteering during the German hyperinflation of the 1920s FDR: Corporate Promoter FDR as a deal maker during the 1920s Part II The Genesis of Corporate Socialism Making society work for the few Prelude to the New Deal The Federal Reserve System and the War Industries Board Roosevelt, Hoover and the Trade Council An attempt to reform the construction industry Wall Street Buys The New Deal Bankers and industrialists back FDR instead of Hoover Part III FDR and The Corporate Socialists The Swope Plan and the N.R.A. FDR, Man on the White Horse The Smedley Butler Affair (1934) The Corporate Socialists at 120 Broadway, New York City Many of the leading players in the club FDR and the Corporate Socialists Willing accomplice of the rich and powerful Appendices Appendix A: The Swope Plan Blueprint for FDR's National Recovery Administration (NRA) Appendix B: Sponsors of Plans Presented for Economic Planning Selected Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSir Winston Churchill remains a British hero, lauded for his oratorical skill. He wrote histories, biographies, memoirs, and even a novel, while his journalism, speeches and broadcasts run to millions of words. From 1940 he inspired and united the British people and guided their war effort. Behind the public figure, however, was a man of vast humanity and enormous wit. His most famous speeches and sayings have passed into history but many of his aphorisms, puns and jokes are less well known. This enchanting collection brings together hundreds of his wittiest remarks as a record of all that was best about this endearing, conceited, talented and wildly funny Englishman. Also available in the series:(9781782433651) The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II(9781782435426) The Wicked Wit of Oscar Wilde(9781782435662) The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen

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Book SynopsisMore than a memoir, My Crazy Century explores the ways in which the epoch and its dominating totalitarian ideologies impacted the lives, character, and morality of Klíma's generation. Klíma's story begins in the 1930s, in the Terezin concentration camp outside of Prague, where he was forced to spend almost four years of his childhood. He reveals how the postwar atmosphere supported and encouraged the spread of Communist principles over the next few decades and how an informal movement to change the system developed inside the Party. These political events form the backdrop to Klíma's personal experiences, with the arrest and trial of his father; the early revolt of young writers against socialist realism; his first literary successes; and his travels to the free part of Europe, which strengthened his awareness of living as part of a colossal lie. Klíma also captures the brief period of liberation during 1968's Prague Spring, in which he played an active role; the Soviet invasion that crushed its political reforms; the rise of the dissident movement; and the collapse of the Communist regime in the middle of the Velvet Revolution of 1989. Including insightful essays on topics related to social history, political thinking, love, and freedom, My Crazy Century provides a profoundly rich and moving personal history of national evolution. Ivan Klíma's first autobiography and perhaps his most significant work, it encapsulates a remarkable life largely lived under occupation.Trade ReviewA harrowing yet often uplifting account of living and working under totalitarian rule * Boston Globe *His [Klima's] impassioned memoir is emblematic of Czechoslovakia's struggle - and perhaps the struggle of much of central Europe - during the dark years between the Second World War and the 'Velvet Revolution' of 1989. * Daily Telegraph *As a writer, Klima is more reporter than fantasist. He observes and broods and then he writes it down... Klima has never been one for account-settling and acerbity and My Crazy Century is as interesting for its ruminative account of his emotional and personal turmoils as it is for its chronicling of postwar Czech history. * The Guardian *More than a memoir of an extraordinary life, it is an account of an age - and of the destructiveness of successive and symbiotic forms of totalitarianism, and of a critical intelligence that survived them. * Jewish Chronicle *Table of ContentsMore than a memoir, My Crazy Century explores the ways in which the epoch and its dominating totalitarian ideologies impacted the lives, character, and morality of Klima's generation. Klima's story begins in the 1930s, in the Terezin concentration camp outside of Prague, where he was forced to spend almost four years of his childhood. He reveals how the postwar atmosphere supported and encouraged the spread of Communist principles over the next few decades and how an informal movement to change the system developed inside the Party. These political events form the backdrop to Klima's personal experiences, with the arrest and trial of his father; the early revolt of young writers against socialist realism; his first literary successes; and his travels to the free part of Europe, which strengthened his awareness of living as part of a colossal lie. Klima also captures the brief period of liberation during 1968's Prague Spring, in which he played an active role; the Soviet invasion that crushed its political reforms; the rise of the dissident movement; and the collapse of the Communist regime in the middle of the Velvet Revolution of 1989. Including insightful essays on topics related to social history, political thinking, love, and freedom, My Crazy Century provides a profoundly rich and moving personal history of national evolution. Ivan Klima's first autobiography and perhaps his most significant work, it encapsulates a remarkable life largely lived under occupation.

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Book SynopsisBob Woodward exposes one of the final pieces of the Richard Nixon puzzle in his new book The Last of the President's Men. Woodward reveals the untold story of Alexander Butterfield, the Nixon aide who disclosed the secret White House taping system that changed history and led to Nixon's resignation. In 46 hours of interviews with Butterfield, supported by thousands of documents, many of them original and not in the presidential archives and libraries, Woodward has uncovered new dimensions of Nixon's secrets, obsessions and deceptions. Butterfield provides the intimate details of what it was like working and living just feet from the most powerful man in the world as he sought to navigate the obligations to his president and the truth of Nixon's obsessions and deceptions.The Last of the President's Men could not be more timely and relevant as the public in America and around the world quest

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Book SynopsisPresident Joe Biden tells the story of his extraordinary life and career prior to his emergence as Barack Obama’s beloved, influential vice president. ‘I remain captivated by the possibilities of politics and public service. In fact, I believe that my chosen profession is a noble calling.’ – Joe Biden Joe Biden has both witnessed and participated in a momentous epoch of American history. In Promises to Keep, he reveals what these experiences taught him about himself, his colleagues, and the institutions of government. With his customary honesty and wit, Biden movingly and eloquently recounts growing up in a staunchly Catholic multigenerational household in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware; overcoming personal tragedy, life-threatening illness, and career setbacks; his relationships with presidents, world leaders, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; and his leadership of powerful Senate committees. Through these and other recollections, Biden shows us how the guiding principles he learned early in life — to work to make people’s lives better; to honour family and faith; to value persistence, candour, and honesty — are the foundation on which he has based his life’s work as husband, father, and public servant. Promises to Keep is an intimate series of reflections from a politician who surmounted numerous challenges to become one of America’s most effective leaders and who refuses to be cynical about politics. It is also a stirring testament to the promise of the United States.Trade Review‘A ripping good read … Biden is a master storyteller and has stories worth telling.’ * The Christian Science Monitor *‘A compelling personal story.’ * The New York Times *‘Moving … [Biden’s] response to tragedy and near death [is] both admirable and likable.’ * Salon *

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Book Synopsis''Wonderful ... among military historians, Roberts is Britain''s crown gem'' Wall Street Journal Taking us from the French Revolution to the Cold War and the Falklands, celebrated historian Andrew Roberts presents us with a bracingly honest and insightful look at nine major figures in modern history: Napoleon Bonaparte, Horatio Nelson, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, George C. Marshall, Charles de Gaulle, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Margaret Thatcher.Each of these leaders fundamentally shaped the outcome of the war their nation was embroiled in. How were they alike, and in what ways did they differ? Was their war leadership unique, or did these leaders have something in common, traits and techniques that transcend time and place and can be applied to the fundamental nature of conflict?Meticulously researched and compellingly written, Leadership in War presents readers with fresh, complex portraits of leaders who approaTrade ReviewRoberts is superbly well-qualified to write about these extraordinary leaders. Roberts teaches not just through analysis, as indeed he does, but by example. Each of his chapters is a finely crafted gem of communication. Roberts's description offers vivid detail, spare prose, immortal rhetoric, and a touch of humor. His chapters offer masterly, magnificent portraits of what it takes to steer an army or a nation through a crisis. Any leader would envy the chance to have Roberts as his or her speechwriter or Director of Communications. Every reader can be grateful for such a thrilling and succinct account of leadership. -- Barry Strauss * The New Criterion *A condensation of a wonderful series of lectures Mr Roberts delivered to the New-York Historical Society ... Among military historians, Mr Roberts is Britain's crown gem, and his pithy insights compiled in 'Leadership in War' reflect decades of diligent, patient study. -- Jonathan W. Jordan * Wall Street Journal *Meticulously researched and full of revelations, this is a fascinating read. * Sun *Leadership in War is an understated treasure of 2019...a tour de force of historical portraiture. -- Barnaby Crowcroft * National Review *Leadership in War has the enjoyable feel of a lively dinner table conversation. -- Thomas E. Ricks * New York Times *illuminating experiences are presented in easily digestible form in Andrew Roberts's new book, Leadership in War, a collection of nine portraits of wartime leaders, from Napoleon Bonaparte to Margaret Thatcher. These portrayals were originally delivered as lectures by Roberts, a prolific historian of World War II and biographer of Napoleon and Churchill. The profiles of Napoleon and Dwight D. Eisenhower are the most salient for business readers, but it is not difficult to find insight in nearly all of them -- Daniel Akst * Strategy & Business *Few authors compare to Andrew Roberts. He dips his pen in the most eloquent ink to bring to life figures who have heaps of lessons to teach us -- Marc Nadeau * Bookmarc *Roberts has a gift for finding the anecdote or quotation which reveals an essential truth about his subject. -- Nigel Jones * History Today *Few authors compare to Andrew Roberts. He dips his pen in the most eloquent ink to bring to life figures who have heaps of lessons to teach us -- Marc Nadeau * Bookmarc *His analyses of the criteria needed for success are succinct and... convincing. ... The mysteries of leadership in times of conflict probably evade ultimate explanation, but Roberts, the biographer of Napoleon and Churchill, does much to throw new light on them, -- Nick Rennison * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisPreviously published as Mandela''s WayWritten by the co-author of international bestseller Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela: Portrait of an Extraordinary Man presents fifteen powerful lessons on life and leadership based on the life and work of Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013), whose fight against apartheid in South Africa has become an enduring example of resistance against injustice and oppression. A recipient of the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, Mandela is a man who truly changed the course of world history and is arguably the most inspirational figure of the past century.Stengel spent almost three years with Mandela working on his bestselling autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, and through that process became a close friend. Written with the blessing of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, to which the author will donate a percentage of his royalties, Nelson Mandela: Portrait of an Extraordinary Man is an inspirational book ofTrade ReviewIf we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievements of others. Richard Stengel is one of those people who readily grasps this idea ... He has shown remarkable insight into the many complex leadership challenges still facing the world today and all the individuals in it. Everyone can learn from it. * Nelson Mandela *A beautiful book - even better than A Long Walk to Freedom - and even more inspiring. * Sir Richard Branson *The most insightful explanation yet of what has become known as the "Mandela magic". * Financial Times *There is no man I admire more than Nelson Mandela. Rick Stengel's wise and moving book captures the Nelson Mandela I have been privileged to know ... I was inspired anew, and I know others will be too * Bill Clinton *

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Book SynopsisNot For Turning is the first volume of Charles Moore''s authorized biography of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the twentieth century and one of the most influential political figures of the postwar era. Charles Moore''s biography of Margaret Thatcher, published after her death on 8 April 2013, immediately supersedes all earlier books written about her. At the moment when she becomes a historical figure, this book also makes her into a three dimensional one for the first time. It gives unparalleled insight into her early life and formation, especially through her extensive correspondence with her sister, which Moore is the first author to draw on. It recreates brilliantly the atmosphere of British politics as she was making her way, and takes her up to what was arguably the zenith of her power, victory in the Falklands. (This volume ends with the Falklands Dinner in Downing Street in November 1982.) Moore is clearly an admirer of his suTrade ReviewMoore has produced a biography so masterly ... that it comes as close as biography can come to being a work of art -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Moore's great gift is his ability to make Thatcher's story fresh again, and above all to remind us of how odd she was ... the access to her family and friends enabled Moore to produce a multifaceted picture of a compelling life ... [this] will now become the definitive account -- Anne Applebaum * Daily Telegraph *Intricate, elegant and laced with dry humour -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *Outstandingly good -- A.N. Wilson * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisIn a democracy, we have come to assume that people know the policies they prefer and elect like-minded officials who are responsible for carrying them out. But does this actually happen? This book looks at citizens' views on candidates both before and after periods of political upheaval, including campaigns, wars, and natural disasters.Trade Review"Gabriel S. Lenz addresses the central question of how voters make use of the information around them to form evaluations of elected officials. Examining the impact of processes like priming and position changing, Lenz argues that there are also substantial effects working in the opposite direction - and that who voters support affects their views on the issues. There is much to ponder here for scholars interested in voter behavior and representation." (Thomas M. Carsey, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)"

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