Reagan’s War is the story of Ronald Reagan’s personaland political journey as an anti-communist, from his early days asan actor to his years in the White House. Challenging popularmisconceptions of Reagan as an empty suit who played only a passiverole in the demise of the Soviet Union, Peter Schweizer detailsReagan’s decades-long battle against communism. Bringing to light previously secret information obtained fromarchives in the United States, Germany, Poland, Hungary, andRussia—including Reagan’s KGB file—Schweizer offers a compellingcase that Reagan personally mapped out and directed his war againstcommunism, often disagreeing with experts and advisers. Anessential book for understanding the Cold War, Reagan’s War should be read by open-minded readers across the politicalspectrum.
Kati Marton’s bestselling Hidden Power is an engrossing lookat twelve presidential marriages–from Edith and Woodrow Wilson toLaura and George W. Bush–that have profoundly affected America’shistory. Marton uncovers the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the ultimatepower couples, showing how first ladies have used their privilegedaccess to the president to influence staffing, promote causes, andengage directly in policy-making. Edith Wilson secretly ran thecountry after Woodrow’s debilitating stroke. Eleanor Roosevelt wasFDR’s moral compass. And Laura Bush, initially shy of any publicrole, has proven to be the emotional ballast for her husband.Through extensive research and interviews, Marton reveals thesubstantial–yet often overlooked–legacy of presidential wives,providing insight into the evolution of women’s roles in thetwentieth century and vividly depicting the synergy of these uniquepolitical partnerships.
An impassioned firsthand account of the RussianRevolution An American journalist and revolutionary writer, John Reed becamea close friend of Lenin and was an eyewitness to the 1917revolution in Russia. Ten Days That Shook the World is Reed'sextraordinary record of that event. Writing in the first flush ofrevolutionary enthusiasm, he gives a gripping account of the eventsin Petrograd in November 1917, when Lenin and the Bolsheviksfinally seized power. Containing verbatim reports both of speechesby leaders and of the chance comments of bystanders, and setagainst an idealized backdrop of soldiers, sailors, peasants, andthe proletariat uniting to throw off oppression, Reed's account isthe product of passionate involvement and remains an unsurpassedclassic of reporting.
As a defender of national unity, a leader in war, and theemancipator of slaves, Abraham Lincoln lays ample claim to beingthe greatest of our presidents. But the story of his rise togreatness is as complex as it is compelling. In this superb,prize-winning biography, acclaimed historian Richard Carwardineexamines Lincoln’s dramatic political journey, from his early yearsin the Illinois legislature to his nation-shaping years in theWhite House. Here, Carwardine combines a new perspective with acompelling narrative to deliver a fresh look at one of the pillarsof American politics. He probes the sources of Lincoln’s moral andpolitical philosophy and uses his groundbreaking research to cutthrough the myth and expose the man behind it.
Cooper Ramo is Managing Director and a partner at Kissinger Associates, one of the world's leading strategic advisory firms. Prior to joining Kissinger Associates, he was Assistant Managing Editor of Time and worked in the advisory and banking business in China.
Tying into the official theme for the 2009 Inauguration, “A NewBirth of Freedom” from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Penguinpresents a keepsake edition commemorating the inauguration ofPresident-elect Barack Obama with words of the two great thinkersand writers who have helped shape him politically, philosophically,and personally: Abraham Lincoln and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Having Lincoln and Emerson’s most influential, memorable, andeloquent words along with Obama’s much-anticipated historicalinaugural address will be a gift of inspiration for every Americanand a keepsake for generations. Includes: * Barack Obama, Inaugural Address, 2009 * Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, 1865 * Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, 1863 * Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address, 1861 * Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance, 1841
Spy tells, for the first time, the full, authoritative storyof how FBI agent Robert Hanssen, code name grayday, spied forRussia for twenty-two years in what has been called the “worstintelligence disaster in U.S. history”–and how he was finallycaught in an incredible gambit by U.S. intelligence. David Wise, the nation’s leading espionage writer, has called onhis unique knowledge and unrivaled intelligence sources to writethe definitive, inside story of how Robert Hanssen betrayed hiscountry, and why. Spy at last reveals the mind and motives of a man who was awalking paradox: FBI counterspy, KGB mole, devout Catholic,obsessed pornographer who secretly televised himself and his wifehaving sex so that his best friend could watch, defender of familyvalues, fantasy James Bond who took a stripper to Hong Kong andcarried a machine gun in his car trunk. Brimming with startling new details sure to make headlines, Spydiscloses: -the previously untold story of how the FBI got the a
One of The New York Times 10 Best Books of theYear National BestsellerWith a New AfterwordNational Book CriticsCircle Award Finalist A Best Book of the Year: Salon , Slate , The Economist , The Washington Post , Cleveland Plain-Dealer The Dark Side is a dramatic,riveting, and definitive narrative account of how the United Statesmade terrible decisions in the pursuit of terrorists around theworld—decisions that not only violated the Constitution, but alsohampered the pursuit of Al Qaeda. In spellbinding detail, JaneMayer relates the impact of these decisions by which key players,namely Vice President Dick Cheney and his powerful, secretiveadviser David Addington, exploited September 11 to further a longheld agenda to enhance presidential powers to a degree never knownin U.S. history, and obliterate Constitutional protections thatdefine the very essence of the American experiment.
While America held its breath in the days immediatelyfollowing 9/11, a small but determined group of CIA agents covertlybegan to change history. This is the riveting first-person accountof the treacherous top-secret mission inside Afghanistan to set thestage for the defeat of the Taliban and launch the war onterror. As thrilling as any novel, First In is a uniquely intimate lookat a mission that began the U.S. retaliation against terrorism–andreclaimed the country of Afghanistan for its people. From the Hardcover edition.
Since it was first published in 1952, Lincoln and HisGenerals has remained one of the definitive accounts ofLincoln’s wartime leadership. In it T. Harry Williams dramatizesLincoln’s long and frustrating search for an effective leader ofthe Union Army and traces his transformation from a politician withlittle military knowledge into a master strategist of the CivilWar. Explored in depth are Lincoln’s often fraught relationshipswith generals such as McClellan, Pope, Burnside, Hooker, Fremont,and of course, Ulysses S. Grant. In this superbly writtennarrative, Williams demonstrates how Lincoln’s persistent“meddling” into military affairs was crucial to the Northern wareffort and utterly transformed the president’s role ascommander-in-chief.
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Welcome to a top-level clearance world that doesn'texist...Now with updated material for the paperback edition. This is the adventurous, insightful, and often chilling story ofa road trip through a shadow nation of state secrets, clandestinemilitary bases, black sites, hidden laboratories, and top-secretagencies that make up what insiders call the "black world." Here, geographer and provocateur Trevor Paglen knocks on thedoors of CIA prisons, stakes out a covert air base in Nevada from amountaintop 30 miles away, dissects the Defense Department'smultibillion dollar "black" budget, and interviews those who liveon the edges of these blank spots. Whether Paglen reports from a hotel room in Vegas, a secretprison in Kabul, or a trailer in Shoshone Indian territory, he isimpassioned, rigorous, relentless-and delivers eye-openingdetails.
What foreign country has the power to send America crashinginto a recession? Why is the USA still dangerously dependent onoil, when viable energy alternatives have existed for decades? Whomade the call that we should return to nuclear energy-and then tooka high-paying position with a nuclear company? Which youth groupwas a spawning ground for many contemporary power mongers? Whatlobbyists and special-interest groups are running the show onCapitol Hill-and exactly what tools of persuasion are theyusing? Melissa Rossi answers these questions and more in this timely andtopical guide to who's pulling the strings behind the scenes ofAmerican politics. This latest edition of Rossi's popular WhatEvery American Should Know. . . shows Americans what is going onbehind the scenes and how they can counterbalance the influence ofa small, powerful elite to put the power back where it should be-inthe hands of the people.
Uranium occurs naturally in theearth s crust-yet holds the power to end all life on theplanet. This is its fundamental paradox, and its story is afascinating window into the valor, greed, genius, and folly ofhumanity. A problem for miners in the Middle Ages, an inspirationto novelists and a boon to medicine, a devastat?ing weapon at theend of World War II, and eventually a polluter, killer, excuse forwar with Iraq, potential deliverer of Armageddon and a possiblelast defense against global warming- Uranium is the rivetingstory of the most powerful element on earth, and one which willshape our future, for better or worse.
A brilliant account of religion's role in the politicalthinking of the West, from the Enlightenment to the close of WorldWar II. The wish to bring political life under God's authority is nothingnew, and it's clear that today religious passions are again drivingworld politics, confounding expectations of a secular future. Inthis major book, Mark Lilla reveals the sources of this age-oldquest-and its surprising role in shaping Western thought. Making uslook deeper into our beliefs about religion, politics, and the fateof civilizations, Lilla reminds us of the modern West's uniquetrajectory and how to remain on it. Illuminating and challenging, The Stillborn God is a watershed in the history ofideas.
Starred Review。 Some failures lead to phenomenal successes，andthis American nurse’s unsuccessful attempt to climb K2，the world’ssecond tallest mountain，is one of them。Dangerously ill when hefinished his climb in 1993，Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeksby the small Pakistani village of Korphe； in return， he promised tobuild the impoverished town’s first school， a project that grewinto the Central Asia Institute， which has since constructed morethan 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan。 CoauthorRelin recounts Mortenson’s efforts in fascinating detail，presenting compelling portraits of the village elders，con artists，philanthropists，mujahideen， Taliban officials，ambitious schoolgirls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way。As the bookmoves into the post-9/11 world， Mortenson and Relin argue that theUnited States must fight Islamic extremism in the region throughcollaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access toeducation，
In his final book, completed just before his death, Edward W.Said offers impassioned pleas for the beleaguered Palestinian causefrom one of its most eloquent spokesmen. These essays, whichoriginally appeared in Cairo’s Al-Ahram Weekly, London’s Al-Hayat,and the London Review of Books, take us from the Oslo Accordsthrough the U.S. led invasion of Iraq, and present information andperspectives too rarely visible in America. Said is unyielding in his call for truth and justice. He insistson truth about Israel's role as occupier and its treatment of thePalestinians. He pleads for new avenues of communication betweenprogressive elements in Israel and Palestine. And he is equallyforceful in his condemnation of Arab failures and the need for realleadership in the Arab world.
Why do the poor borrow to save? Why do they miss out on freelife-saving immunizations, but pay for unnecessary drugs? In "PoorEconomics," Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo, two practicalvisionaries working toward ending world poverty, answer thesequestions from the ground. In a book the "Wall Street Journal"called "marvelous, rewarding," the authors tell how the stress ofliving on less than 99 cents per day encourages the poor to makequestionable decisions that feed--not fight--poverty. The result isa radical rethinking of the economics of poverty that offers aringside view of the lives of the world's poorest, and shows thatcreating a world without poverty begins with understanding thedaily decisions facing the poor.
