Political leaders and leadership Books

Book SynopsisEleftherios Venizelos (1864–1936) was the outstanding Greek statesman of the first half of the twentieth century. Michael Llewellyn-Smith traces his early years, political apprenticeship in Crete, and energetic role in that island's emancipation from both Ottoman rule and the arbitrary rule of Prince George of Greece. Summoned to Athens in 1910 by a cabal of officers, Venizelos mastered the Greek political scene, sent the military back to barracks, and led the country through a glorious period of constitutional and political reform, ending in a Balkan alliance waging successful war against Ottoman rule in Europe. By 1914, Greece had doubled in territory and population, and was about to face the challenges of European war. Tensions were rising between the king and the prime minister, foreshadowing political schism. This book illuminates Venizelos' political mastery, liberalism and nationalism, and traces his fateful friendship with David Lloyd George. A second volume will complete his story, with the Great War, the post-war peace settlement, Greece's Asia Minor disaster, and Venizelos' late years of renewed prime ministerial office, political polarisation and exile in Paris.Trade Review'[Outlines] Venizelos’s rise to power in superb detail.' -- The Telegraph'A great addition to modern Greek history, 'Venizelos' tackles broad questions of political leadership and nationalism. It fills a major gap and will strongly attract a cadre of international readers. Highly readable, enjoyable and instructive--it’s hard to ask for more.' -- Stathis Kalyvas, Gladstone Professor of Government, University of Oxford'Venizelos is a powerful portrait of an extraordinary man, painting a rich picture of his social and political environment. A masterful analysis of the personal, domestic and international factors at play, it is well-researched, original and vivid.' -- Helen Katsiadakis, Researcher Emerita, the Venizelos Foundation'An impressive work of scholarship, rendering outstanding services to the political history of Modern Greece and the art of political biography. Llewellyn-Smith deserves the gratitude of all those trying to promote knowledge and understanding in these fields of research.' -- Paschalis Kitromilides, Academy of Athens

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf the American foreign policy establishment is a grand citadel, Henry Kissinger is the specter haunting its dusty hallways. For half a century, he was an omnipresent figure in war rooms and at press briefings, dutifully shepherding the American empire through successive attempts at expansion. For multiple generations of antiwar activists, Kissinger personified the depravity of the US war machine. The Good Die Young assesses a career too frequently applauded in essays from respected scholars and journalists such as Gerald Horne, Carolyn Eisenberg, and Chip Gibbons, with an introduction from Bancroft Prize-winner Greg Grandin.The world Kissinger wrought is one we live in today, where ideal investment conditions are generated from the barrel of a gun. Today, global capitalism and United States hegemony are underwritten by the most powerful military ever devised. Any political vision worth fighting for must promise an end to the cycle of never-ending wars afflicting the world in the twenty-first century. Breaking that cycle means placing the twin evils of capitalism and imperialism in our crosshairs.The book follows Kissinger's fiery trajectory across the globe, covering Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. More than any other public figure, the life and career of this man illustrate the links between capitalism, empire, and the feedback loop of endless conflict that plagues us today.Trade ReviewAmong all this catharsis, no one could surpass the 'unbeatable levels of hater' reached by the lefty publishers Jacobin magazine and Verso Books...[The Good Die Young] features essays by celebrated scholars like Gerald Horne and Carolyn Eisenberg on the wide-spanning breadth of Kissinger's noxious foreign-policy legacy and the areas of the world still hurting thanks to his time in power. -- Nitish Pahwa * Slate *The collection strikes a blackly comic but erudite tone, opening with an introduction by Yale professor Greg Grandin that explores how Kissinger's intellectual and professional trajectory unfolded across presidential administrations and in parallel with American power at large. -- Sophia Nguyen * The Washington Post *Table of ContentsPreface - René Rojas, Bhaskar Sunkara, and Jonah WaltersIntroduction: To Die at the Right Time - Greg GrandinAmericas1. Kissinger and the South American Revolutions - Aldo Marchesi2. Kissinger in Chile - René Rojas3. Kissinger in Argentina - Leandro Morgenfeld4. Kissinger in Central America - Hilary GoodfriendEurope5. Kissinger in Cyprus - Leandros FischerMiddle East and Africa6. Kissinger in Angola - Piero Gleijeses7. Kissinger in South Africa - Gerald Horne8. Kissinger in Western Sahara - Aubrey Bloomfield9. Kissinger in the Gulf - Chip GibbonsAsia10. Kissinger in East Pakistan/Bangladesh - Mukhtar Mirjan11. Kissinger in East Timor - Alex de Jong12. Kissinger in Cambodia - Brett S. Morris13. Kissinger in Vietnam and China - An Interview with Carolyn Eisenberg14. From the War Room to Wall Street - Christy ThorntonAcknowledgmentsAbout the ContributorsNotes

Read more less

Book SynopsisLearn how to think like one of history's most iconic cultural figures: Winston Churchill. Follow in his footsteps and discover the essential principles behind his success. Remembered for his leadership during the Second World War, Churchill’s commitment to 'never surrender', along with his stirring speeches and radio broadcasts, helped inspire British resistance to the Nazi threat when Britain stood alone against an occupied Europe. But as well as a hugely successful politician, Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a journalist, historian and a writer, winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. How to Think Like Churchill reveals the essential principles behind this fascinating leader, exploring the defining moments and enduring speeches that have made him one of the most esteemed figures of the twentieth century.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo months after his twenty-first birthday, a young Harvard student arrived to join his father the American Ambassador in London. Jack, as he was known to family, had no idea how his journey to England on the eve of war would come to change and shape his life. Jack’s beloved sister Kick was presented at Court that summer and hailed by the Press as ‘most exciting debutante’ that year. She introduced her brother to a small circle of young aristocrats, all descended from families that had long ruled England. Fascinated by books on Britain’s history and tales from the Court of King Arthur, Jack felt immediately at home. The eager student from Boston was soon sharing tea with a thirteen-year-old Princess Elizabeth, partying at Blenheim Palace and speeding across Europe as the borders were closing. Amongst the last to escape Berlin he would return with a secret Embassy note predicting hostilities ‘within a week’. With sister Kick and brother Joe he raced to Parliament to see Chamberlain declare war and Churchill rise to inspire a nation in its hour of need. Jack was spell-bound. He would forge lifelong bonds of friendship sharing such dramatic times with his young aristocratic circle. This family circle, after Kick’s marriage, would then come to play an astonishing role in shaping Jack’s actions from the Cuba Missile Crisis to Berlin when the free world came close to nuclear Armageddon. In John F. Kennedy: The London Story, the author reveals the extraordinary role Britain came to play in Jack’s life. By looking at his early life, we see how he became the man to lead and inspire the free world. Ideal for any history or politics enthusiasts, or anyone with an interest in how early events shape a life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShinzo Abe entered politics burdened by high expectations: that he would change Japan. In 2007, seemingly overwhelmed, he resigned after only a year as prime minister. Yet, following five years of reinvention, he masterfully regained the premiership in 2012 and, until his resignation in 2020, dominated Japanese democracy as no leader had done before. Abe inspired fierce loyalty among his followers, cowing Japan’s left with his ambitious economic programme and support for the security and armed forces. He staked a leadership role for Japan in a region being rapidly transformed by the rise of China and India, while carefully preserving an ironclad relationship with Trump’s America. The Iconoclast tells the story of Abe’s meteoric rise and stunning fall, his remarkable comeback, and his unlikely emergence as a global statesman who laid the groundwork for Japan’s survival in a turbulent century.Trade Review‘Comprehensive and engaging.’ -- The Economist‘In exhaustive detail, [Harris] describes a career of setbacks, half-successes and frustrated ambitions.’ -- The Times‘The Iconoclast is a definitive, must-read biography of Abe, and will be the standard English-language work on his life and times for years to come.’ -- The Japan Times‘Journalists, scholars – anyone interested in the political evolution of the leading democracy of East Asia – will need to add The Iconoclast to the reading pile.’ -- Asia Times'Offer[s] in non-specialized language accessible to a general reader detailed coverage of Abe’s family ties to politics, entry into politics, rise to the premiership, and style and substance of governing.' -- Pacific Affairs‘Reflecting on the past and speculating the future, the book contains rich insight about Japan under Abe’s government as well as in the coming post-Abe era, which will help us envision Japan’s future.’ -- Nikkei Asian Review‘For more than a decade, Shinzo Abe has been the doorknob of international politics – largely unnoticed but functionally crucial. Throughout a period of tumult, both international and domestic, he has remained a grimly determined steady hand, a conservative force in a world of radical uncertainty. In translucent prose, Tobias Harris is a subtle commentator on Japan and a remarkably sure-footed guide to the inner workings of its longest-serving prime minister in history.' -- David Pilling, Financial Times, author of Bending Adversity: Japan and the Art of Survival‘Harris has very skilfully told one of the great political comeback stories of our era – the fall and rise of not just Abe Shinzo, but Japan itself. With colourful anecdotes and insightful analysis, the author shows us how Abe, a political blue-blood, pulled off the most remarkable second act in modern Japanese history by being an iconoclast. Harris tells how Abe challenged taboos and broke the mould to help Japan reclaim its confidence, and its rightful place in the world.’ -- Martin Fackler, former Tokyo bureau chief, New York Times'A superb biography of Abe Shinzo, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, as well as a remarkably detailed political history of Japan, from Abe’s grandfather Prime Minister Kishi Nobusuke (1957-60) to Prime Minister Abe. Thoroughly researched, lucidly written. A great achievement.’ -- Ezra Vogel, Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences Emeritus, Harvard University‘The Iconoclast is a well written and comprehensive chronicle of the politics and policies of Japan’s longest serving prime minister.’ -- Gerald L. Curtis, Burgess Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Columbia University

Read more less

Book SynopsisDespite the boycott Hamas was subjected to since its victory in the 2006 parliamentary elections, it has become a significant player on the international stage. It boasts a territory identifiable by its borders, internationally recognized cease-fire lines and effective authority over a population. This book, a study in international relations, shows how Hamas willingly mobilizes Palestinian internal issues to establish its legitimacy on a global scale, and at the same time, uses its relations with non-Palestinian players to compete against its political rivals on the Palestinian national stage. Leila Seurat reveals that Hamas’s foreign and internal policy are strongly intertwined and centred mainly on Hamas’s quest for recognition. The book then is a comprehensive diplomatic history of Palestine, focused on the political orientations of Hamas towards both Israel and other countries. Its coverage spans the movement’s victory in 2006 up until more recent momentous events, including, Hamas’ response to Trump’s ‘deal of the century’ and Israel’s announcement of the annexation of the Jordan Valley, as well as the proclamation of normalization accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and the impact of Covid19. The book is based on Leila Seurat’s extensive fieldwork and interviews with Hamas’s leading officials across the West Bank, Gaza, Damascus, Geneva and Beirut in addition to recent video-conferences planned by various NGOs and attended by West Bank, Gaza and Diaspora Palestinians.Trade ReviewThe book stands out for its wide use of original source material together with many wide-ranging personal interviews. The approach used is quite fascinating, and allows the author to arrive at a new understanding of Hamas as a player in regional and international politics. -- Helga Baumgarten, Birzeit University, PalestineTable of ContentsIntroduction PART ONE: GENERAL ORENTATIONS OF HAMAS FOREIGN POLICY CHAPTER ONE: Hamas and Israel – Conciliation and Confrontation CHAPTER TWO: Hamas and the rest of the World CHAPTER THREE: Syria, Iran and Egypt PART TWO: THE VARIOUS INTERESTS AT THE BASIS OF THE FOREIGN POLICY OF HAMAS CHAPTER FOUR: Outside: Seeking Recognition and Looking for Resources CHAPTER FIVE: Inside: reinforcing itself and competing against its rivals CHAPTER SIX: Ideology and defence of external interests PART THREE: PLACE AND FUNCTION OF IDEOLOGY IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF HAMAS CHAPTER SEVEN: Ideology and the defence of internal interests PART FOUR: THE IMPACT OF DECISION MAKING ON HAMAS FOREIGN POLICY CHAPTER EIGHT: Collective decisions, unilateral decisions CHAPTER NINE: Causes of dissent Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe definitive inside account of the 2016-20 coalition government.Cabinet minister Shane Ross reveals the bitter internal battles fought with the old Blueshirts, the crises when the coalition came close to collapse and the sometimes fraught personal relationships between the fifteen figures who made up the last government.He recounts how a group of Independents risked everything to form a government that was expected to last for only months but which ran for more than four years, under two Taoisigh with utterly different styles. With great humour and charm, Ross unveils the skulduggery, the secret deals, the drama of how Irish football was rescued and Olympic chief Pat Hickey toppled, showing us what really happens behind the closed doors of Ireland's government.Trade ReviewIn the small anecdotes and pen pictures, he achieves what a most skilled diarist should - subtle illustration of themomentous through the seemingly trivial. And, of course, it is all highly entertaining...As Irish political memoirs go, Ross sets a new high bar here. * Irish Mail on Sunday *[E]ntertaining, honest and truly reflective. Shane Ross has shone a light on many dusty corners of Irish political life, and throughout the pages his humour, his acceptance and his acumen shine through. -- Mary O'Rourke * Galway Advertiser *In his racy and entertaining memoir...Ross blasts open the door into the inner workings of Cabinet * Irish Examiner *...a breezy and engaging account of his four years at the Cabinet table. It covers his failures, successes and multiple slip-ups, and provides laugh-out-loud moments for any reader. -- David Murphy * RTE Culture *In Bed With The Blueshirts may not enhance your confidence in Irish politics, but it will lighten the gloom of the pandemic. -- Pat Rabbitte * Sunday Business Post *This is a well-written book that moves along at a good pace. It is a personal memoir that does not seek to vilify those who opposed Ross, nor to claim infallibility for his own views. He may portray himself as the outsider, but ultimately he shows a great liking for his colleagues of all hues. -- Richard Bruton * Irish Independent *This is a book worth reading...well written and entertaining * The Phoenix *He has written one of the best Irish political memoirs, bulging with casually shared nuggets and indiscretions, chiefly but not exclusively his own. * Village magazine *Table of Contents1: A Big Idea Is Born 2: The Blueshirts Play Hardball 3: A Cabinet at War 4: Pat Hickey's Olympic Downfall 5: Gaffes Galore 6: Pork Barrel Politics 7: Drink Drivers Divide the Dáil 8: Judges Defend Four Courts Fortress 9: Mandarins Rule, OK? 10: Irish Football Pulls Back from the Brink 11: The Covid Cabinet: A Big Win for Leo

Read more less

Book SynopsisLabour's octogenarian powerhouse weaves together eighty years of fascinating personal, social and political history in her memoirs.From Boots Girl to Baroness, Joyce Gould boasts an impressive list of experiences and accomplishments. Through sixty-four years as a Labour Party member, she has fought for universal equality, for the right to a good standard of life for all, and for the spirit of her beloved party.The Witchfinder General is the political autobiography of the woman who notoriously made Labour electable again - nicknamed the Witchfinder General for her determination to end the debilitating discord of the 1980s by uncovering and removing the Militant Tendency - and as such it is a tender and frank depiction of the party over the past six decades. But more than that, it is a social history as seen through the eyes of someone who lived it, and a personal history of a pharmacist's apprentice turned political warrior, who has dedicated her life to making the world a better place.These memoirs document a long career in the fight for equality, the building of the modern Labour Party and the creation of the Britain we know today.Trade Review"A warm and uplifting read. It is riveting in its description of the routing of Militant and strong in its conclusion that the outcome of this May's local elections will be a 'defining point' for the 'new Labour regime and its record'." - Progress

Read more less

Book SynopsisBiography of the most famous Prime Minister of the 20th Century

Read more less

Book SynopsisFar from Winston Churchill's jibe that he was a "modest little man with plenty to be modest about," in this acclaimed biography, comprehensively revised in this new edition, Francis Beckett makes the case that Clement Attlee's reputation as Britain's greatest ever reforming Prime Minister is fully deserved. With new research, thinking and stories (many of them never published before) Beckett compelling shows Attlee's relevance to a new political generation. Far from being a dull, grey man, he was a poet and a dreamer. Here is an eloquent portrait of Attlee the man, not only his remarkable political life but also of the poetry he wrote, the poetry he loved, and more of the famous Attlee anecdotes.Trade Review'Beckett gets near to the essence of Attlee, and does so in an easy, flowing narrative.' - - Independent 'More government records have been opened, and Beckett has used them to great effect.' - The Times 'An engrossing personal biography of Attlee.' - History Today 'The triumph of this work is the author's success in passing on his love for his subject. By the final chapter...I too liked Attlee, whom I had previously barely known.' - The Spectator 'A formidable work of scholarship...draws out the many facets, including the real subtlety, of his character.' - John Bercow MP

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe study of dictatorship in the West has acquired an almost exotic dimension. But authoritarian regimes remain a painful reality for billions of people worldwide who still live under them, their freedoms violated, and their rights abused. They are subject to arbitrary arrest, torture, corruption, ignorance, and injustice. What is the nature of dictatorship? How does it take hold? In what conditions and circumstances is it permitted to thrive? And how do dictators retain power, even when reviled and mocked by those they govern? In this deeply considered and at times provocative short work, Alaa Al Aswany tells us that, as with any disease, to understand the syndrome of dictatorship we must first consider the circumstances of its emergence, along with the symptoms and complications it causes in both the people and the dictator.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book provides a detailed look at the constitutional, historical, and political arguments concerning presidential immunity from prosecution, as well as the opinions of the Office of Legal Counsel that provided the justification for the decision not to prosecute President Trump. Focusing on those opinions, the book examines the constitutional basis of presidential immunity, both textual and historical, as reflected in the deliberations of the 1787 Convention and the ratification debates. The opinions are viewed in the context of the criminal investigations of Presidents Nixon and Clinton that gave rise to those opinions, as well as the pronouncements of the Supreme Court concerning their claims, and those of President Trump to immunity from judicial inquiry. Lastly, the book analyzes presidential immunity in light of the separation of powers, the availability of impeachment, and the discordance between presidential immunity and the rule of law.Table of Contents​Part IChapter 1: The Founding Era Chapter 2: The Nixon Era and the 1973 Office of Legal Counsel Memorandum Chapter 3: The Clinton Era Chapter 4: The Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Presidential Immunity Chapter 5: The Second Memorandum of the Office of Legal Counsel Chapter 6: Donald J. Trump V. Cyrus R. Vance Part II Chapter 7: The Separation of Powers Chapter 8: Impeachment: Sequentiality Chapter 9: Impeachment: Criminality Chapter 10: The Rule of Law

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book examines how decisions made by the Conservative government during the COVID19 pandemic have increased economic inequality in the UK. Decades of austerity, asset-based welfare and financialization had already exacerbated social divisions in the UK prior to the pandemic. The political blueprint behind these measures combined Privatized Keynesianism and the Asset Economy. To explain, economists have highlighted that inequality derives from the fact that income from wealth increases at a faster rate than income from wages. The ensuing political assumption is that – in the face of pressures on public finances – promoting asset ownership is the best alternative to government-funded welfare schemes. What this meant, as the pandemic unfolded, was that when tough decisions about resource allocation needed to be made, the UK Treasury and the Bank of England found almost unlimited funds to rescue and protect asset-holders and middle-income homeowners, whilst reverting to a narrative of “misfortune” for the asset-less poor. This book assesses the political decisions taken by UK policymakers during 2020-21 and their consequences. In doing so, it challenges policymakers and the informed public to re-consider the morality of inequality, and to make alternative decisions to promote a more ecologically sustainable, caring, equal and prosperous society.Table of ContentsIntroductionChapter 1: Inequality, Financialisation and the Asset EconomyChapter 2: The RichChapter 3: Middle-Income HouseholdsChapter 4: The PoorConclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisMichael Thumann has been reporting from Eastern Europe for the leading German intellectual weekly Die Zeit for more than 30 years. His book chronicles Russia''s descent into an increasingly totalitarian dictatorship and the path leading to the escalation of Putin''s imperialist war in 2022. The dictator and his entourage want to take revenge for the democratic opening after 1991 and supposed humiliation by the West. Putin''s rule is becoming more radical. It is the most threatening regime in the world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisVladimir Putin has emerged as one of the key leaders of the twenty-first century. However, he is also recognized as one of the most divisive. Abroad, his assertion of Russia's interests and critique of the western-dominated international system has brought him into conflict with Atlantic powers. Within Russia, he has balanced various factions within the elite intelligentsia alongside the wider support of Russian society. So what is the 'Putin paradox?' Richard Sakwa grapples with Putin's personal and political development on both the international political scene and within the domestic political landscape of Russia. This study historicizes the Putin paradox, through theoretical, historical and political analysis and in light of wider developments in Russian society. Richard Sakwa presents the Putin paradox as a unique regime type - balancing numerous contradictions - in order to adapt to its material environment while maintaining sufficient authority with which to shape it.Trade ReviewAn original, up-to-date and comprehensive text on the phenomenon of Putinism in contemporary Russia. * Edwin Bacon, University of Lincoln *The Putin Paradox is the latest take on Russia under Putin by the leading international scholar of his rule. Sakwa’s trade mark incisiveness, nuance and innovation are ably demonstrated here. A must read for everyone interested in the fate of modern Russia and its role on the world stage. * Graeme Gill, Professor Emeritus, University of Sydney *Sakwa runs a forensic eye over Russian domestic and foreign policy, placing Putin's leadership in context and exploring the nuances of change and continuity in ideas, policy and strategy. Essential reading. * Andrew Monaghan, Director of Research on Russia, Oxford Changing Character of War Centre. *Table of Contents1. Putin and his times From kommunalka to the Kremlin; The many Putins; The post-Cold War context; The democracy paradox 2. State, society and regime The birth of the regime-state; The meta-factions of Russian society; The dual state and neo-patrimonialism; Reform, transition and beyond 3. Putin and politics The state of exception and regionalism; Putin and the past; Anti-revolution as a political practice; Putin’s statecraft; Stasis, or the developmental impasse 4. Politics and the third state Regime reset; The third state and meta-corruption; The third state and micro-factionalism 5. Managed capitalism State and market; Economic performance and plans; Powering Putinism; Sanctions and their effect 6. From partner to adversary: Russia and the West The clash of post-Cold War world orders; The logic of Russian foreign policy; A new era of confrontation 7. Recreating the heartland: Eurasian partnerships Eurasian integration in perspective; The post-Atlantic world;Putin’s Asian gambit: escape from confrontation? Global Russia 8. The winds of change Towards Putin’s fourth term;The return of politics; The 2018 presidential election; Challenges of Putin’s fourth term 9. The Putin phenomenon Putin’s people and power; Is Putin an ism?; Putin’s grand strategy 10. Paradoxes of Putinism When success means failure; Towards the succession; Russia without Putin Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThomas Sankara: A Revolutionary in Cold War Africa is one of the most fully realized biographies of a modern African politicalgure in recent years, and a striking portrayal not just of this fascinating and ultimately tragic states-man but of an entire political era on the continent. * New York Review of Books *This is an exemplary biography of an Africa president revered for his integrity and gift of inspired leadership. -- R. I. Rotberg, Harvard University * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgementsList of AbbreviationsIntroduction1. Coming of Age in the Shadow of Colonialism, 1949-19662. Education of a Revolutionary, 1966-19733. A Rising Star: Soldiers and the Political Left, 1973-19824. From Political Prisoner to Populist Prime Minister, 1982-19835. The "Revolution of August 4" and the People's President6. "This Man Who Unsettles": Confronting the Neocolonial Order, 1983-19847. The Struggle for Unity, 1983-19848. "Daring to Invent the Future": Nation-Building and the Promise of Revolutionary Change, 1984-859. Politics is War and War is Politics: Sankara in the International Arena, 1984-198510. Revolutionary Duties and Perils, 1986-198711. No Turning Back: The Road to October 15, 1987ConclusionSelected BibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“When you read Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn you know that you are reading and being read by one of the greatest men of the bloody 20th century. . . . He wouldn’t be muzzled. . . . He is also frank. Solzhenitsyn never hesitated to reveal to his readers the truth of things, including his own soul.” —The American Conservative“This long-awaited translation does not disappoint, offering insights into [Solzhenitsyn’s] work on The Red Wheel, his family life in Vermont, and his responses to the rapidly evolving political circumstances of what proved to be Soviet Communism’s waning years. . . . Between Two Millstones provides interesting insights into not just Solzhenitsyn but also the landscape he inhabited . . . [and] may be the most pleasurable read in his catalog—an opportunity to spend time with the writer in pleasant refuge.” —The American Spectator“In Between Two Millstones Solzhenitsyn blends several literary genres—autobiography, essay, and a touch of diary. . . . Readers encounter a great-souled Russian and Christian man in medias res, as he thinks, feels, lives his way through the years of separation from his beloved homeland.” —Will Morrisey Reviews"Outsiders see things those on the inside cannot see. Alexis de Tocqueville penetrated American democracy as no American could. In a similar fashion, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s Between Two Millstones[, Book 2]: Exile in America, 1978-1994 presents a view of America that few Americans could have grasped." —Law & Liberty“The thread unifying the second volume of Between Two Millstones . . . is Solzhenitsyn’s ongoing research and writing of The Red Wheel, his cycle of four novels (with more planned) spanning Russian history from the eruption of World War I in August 1914 to December 1917, just after the Bolshevik Revolution. . . . For Solzhenitsyn, fiction can be an instrument of truth, as it was for many of his Russian predecessors.” —Los Angeles Review of Books"Solzhenitsyn assumes a Tolstoyan mien (unwittingly or deliberately?). Striving for his works’ publication in Russia, he envisioned his exegi monumentum would restore Russia’s glory and soul. Thus in this second book . . . he corrects the lies and misinterpretations his works and appearances suffered from Soviet invectives as well as Western misperceptions. . . . Recommended." —Choice"This memoir exemplifies the difficult question of belonging. Without slipping into clichés, Solzhenitsyn challenges both émigré and American alike to seek the truth, not only of one’s own existence, but also that of a nation." —Modern Age“Today, as America seems more fractured than ever before, Solzhenitsyn’s reflections on how to restore Russia to a state of ordered liberty seem especially pertinent. . . . Solzhenitsyn is an inspiration—as a thinker, an artist, and a warrior who never tired of the battle.” —City Journal"Perhaps the lengthiest but most important single episode recounted in Book 2 is Solzhenitsyn’s account of working with his biographer, Michael Scammel. For anyone familiar with this affair, reading this autobiographical account offers a fascinating first-hand view into the complicated professional relationship between the two men. For those who are unfamiliar, it is an edge-of-your-seat intellectual thriller, a rollercoaster of literary intrigue." —The University Bookman“The last volume of Solzhenitsyn’s memoirs, the recently translated second part of Between Two Millstones, . . . casts the Gorbachev years as an eerie repeat of 1917.” —The New York Review of BooksTable of ContentsPublisher’s Note Foreword to Book 2 PART TWO (1978–1982) 6. Russian Pain 7. A Creeping Host 8. More Headaches PART THREE (1982–1987) 9. Around Three Islands 10. Drawing Inward 11. Ordeal by Tawdriness 12. Alarm in the Senate 13. Warm Breeze PART FOUR (1987–1994) 14. Through the Brambles 15. Ideas Spurned 16. Nearing the Return APPENDICES List of Appendices Appendices (25–36) Notes to the English Translation Index of Selected Names General Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe 1970s were a decade of historic American energy crises. Jay Hakes brings his expertise in energy and presidential history to bear on the questions of why these crises occurred, how different choices might have prevented or ameliorated them, and what they have meant for the half-century since - and likely the half-century ahead.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe concept of ‘fellow citizens’ for Abraham Lincoln encompassed different groups at different times. In this first book focused on the topic, Mark Steiner analyses and contextualizes Lincoln's evolving views about citizenship over the course of his political career.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction and Acknowledgments1. "I Have Seen a Good Deal of the Back Side of This World": Childhood in Kentucky (1809-1816)2. "I Used to be a Slave": Boyhood and Adolescence in Indiana (1816-1830)3. "Separated from His Father, He Studied English Grammar": New Salem (1831-1834)4. "A Napoleon of Astuteness and Political Finesse": Frontier Legislator (1834-1837)5. "We Must Fight the Devil With Fire": Slasher-Gaff Politico in Springfield (1837-1841)6. "It Would Just Kill Me to Marry Mary Todd": Courtship and Marriage (1840-1842)7. "I Have Got the Preacher by the Balls": Pursuing a Seat in Congress (1843-1847)8. "A Strong but Judicious Enemy to Slavery": Congressman Lincoln (1847-1849)9. "I Was Losing Interest in Politics and Went to the Practice of Law with Greater Earnestness Than Ever Before": Mid-Life Crisis (1849-1854)10. "Aroused As He Had Never Been Before": Reentering Politics (1854-1855)11. "Unite with Us, and Help Us to Triumph": Building the Illinois Republican Party (1855-1857)12. "A House Divided": Lincoln vs. Douglas (1857-1858)13. "A David Greater than the Democratic Goliath": The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)14. That Presidential Grub Gnaws Deep: Pursuing the Republican Nomination (1859-1860)15. "The Most Available Presidential Candidate for Unadulterated Republicans": The Chicago Convention (May 1860)16. "I Have Been Elected Mainly on the Cry 'Honest Old Abe'": The Presidential Campaign (May-November 1860)17. "I Will Suffer Death Before I Will Consent to Any Concession or Compromise": President-elect in Springfield (1860-1861)18. "What If I Appoint Cameron, Whose Very Name Stinks in the Nostrils of the People for His Corruption?": Cabinet-Making in Springfield (1860-1861)19. "The Man Does Not Live Who Is More Devoted to Peace Than I Am, But It May Be Necessary to Put the Foot Down Firmly": From Springfield to Washington (February 11-22, 1861)20. "I Am Now Going To Be Master": Inauguration (February 23-March 4, 1861)21. "A Man So Busy Letting Rooms in One End of His House, That He Can't Stop to Put Out the Fire that is Burning in the Other": Distributing Patronage (March-April 1861)22. "You Can Have No Conflict Without Being Yourselves the Aggressors": The Fort Sumter Crisis (March-April 1861)23. "I Intend to Give Blows": The Hundred Days (April-July 1861)24. Sitzkrieg: The Phony War (August 1861-January 1862)25. "This Damned Old House": The Lincoln Family in the Executive Mansion26. "I Expect to Maintain This Contest Until Successful, or Till I Die, or Am Conquered, or My Term Expires, or Congress or the Country Forsakes Me": From the Slough of Despond to the Gates of Richmond (January-July, 1862)27. "The Hour Comes for Dealing with Slavery": Playing the Last Trump Card (January-July 1862)28. "Would You Prosecute the War with Elder-Stalk Squirts, Charged with Rose Water?": The Soft War Turns Hard (July-September 1862)29. "I Am Not a Bold Man, But I Have the Knack of Sticking to My Promises!": The Emancipation Proclamation (September-December 1862)30. "Go Forward, and Give Us Victories": From the Mud March to Gettysburg (January-July 1863)31. "The Signs Look Better": Victory at the Polls and in the Field (July-November 1863)32. "I Hope to Stand Firm Enough to Not Go Backward, and Yet Not Go Forward Fast Enough to Wreck the Country's Cause": Reconstruction and Renomination (November 1863-June 1864)33. "Hold On with a Bulldog Grip and Chew and Choke as Much as Possible": The Grand Offensive (May-August 1864)34. "The Wisest Radical of All": Reelection (September-November 1864)35. "Let the Thing Be Pressed": Victory at Last (November 1864-April 8, 1865)36. "This War Is Eating My Life Out; I Have a Strong Impression That I Shall Not Live to See the End": (April 9-15, 1865)NotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of a distinguished public servant, who as US Secretary of Labor, Secretary of the Treasury, and Secretary of State, was pivotal in steering the great powers toward the end of the Cold War. Deftly solving critical but intractable national and global problems was the leitmotif of George Pratt Shultz's life. No one at the highest levels of the United States government did it better or with greater consequence in the last half of the 20th century, often against withering resistance. His quiet, effective leadership altered the arc of history. While political, social, and cultural dynamics have changed profoundly since Shultz served at the commanding heights of American power in the 1970s and 1980s, his legacy and the lessons of his career have even greater meaning now that the Shultz brand of conservatism has been almost erased in the modern Republican Party. This book, from longtime New York Times Washington reporter Philip Taubman, restores the modest Shultz to his central place in American history. Taubman reveals Shultz's gift for forging relationships with people and then harnessing the rapport to address national and international challenges, under his motto "trust is the coin of the realm"—as well as his difficulty standing up for his principles, motivated by a powerful sense of loyalty that often trapped him in inaction. Based on exclusive access to Shultz's personal papers, housed in a sealed archive at the Hoover Institution, In the Nation's Service offers a remarkable insider account of the behind-the-scenes struggles of the statesman who played a pivotal role in unwinding the Cold War.Trade Review"This is a masterpiece. Philip Taubman, one of the great reporters and editors from The New York Times, has dug forever and found the real, authentic George Shultz, one of the true peacemakers of the 20th century. Essentially positive but not avoiding some well-documented criticisms, this biography reminds me of David McCullough's classic biographies of Presidents John Adams and Harry Truman—defining and sure-footed in every paragraph."—Bob Woodward, #1 bestselling author of Peril and Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate"The nuanced diplomacy of George Shultz at the end of the Cold War was a major reason that 45-year conflict ended with a whimper rather than the nuclear bang we had all feared. In his biography about Shultz, Philip Taubman masterfully explains the many keys to Shultz's success, including his giant intellect and understated ability to build personal relationships with his interlocutors in the Soviet Union. In the Nation's Service is a must read for those interested in the life and times of one of our nation's foremost secretaries of state."—James A. Baker, III, 61st U.S. Secretary of State"Philip Taubman has written an outstanding book about the extraordinary life and public service of Secretary Shultz. As Taubman describes in these pages, Shultz possessed the rare ability to build consensus among people with diverse and sometimes deeply opposing views, exhibiting an agile diplomacy that allowed him to aid in the peaceful end of the Cold War. Taubman's account deftly captures the character of this American icon, the halls of power in which he served the nation, and the consequential one hundred years in which he lived."—Condoleezza Rice, 66th US Secretary of State, Tad and Dianne Taube Director, Hoover Institution"Taubman makes a persuasive case that Shultz was one of the most distinguished American officials of the last half century."—H.W. Brands, author of The Last Campaign: Sherman, Geronimo and the War for America and Reagan: The Life"Philip Taubman's new biography of Shultz, In the Nation's Service, offers a more complicated assessment of the well-known government official and of the modern history of the GOP. Shultz's saga of triumph and turmoil offers a reminder that the brutal moral conditions Republican administrations impose on those who work in them were not just confined to Trump, but have been manifest all along."—Washington Monthly"Philip Taubman's In the Nation's Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz adds a surprising new dimension to the Reagan saga. Through the eyes of Shultz, the secretary of state, Taubman portrays the Reagan administration as swamped and nearly paralyzed by disorganization and infighting. Cabinet members and White House aides were constantly at each other's throats. This will come as no surprise to students of the Reagan presidency, but Taubman, a longtime reporter and editor at the New York Times, introduces a new and highly credible source. [Taubman's research] provides valuable new insight into the Reagan years, and he gives Shultz credit for holding things together."—David E. Hoffman, The Washington Post"Taubman's book is remarkable in many ways. [I]t gives Shultz the credit he deserves in guiding Reagan's foreign policy, especially in ending the Soviet empire, that had been reserved for just Reagan, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, President George H.W. Bush, and his top diplomat James Baker."—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner"The humanity and human touch of Shultz and his biographer emerge on nearly every page."—Walter Clemens, New York Journal of Books"Taubman has written an outstanding biography of George Shultz, both comprehensive and consistently engaging. Taubman's biography excels at conveying Shultz's human characteristics—trustworthiness, solidity, fortitude, plain-spoken directness, quick intelligence, ambition—which brought him to the summit of the American political system and made him such an invaluable player in it."—Gabriel Schoenfeld, The American Purpose"Mr. Taubman has given us a distinctly American story: A young man from a middle-income family in New Jersey, refined by education at Princeton and early service in uniform, comes to help guide U.S. foreign affairs through a perilous world moment. Shultz's spirit of service and loyalty is regrettably no longer dominant in American diplomacy or bureaucracy."—Kate Bachelder Odell, Wall Street Journal"As capably captured by Philip Taubman in his official biography of the 60th secretary of state, In the Nation's Service, Shultz had a front-row view of both the Reagan administration and the end of the Cold War. Indeed, he was an active player in it, instrumental in directing Reagan's more cooperative approach to the Soviet Union and helped along by a willing partner in Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev."—Samuel Sweeney, Foreign Policy"Taubman's excellent biography deserves great praise for highlighting the enormous debt of gratitude the country owes to George Shultz, not only for his herculean efforts to bring an end to the Cold War but also his many other achievements 'In the Nation's Service.'"—Ambassador Gary Grappo, The Cipher BriefTable of Contents01. "Grow Up a Real Man" 02. No Empty Threats 03. The Real Economy 04. Pathway to Power 05. Equal Opportunity 06. Treasury Travails 07. Odd Man Out 08. A Common Foundation 09. Stumbling Start 10. Soviet Policy Standoff 11. Nancy Reagan to the Rescue 12. Shultz's Opponents Strike Back 13. A Test of Loyalty 14. Hitting Bottom 15. The Target Is Destroyed 16. Combating Terrorism 17. Reelection and Renewed Hope 18. Sea Change in the Kremlin 19. The Fireside Summit 20. Battles That Never End 21. Implosion of a Presidency 22. Back on Track 23. Encore in Moscow 24. Epilogue

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrancis Cogliano revisits the relationship between Washington and Jefferson, arguing that their vaunted differences mask mutual investments in the Revolution itself. Their later divergence demonstrates how wartime unity gave way to competing visions for the new nation, making clear that there was no single founding ideal—only compromise.Trade ReviewCogliano considers the relationship between George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in this measured and clarifying account…This deeply researched and accessible narrative sheds new light on a consequential friendship. * Publishers Weekly *It is hard to believe no one has written a detailed account of the difficult friendship between the two Virginian revolutionaries George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. We now have Cogliano’s meticulously researched, insightful, and fluidly written account of their history with each other. This book is just what we need as we approach the 250th anniversary of what these two men helped put in motion, the American Revolution. -- Annette Gordon-Reed, author of The Hemingses of Monticello: An American FamilySuperb, compelling history. Deftly interweaving the personal and the political, Cogliano shows that Washington and Jefferson had a much closer relationship than is typically acknowledged, first as political allies, then as trusted friends and confidants, but the party strife of the young republic made them bitter opponents. -- Eliga H. Gould, author of Among the Powers of the Earth: The American Revolution and the Making of a New World EmpireA persuasively argued, well-written biography that illuminates and enlivens its subjects and their relationship. Avoiding the pitfalls of both the celebratory national narrative and its revisionist counterpoint, Cogliano enables readers to make better sense of the complicated circumstances—and complicated people—who revolutionized America, for better and for worse. -- Peter S. Onuf, author of Jefferson and the Virginians: Democracy, Constitutions, and EmpireA fantastic work of comparative history. Washington and Jefferson’s collaboration endured for three highly productive decades, but then, as now, even the warmest friendships sometimes got pulverized by politics. Cogliano’s poignant reminder that Washington and Jefferson never reconciled inspires me, as it may you, to try to rebuild bridges. -- Woody Holton, author of Liberty Is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War, told by America’s beloved and distinguished historian.The life of Harry S. Truman is one of the greatest of American stories, filled with vivid characters—Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Wallace Truman, George Marshall, Joe McCarthy, and Dean Acheson—and dramatic events. In this riveting biography, acclaimed historian David McCullough not only captures the man—a more complex, informed, and determined man than ever before imagined—but also the turbulent times in which he rose, boldly, to meet unprecedented challenges. The last president to serve as a living link between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, Truman’s story spans the raw world of the Missouri frontier, World War I, the powerful Pendergast machine of Kansas City, the legendary Whistle-Stop Campaign of 1948, and the decisions to drop the atomic bomb, confront Stalin at Potsdam, send troops to Korea, and fire General MacArthur. Drawing on newly discovered archival material and extensive interviews with Truman’s own family, friends, and Washington colleagues, McCullough tells the deeply moving story of the seemingly ordinary “man from Missouri” who was perhaps the most courageous president in our history.Trade Review"Meticulously detailed, elegantly written, tightly constructed, rich in revealing anecdotes and penetrating insights. It is, as its subject demands, biography on the grand scale." -- Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post"A warm, affectionate and thoroughly captivating biography....the most thorough account of Truman's life yet to appear. " -- Alan Brinkley, The New York Times Book Review"McCullough's marvelous feel for history is based on an appreciation of colorful tales and an insight into personalities. In this compelling saga of America's greatest common-man president, McCullough adds luster to an old-fashioned historical approach...the sweeping narrative, filled with telling details and an appreciation of the role individuals play in, shaping the world." -- Walter Isaacson, Time"Remarkable....you may open it at any point and instantly become fascinated, so easy, lucid, and energetic is the narrative and so absorbing the sequence of events." -- The Economist"McCullough is a master storyteller whose considerable narrative skills have been put to exquisite use in re-creating the life and times of America's 33rd president." -- Robert Dallek, Los Angeles Times Book ReviewTable of ContentsCONTENTSPart One -- SON OF THE MIDDLE BORDER1. Blue River Country2. Model Boy3. The Way of the Farmer4. SoldierPart Two -- POLITICIAN5. Try, Try Again6. The Senator from Pendergast7. Patriot8. Numbered DaysPart Three -- TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY9. The Moon, the Stars, and All the Planets10. Summer of DecisionPart Four -- MR. PRESIDENT11. The Buck Stops Here12. Turning Point13. The Heat in the Kitchen14. Fighting ChancePart Five -- WEIGHT OF THE WORLD15. Iron Man16. Commander in Chief17. Final DaysPart Six -- BACK HOME18. Citizen TrumanACKNOWLEDGMENTSSOURCE NOTESBIBLIOGRAPHYINDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn exploration of the political thought of one of the twentieth century''s most influential thinkers and the foremost advocate for the Palestinian cause in the WestEdward Said was one of the most influential intellectuals of the twentieth century. A literary scholar with an aesthete?s temperament, he did not experience his political awakening until the 1967 Arab?Israeli war, which transformed his thinking and led him to forge ties with political groups and like-minded scholars. Said?s subsequent writings, which cast light on the interplay between cultural representation and the exercise of Western political power, caused a seismic shift in scholarly circles and beyond. In this intimate intellectual biography, by a close friend and confidant, Nubar Hovsepian offers fascinating insight into the evolution of Said?s political thought.Through analysis of Said?s seminal works and the debates surrounding them, Edward Said: The Politics of an Oppositional Intellectual traces the influence of Foucault on Said, and how Said eventually diverged from this influence to arrive at a more pronounced understanding of agency, resistance, and liberation. He consequently affiliated more closely with Raymond Williams, Antonio Gramsci, and more contemporaneously, with his friends the late Eqbal Ahmad and Ibrahim Abu-Lughod.Said held that it is the intellectual?s responsibility to expose lies and deceptions of the holders of power. A passionate advocate for the Palestinian cause, his solidarity did not prevent him from launching a sustained critique of the Palestinian leadership. Hovsepian charts both Said?s engagement with the Palestinian national movement and his exchanges with a host of intellectuals over Palestine, arguing that Said?s interventions have succeeded in changing the parameters of the discourse in the humanities, and among younger Jews searching for political affiliation.Drawing on his diaries, in which he recorded his meetings with Said, as well as access to some of Said?s private letters, Hovsepian illuminates, in rich detail, the trajectory of Said?s political thinking and the depth and breadth of his engagement with peers and critics over issues that continue to resonate to this day.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEmperor Haile Selassie was an iconic figure of the twentieth century, a progressive monarch who ruled Ethiopia from 1916 to 1974. This book, written by a former state official who served in a number of important positions in Selassie’s government, tells both the story of the emperor’s life and the story of modern Ethiopia.AfterTrade Review“Anyone searching for a quick introduction to Ethiopia’s fascinating history could happily turn to Emperor Haile Selassie as a starting point.” * Focus on the Horn *“Emperor Haile Selassie is a readable, well-organized book that accurately portrays the life of the Ethiopian King of Kings and, through him, the history of the nation. The author is at his best in relating his personal experience and ties to the Emperor—original material that I found fascinating.”“An informative guide, with an insider's perspective, on a pivotal piece of African history.” * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs a giant of 20th century history, Mao Zedong played many roles: peasant revolutionary, patriotic leader against the Japanese occupation, Marxist theoretician, modernizer, and visionary despot. This Very Short Introduction chronicles Mao''s journey from peasant child to ruler of the most populous nation on Earth. He was a founder of both the Chinese Communist Party and the Red Army, and for many years he fought on two fronts, for control of the Party and in an armed struggle for the Party''s control of the country. His revolution unified China and began its rise to world power status. He was the architect of the Great Leap Forward that he hoped would make China both prosperous and egalitarian, but instead ended in economic disaster resulting in millions of deaths. It was Mao''s growing suspicion of his fellow leaders that led him to launch the Cultural Revolution, and his last years were dogged by ill-health and his despairing attempts to find a successor whom he trusted. Delia Davin provides an invaluable introduction to Mao, showing him in all his complexity; ruthless, brutal, and ambitious, a man of enormous talent and perception, yet a leader who is still detested by some and venerated by others. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Review[A] tautly argued, plainly told, luminous story that does full justice to all sides of the argument * The China Journal *Table of Contents1. Formative years ; 2. Marxist Labour organizer to Peasant Revolutionary ; 3. Achieving pre-eminence 1934-1949 ; 4. The revolution institutionalized: first years of the People's Republic ; 5. The Great Leap Forward and its Aftershocks ; 6. The Cultural Revolution ; 7. Decline and death ; 8. Assessments and legacies ; References and further reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first African statesman to achieve world recognition was Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972), who became president of the new Republic of Ghana in 1960. He campaigned ceaselessly for African solidarity and for the liberation of southern Africa from white settler rule.Trade Review“This is a biographical study of one of the most complex African leaders of the twentieth century colonial era. The book admirably traces the problems Nkrumah faced as a student and aspiring politician…. The book is a colorful biography and assists the reader in understanding the tribulations and aspirations of Third World leaders in guiding their countries through the uncertain transition from colonialism to independence.” * African Studies Quarterly *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Abbreviations 1. Kwame Nkrumah: A Transnational Life 2. Empire and a Colonial Youth 3. Diasporic Connections and Anticolonial Experimentation 4. Between Nation and Pan-Africanism: Part I 5. Between Nation and Pan-Africanism: Part II 6. Exile and an Era of Reinvention 7. Remembering Nkrumah Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisRoy Hattersley brings the politician's to this concise history of the life of Henry Campbell-Bannerman, widely considered to be an ineffective Prime Minister; he was in fact the liberal of the 20th century to occupy the post.

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘One of the most compelling stories I’ve seen about what it’s actually like to serve the American people’ BARACK OBAMA A revelatory, behind-the-scenes account of the Obama presidency and a political memoir about the power of words to change our world This is a book about two people making the most important decisions in the world. One is Barack Obama. The other is Ben Rhodes. A young writer and Washington outsider, Rhodes was plucked from obscurity aged 29. For nearly ten years, he was at the centre of the Obama Administration – first as a speech-writer, then a policy maker, and finally a close collaborator. Here, Rhodes tells the full story of his partnership – and, ultimately, friendship – with a historic president. From the early days of the Obama campaign to the final hours in the Oval Office, he puts us in the room at the most tense and poignant moments in recent history. ‘Vivid, lucid, enjoyable… A compelling account of life in the Obama White House’ Justin Webb, The Times ‘A stylish, beautifully written political memoir’ Colum McCannTrade ReviewBen’s one of the few who’ve been with me since that first presidential campaign. His memoir is one of the most compelling stories I’ve seen about what it’s actually like to serve the American people for eight years in the White House -- BARACK OBAMABen Rhodes … has written a book that reflects the president he served — intelligent, amiable, compelling and principled … a classic coming-of-age story, about the journey from idealism to realism, told with candor and immediacy … There are anecdotes galore, but they illuminate rather than scandalize … Ben Rhodes is a charming and humble guide through an unprecedented presidency … As a result, his achievement is rare for a political memoir: He has written a humane and honorable book * New York Times *Vivid, lucid, enjoyable ... A compelling account of life in the Obama White House -- Justin Webb * The Times *Taut, compelling. -- Peter Conrad * Observer *A page-turning, unfiltered, altogether human look at Barack Obama’s presidency. Ben Rhodes — one of Obama’s closest and most important advisers — opens up the defining issues of the presidency: from the role of race and the rise of conspiracy theories to the hunt for bin Laden, the Syria “red line” debate, and the secret negotiations Ben himself led to normalize ties with Cuba. Insightful, funny, and moving, this is a beautifully observed, essential record of what it was like to be there. -- Samantha Power, Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn F. Kennedy’s fascination with death—particularly his own—and Lee Harvey Oswald’s love of violence and desire for fame made November 22, 1963 practically inevitable.With new details from the very latest documents declassified by the CIA and FBI! The so-called “crime of the century”—the assassination of President John F. Kennedy—was almost preordained to happen. Like all presidents from decades before him, JFK played it loose with security—open cars, Secret Service agents at a distance, and a desire to be seen. Yet conspiracy buffs are certain the security setup on November 22, 1963 was unusual and suspicious. It wasn’t. And what of Lee Harvey Oswald, the drifter, the vicious wife-beating, fame-seeking narcissist? Everything in his background—dating back to his violent, disturbing grade school years, including his stated desire to murder President Dwight Eisenhower—defines the real Lee Oswald. The Oswald that conspiracists rarely talk about—the Oswald who was perched in the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository as JFK drove by—was headed for this moment of infamy years before he pulled the trigger. In Countdown to Dallas, author Paul Brandus tracks the backgrounds of both Kennedy and Oswald, the very different era in which they lived, and the incredible string of circumstances that brought them together for a few fateful moments in Dallas. He reveals: There was indeed a second person on the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository in the minutes prior to the assassination—but it’s not what you think. How Oswald REALLY got his job at the Depository. The OTHER president that Oswald previously discussed wanting to kill. What Oswald’s favorite TV show and favorite opera reveal about his personality and his willingness to use violence. The sinking of the Titanic—and how we process it more than a century later—is an example of how we continue to process information about the Kennedy assassination. Trade Review“Paul Brandus has produced a gem of a book, a completely up-to-date look at what led up to President Kennedy’s assassination, a comprehensive tick-tock of Lee Oswald’s dismal life, clarifying timelines of the events that awful day in November 1963, and a careful examination of the conspiracy theories and suspects that have been proposed in the six decades since. Brandus has also incorporated the findings from secret documents released in recent years, so if you think you already know all of the story, think again—and read this well-written, fascinating volume.” -- Dr. Larry J. Sabato, Author, The Kennedy Half-Century: The Presidency, Assassination, and Lasting Legacy of John F. Kennedy; Director, Center for Politics, University of Virginia“Paul Brandus is a unique storyteller who seeks the truth. In fact, he is driven to illuminate the truth and protect it from being easily dismissed. His ability to detail dramatic, stunning, and emotional stories makes Paul a one-of-a-kind author. His skills are unleashed in a profound way in his new book, Countdown to Dallas.” -- Michael C. DeAloia, Chief Executive Officer, Evergreen Podcasts“Drawing on recently declassified documents, Brandus characterizes Lee Harvey Oswald as a violent, politically extreme, and mentally disturbed man… Brandus relies heavily on FBI surveillance reports and other postassassination investigations to piece together the year leading up to the murder, showing how financial difficulties, turbulence in the marriage, and mental instability pushed Oswald over the edge… He builds a well-supported and well-reasoned case that Oswald acted alone.” -- Publishers Weekly“You may feel as if you’ve read everything there is to read about this subject, but Brandus takes readers on a different path, showing how the lives of JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald ran parallel to one another in many ways. Brandus shows how Oswald leaned toward violence his entire life and was, in fact, on a collision-course with history—although not initially with Kennedy, in an interesting twist of fact-finding. Readers will be astounded at the wealth of new information included in this book and they’ll be left wondering if, at any point, Oswald's horrible act of assassination could have somehow been stopped. This is the perfect choice for historians, speculative nonfiction readers, and for anyone who still holds a great deal of fascination for what is arguably one of the most world-changing events of the twentieth century.” -- Terri Schlichenmeyer, Price County Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of perhaps the most respected political figure in the world â updated to include her final months in officeTrade Review'An excellent book... from leader of Germany to leader of Europe, to leader of the west, a clear picture of Merkel emerges’ Simon Kuper, Financial Times'Qvortrup's biography reads like an Icelandic saga... a complex life, full of little and greater mysteries' The Times'A well-written and informative tribute to an extraordinary leader' Booklist‘An absorbing, wide-ranging and detailed account of European power struggles over the last 50 years’ Marxist Review'Qvortrup's portrait is affectionate and detailed' Herald Scotland'Necessary reading for anyone who wants to broaden his or her perspective on the world today' Kirkus'A sympathetic, engaging and informative political biography of one of Europe's foremost contemporary leaders' Aviel Roshwald, Professor, Department of History, Georgetown University'Written in a lively and engaging style, Angela Merkel is a joy to read. It is an extraordinary and incisive book' Arend Lijhart, Research Professor, Emeritus of Political Science, University of California, San Diego'Qvortrup masterfully weaves together the key episodes of this turbulent life and most unlikely political career' Ludger Helms, Professor, University of Innsbruck and author of Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chancellors'In a world full of disappointing national leaders, Matt Qvortrup provides us with an insightful, revealing, vivid reading of a leading woman who tops them all' Amitai Etzioni, author of The Active Society

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat does the head of the Kremlin think about? What are his hopes and aims for the lands bordering Russia, for Europe, and even the world? In January 2014, the Kremlin sent its senior civil servants, governors and party bigwigs a special New Year’s present: philosophy books, by 19th and 20th century Russian thinkers. This reading list is not optional: the president himself has cited these authors in landmark speeches, and they need to understand what he means. The most persistent of the bunch will find these great works strangely familiar, full of the national leader's role in an 'authentic' democracy, the importance of being conservative, the urgency of rooting morality in religion, and the historic struggle of the Russian people against the timeless hostility of the West. President Putin is the man who manages and manipulates these existential anxieties. And since the annexation of Crimea, the need to decrypt his vision for the nation—propelled by the Kremlin’s Eurasian neo-imperialists and prophets of `Russian-way’ conservatism—has become more pressing than ever. In this revealing and engrossing book, Michel Eltchaninoff invites us inside the psyche of the Russian president for a better understanding of his doctrine and geopolitical vision. He offers answers to an urgent question for our 21st century world: what is Vladimir Putin thinking?Trade Review'Riveting … This book unveils a fascinating reality. It seems that Putin has read, chewed over and fed into his discourse a number of conservative Russian intellectuals and philosophers. This reading … has played a major role in what Eltchaninoff calls Putin’s `conservative turn’ … The rigor of his extremely well-informed research is rare. … his book is an absolute must-read for those wanting to understand the ideological roots of this man, disturbing and fascinating in equal measure.' - Le Figaro; ; '[In his] enthralling foray `inside the mind’ of the Russian president, … [Eltchaninoff] has decrypted his writings, speeches and encounters to unearth the intellectual roots of the `new Russia’.' - Philosophie magazine; ; 'In this book, as probing as brain surgery, philosopher Michel Eltchaninoff reveals what lies `inside the mind’ of Vladimir Putin.' - Sylvain Tesson, Le Point; ; 'This highly original approach to illuminating Putin's troubling personality shows just how far literature and philosophy can influence the exercise of power.' - Jean-Marie Durand, Les Inrockuptibles; ; 'On the plane to Moscow, François Hollande buried himself in a fascinating little new book: Inside the Mind of Vladimir Putin. Michel Eltchaninoff, a great connoisseur of Russian history and literature, traces the spiritual and political journey of the `master of Moscow’, who forces his oligarchs to read 19th century thought.' — Midi Libre; ; 'The fundamental question addressed by Michel Eltchaninoff in his excellent book [is this]: what is the Kremlin chief thinking? And will the 21st century be the Putin century, as the 20th century belonged to Lenin and Stalin?' - Les Echos; ; `Eltchaninoff’s book could not be more timely, stripping us of our scornful generalizations and ignorant clichés. A highly enjoyable read.' - La Vie;

Read more less

Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Orwell Prize and the Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction; both conservative and subversive, Burke's beliefs have never been more relevant, as MP Jesse Norman explains.Philosopher, statesman, and founder of modern conservatism, Edmund Burke is both the greatest and most under-rated political thinker of the past three-hundred years. Born in Ireland in 1729, and greatly affected by its bigotry and extremes, his career constituted a lifelong struggle against the abuse of power.Amid the 18th century's golden generation that included his companions Adam Smith, Samuel Johnson and Edward Gibbon, Burke's controversial mixture of conservative and subversive theories made him first a marginal figure, and finally a revered theorist a hero of the Romantics. He warned of the effects of British rule in Ireland, the loss of the American colonies, and most famously, he foresaw the disastrous consequences of revolution in France. This he predicted, would trigger extremism, terror anTrade Review‘Jesse Norman has brought back Burke in triumph. This is an overdue reassessment of a politician who was the father of the modern political party, a man who campaigned with equal brio and genius against British exploitation of India and the bloody tyranny of the French Revolution. Anyone who cares about politics will pounce on this book and devour it’ Boris Johnson ‘A must-read for anyone interested in politics and history … Superb’ Matthew D'Ancona, Sunday Telegraph ‘An excellent book, which unites biographical and political insights. The best short biography of Burke for nearly fifty years … and a pleasure to read’ Harvey Mansfield, Professor of Government, Harvard University ‘[Norman] is a subtle historian of ideas. He does an excellent job of extracting from his subject’s speeches and writings why, in his view, Burke is the first and most important conservative thinker’ Charles Moore, Daily Telegraph ‘An intriguing and illuminating picture of the thinker who more than any other exemplifies the contradictions of conservatism’ New Statesman ‘His new book on Edmund Burke seeks to contest the very nature of today’s Tory Party. All power to his elbow … quite brilliantly, Norman … [offers] an immense critique of the present … It is a patriotic tract and an act of great leadership. This is a very significant book’ Independent ‘Personable and thoughtful, [Norman] also has a cavalier streak … This absorbing book gathers pace, and relevance, as it goes along – an important contribution to the annals of conservative thought’ Observer ‘Norman is undoubtedly a fluent and deep thinker … his account of Burke’s life and career is as good as any of equal length on the subject … Admirable’ Spectator ‘Superb … Norman succeeds in elevating his subject, showing what is conservative about Burke, and why he matters today. Ironically, he makes such a strong case that it would seem perverse if only Tories took something from Burke’s legacy’ Financial Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow a major motion picture starring Hugh Jackman.When politics went tabloidIn May 1987, Colorado Senator Gary Hart seemed like a no-brainer for the Democratic party's presidential nomination. He was articulate, dashing, refreshingly progressive and led George H. W. Bush by double digits in the polls. However, he was also a deeply private man, uneasy when attention moved away from his political views to his personal life. Then, in one tumultuous week, it all came crashing down. Rumours of marital infidelity, a photo of Hart and a model snapped near a fatefully-named yacht, and a newspaper's stakeout of Hart's home resulted in a media frenzy the likes of which had never been seen before.Through the spellbindingly reported story of the Senator's fall from grace, Matt Bai, Yahoo News columnist and former chief political correspondent for The New York Times Magazine, revisits the Gary Hart affair and unpicks how one man's tragedy forever changed the nature of political media and, by extensiTrade Review‘In buoyant, vivid prose … All the Truth Is Out gives the reader a visceral appreciation of how our political discourse has changed in the last two and a half decades, and how those changes reflect broader cultural and social shifts.’ Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times ‘A mini classic of political journalism that will restart the debate of 1987.’ Jack Shafer, The New York Times Book Review ‘Compelling … Bai's superb book provokes many questions, and I gulped it down in a single sitting.’ Ken Auletta, The New Yorker ‘Perhaps you’re one of the many millions who believe something has gone sadly wrong in politics … If so, All The Truth Is Out is for you.’ The Dallas Morning News ‘Matt Bai astonishes us by delving deeply into a story and thus overturning our views about how the press should cover politics. This fascinating and deeply significant tale shows how the rules of American politics and journalism were upended for the worse by the frenzied coverage of Gary Hart's personal life. The soot still darkens our political process.’ Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs ‘Bai doesn't just make an argument: He tells the juicy Hart story all over again, right down to the oil-stained alley in which reporters cornered the candidate and interrogated him about the blonde in his apartment. . . Bai's important call for perspective is a reminder to all of us in the press and the electorate to recognize the complexity of the human condition, whether we're casting aside candidates because they wear a funny helmet in a tank or because they once committed adultery.’ Slate ‘You think you know it all: Donna Rice, Monkey Business, Hart taunting the press. You don't. The combustible mix of new technology and politics was birthed in [the 1987] presidential campaign, and there was no turning back.’ NPR ‘Bai … tells [Hart's] story with details that only great reporting can provide.’ Los Angeles Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Charming . . . This endearing memoir brings readers deep into the heart of a family that many feel they already know well. Bush’s fans will delight in these intimate, funny remembrances.” — Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisFaced with cancer and financial ruin, the Civil War''s greatest general and former president, Ulysses S. Grant wrote his personal memoirs to secure his family''s future. In doing so he won himself a unique place in American letters. Acclaimed by writers as diverse as Mark Twain and Gertrude Stein, Grant''s memoirs demonstrate the intelligence, intense determination, and laconic modesty that made him the Union''s foremost commander. PERSONAL MEMOIRS is devoted almost entirely to his life as a soldier. For their directness and clarity, his writings on war are without rival in American Literature.Trade Review"The best [memoirs] of any general's since Caesar." —Mark Twain "A unique expression of the national character . . . [Grant] has conveyed the suspense which was felt by himself and his army and by all who believed in the Union cause. The reader finds himself . . . on edge to know how the Civil War is coming out." —Edmund Wilson “Perhaps the most revelatory autobiography of high command to exist in any language. . . . If there is a single contemporary document which explains ‘why the North won the Civil war,’ that abiding conundrum of American historical inquiry, it is the Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.” —John Keegan “Well observed, often humorous, invariably charming, penetrating and lucid . . . On every page, his narrative has the simple directness of the finest English prose, inspired by the King James Bible on which he had been raised. The overall effect is both intimate and majestic.” —The GuardianTable of ContentsIntroduction by James M. McPhersonSuggestions for Further ReadingMaps and IllustrationsPreface1. Ancestry—Birth—Boyhood2. West Point—Graduation3. Army Life—Causes of the Mexican War—Camp Salubrity4. Corpus Christi—Mexican Smuggling—Spanish Rule in Mexico—Supplying Transportation5. Trip to Austin—Promotion to Full Second Lieutenant—Army of Occupation6. Advance of the Army—Crossing the Colorado—The Rio Grande7. The Mexican War—The Battle of Palo Alto—The Battle of Resaca de la Palma—Army of Invasion—General Taylor—Movement on Camargo8. Advance on Monterey—The Black Fort—The Battle of Monterey—Surrender of the City9. Political Intrigue—Buena Vista—Movement against Vera Cruz—Siege and Capture of Vera Cruz10. March to Jalapa—Battle of Cerro Gordo—Perote—Puebla—Scott and Taylor11. Advance on the City of Mexico—Battle of Contreras—Assault at Churubusco—Negotiations for Peace—Battle of Molino del Rey—Storming of Chapultepec—San Cosme—Evacuation of the City—Halls of the Montezumas12. Promotion to First Lieutenant—Capture of the City of Mexico—The Army—Mexican Soldiers—Peace Negotiations13. Treaty of Peace—Mexican Bull Fights—Regimental Quartermaster—Trip to Popcatapetl—Trip to the Caves of Mexico14. Return of the Army—Marriage—Ordered to the Pacific Coast—Crossing the Isthmus—Arrival at San Francisco15. San Francisco—Early California Experiences—Life on the Pacific Coast—Promoted Captain—Flush Times in California16. Resignation—Private Life—Life at Galena—The Coming Crisis17. Outbreak of the Rebellion—Presiding at a Union Meeting—Mustering Officer of State Troops—Lyon at Camp Jackson—Services Tendered to the Government18. Appointed Colonel of the 21st Illinois—Personnel of the Regiment—General Logan—March to Missouri—Movement against Harris at Florida, MO—General Pope in Command—Stationed at Mexico, MO19. Commissioned Brigadier-General—Command at Ironton, MO—Jefferson City—Cape Girardeau—General Prentiss—Seizure of Paducah—Headquarters at Cairo20. General Fremont in Command—Movement against Belmont—Battle of Belmont—A Narrow Escape—After the Battle21. General Halleck in Command—Commanding the District of Cairo—Movement on Fort Henry—Capture of Fort Henry22. Investment of Fort Donelson—The Naval Operations—Attack of the Enemy—Assaulting the Works—Surrender of the Fort 23. Promoted Major-General of Volunteers—Unoccupied Territory—Advance upon Nashville—Situation of the Troops—Confederate Retreat—Relieved of the Command—Restored to the Command—General Smith24. The Army at Pittsburg Landing—Injured by a Fall—The Confederate Attack at Shiloh—The First Day's Fight at Shiloh—General Sherman—Condition of the Army—Close of the First Day's Fight—The Second Day's Fight—Retreat and Defeat of the Confederates25. Struck by a Bullet—Precipitate Retreat of the Confederates—Intrenchments at Shiloh—General Buell—General Johnston—Remarks on Shiloh26. Halleck Assumes Command in the Field—The Advance upon Corinth—Occupation of Corinth—The Army Separated27. Headquarters Moved to Memphis—On the Road to Memphis—Escaping Jackson—Complaints and Requests—Halleck Appointed Commander-in-Chief—Return to Corinth—Movements of Bragg—Surrender of Clarksville—The Advance Upon Chattanooga—Sheridan Colonel of a Michigan Regiment28. Advance of Van Dorn and Price—Price Enters Iuka—Battle of Iuka30. The Campaign against Vicksburg—Employing the Freedmen—Occupation of Holly Springs—Sherman Ordered to Memphis—Sherman's Movements down the Mississippi—Van Dorn Captures Holly Springs—Collecting Forage and Food31. Headquarters Moved to Holly Springs—General McClernand in Command—Assuming Command at Young's Point—Operations above Vicksburg—Fortifications about Vicksburg—The Canal—Lake Providence—Operations at Yazoo Pass32. The Bayous West of the Mississippi—Criticisms of the Northern Press—Running the Batteries—Loss of the Indianola—Disposition of the Troops33. Attack on Grand Gulf—Operations below Vicksburg34. Capture of Port Gibson—Grierson's Raid—Occupation of Grand Gulf—Movement up the Big Black—Battle of Raymond35. Movement against Jackson—Fall of Jackson—Intercepting the Enemy—Battle of Champion's Hill36. Battle of Black River Bridge—Crossing the Big Black—Investment of Vicksburg—Assaulting the Works37. Siege of Vicksburg38. Johnston's Movements—Fortifications at Haines' Bluff—Explosion of the Mine—Explosion of the Second Mine—Preparing for the Assault—The Flag of Truce—Meeting with Pemberton—Negotiations for Surrender—Accepting the Terms—Surrender of Vicksburg39. Retrospect of the Campaign—Sherman's Movements—Proposed Movement upon Mobile—A Painful Accident—Ordered to Report at Cairo40. First Meeting with Secretary Stanton—General Rosecrans—Commanding Military Division of Mississippi—Andrew Johnson's Address—Arrival at Chattanooga41. Assuming the Command at Chattanooga—Opening a Line of Supplies—Battle of Wauhatchie—On the Picket Line42. Condition of the Army—Rebuilding the Railroad—General Burnside's Situation—Orders for Battle—Plans for the Attack—Hooker's Position—Sherman's Movements43. Preparations for Battle—Thomas Carries the First Line of the Enemy—Sherman Carries Missionary Ridge—Battle of Lookout Mountain—General Hooker's Fight44. Battle of Chattanooga—A Gallant Charge—Complete Rout of the Enemy—Pursuit of the Confederates—General Bragg—Remarks on Chattanooga45. The Relief of Knoxville—Headquarters Moved to Nashville—Visiting Knoxville—Cipher Dispatches—Withholding Orders46. Operations in Mississippi—Longstreet in East Tennessee—Commissioned Lieutenant-General—Commanding the Armies of the United States—First Interview with President Lincoln47. The Military Situation—Plans for the Campaign—Sheridan Assigned to Command of the Cavalry—Flank Movements—Forrest at Fort Pillow—General Banks's Expedition—Colonel Mosby—An Incident of the Wilderness Campaign48. Commencement of the Grand Campaign—General Butler's Position—Sheridan's First Raid49. Sherman's Campaign in Georgia—Siege of Atlanta—Death of General McPherson—Attempt to Capture Andersonville—Capture of Atlanta50. Grand Movement of the Army of the Potomac—Crossing the Rapidan—Entering the Wilderness—Battle of the Wilderness51. After the Battle—Telegraph and Signal Service—Movement by the Left Flank52. Battle of Spottsylvania—Hancock's Position—Assault of Warren's and Wright's Crops—Upton Promoted on the Field—Good News from Butler and Sheridan53. Hancock's Assault—Losses of the Confederates—Promotions Recommended—Discomfiture of the Enemy—Ewell's Attack—Reducing the Artillery54. Movement by the Left Flank—Battle of North Anna—An Incident of the March—Moving on Richmond—South of the Pamunkey—Position of the National Army55. Advance on Cold Harbor—An Anecdote of the War—Battle of Cold Harbor—Correspondence with Lee—Retrospective56. Left Flank Movement across the Chickahominy and James—General Lee—Visit to Butler—The Movement on Petersburg—The Investment of Petersburg57. Raid on the Virginia Central Railroad—Raid on the Weldon Railroad—Early's Movement upon Washington—Mining the Works before Petersburg—Explosion of the Mine before Petersburg—Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley—Capture of the Weldon Railroad58. Sheridan's Advance—Visit to Sheridan—Sheridan's Victory in the Shenandoah—Sheridan's Ride to Winchester—Close of the Campaign for the Winter59. The Campaign in Georgia—Sherman's March to the Sea—War Anecdotes—The March on Savannah—Investment of Savannah—Capture of Savannah60. The Battle of Franklin—The Battle of Nashville61. Expedition against Fort Fisher—Attack on the Fort—Failure of the Expedition—Second Expedition against the Fort—Capture of Fort Fisher62. Sherman's March North—Sheridan Ordered to Lynchburg—Canby Ordered to Move against Mobile—Movements of Schofield and Thomas—Capture of Columbia, South Carolina—Sherman in the Carolinas63. Arrival of the Peace Commissioners—Lincoln and the Peace Commissioners—An Anecdote of Lincoln—The Winter before Petersburg—Sheridan Destroys the Railroad—Gordon Carries the Picket Line—Parke Recaptures the Line—The Battle of White Oak Road64. Interview with Sheridan—Grand Movement of the Army of the Potomac—Sheridan's Advance on Five Forks—Battle of Five Forks—Parke and Wright Storm the Enemy's Line—Battles before Petersburg65. The Capture of Petersburg—Meeting President Lincoln in Petersburg—The Capture of Richmond—Pursuing the Enemy—Visit to Sheridan and Meade66. Battle of Sailor's Creek—Engagement at Farmville—Correspondence with General Lee—Sheridan Intercepts the Enemy67. Negotiations at Appomattox—Interview with Lee at McLean's House—The Terms of Surrender—Lee's Surrender—Interview with Lee after the Surrender68. Morale of the Two Armies—Relative Conditions of the North and South—President Lincoln Visits Richmond—Arrival at Washington—President Lincoln's Assassination—President Johnson's Policy69. Sherman and Johnston—Johnston's Surrender to Sherman—Capture of Mobile—Wilson's Expedition—Capture of Jefferson Davis—General Thomas's Qualities—Estimate of General Canby70. The End of the War—The March to Washington—One of Lincoln's Anecdotes—Grand Review at Washington—Characteristics of Lincoln and Stanton—Estimate of the Different Corps CommandersConclusionExplanatory NotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisJeremy Paxman was born in Yorkshire and educated at Cambridge. He is an award-winning journalist who spent ten years reporting from overseas, notably for Panorama. He is the author of five books including The English. He is the presenter of Newsnight and University Challenge and has presented BBC documentaries on various subjects including Victorian art and Wilfred Owen.Trade ReviewLively, persuasive, excellent. Boisterous and funny, provocative and punchily written… an intelligent romp -- Matthew Parris * Spectator *Entertaining, informative, incisive and insightful -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *One of the best primers on the vicissitudes of political life I have read -- Christopher Silvester * Sunday Times *Entertaining, informative, incisive and insightful -- Andrew Rawnsley * Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA portrait of the effectiveness of moderation in US foreign policy, as illustrated by three of America''s most consequential and widely-admired postwar presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush, and Barack Obama.When thinking about Americas role in the world, Dwight Eisenhower, George H. W. Bush, and Barack Obama may not seem to have a lot in common. But they do. While divided by background, generation, and political party, they exemplify a distinct and underappreciated tradition of American leadership: The Middle Way. As the scholar and former senior foreign policy official Derek Chollet shows in this deeply researched book, these three presidents took a centrist -- and effective -- approach to foreign policy. With so many challenges facing the United States, Chollet makes the case for why the nation must reclaim this brand of leadership, learn from it, and champion it.This timely book blends history, politics and biography to reveal how these presidents viewed the world and approached the task of leadership. By providing behind-the-scenes accounts and incisive analysis of the foreign policies of Ike, Bush 41, and Obama, The Middle Way offers a fresh way of thinking about American power. It shows how these three leaders defined a foreign policy archetype too often obscured by partisan blinders and historical amnesia. With vivid story-telling and astute insights, Chollet makes a compelling argument for how we should remember the past, think about the present, and approach the policy challenges of tomorrow. Eisenhower, Bush, and Obama demonstrated how the United States can exercise prudent and powerful authority in the world, and they stand as exemplars of decency, humility, optimism, confidence, and pragmatism. Together, they set the bar for the kind of global leadership needed today -- and The Middle Way reminds both Americans and the world that this proud legacy not only persists, but is needed more than ever.Trade ReviewEisenhower, Bush Sr., and Obama - besides being perhaps the un-Trumpiest presidents ever - exemplified a way of thinking about American leadership in the world that seems ripe for the resurrecting, according to Derek Chollet in this fascinating new book. If nothing else, read it to remember that pragmatism, expertise, and careful decision-making were once welcomed in the Oval Office. * Susan Glasser, staff writer for The New Yorker and co-author of The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III *An important, timely, elegant, and provocative work of diplomatic history from one of the finest thinkers and practitioners of his generation. If Americans are ever to find their way again in the world, this book is an essential starting point. * William J. Burns, President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State *As welcome and timely as it is rigorous and insightful, this complex and incisive history is the very definition of a usable past; we can all benefit from reading it. * Richard H. Immerman, Temple University *The values of moderation, prudence, and judgment that characterize the 'Middle Way' internationalism of Eisenhower, Bush Sr., and Obama have been given short shrift by analysts and historians with a weakness for bold ideology. In this cogent, clear-eyed, and important book, Chollet does more than uncover hidden links between these three like-minded presidents; he wins the argument that for all of their shortcomings, this common-sense approach is a superior way to conduct American foreign policy. * Jonathan Alter, author of His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life *Few writers would have the temerity to examine the disparate personalities and careers of Eisenhower, Bush Sr., and Obama. Yet in this elegantly written book Chollet vividly highlights a common set of values, attitudes, and policies that served the country well. As Americans assess their presidential aspirants going forward, Chollet offers us an arresting prism to think about our past and envision our future. * Melvyn P. Leffler, University of Virginia *Because moderate policies are not flashy, they are often underrated. But as Chollet shows in his thoughtful, well-researched study, even if they are messy, they often do a better job of coping with a complex and changing world than do the starker alternatives. * Robert Jervis, Columbia University *A book for foreign-policy wonks to debate and cherish. * Kirkus *Table of ContentsPreface: Three Presidents Introduction: The Middle Way Chapter One: Worldview Chapter Two: Strategy Chapter Three: Crisis Chapter Four: Politics Chapter Five: Legacy Acknowledgments Notes Selected Bibliography

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile the heart of the book focuses on the Civil War, Gienapp begins with a finely etched portrait of Lincoln''s early life, from pioneer farm boy, to politician and lawyer in Springfield, to his stunning election as sixteenth president of the United States. We see how Lincoln grew during his years in office, how he developed a keen aptitude for military strategy and displayed enormous skill in dealing with his generals, and also how his strategy evolved from a desire to preserve the Union into one of emancipation and total war.A former backwoodsman and country lawyer, Abraham Lincoln rose to become one of America''s greatest presidents. The biography offers a vivid account of Lincoln''s dramatic ascension to the pinnacle of American history.Trade Review"Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America is the best brief biography of Lincoln that I have read. Briskly written, concise, and informed by the latest scholarship, it is destined to become a standard book in its field."-- David Herbert Donald, Charles Warren Professor of American History Emeritus, Harvard University and author of Lincoln "In a notoriously crowded field, this book is something quite rare: a truly concise, authoritative overview of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. While scholars will admire its sure command of the subject and its deft treatment of complicated historical issues, this book will be particularly valuable for non-specialists. Written in clear and direct prose by one of the leading scholars in the field, it is an ideal choice for the student or general reader."--Douglas L. Wilson, McCabe-Greer Professor of History of the Civil War Era at Pennsylvania State University and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Fate of Liberty: Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties "Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America is the best brief biography of Lincoln that I have read. Briskly written, concise, and informed by the latest scholarship, it is destined to become a standard book in its field."-- David Herbert Donald, Charles Warren Professor of American History Emeritus, Harvard University and author of Lincoln "In a notoriously crowded field, this book is something quite rare: a truly concise, authoritative overview of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. While scholars will admire its sure command of the subject and its deft treatment of complicated historical issues, this book will be particularly valuable for non-specialists. Written in clear and direct prose by one of the leading scholars in the field, it is an ideal choice for the student or general reader."--Douglas L. Wilson, author of Honor's Voice: The Transformation of Abraham Lincoln "The best brief biography of Lincoln. Eloquently written, accessible to students, based on a synthesis of the scholarly literature, yet an original contribution."--Roy E. Finkenbine, University of Detroit MercyTable of ContentsPreface: 1: A Son of the Frontier 2: Thwarted Ambition 3: Rise to Power 4: A People's Contest 5: From Limited War to Revolution 6: Midstream 7: To Finish the Task 8: With Malice Toward None Chronology of Abraham Lincoln: List of Abbreviations: Notes: Bibliographical Essay: Index:

Read more less

Book SynopsisConversations With Myself is a moving collection of letters, diary entries and other writing that provides a rare chance to see the other side of Nelson Mandela's life, in his own voice: direct, clear, private. An international bestseller, Conversations With Myself is an intensely personal book that complements his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom.In his foreword to Nelson Mandela's book, President Barack Obama writes: 'Conversations With Myself does the world an extraordinary service in giving us [a] picture of Mandela the man.'Conversations With Myself gives readers insight to the darkest hours of Nelson Mandela's twenty-seven years of imprisonment and his troubled dreams in his cell on Robben Island. It contains the draft of an unfinished sequel to Long Walk to Freedom, notes from Madiba's famous speeches, and even doodles made during meetings. There are photos from his life, journals written whil

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJeffrey E. Cohen demonstrates that existing research has underestimated the presidentâs power to sway Congress. The President on Capitol Hill offers a compelling perspective on presidential-congressional relations and develops a new theory of presidential influence.Trade ReviewCohen offers one of the most clearly articulated theories of presidential influence that is distinct from presidential success. His book is the first attempt at conceptually relating many presidential lobbying strategies into one unified framework. This is the most thorough treatment of these issues and will surely be a contribution to the literature in its own right. -- Sharece Thrower, Vanderbilt UniversityFew scholars of the American presidency have written as widely or as prodigiously as Jeffrey Cohen. In this, his latest, Cohen turns his attention to the effects of presidential lobbying and position taking on Congress and the public. Whereas many scholars see a presidency consigned to, and even subjugated by, a larger political environment, Cohen finds evidence of influence. Success doesn’t just depend upon the hands that presidents are dealt. It depends on how presidents play them. -- William Howell, University of ChicagoInstead of obsessing over presidential winners and losers, Jeffrey E. Cohen focuses our attention on the president’s role in the production of public policy and in the larger political system. He deftly theorizes the bargaining strategies presidents use and presents new evidence about how and to what effect presidents employ the levers of presidential influence. Well-written and clear-eyed, The President on Capitol Hill brings fresh and well-deserved attention to the president’s institutional advantages in a system of separated powers. -- Jon C. Rogowski, Harvard UniversityCohen has written another important book that will change how scholars think of the relationship between Congress and the president. Theoretically innovative and empirically rich, this book brings us new insights into the eternal black box of presidential influence. -- Andrew Reeves, Washington University in St. LouisRigorous and persuasive. * Choice *A must-read for students of the American presidency. * Political Science Quarterly *Required reading for scholars studying presidential-congressional relations. The book will prove useful in graduate seminars on the presidency and/or Congress. It may also be useful in an advanced undergraduate presidency course. * Congress and the Presidency *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments1. On Presidential Influence in Congress2. A Theory of Presidential Influence in Congress3. Estimating Presidential Influence in Congress4. Presidential Influence in the House in the Modern Era5. Political Parties as a Source of Presidential Influence6. The Two Presidencies and Presidential Influence7. Public Opinion as a Source of Presidential Influence8. Presidential Lobbying Effort and Influence9. Modernity and Presidential Influence in Congress10. Comparing the Influence of Premodern and Modern Presidents11. Conclusions: Presidential Influence in CongressNotesReferencesIndex

Read more less