Political leaders and leadership Books

Book Synopsis''I strongly agree with the central message of [the] book...that we need a sense of moral compass in politics... Put together it''s pretty shocking'' Rory Stewart on The Rest is Politics: Leading As Prime Minister and Home Secretary, Theresa May came face-to-face with a series of issues in which the abuse of power led to devastating results for individuals and significantly damaged the trust in public institutions and politicians. From the Grenfell tragedy to parliamentary scandals, the powerful repeatedly chose to act not in the interests of the powerless but in ways that served themselves. The Abuse of Power is a searing exposé of injustice and an impassioned call to exercise power for the greater good. Drawing on examples from domestic and international affairs she was personally involved in at the highest level, the former prime minister argues for a radical rethink in how we approach our politics and public life. ''A serious-minde

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Book SynopsisA Washington Post Best Book of 2021 ​The #1 New York Times bestselling investigative story of how three successive presidents and their military commanders deceived the public year after year about America’s longest war, foreshadowing the Taliban’s recapture of Afghanistan, by Washington Post reporter and three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Craig Whitlock.Unlike the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 had near-unanimous public support. At first, the goals were straightforward and clear: defeat al-Qaeda and prevent a repeat of 9/11. Yet soon after the United States and its allies removed the Taliban from power, the mission veered off course and US officials lost sight of their original objectives. Distracted by the war in Iraq, the US military become mired in an unwinnable guerrilla conflict in a country it did not understand. But no president wanted to admit failure, especially in a war that began as a just cause. Instead, the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations sent more and more troops to Afghanistan and repeatedly said they were making progress, even though they knew there was no realistic prospect for an outright victory. Just as the Pentagon Papers changed the public’s understanding of Vietnam, The Afghanistan Papers contains “fast-paced and vivid” (The New York Times Book Review) revelation after revelation from people who played a direct role in the war from leaders in the White House and the Pentagon to soldiers and aid workers on the front lines. In unvarnished language, they admit that the US government’s strategies were a mess, that the nation-building project was a colossal failure, and that drugs and corruption gained a stranglehold over their allies in the Afghan government. All told, the account is based on interviews with more than 1,000 people who knew that the US government was presenting a distorted, and sometimes entirely fabricated, version of the facts on the ground. Documents unearthed by The Washington Post reveal that President Bush didn’t know the name of his Afghanistan war commander—and didn’t want to meet with him. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld admitted that he had “no visibility into who the bad guys are.” His successor, Robert Gates, said: “We didn’t know jack shit about al-Qaeda.” The Afghanistan Papers is a “searing indictment of the deceit, blunders, and hubris of senior military and civilian officials” (Tom Bowman, NRP Pentagon Correspondent) that will supercharge a long-overdue reckoning over what went wrong and forever change the way the conflict is remembered.Trade Review"Fast-paced and vivid... chock-full of telling quotes" — The New York Times Book Review “Craig Whitlock has forged a searing indictment of the deceit, blunders and hubris of senior military and civilian officials, with the same tragic echoes of the Vietnam conflict. The American dead, wounded and their families deserved wiser and more honorable leaders.” — Tom Bowman, NPR Pentagon correspondent "The excellent new book... Bombshell revelations... [and] damning evidence of things we already intuited.” — The Washington Post“At once page-turning and rigorous, The Afghanistan Papers makes a lasting and revelatory contribution to the record of America's tragic management of our longest war. In transparent and nuanced detail, Whitlock chronicles how American leaders and commanders undermined their country's promises to the Afghans who counted on them and to the U.S. troops who made the ultimate sacrifice after 9/11.” — Steve Coll, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ghost Wars and Directorate S“The Afghanistan Papers is a gripping account of why the war in Afghanistan lasted so long. The missed opportunities, the outright mistakes and more than anything the first-hand accounts from senior commanders who only years later acknowledged they simply did not tell the American people what they knew about how the war was going.” — Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon correspondent "Whitlock is unsparing in his assessment of presidents Bush, Obama and Trump, as well as U.S. military leaders, saying all failed to level with the American public....Whitlock's book is based on hundreds of ‘lessons learned’ interviews conducted privately by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. ...The candid interviews are revealing.” —NPR "A hallmark achievement of primary source reporting....The Afghanistan Papers reminds readers of the power of reportage built on documented evidence with names attached." — The Daily Beast“A damning account of America’s longest war that reveals what top generals and government officials really knew about the cost and futility of the mission. Whitlock puts the pieces together in a way nobody has before, bringing us the most comprehensive, inside story of this conflict ever told.” — Rajiv Chandrasekaran, author of Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan“The Afghanistan Papers is an autopsy of America’s folly into central Asia. It chronicles years of recklessness and bad decision-making that the nation is still grappling with today. This book is one part indictment of mission creep and American hubris, and one part warning to future leaders.” — Kevin Maurer, co-author of The New York Times bestsellers No Easy Day and American Radical“Like the Pentagon Papers of the Vietnam War, The Afghanistan Papers expose decades of deceit and the persistence of an American brand of imperialism. Examined by the sharp eye of Craig Whitlock, this history provides ample evidence that citizens should finally reject the baseless claim that U.S. military power is a unique force for good in the world.” — Christian G. Appy, author of American Reckoning: The Vietnam War and Our National Identity "An unputdownable account of imperial hubris, blundering and deception." — The Spectator

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER''So boldly different it creates a mini-genre all of its own'' - ANDREW MARRAs Prime Minister for three years and Home Secretary for six years, Theresa May confronted a series of issues in which the abuse of power led to devastating results for individuals and significantly damaged the reputation of, and trust in, public institutions and politicians. From the Hillsborough and Grenfell tragedies, to the Daniel Morgan case and parliamentary scandals, the powerful repeatedly chose to use their power not in the interests of the powerless but to serve themselves or to protect the organisation to which they belonged.The Abuse of Power is a searing exposé of injustice and an impassioned call to exercise power for the greater good. Drawing on examples from domestic and international affairs she was personally involved in at the highest level, including Stop and Search and the Salisbury Poisonings, the formTrade ReviewSo boldly different it creates a mini-genre all of its own . . . This is a pleasant surprise: a genuinely unusual, bold and important book. You can't say that of many political memoirs -- Andrew Marr * The New Statesman *Fascinating and crisply written . . . That May has more seriousness and commitment than the average politician . . . means she has a better chance to fix some of those burning injustices this book shows she is clearly still worried about -- Isabel Hardman * i Newspaper *The book will reinforce the view that May was a politician of conviction and compassion. -- Robert Shrimsley * Financial Times *Very interesting... I strongly agree with the central message of [the] book...that we need a sense of moral compass in politics... Put together it's pretty shocking... Terrifying as an account of what's wrong in the British state * Rory Stewart on The Rest is Politics: Leading *Often political writing focuses on soap opera and personalities. But personalities - as Theresa May knows better than most - come and go. Structures remain. May's account of how public institutions wield their power and avoid accountability is an admirable attempt to draw our focus in the right direction * The Times Best Politics Books of 2023 *A serious-minded study of scandals in which vulnerable people were failed by those in authority * Guardian Best Politics Books of 2023 *

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Book Synopsis''I''ve never met Danny Finkelstein but I think I''m in love with him. His book is such good company sane, intelligent and witty. He deals with serious subjects in an immensely readable way If I''m asked to nominate my book of the year, this will be it'' Wendy CopeWriting on everything from a defence of suburban life and moderate politics to big ideas and pop culture, Daniel Finkelstein is one of the UK's most entertaining and widely read columnists.This collection brings together Finkelstein's greatest writings from The Times, ranging from the personal with his articles on growing up Jewish in Hendon Central and on the deaths of both of his parents to the political, with columns on how to predict elections, the way political science showed us Ed Miliband was on his way to defeat, and why the base rate of coups meant Jeremy Corbyn wouldn't be ousted before an election.Wry, informed and often brilliantly funny, these pieces zip between Walt Disney, Hilary Clinton, David Bowie, MargaTrade Review‘This is Danny Fink at his very Danny Fink finest: elucidating, wise and intensely curious – always searching to explain the political from the places few other writers dare to go – be it a Finnish ringroad or a Coca-Cola focus group … In this collection of columns, Danny reminds us of a singularly profound truth – that all politics comes back to the messy rub of humanity – the small personal triumphs and the unforgotten indignities. It is his deep understanding of human nature that makes this book funny, warm and percipient. A joy.’Emily Maitlis ‘Finkelstein has the ability to make you smile and think at the same time – a rare voice of calmness and reason in a world increasingly devoid of both’Robert Harris ‘Through the clarity of his words and the depth of his insight, Daniel Finkelstein has been a voice of moderation and reason amidst the anger and uncertainty in British public life. His wisdom has now been captured in this collection which should be required reading for all who seek a better and more hopeful future’Jonathan Sacks ‘Danny's columns are a must read for anyone wanting to understand what's really happening in British politics’Rishi Sunak 'I've never met Danny Finkelstein but I think I'm in love with him. His book is such good company – sane, intelligent and witty. He deals with serious subjects in an immensely readable way. Many of the pieces confirm opinions I already held – such as admiration for Sir John Major – but he has persuaded me to change my mind over a few things. His defence of humdrum everyday life reminds me how lucky we are to live in peaceful times … If I'm asked to nominate my book of the year, this will be it'Wendy Cope

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Book SynopsisHillary Clinton dominated Amy Chozick's life for more than a decade. Here, she tells the inside story of Clinton's pursuit of the US presidency in a campaign book like no other.A breathtaking, page-turning masterpiece' Mary KarrA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAmy Chozick's assignments, covering Clinton's imploding 2008 campaign and then her front-row seat to the 2016 election on The Hillary Beat,' set off a years-long journey in which the formative years of Chozick's life became, both personally and professionally, intrinsically intertwined with Clinton's presidential ambitions. As Clinton tried, and twice failed, to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling,' Chozick was trying, with various fits and starts, to scale the highest echelons of American journalism.In this rollicking, hilarious narrative, Chozick takes us through the high- and low-lights of the most noxious and dramatic presidential election in history. Chozick's candour and clear-eyed perspective from her seat on the HillarTrade Review‘Chasing Hillary [is] so wickedly readable: like Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury it’s a nonfiction novel’Peter Conrad, Observer ‘Grudges, mis-steps and battles with the press corps are revealed in a searing account of Hillary Clinton’s failed presidential campaign’ Edward Luce, Financial Times ‘Riveting… This book is in part a memoir and Chozick’s first person voice is funny and readable’ Suzy Hansen, Guardian ‘A funny, insightful memoir…With her lively voice and eye for detail, “Chasing Hillary” is an enjoyable read, like The Devil Wears Prada meets The Boys on the Bus’ Charlotte Alter, New York Times ‘Amy Chozick has written a breathtaking, page-turning masterpiece that pretends to be about Hillary Clinton’s defiant presidential run. But Chasing Hillary is also – for the brilliant Chozick – a deeply personal story. Wait till you get the gory, insider details of the bloodiest political battle in recent memory. A must read!’ Mary Karr ‘Amy Chozick sweeps us along on a ten-year chase after the most famous and elusive woman in modern politics. At the bittersweet end, she captures Hillary, and America, and the traveling press, and some part of herself.’ David Maraniss ‘This insanely readable book manages to bring humor and a fresh inside perspective to the saddest event in history. The details alone are sure to drive Democrats to fisticuffs, or whatever we do when the kale runs out.’ Gary Shteyngart

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Book SynopsisBrian Keenan went to Beirut in 1985 for a change of scene from his native Belfast. He became headline news when he was kidnapped by fundamentalist Shi''ite militiamen and held in the suburbs of Beirut for the next four and a half years. For much of that time he was shut off from all news and contact with anyone other than his jailers and, later, his fellow hostages, amongst them John McCarthy.Trade ReviewIncredibly moving. -- Gina McKee * Daily Express *An early nineties classic... It reminds you of the privilege of freedom -- Joseph Fiennes * Daily Express *There may have been more important books than Brian Keenan's An Evil Cradling, but its thoughtfulness and delicacy of feeling are unforgettable. Four years of savage captivity in Lebanon have been transmuted into understanding, not bitterness: a remarkable achievement * Daily Telegraph *From the horror has come something wonderful. An Evil Cradling is a great book... it has been created from harsh reality, and it has been created by a true writer... With the publication of An Evil Cradling, Brian Keenan is not letting the world forget. This is a mighty achievement by a magnificent writer -- Frank McGuinness * Irish Times *Scriptural in its resonances and its broad artistry, while being as gripping as an airport thriller * Observer *

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Book SynopsisUpdated edition of the authoritative single-volume biography of John F. Kennedy. Drawing upon first-hand sources and never-before-opened archives, prize-winning historian Robert Dallek reveals more than we ever knew about Jack Kennedy, forever changing the way we think about his life, his presidency and his legacy.Dallek also discloses that, while labouring to present an image of robust good health, Kennedy was secretly in and out of hospitals throughout his life, soill that he was administered last rites on several occasions. He never shies away from Kennedy''s weaknesses, but also brilliantly explores his strengths. The result is a full portrait of a bold, brave and truly human John F. Kennedy.

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Book SynopsisDespite popular perceptions, presidents rarely succeed in persuading either the public or members of Congress to change their minds and move from opposition to particular policies to support of them. As a result, the White House is not able to alter the political landscape and create opportunities for change. Instead, successful presidents recognize and skillfully exploit the opportunities already found in their political environments. If they fail to understand their strategic positions, they are likely to overreach and experience political disaster. Donald Trump has been a distinctive president, and his arrival in the Oval Office brought new questions. Could someone with his decades of experience as a self-promoter connect with the public and win its support? Could a president who is an experienced negotiator obtain the support in Congress needed to pass his legislative programs? Would we need to adjust the theory of presidential leadership to accommodate a president with unique Trade Review“Edwards uses a scholar’s tools to dissect Trump’s presidency, asking all the right questions and answering them with careful and thorough analysis. In Edwards’s telling, Trump neither found a way to sway public opinion nor found a way to manage the government. The result is a smart and unsparing portrait of the nation’s forty-fifth president—from his corrosive effect on the public discourse to his impact on democratic institutions.” -- Dan Balz, Washington Post“In this sweeping, dispassionate, and altogether damning survey, Edwards makes the case that Trump failed the most important test of presidential leadership: namely, to deliver policy accomplishments where political conditions allow, and to avoid the trappings and delusions of transformational change. For all of his vaunted skills as a dealmaker, Trump could not find the wherewithal to take advantage of the real opportunities that stood before him. Instead, he crashed headlong into political obstacles that were impervious to his threats and entreaties.” -- William G. Howell, University of Chicago“Edwards deftly applies leading theories of presidential power to the Trump presidency. His discerning analysis rests on a richly detailed and thoroughly documented account of Trump’s political leadership that is both a major contribution to our understanding of this most aberrant of presidencies and an invaluable starting point for future scholars.” -- Gary C. Jacobson, University of California, San Diego“This timely and important book applies insights gleaned from Edwards’s more than forty years of presidential scholarship to assess and understand the iconoclastic Trump presidency. Despite his showman’s bravado, Edwards shows that Trump was no more successful than his predecessors in moving public opinion and Congress, and he offers a trenchant assessment of Trump’s failed leadership, which ultimately cost the nation dearly.” -- Douglas L. Kriner, Cornell University“Edwards offers a sober, evidence-based assessment of the Trump presidency. In the process, he convincingly demonstrates that even a norm-shattering president was subject to the same fundamental political and strategic constraints as his predecessors.” -- Frances Lee, Princeton University“Edwards brings a lifetime of insight and learning to bear on the ‘great disruption.’ Trump defied the rules and shocked the system. Now, as the dust settles, Edwards eyes the context, filters the noise, and scrutinizes the results. For an assessment of the political significance of this most unusual presidency, there is no better place to begin.” -- Stephen Skowronek, Yale University"George Edwards, a dean of presidential studies, offers an early postmortem on the Trump presidency. His latest book is a must read starting point for understanding the Trump era and how his unique administration fits within the presidency and the established presidential scholarship." -- Paul Brace * Congress & The Presidency *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1. Trump as a TestPart 1. The Promoter? Leading the Public Chapter 2. Strategic Position with the Public Chapter 3. Going Public Chapter 4. On Deaf Ears Chapter 5. The Bully in the PulpitPart 2. The Closer? Leading Congress Chapter 6. Strategic Position with Congress Chapter 7. No Deal: Negotiating with Congress Chapter 8. At the MarginsPart 3. Trump as a Leader Chapter 9. Plus ça Change Notes Index

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Book SynopsisMasterly.' Daily Mail Stunning.' History TodayMagnificent.' Literary ReviewNapoleon's life reached its most extraordinary stage between 1805 and 1810. At war with Britain, Russia, and Austria, he unleashed his magnificent Grande Armée. The first resounding victory at Austerlitz was followed by a whirlwind of campaigns, and by 1810 he had divorced Josephine in order to marry the daughter of the Austrian Emperor. The Spirit of the Age illustrates in vivid detail the five years in which Napoleon appeared to be invincible.

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Book SynopsisA. J. BAIME is the New York Times best-selling author of The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War and Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans. Both books are in development for major motion pictures. Baime is a longtime regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Popular Science, and Men's Journal. He lives in Granite Bay, California. Visit him at facebook.com/ajbaime and trumanbook.com.Trade ReviewThe story of Truman’s accession to the presidency is worthy of a Hollywood melodrama, and A J Baime’s zippy, well-judged and hugely readable book more than does it justice . . . although there are plenty of good biographies of Truman, few are as entertaining as Baime’s. -- Dominic Sandbrook * SUNDAY TIMES *Intimate and absorbing, A.J. Baime's biography uses new sources to paint Harry Truman as a complex and thoroughly American figure. A sharply-drawn portrait of an era as well as a man. -- STEPHAN TALTY, bestselling author of The Black HandA.J. Baime is a master. His reporting and storytelling are woven to hypnotic effect. Opening the first page of The Accidental President is like pulling up a chair to Truman’s White House desk where we sit engrossed as world events unfold in the most intimate manner, titanic in scale. Baime brings us as close as we are likely to get to this completely surprising, quirky, wily, and transformational president. This is history and humanity in lush, vivid colour. -- DOUG STANTON, bestselling author of In Harm's Way and Horse SoldiersAn entertaining new history of Truman’s first months in office . . . filled with events that are strikingly proportionate to what the Trump administration has weathered since January. * THE DAILY BEAST *A fast-paced, well-detailed chronology of Truman's transformation from an official with little administrative responsibility into a politically astute and ultimately beloved leader . . . a warmly human portrait of an unlikely president. * KIRKUS REVIEWS *A.J. Baime is a master storyteller, and The Accidental President contains everything a reader could ever want from a work of history: characters that jump off the page, tension that makes your pulse pound, and smooth, smart writing that makes you think. Amazing! -- JONATHAN EIG, bestselling author of Luckiest ManPeople sometimes ask me if I’ve ever considered running for office. My answer is usually, “Sober? No.” All it would take is to recall what my grandfather went through in the first four months of his presidency. No president in history – particularly one who came in without having been briefed by his predecessor – has faced such monumental decisions. A.J. Baime has put a spotlight on those four months, recounting them faithfully and with heart, so that you come away with not only a sense of history, but a sense of the man, Harry Truman, as well. As Grandpa himself said a few years later, “It’s hell to be President of the Greatest Most Powerful Nation on Earth”. -- CLIFFORD TRUMAN DANIEL, Harry S. Truman's grandson.An attractive tale for fans of both presidential and WWII history . . . Baime opens a clear . . . window on a pivotal moment in history. * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *Baime is a master story-teller who appears to have invented a time machine. His carefully crafted narrative transports the reader back in time . . . each sentence is carefully constructed and colourfully packed with details that makes Harry Truman and this period in history come alive. The Accidental President reads more like a captivating novel than non-fiction. -- PRESIDENTIALREVIEW.COM

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Book SynopsisThe continuation of Pulitizer Prize-winning cartoonist G.B. Trudeau's bestselling Trump series, this fourth (and final?) volume chronicles Doonesbury in the time of Trumpism.Though the title doesn't mention him by name, Former Guy looms large in American politics and culture even after leaving the Executive Office of the President. This latest Doonesbury collection picks up in the heat of the 2020 presidential campaign, chronicles the infamy of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and continues into the next administration, the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and the many manifestations of Trumpism in global politics and American life.Over 50 years into his legendary career, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist G.B. Trudeau is still the most accomplished satirist in comics, and his ongoing comics coverage of Donald Trump are unparalleled in breadth and humor.

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling authors of The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy comes the little-known true story of a Nazi plot to kill FDR, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill at the height of World War II.In 1943, as the war against Nazi Germany raged abroad, President Franklin Roosevelt had a critical goal: a face-to-face sit-down with his allies Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. This meeting of the Big Three in Tehran, Iran, would decide some of the most crucial strategic details of the war. Yet when the Nazis found out about the meeting, their own secret plan took shape-an assassination plot that would've changed history.A true story filled with daring rescues, body doubles, and political intrigue, The Nazi Conspiracy details FDR's pivotal meeting in Tehran and the deadly Nazi plot against the heads of state of the three major Allied powers who attended it.With all the hallmarks of a Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch page-turner, The Nazi Conspiracy explores the great political minds of the twentieth century, investigating the pivotal years of the war in gripping detail. This meeting of the Big Three changed the course of World War II. Here's the inside story of how it almost led to a world-shattering disaster.Trade Review'A colorful trek through a labyrinth of twists and turns that could have changed history' * Kirkus Reviews *'Meltzer and Mensch acknowledge doubts about the plot's actual existence yet convincingly argue that it was real, and provide necessary historical context while setting a brisk, thriller-like pace. WWII buffs will be enthralled' * Publishers Weekly *'Nazis, body-doubles and WWII like you've never seen it. Here's the assassination plot that nearly changed history! Reads like a thriller, but it's all true. One of the best books of the year. Read it now' -- Brian Kilmeade * author of The President and the Freedom Fighter *'This is a riveting sub-plot in the middle of the greatest cataclysm in human history - the Second World War. It's told with confidence and mastery and is what we all crave - a page turner' -- Ken Burns'History is full of fascinating twists and near twists, and Meltzer and Mensch are masters of the tales of such moments' -- Jon Meacham * author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power *'Meltzer and Mensch ... give history a sheen of drama that it deserves while leaving the reader much to consider' -- Robert S Davis * New York Journal of Books *'An outstanding and memorable reading experience ... a true page-turner from beginning to end' * Bookreporter.com *'An absolute home run! You will never look at WWII the same way again' -- Brad Thor * author of Dead Fall *'A true story that reads like a thriller' -- Alexander S. Vindman, LT. Col., U.S. Army (Ret.)'[A] thrilling account ... A fascinating and potentially controversial book' * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisAnna Politkovskaya turns her steely gaze on President Putin and his early regime in this explosive book.From Putin's tyrannical grip on ordinary citizens to rampant corruption in highest ranks of the government, as well as Mafia dealings, scandals in the provinces and the decline of the intelligentsia, Politkovskaya offers a scathing condemnation of the President and his rule, revealing a shocking state of affairs: soldiers dying from malnutrition, parents requiring to bribes to recover their dead sons' bodies and conscripts are being hired out as slaves.Politkovskaya was an internationally admired, fearless and award-winning journalist who was assassinated in 2006. More relevant and important than ever in today's political landscape, Putin's Russia is both a gripping portrayal of a country in crisis and the testament of an extraordinary reporter.'A searing portrait of a country in disarray and of the man at its helm, from the bravest of journalists' New York Times'Anna Politkovskaya is a heroic journalist' Guardian'We will continue to learn from her for years' Salman RushdieTrade ReviewA hero among hacks * Guardian *If you haven't done so yet, read Politkovskaya's books * Independent *Anna Politkovskaya refused to lie, in her work; her murder is a ghastly act, and an attack on world literature -- Nadine GordimerWe will continue to learn from her for years -- Salman RushdieHer eye for detail was unfailing * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisChosen as a Book of the Year in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail'A masterpiece' Frederick Forsyth 'Beautifully written... unlikely to be surpassed' Simon Heffer'Superb' Daily Mail, Book of the Week'Terrific' ObserverThroughout history there have been many long-running rivalries between party leaders, but there has never been a connection like that between Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill, who were leaders of their respective parties for a total of thirty-five years. Brought together in the epoch-making circumstances of the Second World War, they forged a partnership that transcended party lines, before going on to face each other in two of Britain's most important and influential general elections. Based on extensive research and archival material, Attlee and Churchill provides a host of new insights into their remarkable relationship. From the bizarre coincidence that they shared a governess, to their explosive wartime clashes over domestic policy and reconstruction; and from Britain's post-war nuclear weapons programme, which Attlee kept hidden from Churchill and his own Labour Party, to the private correspondence between the two men in later life, which demonstrates their friendliness despite all the political antagonism, Leo McKinstry tells the intertwined story of these two political titans as never before. In a gripping narrative McKinstry not only provides a fresh perspective on two of the most compelling leaders of the mid-twentieth century but also brilliantly brings to life this vibrant, traumatic and inspiring era of modern British history.Trade ReviewSuperb... A timely parable about the necessity for cooperation, concession and compromise in politics. * Daily Mail, 'Book of the Week' *This book stands out in the sea of Churchilliana with its highly original portrait of Winston's close wartime partnership with the Labour leader. * Daily Telegraph, '50 Best Books of 2019' *Dual biographies are a tricky endeavour. McKinstry rises to the challenge brilliantly. His account is elegantly structured, his prose is lucid, he explains complex events with clarity, his anecdotes are telling and often funny, his judgments are assured and he brings to gripping life the characters of the leading men and the rest of the cast. -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *Excellent... McKinstry shows how the two men's contrasting talents and personalities combined at their nation's time of greatest need. * Daily Mail, Books of the Year *In this superb dual biography Leo McKinstry brilliantly describes both men, what they did and how they reacted to each other... Most of us know quite a lot about Churchill. Attlee, calm, soft-spoken, an MC-winner in World War I, self-effacing, remains for many a forgotten man. Until now... A masterpiece. * Frederick Forsyth *Until now, arguably the most significant political relationship of the twentieth century has awaited its definitive study. Leo McKinstry, through exhaustive research and detailed analysis, has provided an intensely scholarly and beautifully written account of it that is unlikely to be surpassed. * Simon Heffer, author of The Age of Decadence *Leo McKinstry's fine book on the relationship between Churchill and the Labour leader Clement Attlee is a subtle and nuanced work full of illuminating insights.... First-class * Literary Review *Attlee and Churchill really does get to the heart of a complicated but fascinating relationship. * Scotsman *Leo McKinstry's biographical pairing of Attlee and Churchill serves to hymn a vanished golden age of bipartisan collaboration and respectful rivalry. * New Statesman *Leo McKinstry is a first-class historian who has produced a scholarly and very well-written account of the fascinating relationship between arguably the two most significant premiers of the twentieth century. His recognition of the mutual respect - indeed admiration - that lay at its core is highly insightful. Never in our world of fractious, contempt-driven politics has a book like this been needed more. * Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny *A masterful account of the collaboration, rivalry and conflict between two remarkably different leaders who shaped Britain's fate in the second half of the twentieth century. * Tom Bower, author of Dangerous Hero *A superb account of two utterly different men whose lives entwined to preserve freedom. * Joshua Levine, author of Dunkirk *By turns fascinating and illuminating, this is a gripping exploration of the intertwined lives of these two great men - so fundamentally different and yet as McKinstry demonstrates, perhaps in some ways not quite so far apart as all that... In the course of following Attlee and Churchill's parallel progressions from youth to maturity, from bloodied battlefields to the corridors of Number 10, McKinstry affords us beguiling new angles and new insights - with vivid, powerful stories, admirable balance and flashes of terrific humour. * Sinclair McKay, author of The Secret Life of Bletchley Park *From start to finish, an enthralling and original story of two great statesmen from an age when political giants still walked the earth. * Emeritus Professor Tim Blanning, University of Cambridge *I can count on the fingers of one hand history books which are both superbly researched and sublimely written - I have just discovered another. * Emeritus Professor David Wilson, Birmingham City University *In this highly readable and well-researched volume, McKinstry reveals the length, complexity and nuance of the relationship between these two great figures. * Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre *A delight to read... This is an entrancing book. Yet it is also a melancholy one. Comparing these titans, both devoted to the service of country and nation, with the pygmies of today is to be constantly reminded of our national decline. -- Allan Massie * Catholic Herald *Studying each of these men goes a long way towards enlightening us, and some preconceptions are neatly pricked along the way... McKinstry offers much to inform and intrigue. -- Sonia Purnell * The Oldie *Table of Contents1: Contenders 1: Blenheim and Putney 2: Lancashire and Stepney 3: Sidney Street 4: Gallipoli 5: Plugstreet and Kut 6: Limehouse and Dundee 7: Treasury 8: India 9: Germany 10: Fort Belvedere 11: Munich 12: Admiralty 2: Comrades 13: Norway 14: Dunkirk 15: Empire and Commonwealth 16: Atlantic 17: Washington and Singapore 18: Russia and Egypt 19: Downing Street 20: Conference and Cabinet 21: Normandy and Italy 22: Britannia 3: Competitors 23: Campaign 24: Potsdam and Palace 25: Fulton and Zurich 26: New Jerusalem 27: Woodford and Walthamstow 28: Europe and Korea 29: Abadan 30: Summit 31: Commons 32: St Paul's and Temple

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Book SynopsisThe thirteenth of President Wilson's Fourteen Points of 1918 read: 'An independent Polish state should be erected which should include the territories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations, which should be assured a free and secure access to the sea, and whose political and economic independence and territorial integrity should be guaranteed by international covenant'. Ever since the Third Partition in 1795 brought Polish independence to an end, nationalists had sought the restoration of their country, and the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 did indeed produce the modern Polish state. The Western Allies saw a revived Poland as both a counter to German power and a barrier to the westward expansion of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia - a role the Polish army fulfilled by defeating a Soviet invasion in 1920. But caught between two powers and composed of territory taken from both of them, Poland was vulnerable, and in 1939 it was divided up between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The highest profile Polish representative at the Conference was the pianist and politician Ignacy Paderewski (1860-1941), the 'most famous Pole in the world', whose image had done much to promote the Polish cause in the West. But he was joined by the altogether less romantic figure of Roman Dmowski (1864- 1939), whose anti-Semitic reputation Paderewski took pains to distance himself from when seeking support in the United States.

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Book SynopsisIn his major New York Times bestseller, Jimmy Carter looks back from ninety years of age and “reveals private thoughts and recollections over a fascinating career as businessman, politician, evangelist, and humanitarian” (Booklist).At ninety, Jimmy Carter reflects on his public and private life with a frankness that is disarming. He adds detail and emotion about his youth in rural Georgia that he described in his magnificent An Hour Before Daylight. He writes about racism and the isolation of the Carters. He describes the brutality of the hazing regimen at Annapolis, and how he nearly lost his life twice serving on submarines and his amazing interview with Admiral Rickover. He describes the profound influence his mother had on him, and how he admired his father even though he didn’t emulate him. He admits that he decided to quit the Navy and later enter politics without consulting his wife, Rosalynn, and how appalled he is in retrospect. In his “warm and detailed memoir” (Los Angeles Times), Carter tells what he is proud of and what he might do differently. He discusses his regret at losing his re-election, but how he and Rosalynn pushed on and made a new life and second and third rewarding careers. He is frank about the presidents who have succeeded him, world leaders, and his passions for the causes he cares most about, particularly the condition of women and the deprived people of the developing world. “Always warm and human…even inspirational” (Buffalo News), A Full Life is a wise and moving look back from this remarkable man. Jimmy Carter has lived one of our great American lives—from rural obscurity to world fame, universal respect, and contentment. A Full Life is an extraordinary read from a “force to be reckoned with” (Christian Science Monitor).Trade Review“A warm and detailed memoir of his youth followed by a clear-eyed assessment of the issues he tackled as president and afterward . . . a sweeping overview of a broad range of issues and frequent credit to his wife Rosalynn . . . Carter puts the long arc of his story together the way he sees it. The book includes his accomplishments as a negotiator and peacemaker in the humblest way — as a man who was at work on a larger project, something he continues to be. A primer for the generations who don't know his work and a personal retelling for those who do, A Full Life may herald the reappraisal he deserves.” * Los Angeles Times *“Carter reveals private thoughts and recollections over a fascinating career as businessman, politician, evangelist,and humanitarian.” * Booklist *“A Full Life is understated like the man, always warm and human, and in a few instances, even inspirational.” * Buffalo News *“The former president is yet a force to be reckoned with. . . . The author takes the reader on an engaging personal journey through the later half of the 20th century, as he saw it.” * Christian Science Monitor *“The drawings and poems by the author add even more of a personal touch, though crises in his marriage and his ‘estrangement’ from the Obama presidency offer the most noteworthy revelations. A memoir that reads like an epilogue to a life of accomplishment.” * Kirkus Reviews *

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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 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 SynopsisThomas Sankara, often called the African Che Guevara, was president of Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in Africa, until his assassination during the military coup that brought down his government. Although his tenure in office was relatively short, Sankara left an indelible mark on his country’s history and development.Trade Review“Thomas Sankara: An African Revolutionary will serve as an excellent introduction to Sankara and the revolution in Burkina Faso and explain why Sankara continues to be so widely admired throughout Africa and beyond.”“…[A] fascinating read about a leader who not only led a revolution to free his people … but also lived a simple and humble life, uncorrupted by the power of the office he held.” * Africa Renewal *“Harsch’s book helps us understand why [Sankara's] ideas are still very much alive. It's a good read and well worth the price.” * The Bullet *

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Book SynopsisTimes book of the week'Dan Morain is a fair-minded biographer with enough access he is a veteran journalist who has worked for theLos Angeles TimesandTheSacramento Bee to make this more than a cuttings job. The Kamala Harris who emerges from these pages is accomplished and politically savvy, perhaps to a fault.' The TimesA revelatory biography of the first Black woman to be elected Vice President of the United States. InKamala's Way, longtimeLos Angeles Timesreporter Dan Morain charts how the daughter of two immigrants born in segregated California became one of this country's most effective power players. He takes readers through Harris's years in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, explores her audacious embrace of the little-known Barack Obama, and shows the sharp elbows she deployed to make it to the US Senate. He analyses her failure as a presidential candidate and the behind-the-scenes campaign she waged to land the Vice President spot. And along the way, Morain paint

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Convincing . . . fascinating."—Rosemary Sullivan, Wall Street Journal"Joshua Rubenstein, in his vivid, brisk account, describes the months on each side of Stalin’s death to give the reader a sense of the significance of this turning point."—Robbie Millen, Times"[Stalin’s] last days make a dramatic story, and Rubenstein tells it well."—Sheila Fitzpatrick, The Guardian“Meticulously researched.”—Masha Gessen, NewYorker.com"A fascinating work."—Amy Lewonstin, Library Journal"The Last Days of Stalin is a fascinating and often chilling reconstruction of the months surrounding the Soviet dictator’s death and the opportunities that arose for meaningful change–not all of them taken."—Saul David, Evening Standard"Joshua Rubenstein’s account of Stalin’s death and the responses to it is very well done . . . an accessible and engaging book."—Geoffrey Roberts, Irish Times"Joshua Rubenstein’s extremely interesting account of the ailing Stalin’s last days draws upon personal memoirs and new research—and conveys the deep fear inculcated during 'the Black Years of Soviet Jewry.'"—Colin Shindler, Jewish Chronicle"A clear, sober and emotionally powerful narrative that brings to life the last years of Joseph Stalin’s rule, showing vividly how the death of the tyrant changed Soviet and international politics and brought relief to millions of his existing and potential victims, and first and foremost the Soviet Jews."—Serhii Plokhy, author of The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine "Based on a plethora of primary Soviet sources, Rubenstein has produced a persuasive and well-written account of the convoluted time that followed Stalin's death in March 1953. He discusses the complex succession politics in the Kremlin and provides much new information. Rubenstein also explores Eisenhower's and Dulles' disinterest in taking up Churchill's proposals to exploit the 'narrow window of opportunity' to embark on constructive negotiations with Moscow once Stalin had gone. This is an enlightening and important book."—Klaus Larres, author of Churchill's Cold War: The Politics of Personal Diplomacy"Stalin’s death in March 1953 cut short another spasm of blood purges he was planning, but triggered only limited Soviet reforms. To some Westerners it promised an extended period of peace, but others feared it would leave the West even more vulnerable. Joshua Rubenstein’s lively, detailed, carefully crafted book chronicles a key twentieth-century turning point that didn’t entirely turn, revealing what difference Stalin’s death did and didn’t make and why."—William Taubman, author of Khrushchev: The Man and His Era

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Book SynopsisJulia Lovell is Professor of Modern China at Birkbeck College, University of London.Her two most recent books are The Great Wall and The Opium War (which won the 2012 Jan Michalski Prize). Her many translations of modern Chinese fiction into English include Lu Xun's The Real Story of Ah Q, and other Tales of China (2009). She is currently completing a new translation of Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en.She writes about China for several newspapers, including the Guardian, Financial Times, New York Times and Wall Street Journal.Trade ReviewRevelatory and instructive… [a] beautifully written and accessible book -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *There is not a dull sentence in this scintillating and wry account of the global impact of Maoism -- Michael Burleigh * Evening Standard, *Book of the Week* *Wonderful -- Andrew Marr * New Statesman *An exciting, alternative history of the 20th century that deviates from the well-rehearsed narrative that relays between Washington and Moscow -- Tanjil Rashid * Financial Times *A landmark work giving a global panorama of Mao's ideology filled with historic events and enlivened by striking characters -- Jonathan Fenby, author of The Penguin History of Modern ChinaJulia Lovell has given us a masterful corrective to the greatest misconception about today’s China. For too long, visitors who marveled at China’s new luxuries and capitalist zeal assumed that Maoism had gone the way of its creator. That was a mistake. Lovell’s account - eloquent, engrossing, intelligent - not only explains why Xi Jinping has revived some of Mao’s techniques, but also why Mao's playbook for the “People’s War” retains an intoxicating and tragic appeal to marginalized people the world over -- Evan Osnos, author of The Age of AmbitionLovell takes us on an exhilarating journey, tracing the spread of Maoist theories across South-east Asia and then Africa, ending up in today’s China… The historical sweep of this book is impressive -- Christopher Coker * Literary Review *Lovell has produced a work which may well be the most harrowing, fascinating and occasionally hilarious book on the subject thus far -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *Lovell is an accomplished storyteller with a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of China’s relationship with itself and the world -- Isabel Hilton * Prospect *Lovell has a gift for compressing long and convoluted histories via just the right stories, characters, moments, and statistics… In vivid, often grim detail, Lovell shows us how and why Maoism has proven better, both inside and outside China, at attacking state infrastructure than building it up * Daily Telegraph *Lovell breaks new ground and does so in a wonderfully well-written account packed with horrors, extraordinary characters and occasionally macabre humour -- Chris Patten * Tablet *Lovells’s descriptions of…global strands of Maoism are well-researched and colourful * Economist *Highly readable and well-researched book… timely -- David Priestland * New Statesman *A fascinating account of the influence of Maoism, during the cold war and beyond -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times, *Books of the Year* *[A] superb and chilling study -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times, *Books of the Year* *A fascinating and timely work on one of the most influential and disruptive strands of Marxist thought: that of Mao Zedong… the book reveals the relevance of Mao to our current populist age * London Review of Economics, *Books of the Year* *

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Book SynopsisA Churchill Treasury fulfills a marketneed for publishing a new bookdocumenting memorabilia fromSir Winston Churchill's decades of public service.Globally called Churchilliana, these items encompassover 60 years of materials, includingbadges, ribbons, textiles, porcelain,glassware and ephemera with the lastChurchillianabook being published over 20 years ago as a collectors'guide. A Churchill Treasury will be enjoyed by collectors as well as readers interested in history since ituses period items to portray and explain Sir Winston'spublic service, starting with his father and chief inspiration,Lord Randolph and ending with retirement afterhis second premiership.A Churchill Treasury includesmany rare items and pieces seen by the public for the very first time. Readers of all ages will enjoy learning about Sir Winstonas they discover and appreciate the period pieces shown here.

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Book SynopsisAn intimate, insightful portrait of an extraordinarily private leader' WALTER ISAACSONFrom the bestselling author of Enemies of the PeopleAn intimate and deeply researched account of the extraordinary rise and political brilliance of the most powerful and elusive woman in the world.Angela Merkel has always been an outsider. A pastor's daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, she spent her twenties working as a research chemist, only entering politics after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And yet within fifteen years, she had become chancellor of Germany and, before long, the unofficial leader of the West.Acclaimed author Kati Marton sets out to pierce the mystery of this unlikely ascent. With unparalleled access to the chancellor's inner circle and a trove of records only recently come to light, she teases out the unique political genius that is the secret to Merkel's success. No other modern leader has so ably confronted authoritarian aggression, enacted daring social policieTrade Review‘[Marton] has recruited a formidable cast of talking heads … and obtained a remarkable degree of access to the chancellor’s inner circle’The Times ‘One of the best and most readable text books we have about this “indispensable European” … a fascinating portrait of a powerful woman’Literary Review ‘A masterpiece of discernment and insight’New York Times ‘A riveting story, adroitly told, full of engrossing anecdotes and rich details’Los Angeles Review of Books ‘This is the best English-language biography of her rise from a tough and traditional family, through her career as a physical chemist in communist East Germany, to her current renown’ Foreign Affairs ‘It’s instructive to spend time in Merkel’s competent and humane company … [Marton] has doggedly retraced Merkel’s trail, and the story she brings is a good one’New York Times ‘Fascinating. For anyone who thinks they know a lot about Angela Merkel; for anyone who knows nothing about Angela Merkel – pick up this book and do not put it down until the very last page’New York Journal of Books ‘With her signature superpowers of rigorous research and unparalleled empathy, Marton brings us deep into the private sphere of Angela Merkel’Eliza Griswold ‘A compelling and memorable portrait … Angela Merkel’s life is a testament to the power of commitment, diligence, and the possibilities of politics … Tells that story with insight and grace’JON MEACHAM ‘An intimate, insightful portrait of an extraordinarily private leader, who, in her quiet and determined way, made Germany the economic and moral leader of Europe’WALTER ISAACSON ‘It’s a thrilling tale, skillfully told, and a reminder of the role of fate and timing in leadership’JONATHAN ALTER ‘Definitive and brilliantly written, I discovered again in reading it how astonishing Merkel’s life and career have been – and how eventful the period’VOLKER SCHLÖNDORFF

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Mike is a real-life Tom Clancy American hero, and our nation is better for his service. The world is changing, and this book tells the story.” — Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz “Our family is forever grateful for experiencing the brave work of Secretary Pompeo, defending faith and freedom for all Americans and those in every nation, no matter their beliefs. Secretary Pompeo rose above disparagement and danger to protect us all, making history as the only person to lead the CIA and the State Department.” — Kathy Ireland, chair/CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide “An American patriot and a truly gifted leader, Mike led the Agency through one of the most important and challenging periods in American history. His unparalleled ability to build and lead teams in a highly successful fashion through complex strategic challenges was extraordinary. Mike’s actions were always focused on achieving the absolute best results for the American people.” — Tom Higgins, retired officer, Central Intelligence Agency “Having served as a fellow Army officer with Mike in the Second Armored Cavalry, I spent many a cold, wet, and sleepless night with Mike on ‘Freedom's Frontier.’ There are two things you always knew about Mike: His dedication to duty and to the mission was paramount, and his loyalty to his soldiers and fellow officers was unquestionable. This book is an important read for all Americans.” — Jeff Boobar, former Army officer and retired DEA special agent “Weakness invites aggression. No one appreciates this dictum better than Secretary Mike Pompeo, a patriot and a pipehitter. Never Give an Inch is Mr. Pompeo’s account of the state of America and the adversaries we face. It is a fascinating read, sensational and at times terrifying. I couldn’t put it down. If you care about America’s place in an era of seemingly endless crises, I urge you to pick up this book.” — Ayaan Hirsi Ali, research fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University “Secretary Pompeo’s effort on behalf of religious freedom for people of all faiths from across the world increased hope for many.” — Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York “A true tour de force that reads like a thriller, densely packed with important content. Written with real humor, the messages, while often alarming, are delivered in a uniquely positive way. Shining through on every page is the author’s deep love of country and dedication to the principles enshrined in our founding documents. This riveting memoir is the most compelling summary to be found anywhere of the challenges currently facing the United States in today’s increasingly dangerous world.” — Mary Ann Glendon, professor emerita of law at Harvard University and former US ambassador to the Holy See

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Book SynopsisA portrait of Robert Mugabe, a man whose once brilliant career has ruined Zimbabwe and cast shame on the African continent. It charts Mugabe's gradual self-destruction, and uncovers some of the most respectable international players in the Zimbabwe tragedy.Trade Review'By tracking down the key figures in Mugabe's life, Heidi Holland has come closer than anyone else to discovering what makes the old dictator tick' - David Blair, Daily Telegraph 'The most intimate portrait yet produced of Zimbabwe's clever but brutal leader' - Adam Roberts, The Economist

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Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed Wolfson Prize-winning author, a dazzling history of the world''s emperors For millennia much of the world was ruled by emperors: a handful of individuals claimed no limit to the lands they could rule over and no limit to their authority. They operated beyond normal human constraint and indeed often claimed a superhuman or divine authority. In practice they ran the gamut from being some of the most remarkable men who ever lived, to being some of the worst and least remarkable. Dominic Lieven''s marvellous new book, In the Shadow of the Gods, is the first to grapple seriously with this extraordinary phenomenon. Across the world peoples, willingly or unwillingly, fell into orbit around figures who reshaped or destroyed entire societies, imposed religions and invaded rivals. Lieven describes the anatomy of imperial monarchy and the principles by which it functioned. He compares the great emperors of antiquity, the caliphs and the warrior-emperors of the steppe before he turns to the Habsburg, Russian, Ottoman, Mughal and Chinese emperors, packing the book with extraordinary stories, astute observations and a sense of both delight and horror at these individuals'' antics. The entire breadth of extreme human behaviour is here - from warlords to patrons of the arts, from political genius to feeble incapacity and pathological violence. As one of the great experts both on empires and on Russian history, Lieven is brilliantly qualified to write a book that brings to life a system of rule that dominated most of human history, as well as some of history''s grandest and most dismaying figures.Trade ReviewUnique, captivating and dazzling global history ... Despite its astonishing range and the complexity of its subject, In the Shadow of the Gods is full of enticing human detail ... a sparkling history infused with entertaining reflections. -- H Kumarasingham * Literary Review *An impressive feat of synthesis, written with the author's customary flair and eye for detail ... with its engaging style, its undogmatic tone and the wealth of coverage, it will undoubtedly attract many readers. ... stimulating, informative and enjoyable. -- Krishan Kumar * Times Literary Supplement *Dynamic, original and convincing ... exceptionally stimulating. -- Philip Mansel * The Spectator *Fascinating ... I read the book in a state of baffled wonder that such an extraordinary system could have dominated huge tracts of the world for most of recorded history ... Lieven's book was obviously finished before the Russian invasion, but if you want to know what it is all about, In the Shadow of the Gods is not a bad place to start. -- Ferdinand Mount * Prospect *A new work by Dominic Lieven is always a treat... It's not only superb and masterly in its analysis but strikingly relevant on power and empire now. -- Simon Sebag MontefioreAn erudite, globe-spanning study ... Lieven's sharp wit and vast knowledge impress. This eloquent and entertaining chronicle casts world history in a new light. * Publishers Weekly *A really interesting way into questions about Russia, Ukraine and China ... Lieven's book gives a fantastic historical perspective on why emperors have been so important in the context of broader Eurasia. * BBC History Magazine Books of the Year *Dominic Lieven brings to his latest work a striking, informed empathy for the dilemmas of mighty sovereigns ... Mr Lieven offers especially vivid portraits of some great empresses ... The era of crowned despots who personify the divine may well be over, but the age of self-conscious imperial calculus is not. * The Economist *Sweeping ... A consistently engaging comparison-contrast look at the mechanics of empire. * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewRichly nuanced, the most stimulating book I have read on Labour in ages. -- Martin Kettle * The Guardian *A brilliant book ... a reading of left-wing politics that suggests a road ahead. -- John Rentoul * Independent *Wide-ranging, clever and original, it's a vital read for anyone interested in not just left populism, but any sort of populism at all. -- Andrew Sparrow * The Guardian *A splendid critique of left-wing populism and Labour's electoral woes ... a thesis that convincingly accounts for the defeats of leaders as outwardly disparate as Michael Foot, Neil Kinnock and Ed Miliband, not to mention Jeremy Corbyn and, perhaps ultimately, his successor. -- James O'Brien * Times Literary Supplement *Chris Clarke's thought-provoking examination of the populist issues that have bedevilled the modern left is a bracing corrective to complacency. This dismantling of myths and memes alike, along with dispelling the belief that the left has any kind of monopoly on morality, is an essential read and a reminder that Keir Starmer has quite a job on his hands. -- Alexander Larman * The Observer *The best book written about the Labour Party in recent years ... a must read for those of us wanting the Labour Party to become once again a Party of Government. -- Douglas Alexander, former Minister of State for TradeA highly original take on Labour mythology and how this impacts the party's ability to connect with the voters ... offers one of the most innovative explanations of how Labour has lost its way over the past decade. -- Anthony Broxton * The Critic *

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Book SynopsisThe sensational second volume of Charles Moore''s bestselling authorized biography of the Iron LadyIn June 1983 Margaret Thatcher won the biggest increase in a government''s Parliamentary majority in British electoral history. Over the next four years, as Charles Moore relates in this central volume of his uniquely authoritative biography, Britain''s first woman prime minister changed the course of her country''s history and that of the world, often by sheer force of will.The book reveals as never before how she faced down the Miners'' Strike, transformed relations with Europe, privatized the commanding heights of British industry and continued the reinvigoration of the British economy. It describes her role on the world stage with dramatic immediacy, identifying Mikhail Gorbachev as ''a man to do business with'' before he became leader of the Soviet Union, and then persistently pushing him and Ronald Reagan, her great ideological soulmate, to order world affaTrade ReviewMoore has finally completed one of the most thrilling, comprehensive, fair-minded and elegantly written biographies of modern times. It is full of complex argument, and a very large cast, but it is a joy to read.—Andrew Marr, New StatesmanReviewers are supposed never to use the word "definitive" about a history book or biograph, but with Charles Moore's life of Margaret Thatcher, of which this is the triumphant last volume, one has no other option. ... an absolute masterpiece of the biographer's art.—Andrew Roberts, Daily TelegraphMoore's Margaret Thatcher is one of the truly great biographies. Throughout the three volumes it has been comprehensive and subtle, breaking new ground while being surefooted on familiar terrain. He provides a portrait of Thatcher - her anxiousness and her certainty, her strength and her frailty - that is surprising and fresh while still convincing. This volume completes a historical masterpiece.—Daniel Finkelstein, The TimesNot merely the authorized biography, Moore's is the definitive biography of Thatcher, and perhaps one of the definitive books about Britain in the late twentieth century.—Anne Applebaum, New York Review of BooksThis is a magnificent political biography which takes its place next to Robert Blake's Disraeli and Robert Caro's Lyndon Johnson on the highest level. Outstanding... superb... extraordinarily compelling.—Philip Hensher, Spectator

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Book SynopsisAn extensively researched, comprehensive biography of Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, one of the twentieth century’s most powerful and controversial figuresTrade Review“A long overdue reappraisal of the life of the Chinese leader.”—Francis Sempa, New York Journal of Books“A refreshing reappraisal of a man who was neither the corrupt fascist of standard historiography nor the tragic hero of more recent positive reassessments.”—Sheila Miyosh Jager, History Today, “Books of the Year 2023”“Drawing on Russian archival materials as well as his expertise on Chinese Communism, Pantsov offers a new and unique assessment of Chiang Kai-shek’s complex character.”—Chen Yungfa, author of Making Revolution: The Communist Movement in Eastern and Central China, 1937–1945“History dealt Chiang Kai-shek a cruel hand and to date, historians have been no kinder. However, recently opened archives and personal papers offer fresh insights into Chiang’s life. Be prepared for surprises in this gripping, masterful account of the life and times of a flawed but heroic figure.”—John Fitzgerald, Swinburne University, Melbourne“Alexander Pantsov brings his finely honed narrative and research skills to bear on the life of Chiang Kai-shek. No one interested in where today’s China came from can afford to miss this book.”—Hans van de Ven, Cambridge University

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Book SynopsisA Top 10 Best Books of the Year (Wall Street Journal), Top 10 Best Nonfiction (Time), Top 5 Nonfiction (LA Times), Top 10 Books of 2022 (Fresh Air), and One of Oprah Daily''s Favourite Books of 2022: A revelatory biography from a Pulitzer Prize-winner about the most essential Founding Father- the one who stood behind the change in thinking that produced the American Revolution.A glorious book that is as entertaining as it is vitally important. -Ron ChernowA beautifully crafted, invaluable biography...Schiff ingeniously connects the past to our present and future, underscoring the lessons of Adams while reclaiming our nation''s self-evident truths at a moment when we seemed to have forgotten them. -Oprah DailyThomas 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 resistan

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Book SynopsisMargaret Thatcher is one of the most iconic politicians of the twentieth century. With the possible exception of Winston Churchill, no other Prime Minister has had such an impact on modern British history. Like it or not, her radical social and economic policies have made Britain the country it is today. Without Margaret Thatcher there could have been no New Labour, no Tony Blair and no David Cameron.Now Robin Harris, for many years Thatcher''s speechwriter, trusted adviser and the draftsman of two volumes of her autobiography, has written the defining book about this indomitable woman. He tells her extraordinary life story, from humble beginnings above her father''s grocer''s shop in Grantham, her early days as one of the first women in Westminster who became known as ''Thatcher milk-snatcher'' during her days in the Ministry for Education and then as Prime Minister. We follow her through the ''Winter of Discontent'', the tribulations of the miners'' strike and the FalklandTrade ReviewThe political biography of the decade * Daily Mail *No-holds-barred, well-written... contains the most authoritative account of her life after leaving office... a dramatic account. -- Philip Webster * The Times *[a] lively and accessible insider's account -- Peter Clarke * Financial Times *After all the eulogies, it is refreshing to read about an odd, driven, believable person – rather than some abstract national saviour or demon... Harris is like a long-faithful courtier freed by a monarch's death to speak the truth about them. -- Andy Beckett * Guardian *Remarkable... A vivid and concise study in adversity, triumph and treachery. -- Daniel Johnson * Standpoint *Readable and well-informed... detailed and fascinating -- Philip Ziegler * Spectator *A pacy and entertaining book... well-sourced and packed with anecdotes. A first rate potted history. -- Patrick O'Flynn * Express *Irresistible reading ... the brilliance of Harris's gift for narrative has not deserted him. -- Ferdinand Mount * Times Literary Supplement *Excellent -- Andrew Gimson * Conservative Home *Insightful and very readable. Its strength lies in its personal approach. -- Jack Carrigan * Catholic Herald *

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Book SynopsisA study of the ideology of Savitri Devi, whose beliefs combined Aryan supremacism and anti-semitism with Hinduism, social Darwinism and a fundamentally biocentric view of life. This book examines how Devi has been lionized by the fringe radical right as a foremother of Nazi ideology.Trade Review"An engrossing, disturbing, and important book. Well-researched and evocatively told, the strange story of Savitri Devi is a mirror of the twentieth century's dark undercurrents and deserves to be widely read and pondered." -- Robert S. Ellwood,University of Southern California"[A] superb study. . . . Goodrick-Clarke has done a service to sanity, even if the gullible will go on swallowing [Devi's] recycled poison rather than his antidote." * Times Literary Supplement *"An excellent, thought-provoking volume. . . . We may readily accept that Devi was a revolting creature. But it is as well that we realise that such demons in human form existed and still do exist." * Independent *"An admirably cool-headed history of an inflammatory subject. . . . It is likely to stand as the definitive study of a subject that a lesser author would have exploited for maximum sensationalism." * Gnosis *"[A] provoking volume." * Bulletin of the Arnold and Leona Finkler Institute of Holocaust Research, No. 10 *

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Book SynopsisGet inside the head of Michelle Obama: author, lawyer, humanitarian, and the trailblazing first Black woman to serve as the First Lady of the United States. This collection of quotes has been carefully curated from Michelle Obama’s numerous public statements—interviews, books, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of her legacy as one of America’s most recognizable and influential women. Now, for the first time, you can find Michelle Obama’s most inspirational, thought-provoking quotes in one place, providing an intimate and direct look into the mind of this beloved first lady.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR AGATE B2'S NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING SERIES, IN THEIR OWN WORDS: "[I, Steve] is the same treatment given such luminaries as Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Christopher Hitchens and offers Jobs's views on life, death, technology and design, among other topics.”—Timothy R. Smith, The Washington Post "[Impatient Optimist] is like eating salted peanuts: Once you start reading, it's hard to stop."—Anne Fisher, CNN Money "A new book revealing many of Steve Jobs' most illuminating quotes..."—Lance Whitney, CNET "A 160-page collection of quotes from the most iconic product pitchman since P.T. Barnum." —Ben Popper, The New York Observer BetaBeat blog "A much better Jobs product is coming soon. It’ll entertain you for hours, and no—it is not a Jobs-branded iPad or anything similarly high-tech. It is, friends, an old-fashioned book!"—Hillary Reinsberg, Mogulite "Inspirational reading pleasure."—Courtney Boyd Myers, The Next Web "The kind of book that you read, think about, and then pass on to a friend or colleague...I learned a lot about Jobs’ thinking process." —Allen Stern, CenterNetworks "[Boy Billionaire] reveals the intimate thoughts and beliefs of the man who has arguably created one of the world's largest companies…and who is also one of the world's greatest social connectors." —Strategy Driven "A short work to be dipped into for nuggets of business (or law firm) wisdom..."— Michael Roach, Law Technology News

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Book SynopsisCROSSFIRE HURRICANE DELIVERS THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF HOW WE GOT FROM 2016 TO TODAY, tracing the events that lead this country to a historic impeachment and beyond. “A must-read indictment of the ‘mob boss’ in the White House.” —The Guardian “An indispensable and riveting insider’s account of one of the most dramatic and controversial periods in the history of the FBI. Crossfire Hurricane is a must-read for all Americans.” —Daniel Silva, New York Times bestselling author “Campbell speaks both from the heart and experience. A dynamite read.” —Dan Rather, former anchor of CBS Evening News and bestselling author of What Unites Us It is January 6, 2017, two weeks before the inauguration. Only a handful of people know about the Steele dossier, and the nation is bitterly divided by the election results. As rumors begin to circulate that something might be brewing with the newly elected president and Russia, FBI special agent Josh Campbell joins the heads of the US intelligence community on a briefing visit to Trump Tower in New York City. He does not yet know that this meeting will eventually lead to the firing of his boss, James Comey, or that within weeks his former boss Robert Mueller will be appointed to investigate collusion and obstruction of justice at the highest level. He does not yet know that the FBI will come under years of sustained attacks from the commander in chief of the very nation its agents have sworn to protect. But, from his unique position within the FBI, he will watch it occur. In this gripping fly-on-the-wall narrative, Campbell takes readers behind the scenes of the earliest days of the Russia investigation—codename: Crossfire Hurricane—up to the present. Using both firsthand experience and reporting, he reveals fresh details about this tumultuous period; explains how the FBI goes about its work and its historic independence from partisan forces; and describes the increasing dismay inside the bureau as the president and his allies escalate their attacks on the agency. Appalled by Trump’s assault on the bureau’s credibility, Campbell left the FBI in 2018 to sound the alarm about unfair political attacks on the institutions that keep America safe. Smart, clear, passionate, Crossfire Hurricane will captivate readers struggling to make sense of a news cycle careening out of control.Trade Review“A must-read indictment of the ‘mob boss’ in the White House . . . Crossfire Hurricane also turns it guns on Jeff Sessions, the former attorney general; Rod Rosenstein, the former deputy attorney general; William Barr, the current attorney general; and Sarah Sanders, Trump’s former spokeswoman. It is a target-rich environment.” —The Guardian “A newsworthy book in an electoral cycle that promises to see plenty of foreign interference—and little resistance from Republicans.” —Kirkus Reviews “Josh Campbell had the ultimate insider’s perch as President Trump initiated the greatest crisis in the modern history of the FBI. Crossfire Hurricane is his fascinating account of those tumultuous days and a vivid reminder of the importance of honor and candor in law enforcement and politics.” —Jeffrey Toobin, CNN Chief Legal Analyst and author of American Heiress: The Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst “With experience, humanity, and humor, Josh brings the reader deep inside the FBI during some of its most difficult days.”—James Comey, former director of the FBI and bestselling author of A Higher Loyalty “Crossfire Hurricane is likely to become one of the most important books of the year. Josh Campbell speaks both from the heart and experience. A dynamite read.”—Dan Rather, former anchor of CBS Evening News and bestselling author of What Unites Us “Josh Campbell spent more than a decade serving America as an FBI agent. He is serving America still by writing this book. He provides an invaluable, behind-the-scenes perch on James Comey's last days and Robert Mueller's subsequent special investigation. Anyone who reads his gripping account will know that the FBI is not a Deep State out to unseat the president. It is a superb and apolitical law enforcement organization that has been blindsided by all of the invective from political partisans. Read this book to find out what the FBI is really like.” —Max Boot, Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow and author of The Corrosion of Conservatism: Why I Left the Right “Crossfire Hurricane is a chilling and engaging contribution to our understanding of the FBI and the Russia investigation. Josh Campbell had a front seat to the decisions and dilemmas facing the FBI before and after 2016 and tells the story with honesty, compassion and even humor. He reminds us that it is too easy to judge by simply saying the FBI should 'follow the book.' When it comes to Russia, President Trump, and a campaign willing to play with a foreign enemy, there is no book. Until Josh Campbell wrote it.” —Juliette Kayyem, former Assistant Secretary, Department of Homeland Security “With no political agenda other than reverence for the FBI as an institution, Campbell offers a compelling and unvarnished portrait of men and women struggling to deliver impartial justice in the middle of a relentless wave of political firestorms.”—Michael Isikoff, bestselling co-author of Russian Roulette and Yahoo! News chief investigative correspondent “An indispensable and riveting insider’s account of one of the most dramatic and controversial periods in the history of the FBI. Crossfire Hurricane is a must-read for all Americans.” —Daniel Silva, New York Times bestselling author “I couldn't put down Crossfire Hurricane: Inside Donald Trump's War on the FBI. The book provides a compelling overview of events surrounding the FBI during the 2016 election and its aftermath. Even for those of us who are still living through this in real time, it's stunning to read a cohesive narrative of the events—often with shocking details from an FBI insider's perspective. Just as important, Josh uses anecdotes throughout the book that capture the essence of what it means to be an FBI agent in the field working every day to help keep this country safe—something that is all too often lost in the day-to-day headlines these days.”—Mimi Rocah, NBC/MSNBC legal analyst and former federal prosecutor

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Book SynopsisFear and loathing on the 2020 campaign trail...'26 February, White House Briefing RoomThe coronavirus feels like it is changing everything. Suddenly it's not just a public health emergency; it has the potential to upend this whole election...'In UnPresidented: Politics, pandemics and the race that Trumped all others, BBC North America Editor Jon Sopel presents a diary of an election like we've never quite seen before.Experience life as a reporter on the campaign trail, as the election heats up and a global pandemic slowly sweeps in. As American lives are lost at a devastating rate, the presidential race becomes a battle for the very soul of the nation - challenging not just the Trump presidency, but the very institutions of American democracy itself.In this highly personal account of reporting on America in 2020, Jon Sopel takes you behind the scenes of a White House in crisis and an election in turmoil, expertly laying bare the real story of the presidential campaign in a panoramic account of an election and a year like no other.

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Book Synopsis‘The greatest biography of our era … Essential reading for those who want to comprehend power and politics’ The TimesRobert A. Caro’s legendary, multi-award-winning biography of US President Lyndon Johnson is a uniquely riveting and revelatory account of power, political genius and the shaping of twentieth-century America.Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, Master of the Senate takes Johnson’s story through one of its most remarkable periods: his twelve years, from 1949 to 1960, in the United States Senate. Once the most august and revered body in politics, by the time Johnson arrived the Senate had become a parody of itself and an obstacle that for decades had blocked desperately needed liberal legislation. Caro shows how Johnson’s brilliance, charm and ruthlessness enabled him to become the youngest and most powerful Majority Leader in history and how he used his incomparable legislative genius – seducing both Northern liberals and Southern conservatives – to pass the first Civil Rights legislation since Reconstruction.Trade ReviewThe greatest biography of our era … Essential reading for those who want to comprehend power and politics * The Times *As if it were possible, Master of the Senate takes what was already an outstanding multi-volume series on to a still higher plane. It is, quite simply, the finest biography I have ever read, or ever could imagine reading. It is more than that: it is one of the finest works of literature I have ever encountered, or ever hope to * New Statesman *The breathtaking detail makes it impossible to put down * The Times *Dazzling ... awesome ... Rarely will you come across a more compelling account of the nature of great power and its entanglement with massive personality. Rarely will you find another biography which is such a fascinating study of how a bad man became a power for the good * Observer *A wonderful, a glorious tale … It will be hard to equal this amazing book … Caro’s description of how [Johnson passed the civil rights legislation] is masterly; I was there and followed the course of the legislation closely, but I did not know the half of it * New York Times Book Review *Quite breathtaking ... one of the great political biographies -- Gordon Brown

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Book SynopsisThe United States has never had a president quite like Donald J. Trump. He violated every rule of conventional presidential campaigns to win a race that almost no one, including at times he himself, thought he would win. In so doing, Trump set off cataclysmic shock waves across the country and world that have not subsided and are unlikely to as long as he remains in office. Critics of Trump abound, as do anonymously sourced speculations about his motives, yet the real man behind this unprecedented presidency remains largely unknown. In this innovative analysis, American presidency scholar and trained psychoanalyst Stanley Renshon reaches beyond partisan narrative to offer a serious and substantive examination of Trump’s real psychology and controversial presidency. He analyzes Trump as a preemptive president trying to become transformative by initiating a Politics of American Restoration. Rigorously grounded in both political science and psychology scholarship, The Real Psychology of the Trump Presidency offers a unique and thoughtful perspective on our controversial 45th president. Table of ContentsSection I: Preliminaries - The Real Psychology of the Trump PresidencyChapter 1: Building a Theory of Donald Trump and his PresidencyChapter 2: In the Eye of the Hurricane: Strategies for Analyzing the Trump PresidencySection II: Donald Trump's Presidential Leadership and Governing StyleChapter 3: The Paradoxical Foundations of the Trump Presidency: Causes and ConsequencesChapter 4: Donald Trump's Fight Club PresidencyChapter 5: Leadership Style, Presidential Success and Political TimeSection III: Psychiatry in the White House: Trump's Narcissism and "Fitness"Chapter 6: President Trump's Narcissism ReconsideredChapter 7: On President Trump's Psychological and Political Fitness for OfficeChapter 8: The Unexpected TrumpSection IV: The Trump Presidency in PracticeChapter 9: Prelude to a Unique Presidency: Preparation, Expectations and JudgementChapter 10: Essentials of Leadership: The Sources of Trump's Unique PresidencyChapter 11: Conservative American Nationalism: The Trump Doctrine in Theory and PracticeSection V: Political Transformation in the BalanceChapter 12: The Future of the Trump Presidency

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Book SynopsisStalinism, that particularly brutal phase of communism, came to an end in most of Eastern Europe with the death of Josef Stalin in 1953 or at least with the Khrushchev reforms that began in the Soviet Union in 1956. However, in one country - Albania - Stalinism survived virtually unscathed until 1990. The regime that the Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha led from the time of the communist takeover in 1944 until his death in 1985, and that continued unabated under his successor Ramiz Alia until 1990, was incomparably severe. Such was the reign of terror that no audible voice of opposition or dissent ever arose in the Balkan state, a European country that became as isolated from the rest of the world as North Korea is today. When the Albanian communist system finally imploded, it left behind a weary population, frightened and confused after decades of purges and political terror. It also left behind a country with a weak and fragile economy, a country where extreme poverty was the norm. In Table of ContentsIntroduction by Robert Elsie 1. Death Comes Knocking 2. 28 November 1944 3. From Gjirokastra to Korça 4. From France to Belgium: the Dropout 5. Teacher of Moral Education 6. The Founding of the Communist Party 7. A Leader with an Iron Fist 8. Nationalists and Communists 9. Head of the Provisional Government 10. The Plenary Meeting in Berat – an Interlude 11. Tirana and the Wedding 12. The Reign of Terror 13. Departure of the British and the Americans 14. The Yugoslavs: a Matter of Love and Hate 15. Stalin and the Soviets 16. The Bllok 17. Enver Hoxha and Mother Teresa 18. Split Personality 19. The Medical Team 20. The Great Purges 21. Demise of a Prime Minister 22. The Final Purges 23. The Years of Solitude 24. Death and What Remained Chronology of the Life of Enver Hoxha Glossary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThere are many ways civilisation could end, even with wise, benevolent leaders like Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin watching over us. Now, in this fun interactive story of global doom, YOU decide how humanity perishes.Will we be turned to grey goo by Elon Musk's nanobots?Driven collectively insane by Russia's most potent memes? Or smashed to atoms by someone sitting on the wrong button in North Korea?In this book, YOU will meet the leaders with the future of civilisation in their hands. And YOUR wits and judgement will decide how we all inevitably die. Or then again, maybe, just maybe, with a little positive thinking, YOU will find a way to keep us all safe long enough to expire of old age and global warming instead. Just don't get too hopeful. On every page of Choose Your Own Apocalypse with Kim Jong-un & Friends, the end of your choice is most definitely nigh.Trade ReviewPraise for The Beautiful Poetry of Donald Trump: A triumph * * Telegraph * *Hilarious -- STEWART LEE

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBryant has an encyclopedic knowledge of public affairs and popular culture ... The result is riveting, often revelatory, crammed with facts … The great strength of Bryant’s book is his ability to make large structural changes vivid through outsized personalities and his own personal experiences … Readable, powerful and instructive. * Washington Post *A masterclass from an outstanding chronicler of modern America ... Insightful, thoughtful, and beautifully written. -- Orla GuerinNick Bryant writes like a dream, and is one of those very rare things on TV - a man who makes you want to turn up the sound. His eye for description is sublime, and he has a way of showing you what you’ve been missing from the whole story, whilst never leaving you feeling stupid. -- Emily MaitlisAn absolutely belting achievement ... An elegy for a lost nation and a lost cause. -- Justin WebbThere are all too many people who can opine about the United States but there are very few with Nick Bryant’s depth of knowledge, experience and empathy for the country and his ability to communicate intelligently, engagingly and entertainingly. -- Nick RobinsonBryant is a genuine rarity, a Brit who understands America. * Washington Post *A scathing indictment of the polarization and degradation that has transformed the US … [A]n adroit political critique. * Kirkus Reviews *Few outsiders explain America better than Nick Bryant or write about it as well. This is a must-read guide to an extraordinary time. -- Katty Kay[Bryant] has a deeper understanding than many of the ebb and flow of history ... [His] breezy prose displays a keen eye for good quotations and telling anecdotes. * TLS *Listeners who want a perspective that’s both outside and inside and crucially, that comes from a place of love for the US, should look out for When America Stopped Being Great. * The New Statesman *Terrific. Very much recommended. * The Monocle Daily *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Face to Face with ‘The Donald’ 1 It’s Morning Again in America 2 Goodbye to the Greatest Generation 3 Bill and Newt 4 The Three Convulsions 5 No You Can’t 6 The Donald Trump Show 7 American Carnage 8 The Descent into January 6th Conclusion: Present at the Destruction Afterword: Code Red for American Democracy Acknowledgements Notes Index

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Book SynopsisWangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya, in 1940. She is the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which, through networks of rural women, has planted over 30 million trees across Kenya since 1977. In 2002, she was elected to Kenya's Parliament in the first free elections in a generation, and served as Deputy Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 in recognition of her campaigns for democracy and environmental reform during the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi. She died in 2011.Trade ReviewWangari Maathai's memoir is direct, honest, and beautifully written - a gripping account of modern Africa's trials and triumphs, a universal story of courage, persistence, and success against great odds in a noble cause -- Bill ClintonRenowned and admired throughout her native Kenya and across Africa for her pioneering struggle against deforestation and for women's rights and democracy, selfless and steadfast, Ms. Maathai has been a champion of the environment, of women, of Africa, and of anyone concerned about our future security -- Kofi AnnanWangari Maathai is a prophet for our time and Unbowed is a call to arms for all of us who feel that the planet is overwhelmed by careless, corrupt or violent leadership. I have long suspected that the voice to lead us forward would come out of Africa, and it has - a voice of humor, sense, strength and compassion. Read this book and pass it on -- Alexandra FullerWangari Maathai is the rare leader who knows how to create independence, not dependence. On the page as in person, her example makes each of us a little stronger, wiser and braver than we ever thought we could be * Gloria Steinem *Compelling. . . A striking reminder that the peace award, more than any other Nobel honor, recognizes success achieved through tremendous adversity * The Seattle Times *

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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 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 Synopsis* UPDATED WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY THE AUTHOR *CHOSEN BY BILL GATES AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016Archie Brown challenges the widespread belief that ''strong leaders'', dominant individual wielders of power, are the most successful and admirable. Within authoritarian regimes, a collective leadership is a lesser evil compared with a personal dictatorship. Within democracies, although strong leaders' are seldom as strong or independent as they purport to be, the idea that just one person is entitled to take the big decisions is harmful and should be resisted.Examining Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mikhail Gorbachev, Deng Xiaoping and Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair amongst many others, this landmark study pinpoints different types and qualities of leadership. Overturning the popular notion of the strong leader, it makes us rethink preconceptions about what it means to lead.Trade Review"An important and unusual read... Brown does a wonderful job of showing how the same qualities that can seem so appealing in strong leaders can lead, in the mildest cases, to bad decisions - and, in the most extreme cases, to death and suffering on a massive scale... Though The Myth of the Strong Leader is about political leadership, you come away from Brown's book with a deeper understanding of leadership in general" -- Bill Gates "A profound, and wise, book - one of the most important works on politics for a long time. On the basis of penetrating, wide-ranging analysis, traversing democratic and authoritarian systems, Archie Brown clearly demonstrates the commonly held belief in strong leadership as the answer to political problems to be completely, often disastrously, misplaced." -- Sir Ian Kershaw "A brilliant exploration of political leaders in democratic, authoritarian and totalitarian regimes... Brown's excellent book stresses the importance of the context for the appearance of effective leaders and, when dealing with democratic regimes, the importance of the institutions" Political Quarterly "The best analysis of the nature of true leadership I have read." -- Gary Hart, Former United States Senator "This book badly needed to be written, and only Archie Brown - with his unique breadth of scholarly knowledge combined with a finger-tip feel for real-world politics - could possibly have written it. It turns out that there are fewer strong leaders in the world than is often supposed and that many of them, far from being desirable, are positively dangerous. Perhaps the best political systems are those that are effectively "leader-proofed"." -- Anthony King, Professor of Government at the University of Essex and co-author of The Blunders of Our Governments

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