Political leaders and leadership Books

Book SynopsisFrom the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner comes this surprising portrait of Wendell Willkie, the businessman–turned–presidential candidate who (almost) saved America’s dysfunctional political system.Trade Review"Lewis, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of W.E.B. Du Bois, offers an insightful, compelling portrait of this political neophyte from the Midwest…In our own polarized age, Wendell Willkie serves as a poignant reminder of what can happen when a political leader steps up to do what is right, defying his party and putting the interests of his country and its people ahead of ambition and partisan advantage." -- Lynne Olson, New York Times Book Review"The freshest dimension to Lewis’s biography comes from the lifetime of scholarship in African-American history which he brings to bear on Willkie’s domestic civil-rights efforts.... Lewis brings the now largely unknown Willkie to a new generation.... The book largely succeeds, suggesting a figure—again, like Reagan—both sunnily approachable and weirdly elusive; one who seems to require imaginative projections." -- Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker"[An] insightful, disciplined biography….In Mr. Lewis’s telling, Willkie emerges as the kind of figure who is missing on the political stage today: the classical liberal, who stands for individual rights at home and will fight tyranny abroad." -- Amity Shlaes, Wall Street Journal"In his absorbing and all-too-timely book, David Levering Lewis has painted a compelling portrait of a largely—but unjustly—forgotten figure, Wendell Willkie. Our politics needs voices like Willkie’s—someone who is in the arena and who calls them as he sees them, seeking common ground rather than perpetual conflict." -- Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels and Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power"Only the formidably erudite David Levering Lewis, the Voltaire of American letters, could remedy our misunderstanding of a neglected treasure like Wendell Willkie while touting a vibrant liberalism that lifts us beyond the self-defeating narcissism of our social morass to a soaring vision of American politics." -- Michael Eric Dyson, author of What Truth Sounds Like: Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation About Race in America"Meticulously researched and brilliantly written... Lewis, one of our nation’s most gifted historians, rightfully elevates the devalued Willkie to high-minded Mount Rushmore statesman status. This is American history at its absolute finest!" -- Douglas Brinkley, author of Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America"At a time when our political system seems alarmingly immoral and rudderless, David Levering Lewis’ The Improbable Wendell Willkie offers a powerful reminder of practical bipartisanship, visionary internationalism, and committed civil liberties and civil rights." -- Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor & Publisher, The Nation"In this gorgeously written biography of Wendell Willkie, David Levering Lewis forces us to reconsider everything we thought we knew about Franklin Roosevelt, the New Deal, and America’s rise to global power in the twentieth century." -- David Nasaw, author of Andrew Carnegie and The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy"Lewis… provide[s] deeper insights into Willkie’s promotion of racial equality…. As Lewis writes, 'Willkie foresaw the postwar promise and peril for the United States as a beacon of democracy in a world of decaying empires, rising expectations, vast oil deposits, and flammable Islam.'" -- Dennis J. McGrath, Minneapolis Star-Tribune"This engrossing and enlightening appraisal by a master biographer shows why and how Wendell Willkie mattered. We gain virtuoso access to a thoughtful leader who demonstrated that effective political opposition need not descend into coarse demagoguery or shrill combat." -- Ira Katznelson, author of Redemption"Readers will delight in Lewis’s sparkling prose and eagerly turn the pages as Willkie is explained in his many dimensions—a man for all seasons and a timely reminder of the ordinary decency and inspired commitments that have occasionally animated American politics and politicians." -- David Mayers, author of America and the Postwar World"A nuanced, deeply researched account of Willkie, who despite his loss to the Democratic incumbent, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was arguably one of the most consequential public figures of the 20th century…. Much as Willkie was a godsend to the country, so too is David Levering Lewis for offering us this instructive story of courage and bipartisanship at a time when both are in very short supply." -- Richard Moe, American Scholar"Written passionately with the literary and research skills that only David Levering Lewis commands, here is the definitive biography of Wendell Willkie." -- Irwin F. Gellman, author of The President and the Apprentice"Two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer Lewis (God’s Crucible) breathes new life into the onetime Republican standard bearer.... Those looking for parallels to recent elections featuring moguls-turned-politicians will be disappointed; Willkie took a globalist stance and favored bipartisanship to further his political missions.... [a] swift, thoughtful biography." -- Publishers Weekly"Filled with surprising new information and stunning insights, David Levering Lewis has gifted us with the global vision and politics of Wendell Willkie—needed, useful, and heartening during these difficult dangerous times." -- Blanche Wiesen Cook, author of Eleanor Roosevelt, Volumes 1–3"In 1940, Roosevelt was deciding whether to run for a third term, a war in Europe was raging, inflaming debate about whether the U.S. should join, and the Republican Party was looking desperately for a candidate who could take back the presidency. The man they chose was Indiana-born Wendell Willkie (1892-1944), a wealthy businessman with no political experience but considerable charm and who only recently had changed party affiliation. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Lewis, who was awarded the National Humanities Medal, draws on abundant archival and published material to create a spirited portrait of the charismatic, outspoken Willkie.... Lewis recounts Willkie's prescient views of the postwar world as well as his staunch civil rights advocacy. A thoroughly researched biography of a remarkable figure." -- Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe epic 1950s battle that would shape the legal future of the civil rights movement is chronicled here for the first time.Trade Review"Enjoyably readable, thoroughly researched.... An absorbing book about a saga in American law and politics that remains centrally important." -- Lincoln Caplan, New York Times"The most thorough and balanced assessment of the two men’s fraught relationship yet written.... Simon is the ideal scholar to undertake this study, having made a career of examining conflicts between the presidency and the Supreme Court. As we anticipate an existential clash between Donald Trump and the justices—if Trump attempts to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller, for instance, or defies an obstruction-of-justice finding—Simon’s book is highly topical. It also has something to teach us about incremental versus rapid change. The fundamental disagreement it chronicles concerns the pace of social progress." -- Michael O'Donnell, The Atlantic"Illuminate[s] an often-overlooked period of legal history at the start of the civil rights movement. . . . Simon is in top form, creating sympathetic portraits of both protagonists, capturing the historical context of Eisenhower’s presidency, thoroughly explaining the dynamics of the Warren Court, and, when necessary, looking past Eisenhower’s and Warren’s professed positions to expose their underlying motives and goals. This balanced account of the bitter relationship between Eisenhower and Warren presents a new lens through which to view the start of the civil rights movement." -- Publishers Weekly"A vivid account….Gripping." -- Michael Barone - Wall Street Journal"Many Americans, especially white ones, think of the 1950s with gauzy nostalgia….[Eisenhower vs Warren] offer[s] important corrections to such sentimentalism…. Mr. Simon is an engaging storyteller." -- The Economist"A detailed, fine-grained study...As Simon skillfully demonstrates, Eisenhower was far from inert on the subject of racial reform… Warren, too, is written as intriguingly complicated." -- Open Letters Review"The two principals’ individuality, as well as their relationship to one another and to their associate justices, is skillfully and intelligently drawn. This is a cogently written book, especially given the complexity of many of the issues. Simon does great justice to an important segment of a critical period in American history." -- Booklist"Chief Justice Earl Warren was a bold moralist. President Dwight Eisenhower was a cautious pragmatist. Both men were, in their way and in their time, great leaders. With clear-eyed judiciousness and a subtle feel for the nuances of hard decision-making, James Simon has brought the compelling conflict between these two men to life." -- Evan Thomas, author of Ike’s Bluff and Being Nixon"A lively and accessible synthesis of the existing literature on Eisenhower's and Warren's careers, as well as an incisive analysis of their relationship. Once again James Simon shows his facility for illuminating pairings of celebrated historical figures." -- G. Edward White, David and Mary Harrison Distinguished Professor of Law University of Virginia School of Law"In Eisenhower v. Warren, James Simon offers a truly masterful telling of the complex relationship between two of the most influential and compelling figures in mid-twentieth century America. Exploring such fundamental issues as racial segregation and McCarthyism, Simon takes us beyond the scenes in the White House, the Congress, and the Supreme Court to reveal with extraordinary intimacy the conflicts, the compromises, and the sometimes shaped antagonisms that shaped one of the most pivotal periods in American history. Quite frankly, I couldn't put it down!" -- Geoffrey Stone, author of Sex and the Constitution"A fast-paced and elegantly written study of the two Republican titans that forever changed post-World War II American politics and law. It's impossible to grapple with the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's and the 1960's without reading the gem-like book. Highly recommended!" -- Douglas Brinkley, author of Rightful Heritage: Franklin D Roosevelt and the Land of America"James Simon delivers a provocative account of the complicated relationship between two 20th century giants, Dwight Eisenhower and Earl Warren, and their historic impact civil rights and liberties. Rigorously researched and well written, Simon’s book mines the latest research, answering many questions and raising new ones." -- David Nichols, author of Ike and McCarthy: Dwight Eisenhower’s Secret Campaign Against Joseph McCarthy"James F. Simon's important book could not be timelier. The lessons of the battle between President Eisenhower, the cautious pragmatist, and Chief Justice Warren, the principled constitutionalist, are as relevant today as they were more than fifty years ago. Simon's lucidly written, riveting account is an invaluable reminder of what is at stake when our civil rights and liberties are threatened. A major achievement." -- Nadine Strossen, former President, American Civil Liberties Union"James F. Simon’s parallel study of the lives of two remarkable figures in American history reminds us of a far different time in our nation. Eisenhower vs. Warren is a behind-the-public-scenes look at the post-World War II era of our nation when the battle for civil rights was fought in several venues…. Eisenhower vs. Warren reminds us of an era when Supreme Court justices owed their allegiance to the Constitution they interpreted, not the president or political party who nominated them." -- Stuart Shiffman, Bookreporter

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Book SynopsisContains evidence that the run-up to the Iraq War was laced with Administration lies and distortions, to make it appear that the US was threatened. This book also includes information about torture in Abu Ghraib, Guantanomo and other detention centres in direct violation of the Geneva Convention.

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Book SynopsisAbraham Lincoln measured the promise—and cost—of American freedom in lucid and extraordinarily moving prose, famous for its native wit, simple dignity of expressions, and peculiarly American flavor. This volume, with its companion, Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writing 1859–1865, comprises the most comprehensive selection ever published. over 240 speeches, letters, and drafts take Lincoln from rural law practice to national prominence, and chart his emergence as an eloquent antislavery advocate and defender of the constitution. included are the complete Lincoln-Douglas debates, perhaps the most famous confrontation in American political history.LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of Ame

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Book SynopsisAbraham Lincoln was the greatest writer of the Civil War as well as its greatest political leader. His clear, beautiful, and at times uncompromisingly severe language forever shaped the nation’s understanding of its most terrible conflict. This volume, along with its companion, Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1832–1858, comprises the most comprehensive selection ever published. Over 550 speeches, messages, proclamations, letters, and other writings—including the Inaugural and Gettysburg addresses and the moving condolence letter to Mrs. Bixby—record the words and deeds with which Lincoln defended, preserved, and redefined the Union.LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

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Book SynopsisOne of the masterpieces of British political history” (The New York Times) boasts unprecedented access to Thatcher colleagues, friends, family, and all her government and private papers, and offers a groudbreaking and essential portrait of a titanic figure, with all her capabilities and flaw, during the years of her greatest power. In June 1983 Margaret Thatcher won the biggest increase in a government’s parliamentary majority in British electoral history and proceeded to transform relations with Europe, prioritize British industry, and reinvigorate the economy. For the only time since Churchill, Britain had a central place in dealings between the superpowers. But even at her zenith, Thatcher was best by difficulties. She regularly faced calls for resignation, grew isolated in her own government, butted heads with the Queen, bullied her senior colleagues, and was deceived by her closest ally, Ronald Reagan, during the U.S. invasion of Gr

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ?United States SenatorCory Booker makes the case that the virtues of empathy, responsibility, and action must guide our nation toward a brighter future. Raised in northern New Jersey, Cory Booker went to Stanford University on a football scholarship, accepted a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University, then studied at Yale Law School. Graduating from Yale, his options were limitless. He chose public service. He chose to move to a rough neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey, where he worked as a tenants? rights lawyer before winning a seat on the City Council. In 2006, he was elected mayor, and for more than seven years he was the public face of an American city that had gone decades with too little positive national attention and investment. In 2013, Booker became the first African American elected to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate. In United, Cory Booker draws on personal experience to issue a stirring call to reorient our nation and our politics around the principles of compassion and solidarity. He speaks of rising above despair to engage with hope, pursuing our shared mission, and embracing our common destiny. Here is his account of his own political education, the moments?some entertaining, some heartbreaking, all of them enlightening?that have shaped his civic vision. Here are the lessons Booker learned from the remarkable people who inspired him to serve, men and women whose example fueled his desire to create opportunities for others. Here also are his observations on the issues he cares about most deeply, from race and crime and the crisis of mass incarceration to economic and environmental justice. ?Hope is the active conviction that despair will never have the last word,? Booker writes in this galvanizing book. In a world where we too easily lose touch with our neighbors, he argues, we must remember that we all rise or fall together?and that we must move beyond mere tolerance for one another toward a deeper connection: love.Praise for United ?An exceedingly good book, and an important book, and a reminder of what makes Booker an important and, through it all, a promising public figure.??PolitickerNJ ?What sets Senator Booker?s work apart from that of similar political books is that it seeks to elevate discourse rather than bring down opponents of the opposite partisan persuasion. This is a refreshing take, one that is truly worthy of study and contemplation.??The Huffington Post

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Book SynopsisThis volume explores more than two centuries of literature on the First Ladies, from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama, providing the first historiographical overview of these important women in U.S. history.Trade ReviewIt was not so long ago that books about first ladies attracted very little scholarly attention or even popular notice, beyond some well-worn tales such as Dolly Madison s heroism or Mary Todd Lincoln s eccentricities. A new and welcome addition to this literature comes from editor Sibley. Sibley s stable of talented authors includes accomplished scholars like Maurine Beasely and Robert Watson, as well as lesser-known writers and experts in the field of public history. Each of the 40 essays is accompanied by a list of sources consulted, as well as suggestions for further research. It is refreshing to see that publishers are still courageous enough to publish reference volumes like this in the age of the internet and digital research. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through scholars, and general readers. --B. Miller, University of Cincinnati-ClermontTable of ContentsNotes on Contributors viii Acknowledgements xiv Introduction 1Katherine A. S. Sibley 1 Martha Washington 6Robert P. Watson 2 Abigail Adams: The Life and the Biographers 20Margaret A. Hogan 3 Martha Jefferson Randolph, First Daughter 38Billy L. Wayson 4 James and Dolley Madison and the Quest for Unity 59Catherine Allgor 5 Elizabeth Monroe 75Finn Pollard 6 A Monarch in a Republic: Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams and Court Culture in Early Washington City 89Catherine Allgor, Margery M. Heffron and Amanda Mathews Norton 7 Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson: A Reluctant First Lady 111Christina Mune 8 Angelica Singleton Van Buren, First Lady for a Widower 129John F. Marszalek 9 The Ladies of Tippecanoe, and Tyler Too 142Christopher J. Leahy and Sharon Williams Leahy 10 Sarah Polk: Ideas of Her Own 159Valerie Palmer-Mehta 11 Margaret Taylor, Abigail Fillmore, and Jane Pierce: Three Antebellum Presidents’ Ladies 176Elizabeth Lorelei Thacker-Estrada 12 Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston 197Thomas J. Balcerski 13 Mary Todd Lincoln 214William D. Pederson 14 Eliza McCardle Johnson and Julia Dent Grant 230Pamela K. Sanfilippo 15 Lucy Webb Hayes, Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, and Mary Arthur McElroy 247Benjamin T. Arrington 16 Rose Cleveland, Frances Cleveland, Caroline Harrison, Mary McKee 265Merry Ellen Scofield 17 Ida McKinley: A Life of Contrasts 283Louie P. Gallo 18 Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt: The Victorian Modern First Lady 298Catherine Forslund 19 Helen Herron Taft: The Forgotten Impact of a Memorable First Lady 320Rafaele Fierro 20 Ellen Axson Wilson 339Lisa M. Burns 21 Edith Wilson: The First Lady in Charge 357Barbara Klaczynska 22 Florence Kling Harding: Celebrity and Activist 379Katherine A. S. Sibley 23 Grace Coolidge 404Teri Finneman 24 The Historiography of Lou Henry Hoover 423Nancy Beck Young 25 Anna Eleanor Roosevelt: Her Life before and during the White House Years 439Maurine H. Beasley 26 Eleanor Roosevelt: First Lady of the World 459Maurine H. Beasley 27 Elizabeth Virginia “Bess” Wallace Truman 476Michael J. Devine 28 Overrated Pleasures and Underrated Treasures: Mamie Eisenhower, a Bridge between First Lady Archetypes 492Anthony Rama Maravillas 29 Jacqueline Kennedy 503Katherine Jellison 30 Lady Bird Johnson 517Lisa M. Burns 31 An Unlikely First Lady: Pat Nixon 535Mary C. Brennan 32 Betty Ford: “When Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary” 552Myra G. Gutin 33 Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter 569Kristin L. Ahlberg 34 Nancy Reagan 585Jason Roberts 35 Barbara Pierce Bush: Choosing a Complete Life, I: 1925–1988 604Diana B. Carlin 36 Barbara Pierce Bush: Choosing a Complete Life, II: 1988–2015 621Diana B. Carlin 37 Hillary Rodham Clinton 635Janette Kenner Muir 38 Laura Welch Bush: Strength and Serenity in Turbulent Times 653Anita McBride 39 First Lady Michelle Obama: The American Dream Endures, I 677Nancy Kegan Smith and Diana B. Carlin 40 First Lady Michelle Obama: The American Dream Endures, II 696Diana B. Carlin and Nancy Kegan Smith Index 716

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Book Synopsis**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**John Brennan is one of the hardest-working, most patriotic public servants I''ve ever seen, and our country is better off for it. As president, he was one of my closest advisors and a great friend. And in his memoir, Undaunted, you''ll see why. I hope you''ll read it.President Barack ObamaA powerful and revelatory memoir from former CIA director John Brennan, spanning his more than thirty years in government.Friday, January 6, 2017: On that day, as always, John Brennan's alarm clock was set to go off at 4:15 a.m. But nothing else about that day would be routine. That day marked his first and only security briefing with President-elect Donald Trump. And it was also the day John Brennan said his final farewell to Owen Brennan, his father, the man who had taught him the lessons of goodness, integrity, and honor that had shaped the course of an unparalleled career servin

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Book Synopsis**THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**John Brennan is one of the hardest-working, most patriotic public servants I''ve ever seen, and our country is better off for it. As president, he was one of my closest advisors and a great friend. And in his memoir, Undaunted, you''ll see why. I hope you''ll read it.President Barack ObamaA powerful and revelatory memoir from former CIA director John Brennan, spanning his more than thirty years in government.Friday, January 6, 2017: On that day, as always, John Brennan's alarm clock was set to go off at 4:15 a.m. But nothing else about that day would be routine. That day marked his first and only security briefing with President-elect Donald Trump. And it was also the day John Brennan said his final farewell to Owen Brennan, his father, the man who had taught him the lessons of goodness, integrity, and honor that had shaped the course of an unparalleled career servin

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Book SynopsisA rare, insider's look at the life of Donald Trump from Bill O''Reilly, the bestselling author of the Killing series, based on exclusive interview material and deep researchReaders around the world have been enthralled by journalist and New York Times bestselling author Bill O'Reilly's Killing seriesriveting works of nonfiction that explore the most famous events in history. Now, O'Reilly turns his razor-sharp observations to his most compelling subject thus farPresident Donald J. Trump. In this thrilling narrative, O'Reilly blends primary, never-before-released interview material with a history that recounts Trump's childhood and family and the factors from his life and career that forged the worldview that the president of the United States has taken to the White House. Not a partisan pro-Trump or anti-Trump book, this is an up-to-the-minute, intimate view of the man and his sphere of influenceof how Donald Trump's view of America

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Book SynopsisBrad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, the bestselling authors of The First Conspiracy, which covers the secret plot against George Washington, now turn their attention to a little-known, but true story about a failed assassination attempt on the sixteenth president in The Lincoln Conspiracy.Everyone knows the story of Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865, but few are aware of the original conspiracy to kill him four years earlier in 1861, literally on his way to Washington, D.C., for his first inauguration. The conspirators were part of a white supremacist secret society that didn't want an abolitionist in the White House. They planned an elaborate scheme to assassinate the President-elect in Baltimore as Lincoln's inauguration train passed through, en route to the nation''s capital. The plot was investigated by famed detective Allan Pinkerton, who infiltrated the group with undercover agents, including Kate Warne, one of the first female private dete

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Book SynopsisVolodymyr Zelensky captivated the world when his country was invaded by Russia in February 2022. His appearances were accompanied by countless inspiring statements. But there''s a single one that informs Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: We are all simple people.Jessie Kanzer sees Zelensky as a Spiritual Leader for Our Times. As a Soviet refugee, she picks up on the deep philosophical ramifications behind his words. Rich and yet easy-to-read, the life lessons in Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky are accessible and wise, and are more about starting where you are than about war.Kanzer herself has a bit part in Zelensky''s life story, acting in one of his movies filmed in the States. She''s a self-described spiritual nerd who followed Zelensky long before he stood before a blue and yellow backdrop on the national stage. She writes, What is so incredible about our man Volodymyr is that his belief in himself stems not from seeing himself as special, but from

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Notable Book of the Year A major reassessment of Winston Churchill that examines his lasting influence in politics and culture.Trade Review"Few have argued the case as powerfully as Wheatcroft.…[He] is a skilled prosecutor with a rapier pen.…Wheatcroft’s could be the best single-volume indictment of Churchill yet written." -- Peter Baker - New York Times Book Review"Trenchant…Even readers sick of Churchill will find much to enjoy, partly because Wheatcroft is such a fluent and entertaining writer, but also because he has so many interesting and provocative things to say." -- Dominic Sandbrook - Sunday Times (UK)"A clear-eyed, incisive, and superbly balanced account of Churchill, the man and the myth. Wheatcroft shows how a deeply flawed character, with outdated views on empire and race even by the standards of his own time, but a ‘Rossini of rhetoric,’ caught a wave of history in 1940 and became the darling of the British and American Right. Much to think about in the twenty-first century." -- Robert Gildea, professor of Modern History, University of Oxford, and author of Empires of the Mind"Provocative, clear-sighted, richly textured, and wonderfully readable, this is the indispensable book on Churchill for the post–Brexit 2020s: of unmissable and sometimes uncomfortable relevance to both British exceptionalists and those who fail to understand the seductive allure of that exceptionalism." -- David Kynaston, author of Tales of a New Jerusalem"Hagiographers beware; Wheatcroft has skewered the cult of Churchill hero worship. This book reminds us that while Churchill was Britain’s savior in 1940, his views on race and empire, and his military debacles from the Dardanelles to Dieppe, make it unwise to revere him like a saint." -- Samir Puri, author of The Great Imperial Hangover"Invigorating.... An exhilarating reassessment that will appeal to Churchill buffs and newcomers alike." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review"Authoritative…Wheatcroft brings superior scholarship, controlled, intermittently witty prose, and warts-and-all admiration…A lively and rigorous deep dive into the ambiguous, still-relevant geopolitical odyssey that Churchill represents." -- Kirkus, starred review"A provocative reevaluation of an iconic figure." -- Booklist, starred review"Fans of history will find much value in this readable work." -- Library Journal

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Book SynopsisWinston Churchill is handed down the generations, reinvented in the process to suit current controversies. He has been many things: presently a talisman of the political right, a war-hero of conservative outlook who saved his country; on the left, he is a reactionary imperialist, a warmongering oppressor of the workers. Both sides would be surprised by a time trip to the sensation-filled years of 1910 and 1911. They would find a modernist progressive, cordially loathed by the Tories, carrying through programmes of social reform and making the prison system more humane: declaring to Parliament that even convicted offenders have rights and that how a state treats them determines the level of its civilisation. A long-serving Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office reckoned that Churchill's policies (which his successors continued) halved the prison population. During the last third of the twentieth century and into the next, rehabilitation has gone into reverse. Prison numbers have s

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of A. Lincoln, a major new biography of one of America’s greatest generals—and most misunderstood presidentsWinner of the William Henry Seward Award for Excellence in Civil War Biography • Finalist for the Gilder-Lehrman Military History Book Prize In his time, Ulysses S. Grant was routinely grouped with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in the “Trinity of Great American Leaders.” But the battlefield commander–turned–commander-in-chief fell out of favor in the twentieth century. In American Ulysses, Ronald C. White argues that we need to once more revise our estimates of him in the twenty-first. Based on seven years of research with primary documents—some of them never examined by previous Grant scholars—this is destined to become the Grant biography of our time. White, a biographer exceptionally skilled at

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Book Synopsis“Kirstin Downey’s lively, substantive and—dare I say—inspiring new biography of Perkins . . . not only illuminates Perkins’ career but also deepens the known contradictions of Roosevelt’s character.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh Air One of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s closest friends and the first female secretary of labor, Perkins capitalized on the president’s political savvy and popularity to enact most of the Depression-era programs that are today considered essential parts of the country’s social safety network.

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Book SynopsisWritten by contributors from across a range of academic disciplines, this Companion brings together traditional and cutting-edge scholarship to explore a figure of singular importance in American political, cultural, intellectual, and literary history.Trade Review“Readers will also appreciate the text’s comprehensive bibliography. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, upper-division undergraduates, researchers/faculty.” (Choice, 1 April 2012)Table of ContentsList of Figures x About the Contributors xi Introduction 1 David Waldstreicher Part I Biography 5 1 Franklin’s Boston Years, 1706–1723 7 Nian-Sheng Huang 2 The Philadelphia Years, 1723–1757 25 George W. Boudreau 3 The Making of a Patriot, 1757–1775 46 Sheila L. Skemp 4 Franklin Furioso, 1775–1790 65 Jonathan R. Dull Part II Franklin and Eighteenth-Century America 81 5 Benjamin Franklin and Colonial Society 83 Konstantin Dierks 6 Benjamin Franklin and Pennsylvania Politics 104 Alan Tully 7 Benjamin Franklin and Religion 129 John Fea 8 Benjamin Franklin and the Coming of the American Revolution 146 Benjamin L. Carp 9 Benjamin Franklin and Native Americans 164 Timothy J. Shannon 10 The Complexion of My Country: Benjamin Franklin and the Problem of Racial Diversity 183 Nicholas Guyatt 11 Benjamin Franklin, Capitalism, and Slavery 211 David Waldstreicher 12 Benjamin Franklin and Women 237 Susan E. Klepp Part III Franklin the Writer and Thinker 253 13 “The Manners and Situation of a Rising People”: Reading Franklin’s Autobiography 255 Ormond Seavey 14 Poor Richard’s Almanac 275 William Pencak 15 Benjamin Franklin and Journalism 290 David Paul Nord 16 Benjamin Franklin, the Science of Flow, and the Legacy of the Enlightenment 308 Laura Rigal 17 Benjamin Franklin, Associations, and Civil Society 335 Albrecht Koschnik 18 Empire and Nation 359 Eliga H. Gould 19 Franklin’s Pictorial Representations of British America 373 Lester C. Olson Part IV Franklin and the Categories of Inquiry 391 20 American Literature and American Studies 393 Edward Cahill 21 Benjamin Franklin’s Material Cultures 412 Megan E. Walsh 22 Benjamin Franklin and Political Theory 430 Jerry Weinberger 23 Benjamin Franklin and International Relations 463 Leonard J. Sadosky 24 Benjamin Franklin in Memory and Popular Culture 479 Andrew M. Schocket Bibliography 499 Index 536

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Book SynopsisHow Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders exemplified manhood and civic virtue. Below a Cuban sun so hot it stung their eyes, American troops hunkered low at the base of Kettle Hill. Spanish bullets zipped overhead, while enemy artillery shells landed all around them. Driving Spanish forces from the high ground would mean gaining control of Santiago, Cuba, and, soon enough, American victory in the Spanish-American War. No one doubted that enemy fire would claim a heavy toll, but these unusual citizen-soldiers and their unlikely commander39-year-old Colonel Theodore Roosevelthad volunteered for exactly this kind of mission. In Charging Up San Juan Hill, John R. Van Atta recounts that fateful day in 1898. Describing the battle's background and its ramifications for Roosevelt, both personal and political, Van Atta explains how Roosevelt's wartime experience prompted him to champion American involvement in world affairs. Tracking Roosevelt's rise to the presidency, this book argues tTrade ReviewVan Atta adeptly links Roosevelt's deep immersion in Western American culture to his investment in American imperialism in a readable cultural and military history. Van Atta's efforts to shine a light on the stories Roosevelt failed to tell about the Spanish-American War make the monograph particularly valuable and give a sense that this is not merely another laudatory biography of T.R. Charging Up San Juan Hill's greatest strength is its innovative thinking about old questions of empire . . . [it] would work well in undergraduate courses on American military history or the Gilded Age and Progressive Era . . . The text should prove a worthy addition to the shelves of Western historians.—Cecily N. Zander, Pennsylvania State University, Western Historical QuarterlyThe strength of Van Atta's work is its brisk and engrossing narrative of the causes of the Spanish-American War; of the formation, actions, and meaning of the Rough Riders; and of the political benefits that Colonel Roosevelt reaped from serving . . . This approachable work will be well received in an undergraduate course as an engaging introduction to the cultural factors of the Spanish-American War and how masculine regeneration and American imperialism intersected.—Kyle Anthony, University of Saint Mary, Journal of American HistoryTable of ContentsPrologue: Old Values, New Challenges 1 Legacies 2 Jingo Doctrines 3 Teddy’s Terrors 4 Crowded Hour 5 New Empire Epilogue: Eclipse of Old Heroes Acknowledgments Notes Essay on Sources Index

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Book SynopsisBest-selling author Winston Groom tells the complex story of how Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin--the three iconic and vastly different Allied leaders--aligned to win World War II and created a new world order. By the end of World War II, 59 nations were arrayed against the axis powers, but three great Allied leaders--Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin--had emerged to control the war in Europe and the Pacific. Vastly different in upbringing and political beliefs, they were not always in agreement--or even on good terms. But in the end, these three men presided over a new world order. Best-selling historian Winston Groom returns to tell one of the biggest stories of the 20th century: The interwoven and remarkable tale, and a fascinating study of leadership styles, of three world leaders who fought the largest war in history.Trade Review"...one of America’s great storytellers, Winston Groom paints a vivid portrait of men caught between the vise jaws of military necessity and political reality. Anecdotes about their personal lives, such as Stalin’s tumultuous family relationships and FDR’s struggle with polio, bring color to leaders we remember through black-and white photographs and newsreels. Churchill is a character tailor-made for Mr. Groom’s style, and he captures the English lion’s genius for inspiration in bold, beautiful strokes... It is the writing that gives “The Allies” its elemental charm. At its best, Mr. Groom tells an enthralling story of three nations, each wary of the others, and of three men who set aside deep differences for a common cause." –The Wall Street Journal“Groom brings his experience as both novelist and historian to bear in this well-researched and fast-paced narrative of the complex relationship among the three statesmen who determined the outcome of WWII…This is an excellent history.” –Publishers Weekly “Novelist and historian Groom recounts the origins and fortunes of the grand alliance forged to battle the Axis powers in World War II.” –Kirkus "Military historian (The Generals) and fiction writer Groom (Forrest Gump) presents an accessible work about the “Big Three” of World War II: Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin. According to the author, who cites well-regarded secondary sources throughout this readable history, it was the brutal international conflict that led to this triumvirate rather than the compatibility of their personalities." –Library Journal"Knowledge of the Second World War and an understanding of the role played by the dominant personalities who shaped the war are fading from memory. For some, the war and its leaders are ancient history. Winston Groom’s The Allies will hopefully help a new generation learn about the heroics, the horrors, and the tragedies of World War II." –NY Journal of Books"Groom delivers concise, brisk, biographical sketches of the three individuals, raised in three widely separate and culturally varied places." –Tuscaloosa News"Novelist and historian Groom recounts the origins and fortunes of the grand alliance forged to battle the Axis powers in World War II." –Crossville Chronicle, Tennessee“Groom excels at capturing the flow of influence to action.” –Birmingham News"A superb history of the three leaders who guided the world during WWII: Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Not only did these three political giants direct the strategy of the war, they contributed to the future direction of the world by decisions made at the war’s conclusion. Although I have read books and viewed movies that detailed specific battles and places, Groom did a lovely job weaving a story that pulled the events together into a broad perspective which I thoroughly enjoyed. And as I have come to expect in all his histories, the anecdotes were fascinating and I learned new details about the characters and the events in play. A powerful story!" –Page and Palette “That unholy marriage of convenience between the Americans and British and the Soviets against their common enemy, Nazi Germany, certainly changed the course of the war and all-but sealed Hitler’s fate. And it is a well-known one, which Groom tells well for a general audience.” –Vietnam Veterans of America "I particularly enjoyed how Groom presented the information in a nonchalant sort of way. He painted these figures as men, rather than mythical beings, with faults, and secrets, and personal agendas, which humanized them for me. Also, Groom really hits home the fact that the only reason these three men came together was to oppose fascism, given their clear political points of difference." - The Paperback Pilgrim “It reminded me of why I adore history so much.” –Instagram: @giuliland “Groom manages to bring his skill as a historian and his magical novelist powers together to create an astoundingly brilliant historical compilation of one of my personal favorite time periods.” –I Write in Books blog “I really appreciated the way this book was laid out. The book starts out describing each of the men's upbringings and childhoods. Then it goes on to describe how they came to power. Lastly, it describes how they came to become Allies…perfect for someone who wants to get an in-depth knowledge of these three men, but don't want to read separate books. I love reading historical fiction about WWII and this book really added to my knowledge base.” –Instagram: @crystal_clears_the_shelves “I was impressed with the level of detail and connections that were provided throughout this book. Groom has captured the spirit of a biography in the context of an event, and effectively knit three lives together in one book.” –Literary Quicksand “The author doesn’t just write history, he tells a story by giving us a history of each leader and what made them. Afterwards, the reader gets to learn how these three great personalities managed to synergy and find common ground (hating Nazis was a big one).” –Man of La Book

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Book SynopsisThis companion offers an overview of Richard M. Nixon s life, presidency, and legacy, as well as a detailed look at the evolution and current state, of Nixon scholarship.Trade Review"A singularly impressive achievement, particularly in the high quality of the scholarly essays, the international diversity of the contributors, and the comprehensiveness of its coverage. I predict that it will quickly become the essential guide to the historical study of the Nixon years.” (Expofairs, 22 February 2013)Table of ContentsList of Plates viii Notes on Contributors ix Introduction 1 Melvin Small Part I Pre-Presidential Years 5 1. Nixon Biographies 7 Iwan W. Morgan 2. The Pre-Political Years, 1913–1945 27 Joseph Dmohowski 3. Pat Nixon 49 Gil Troy 4. The Congressional Years 68 Anthony Rama Maravillas 5. The Alger Hiss Case 84 Athan G. Theoharis 6. The Richard Nixon Vice Presidency: Research Without the Nixon Manuscripts 102 Irwin F. Gellman 7. The Election of 1960 122 W. J. Rorabaugh Part II Domestic Policies 141 8. The Election of 1968 143 Melvin Small 9. The Election of 1972 164 Rick Perlstein 10. The Administrative Presidency 185 Karen M. Hult 11. Richard Nixon, the Great Society, and Social Reforms: A Lost Opportunity? 202 Romain Huret 12. Civil Rights Policy 212 Dean J. Kotlowski 13. Economic Policy 235 Nigel Bowles 14. Political Realignment 252 Robert Mason 15. Nixon and the Environment 270 Paul Charles Milazzo 16. Nixon and the Media 292 Tim Kiska 17. Nixon and Dissent 311 Katherine Scott 18. Nixon and Agnew 328 Justin P. Coffey Part III Foreign Policies 343 19. Foreign Policy Overview 345 Jussi M. Hanhimäki 20. Nixon and Kissinger 362 Robert D. Schulzinger 21. The Vietnam War 380 Jeffrey P. Kimball 22. Explorations of Détente 400 Keith L. Nelson 23. The China Card 425 Evelyn Goh 24. Nixon and Europe: Transatlantic Policy in the Shadow of Other Priorities 444 Luke A. Nichter 25. Latin America and the Quest for Stability 460 Mark Atwood Lawrence Part IV Post-Presidential Years 479 26. Watergate 481 Keith W. Olson 27. Nixon and Ford 499 John Robert Greene 28. Nixon’s Image: A Brief History 519 David Greenberg 29. The Nixon Tapes 546 Sahr Conway-Lanz Bibliography 563 Index 613

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Book SynopsisA Companion to Woodrow Wilson presents a compilation of essays contributed by various scholars in the field that cover all aspects of the life and career of America s 28th president.Trade Review"With this book Wiley-Blackwell add a notable figure to their growing library of presidential studies." (Reference Reviews, 1 June 2014) "A Companion to Woodrow Wilson shows how much can be learned from a conscientious bibliographic review. It is an impressive book that—through its best chapters—could teach valuable lessons to historians of many topics in addition to those studying Wilson." (Journal of American History, 1 March 2014)Table of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Notes on Contributors x Introduction 1 Ross A. Kennedy Part I To the Presidency 7 1. Wilson the Man 9 Mark Benbow 2. Wilson’s Religious, Historical, and Political Thought 38 Malcolm D. Magee 3. Path to Power: Wilson as President of Princeton and Governor of New Jersey 55 Edmund D. Potter 4. Presidential Politics and the Election of 1912 71 William B. Murphy Part II National Progressivism and Wilson 89 5. Wilson as Chief Executive: Relations with Congress, the Cabinet, and Staff 91 Robert C. Hilderbrand 6. The New Freedom and its Evolution 106 W. Elliot Brownlee 7. Wilson and Race Relations 133 Jennifer D. Keene 8. Wilson’s Views on Immigration and Ethnicity 152 Kristofer Allerfeldt 9. The Election of 1916 173 Nicole M. Phelps Part III Foreign Relations: Western Hemisphere and Asia, 1913–1921 191 10. Wilson and Mexico 193 Benjamin T. Harrison 11. US Policies Toward Latin America 206 Michael E. Neagle 12. US Policies Toward China, Japan, and the Philippines 225 Anne L. Foster Part IV World War I: Neutrality to War 241 13. Neutrality Policy and the Decision for War 243 Justus D. Doenecke 14. Preparedness 270 Ross A. Kennedy Part V Wartime Progressivism, 1917–1921 287 15. Economic Mobilization 289 Mark R. Wilson 16. Propaganda: Wilson and the Committee on Public Information 308 Richard L. Hughes 17. Civil Liberties 323 Kathleen Kennedy 18. Wilson and Woman Suffrage 343 Barbara J. Steinson Part VI Fighting World War I 365 19. War Aims, 1917 to November 11, 1918 367 John A. Thompson 20. Policies Toward Russia and Intervention in the Russian Revolution 386 David S. Foglesong 21. Wilson’s Policies toward Eastern and Southeastern Europe, 1917–1919 406 M. B. B. Biskupski 22. Wilson and His Commanders 426 Jack McCallum Part VII Peacemaking: Paris and After 443 23. Negotiating Peace Terms for Germany 445 Klaus Schwabe 24. Wilson’s Project for a New World Order of Permanent Peace and Security 470 William R. Keylor 25. Wilson, Europe’s Colonial Empires, and the Issue of Imperialism 492 Priscilla Roberts 26. The League Fight 518 John Milton Cooper, Jr Part VIII Into the Twenties 529 27. Red Scare 531 Adam J. Hodges 28. The Election of 1920 551 Allan J. Lichtman Part IX Wilson’s Shadow 567 29. Legacy and Reputation 569 Lloyd E. Ambrosius Selected Bibliography 588 Index 635

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Book SynopsisWith 30 historiographical essays by established and rising scholars, this Companion is a comprehensive picture of the presidencies and legacies of Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors vii Acknowledgements xi Introduction 1 Scott Kaufman 1 Détente’s Limits: Caught between Cooperation and Confrontation 5Vanessa Walker 2 Beyond Narcissism: Politics and Popular Culture in the Age of Malaise 27Bradford Martin 3 Gerald Ford: From Michigan to Washington 50Scott Kaufman 4 From Plains to Atlanta, 1924–1974 64E. Stanly Godbold, Jr. 5 The Presidency and the Pardon 80Andrew Downer Crain 6 Gerald R. Ford’s Domestic Policy 95Yanek Mieczkowski 7 US Intelligence Agencies during the Ford Years 114Kathryn S. Olmsted 8 Détente’s Disintegration, Neoconservatism, and the Ford Presidency 130Binoy Kampmark 9 Ford and the Armed Forces 149Ingo Trauschweizer 10 Gerald R. Ford: The Press, Popular Culture, and Politics 166Raymond Haberski, Jr. 11 Ford and Ford 181T. Alissa Warters 12 Just a Caretaker? 196Jason Friedman 13 Politics and the Public Mood in 1976 211Nicole L. Anslover 14 Jimmy Carter’s 1976 Presidential Campaign: The Saint, the Sinner, and the Hopeless Dreamer 229Jeffrey Bloodworth 15 The Transition 251John P. Burke 16 Carter, the Soviet Union, Détente, and SALT II 272Jaclyn Stanke 17 Trilateralism 290Kristin L. Ahlberg 18 From East–West to North–South 312Andy DeRoche 19 Carter’s Domestic Dilemmas, 1977–1978 335Timothy Stanley 20 Mrs. President? 350Eryn Kane 21 President Carter and the Press 364Jeffrey Crouch and Elise Tollefson 22 Jimmy Carter, Congress, and the Supreme Court 379Leo P. Ribuffo 23 1979: Year of Crises 410Blake W. Jones 24 The Armed Forces during the Carter Years 430Robert T. Davis II and Scott Kaufman 25 The Center of the Carter Conundrum: Human Rights and Foreign Policy 451William Steding 26 The Election of 1980 470Andrew E. Busch 27 Get Carter: Assessing the Record of the Thirty-Ninth President 491Joe Renouard 28 The Post-Presidential Years of Gerald R. Ford 513Michael A. Davis 29 A Presidency Lost, a Life Gained: Jimmy Carter’s Post-Presidency 532Frances M. Jacobson 30 Agendas, Speakers, and Spokesmen 548John Dumbrell Index 567

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisAn inspiring and powerful memoir of surviving the Jonestown massacre and becoming a fearless voice against injustice and inequality by California congresswoman Jackie Speier. Jackie Speier was twenty-eight when she joined Congressman Leo Ryan’s delegation to rescue defectors from cult leader Jim Jones’s Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana. Ryan was killed on the airstrip tarmac. Jackie was shot five times at point-blank range. While recovering from what would become one of the most harrowing tragedies in recent history, Jackie had to choose: Would she become a victim or a fighter? The choice to survive against unfathomable odds empowered her with a resolve to become a vocal proponent for human rights. From the formative nightmare that radically molded her perspective and instincts to the devastating personal and professional challenges that would follow, Undaunted reveals the perseverance of a determined force in American politics. Deeply rooted in Jackie’s experiences as a widow, a mother, a congresswoman, and a fighter, hers is a story of true resilience, one that will inspire other women to draw strength from adversity in order to do what is right—no matter the challenges ahead.Trade Review“Few people embody resilience like Jackie Speier. She faced unthinkable trauma with courage—and came through it with an unshakable sense of purpose. Undaunted is a remarkable story of survival and strength.” —Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and founder of LeanIn.org and OptionB.org “Jackie Speier embodies courage in every sense of the word. No matter the challenges that lay before her, she never stops putting her country and her constituents first. In Congress, I was proud to call Jackie my colleague—and I am even more proud to call her my friend. Jackie’s story of survival, hard work, and public service will be an inspiration for all who read it.” — Gabrielle Giffords, former congresswoman “Jackie Speier’s life has been nothing short of harrowing and triumphant. Undaunted will move women to persist and have their voices heard in government. It will inspire young women to be our future leaders who serve with conviction and compassion.” —Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club “Jackie Speier has lived an incredible life and has passionately dedicated much of it to public service. Undaunted is honest, eye-opening, and truly inspiring.” —Congressman John Lewis, civil rights leader “Once you open this, don’t have anything planned…Compelling.” —Dr. Phil McGraw

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