In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Senator Obama called “the audacity of hope.” Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces–from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media–that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating hu
If any journalist can expose the U.N. with wit, style, and common sense, it’s Eric Shawn. He’s a pit bull with a pen! (Ann Coulter). The United Nations is supposed to be a guardian of peace and goodwill. Instead, it has degenerated into a corrupt and cowardly organization. How did that happen? The U.N. Exposed will tell you It is the best investigative work on the U.N. in print. (Bill O’Reilly). Eric Shawn’s explosive book breaks open the world of the diplomatic elite, shows what really goes on behind closed doors and reveals how the international bureaucrats on New York’s East River are an even bigger problem than we ever imagined. (Sean Hannity).
Praise for Man of the People "Among the many legends who have made America great stands John McCain. Man of the People, Revised and Updated lyrically tells his quintessentially American story: a seemingly ordinary man doing extraordinarily heroic and selfless things—out of a pure devotion to his country. This dynamic biography shows why it's easy to imagine him among the ranks of Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Reagan, who led America with such daring and wisdom. McCain's life is so organically American, so true to the legacies of the leaders who preceded him, that the greatest chapter of his story is still to be written." —Monica Crowley, panelist, The McLaughlin Group; host, The Monica Crowley Show "John McCain is a real man. By that I mean he has faults and weaknesses like anybody else. But he has supplemented those with a ferocious courage and intensity. Paul Alexander brings McCain's life to life in a way the reader will never forget." —Bill O'Reilly, anchor, The O'Reilly Fac
Through dramatic incidents tells for the first time the full story of the development of Cold War naval intelligence from the end of WWII to the breakup the Soviet Union in 1991, from both sides, East and West. Unlike other accounts, which focus on submarine confrontations and accidents, the authors cover all types of naval intelligence, human collection (racing with the Soviets to capture Nazi subs, successful and losing spies and defectors), signal intelligence (surface, air, satellite and navy commando teams in balaclavas launched by speed boats from subs), acoustic (passive underwater arrays and tapping phone lines), and the aerial and space reconnaissance. The authors give details of operations in all these areas, some of which were witnessed first hand. "A new light is shed on the spy ships incidents of the 1960s and on submarine intrusions in Swedish waters. Excerpts of the Soviet Navy instructions on UFOs and accounts of Soviet naval encounters with unexplained objects are also published
A fresh, controversial, brilliantly written account of one ofthe epic dramas of the Cold War-and its lessons for today. "History at its best." -Zbigniew Brzezinski "Gripping, well researched, and thought-provoking, with manylessons for today." -Henry Kissinger "Captures the drama [with] the 'You are there' storytellingskills of a journalist and the analytical skills of the politicalscientist." - General Brent Scowcroft In June 1961, Nikita Khrushchev called it "the most dangerousplace on earth." He knew what he was talking about. Much has been written about the Cuban Missile Crisis a yearlater, but the Berlin Crisis of 1961 was more decisive in shapingthe Cold War-and more perilous. For the first time in history,American and Soviet fighting men and tanks stood arrayed againsteach other, only yards apart. One mistake, one overzealouscommander-and the trip wire would be sprung for a war that would gonuclear in a heartbeat. On one side was a young, untested U.S.president stil
The interwar years witnessed great changes in the political lifeof India, with the establishment of new governmental institutions,the emergence of political movements based on class, caste andideology, and the rapid expansion of the nationalist campaign. Thisbook looks at the complex of political changes during this crucialand formative period in the Madras Presidency, the largest butoften the most neglected province of British India. Among the manystrands of political life and behaviour which Dr Baker studies arethe non-Brahman movement, peasant agitations, caste movements andthe rise of the Indian National Congress to a position ofundisputed primacy in the region. Making use of hithertounresearched materials Dr Baker attempts the first overall study ofthe political process and the dynamics of political change in theprovince. The book may also be seen as a case-study of politicalchange in a late-colonial society.
Why the conservative movement that spawned Reagan, Gingrich, and Bush is now dead. How many core conservative principles the Republicans have betrayed. How Republicans have made us less safe, not more. How Republicans became the biggest spenders of all time. How much bigger the federal government has grown under conservative rule. How many Republicans got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. How Republicans went from protecting the environment to plundering it. How the party of peacekeepers became the party of perpetual war. How Reagan was worse than Nixon—and Bush worse than both. Why conservatives can never again be trusted with power. 作者简介： Bill Press is the host of XM and Sirius Radio's Bill Press Show, which is also syndicated in many cities across the country, and writes a syndicated column for Tribune Media Services. Formerly the host of CNN's Crossfire, Press has written several books, including Spin This!, B
America has a huge problem. It faces four major challenges, onwhich its future depends, and it is failing to meet them. In What'sWrong with America?, Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaumanalyze those challenges - globalization, the revolution ininformation technology, the nation's chronic deficits, and itspattern of energy consumption - and spell out what needs to be donenow to rediscover America's power and prowess. They explain how the end of the cold war blinded the nation tothe need to address these issues seriously. They show how America'shistory, when properly understood, provides the key to copingsuccessfully and explain how the paralysis of the US politicalsystem and the erosion of key American values have made itimpossible to carry out the policies the country needs. What'sWrong with America? is both a searching exploration of the Americancondition today and a rousing manifesto for American renewal.
'Magisterial...a biography that is almost as much a personaladventure story as an intellectual treatise.' - Andrew Roberts 'A penetrating interpretation...No one with a serious interestin the Napoleonic period can afford to ignore it. ' - TimesLiterary Supplement
About national and international power in the "modern" or PostRenaissance period. Explains how the various powers have risen andfallen over the 5 centuries since the formation of the "newmonarchies" in W. Europe.
From Publishers Weekly The language of clinical psychology can convey detachment—or, as in this starstruck study of the 42nd president, gushing admiration. Deploying his trademark diagnosis, Johns Hopkins psychologist Gartner (The Hypomanic Edge) pegs Clinton as a hypomanic personality with boundless energy and charisma, but prone to impulsive appetites and lapses in judgment. The author attributes much of Clinton's psyche to genes (many inherited, he argues, from an illegitimate father he tentatively identifies), but he also embraces Freudian notions: Clinton's relationships with women, Gartner contends, follow a pattern established in childhood when he felt torn between his bossy, Hillaryesque grandmother and his lushly erotic, Monica-like mother. Gartner sometimes overreaches—We can almost see Clinton going through the stages of his relationship with [stepfather] Roger in his approach to Bosnia—but his analysis of Clinton's political talents, right down to his mesmerizing facial expressions whi
Linking Hamlet's ghost with the opening of the Communist Manifesto, the noted French philosopher (Aporias, LJ 2/15/94) meditates on the state and future of Marxism since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Developing two highly expanded lectures, Derrida notes that the current talk of the "new world order" and "the end of history" is the recurrence of a old debate, an attempt to exorcise the "spirit" represented by Marxism, just as Marx was concerned with the "ghosts" and "conjuring" of capitalism. Derrida argues that the deconstructive doctrine of "differance" and Marxism as an act posit many Marxisms. It is therefore the interpreter's duty to preserve the spirit of Marxism by pursuing the ghosts and laying bare the conjurings. This is Derrida's first major statement on Marx; an important book for academic collections. Written in the aftermath of the fall of the Berlin Wall and within the context of a critique of a "new world order" that proclaims the death of Marx and Marxism, Jacques Derrida undertakes a re
America's power is in decline, its allies alienated, its soldiers trapped in a war that even generals regard as unwinnable. What has happened these past few years is well known. Why it happened continues to puzzle. Celebrated Slate columnist Fred Kaplan explains the grave misconceptions that enabled George W. Bush and his aides to get so far off track, and traces the genesis and evolution of these ideas from the era of Nixon through Reagan to the present day.
"Fast becoming a classic in the shadowy world of trigger pullers and three-letter agencies. Brave New War. . . is simply the single best available source on how to avoid losing this global struggle." —Thomas P. M. Barnett, Esquire "For my money, John Robb, a former Air Force officer and tech guru, is the futurists' futurist. Robb is convinced that technology will empower the little guy. The difference is that Robb thinks the little guy is just as likely to wear a mask and carry a Kalashnikov as he is to make home-brewed beer." —Slate In this groundbreaking book, controversial terrorism expert John Robb explains how the same technology that enabled globalization allows small, ad hoc bands of insurgents and criminals to wage a chaotic global war against larger adversaries. With chilling, real-world examples, he shows how terrorists can carry out inexpensive actions—like sabotaging an oil pipeline or knocking out a power grid—that disrupt vital systems and generate a huge return. Ro
A comprehensive look at the War on Terror and the best way to a safer future Scholar Daniel Byman offers a new approach to fighting the war on terrorism. He convincingly argues that two of the main solutions to terrorism offered by politicians-military intervention and the democratization of the Arab world-shouldn't even be our top priorities. Instead, he presents a fresh way to face intelligence and law enforcement challenges ahead: conduct counterinsurgency operations, undermine al-Qaeda's ideology, selectively push for reforms, and build key lasting alliances. Daniel Byman (Washington, DC) directs the Security Studies Program and the Center for Peace and Security Studies at Georgetown University. He is a Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution and also served on the 9/11 Commission. He regularly writes about terrorism and the Middle East for the Washington Post, Slate, and other publications.
Entering the world of conspiracy theories and secret societies is like stepping into a distant， parallel universe where the laws of physics have completely changed： black means white， up is down， and if you want to understand what’s really going on， you need a good reference book。 That’s where Conspiracy Theories & Secret Societies For Dummies comes in。 Whether you’re a skeptic or a true believer， this fascinating guide， packed with the latest information， walks you through some of the most infamous conspiracy theories — such as Area 51 and the assassination of JFK — and introduces you to such mysterious organizations as the Freemasons， the Ninjas， the Mafia， and Rosicrucians。 This behind-the-curtain guide helps you separate fact from fiction and helps you the global impact of these mysterious events and groups on our modern world。 Discover how to： Test a conspiracy theory Spot a sinister secret society Assess the Internet’s role in fueling conspirac
This book examines Thomas Jefferson's attempt to combine respect for a fundamental constitution with the fact that no set of laws can foresee every event. His solution to this problem offers a democratic, yet strong, alternative to the more common, Hamiltonian solution. Jefferson scholars have long written of 'two Jeffersons,' one before he became president and one after he became president. The first was opposed to a strong executive, while the second embraced one out of necessity. This book challenges this account. It presents Jefferson's understanding of executive power, which, though it developed over time, pointed to an executive that was both democratic and powerful. 作者简介： Jeremy D. Bailey is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Duquesne University. He was the co-winner of the 2004 APSA E. E. Schattschneider Award for best dissertation in American politics written in 2002 or 2003.
The #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of A Patriot's History of the United States examines tencurrent challenges. America is at a crossroads. Weface two options: continue our descent toward big government,higher taxes, less individual liberty, and more debt or pull ourcountry back on the path our Founding Fathers planned for us. Butthat path isn't always so easy to see. Following the success of his previous books, conservativehistorian Larry Schweikart tackles some of the key issuesconfronting our nation today: education, government bailouts, guncontrol, health care, the environment, and more. For each he asks,"What would the founders say?" and sets out to explore our historyand offer wisdom to help us get back on track. What would really becompatible with the vision that Washington, Jefferson, Madison, andthe other founders had for America? Written in Schweikart's informal yet informative style, WhatWould the Founders Say? is sure to delight his fans and anyonelooking fo
Praise for Heads In the Sand "A very serious, thoughtful argument that has never been made in such detail or with such care." —Ezra Klein, staff writer at The American Prospect "Matt Yglesias is one of the smartest voices in the blogosphere. He knows a lot about politics, a lot about foreign policy, and, crucially, is unusually shrewd in understanding how they interact. Here's hoping that his new book will introduce him to an even wider audience. Once you discover him, you'll be hooked." —E. J. Dionne, author of Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Right and Why Americans Hate Politics "Matthew Yglesias is one of a handful of bloggers that I make a point of reading every day. Heads in the Sandis a smart, vital book that urges Democrats to stop evading the foreign-policy debate and to embrace the old principles of international liberalism—to be right and also to win." —Fred Kaplan, author of Daydream Believers: How a Few Grand Ideas Wrecked A
Why were urban women veiled in the early 1900s, unveiled from 1936 to 1979, and reveiled after the 1979 revolution? This question forms the basis of Hamideh Sedghi's original and unprecedented contribution to politics and Middle Eastern studies. Using primary and secondary sources, Sedghi offers new knowledge on women's agency in relation to state power. In this rigorous analysis she places contention over women at the centre of the political struggle between secular and religious forces and demonstrates that control over women's identities, sexuality, and labor has been central to the consolidation of state power. Sedghi links politics and culture with economics to present an integrated analysis of the private and public lives of different classes of women and their modes of resistance to state power.
Having made The 9/11 Commission Report understandable for everyone, the award-winning, bestselling graphic novel team of Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón use all their considerable talents to explain the post-9/11 world. Working from news reports drawn from multiple international media, Jacobson and Colón depict the critical events, decision makers, and consequences of America’s “war on terror,” and, most important, the context in which the war began, unfolded, and unraveled. The most demanding story they have ever tackled, After 9/11 is also the most tailor-made for their medium, capturing simultaneous events, geographic complexity, numerous participants, and a vast array of economic, statistical, and quantitative information—compellingly told through the sequential panel art narrative form unique to graphic books. Proving yet again that graphic novels best meet the challenge of giving the most information with the least amount of ink, Jacobson and Colón answer with clarity and unforgettable imagery t
The United States has repeatedly asserted its right to intervene militarily against “failed states” around the globe. In this much-anticipated follow-up to his international bestseller Hegemony or Survival, Noam Chomsky turns the tables, showing how the United States itself shares features with other failed states—suffering from a severe “democratic deficit,” eschewing domestic and international law, and adopting policies that increasingly endanger its own citizens and the world. Exploring the latest developments in U.S. foreign and domestic policy, Chomsky reveals Washington’s plans to further militarize the planet, greatly increasing the risks of nuclear war. He also assesses the dangerous consequences of the occupation of Iraq; documents Washington’s self-exemption from international norms, including the Geneva conventions and the Kyoto Protocol; and examines how the U.S. electoral system is designed to eliminate genuine political alternatives, impeding any meaningful democracy. Forceful
