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Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy
by David O. StewartIn 1868 Congress impeached President Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, the man who had succeeded the murdered Lincoln, bringing the nation to the brink of a second civil war. Enraged to see the freed slaves abandoned to brutal violence at the hands of their former owners, distraught that former rebels threatened to regain control of Southern state governments, and disgusted by Johnson's brawling political style, congressional Republicans seized on a legal technicality as the basis for impeachment -- whether Johnson had the legal right to fire his own secretary of war, Edwin Stanton.
Clear It with Sid!: Sidney R. Yates and Fifty Years of Presidents, Pragmatism, and Public Service
by Michael Dorf George Van DusenThe son of a Lithuanian blacksmith, Sidney R. Yates rose to the pinnacle of Washington power and influence. As chair of a House Appropriations Subcommittee, Yates was a preeminent national figure involved in issues that ranged from the environment and Native American rights to Israel and support for the arts. Speaker Tip O'Neill relied on the savvy Chicagoan in the trenches and advised anyone with controversial legislation to first "clear it with Sid!" Michael C. Dorf and George Van Dusen draw on scores of interviews and unprecedented access to private papers to illuminate the life of an Illinois political icon. Wise, energetic, charismatic, petty, stubborn--Sid Yates presented a complicated character to constituents and colleagues alike. Yet his get-it-done approach to legislation allowed him to bridge partisan divides in the often-polarized House of Representatives. Following Yates from the campaign trail to the negotiating table to the House floor, Dorf and Van Dusen offer a rich portrait of a dealmaker extraordinaire and tireless patriot on a fifty-year journey through postwar American politics.
Shotgun Angels: My Story of Broken Roads and Unshakeable Hope
by Jay DeMarcusMany celebrities are known to say how blessed they are, but when Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus says it, the word takes on a completely different meaning. From his humble beginnings in Ohio to the spark of early fame in Nashville to a fair share of surprises and setbacks in between, he's learned firsthand that the blessing only comes through the broken road. And the only thing able to sustain a person along the way is hope.With no shortage of humor, heart, and off-the-cuff candor, Jay gives readers a backstage pass to the story behind the music and the musician. Along the way, you'll find the same constant source of strength that he has: hope that is powerful enough to hold you up through whatever twists, turns, or trials come your way.
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World
by Fredrik BackmanFredrik Backman, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove and Beartown, delivers a poignant and insightful memoir from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood. <P><P>Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is bestselling author Fredrik Backman’s revealing look at the relationship between fathers and sons. Delving deep into his own experience and speaking directly to his child, Backman reflects on the perspective and tools his son will need to make his way in the world. <P><P>As he conveys his profound awe at facing all the “firsts” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Backman doesn’t shy away from divulging his own false steps and fatherly flaws. Along the way, he tackles issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop. <P><P>In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the sweet, true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people he cares about unconditionally. <P><P>Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son guidance about growing up, Backman contemplates the big and small moments that form their shared life, from soccer matches and Ikea trips to first homes and young love. <P><P>Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is Backman as you’ve never seen him before—intimate, vulnerable, and brave. <P><P>Above all, it is a tribute to the love between a parent and a child. For, as Backman eloquently reminds us, “You can be whatever you want to be, but that’s nowhere near as important as knowing that you can be exactly who you are.”
Vida de Hernán Cortés: La espada
by Christian Duverger«Es ésta una de las biografías cortesianas mejor escritas. Su visión de Cortés, positiva a toda costa, sorprenderá o encantará a sus lectores.» José Luis Martínez Se cumplen cinco siglos de la Conquista de México, y a lo largo de este tiempo Hernán Cortés ha desempeñado un claro papel en el imaginario colectivo de la nación: el de villano. Sin embargo, para Christian Duverger esta apreciación no podría ser más injusta. Lejos del ambicioso y sanguinario invasor que los libros de texto han urdido, el historiador francés presenta en esta biografía en dos tomos a un humanista, un hombre de armas y de letras que vio en las tierras americanas la posibilidad, no de trasplantar una copia de la sociedad castellana, sino de inventar un mundo nuevo. Para Cortés, el mestizaje era la clave de este proyecto cultural. Publicada por primera vez en2005, la primera parte de esta biografía cortesiana retrata, desde luego, al conquistador fascinado por el mundo indígena, pero también al interlocutor y competidor de Carlos V, al seductor, al independentista, al empresario, al introductor de la caña de azúcar y el gusano de seda en México, al explorador que descubre California, que comercia con el Perú y que llega hasta las Filipinas. La espada narra, así, la parte pública de la vida del padre de la patria.
An Invincible Spirit: The Story of Don Fulk
by Janet Allen“Don taught us how to be a real independent living center. Nothing was easy; every issue that came up on the road to Don’s independence was a challenge and a struggle, but the experience pushed us and we learned from it. We were not going to let Don down; all of us were committed to Don’s freedom and independence.” —Kathleen Kleinman, Executive Director, TRPIL (Transitional Paths to Independent Living) Profoundly deafened as an infant, Don Fulk didn’t learn his name or go to school until the age of ten. When he was eighteen years old and a budding superstar on his football and basketball teams, he broke his neck in a swimming accident, and became paralyzed. After his injury, he was confined to a bed in his parents’ home for eight years, unable to move and barely able to communicate. After his family could no longer care for him, he spent nine years in a nursing home where he suffered from abuse and neglect. Yet through a life marred by isolation and frustration, Fulk endured with strength, humor, and grace. He never gave up pursuing his dreams for independence and self-worth, and improving the lives of others. He fought a system that was unfair and discriminatory, and helped pave the way for people with disabilities to live independently. Don Fulk signed his story to author Janet Allen, describing his difficult home life, the incredible friends who changed his life, and his dramatic escape from an abusive nursing home. An Invincible Spirit is a story of hope, empowerment, and the battles people with disabilities have fought—and continue to fight—to improve the quality of their lives.
An Invincible Spirit: The Story of Don Fulk
by Janet Allen“Don taught us how to be a real independent living center. Nothing was easy; every issue that came up on the road to Don’s independence was a challenge and a struggle, but the experience pushed us and we learned from it. We were not going to let Don down; all of us were committed to Don’s freedom and independence.” —Kathleen Kleinman, Executive Director, TRPIL (Transitional Paths to Independent Living) Profoundly deafened as an infant, Don Fulk didn’t learn his name or go to school until the age of ten. When he was eighteen years old and a budding superstar on his football and basketball teams, he broke his neck in a swimming accident, and became paralyzed. After his injury, he was confined to a bed in his parents’ home for eight years, unable to move and barely able to communicate. After his family could no longer care for him, he spent nine years in a nursing home where he suffered from abuse and neglect. Yet through a life marred by isolation and frustration, Fulk endured with strength, humor, and grace. He never gave up pursuing his dreams for independence and self-worth, and improving the lives of others. He fought a system that was unfair and discriminatory, and helped pave the way for people with disabilities to live independently. Don Fulk signed his story to author Janet Allen, describing his difficult home life, the incredible friends who changed his life, and his dramatic escape from an abusive nursing home. An Invincible Spirit is a story of hope, empowerment, and the battles people with disabilities have fought—and continue to fight—to improve the quality of their lives.
Where Is Broadway? (Where Is?)
by Douglas Yacka Francesco Sedita Who HQTake your seats, because Where Is Broadway? is ready to take center stage!In a lively and engaging style, authors Douglas Yacka and Francesco Sedita cover the development of the first theaters and the birth of the American musical, as well as the shows and stars that have become Broadway legends. Readers will get the inside story on their favorite shows and may even discover some new ones.
Alpha Girls: The Women Upstarts Who Took On Silicon Valley's Male Culture and Made the Deals of a Lifetime
by Julian GuthrieAn unforgettable story of four women who, through grit and ingenuity, became stars in the cutthroat, high-stakes, male dominated world of venture capital in Silicon Valley, and helped build some of the foremost companies of our time. In Alpha Girls, award-winning journalist Julian Guthrie takes readers behind the closed doors of venture capital, an industry that transforms economies and shapes how we live. We follow the lives and careers of four women who were largely written out of history - until now. Magdalena Yesil, who arrived in America from Turkey with $43 to her name, would go on to receive her electrical engineering degree from Stanford, found some of the first companies to commercialize internet access, and help Marc Benioff build Salesforce. Mary Jane Elmore went from the corn fields of Indiana to Stanford and on to the storied venture capital firm IVP - where she was one of the first women in the U.S. to make partner - only to be pulled back from the glass ceiling by expectations at home. Theresia Gouw, an overachieving first-generation Asian American from a working-class town, dominated the foosball tables at Brown (she would later reluctantly let Sergey Brin win to help Accel Partners court Google), before she helped land and build companies including Facebook, Trulia, Imperva, and ForeScout. Sonja Hoel, a Southerner who became the first woman investing partner at white-glove Menlo Ventures, invested in McAfee, Hotmail, Acme Packet, and F5 Networks. As her star was still rising at Menlo, a personal crisis would turn her into an activist overnight, inspiring her to found an all-women's investment group and a national nonprofit for girls.These women, juggling work and family, shaped the tech landscape we know today while overcoming unequal pay, actual punches, betrayals, and the sexist attitudes prevalent in Silicon Valley and in male-dominated industries everywhere. Despite the setbacks, they would rise again to rewrite the rules for an industry they love. In Alpha Girls, Guthrie reveals their untold stories.
My First Rodeo: How Three Daughters, One Wife, and a Herd of Others Are Making Me a Better Dad
by Stoney StamperMy First Rodeo is a heartwarming collection of stories that reveal the ups, downs, and delights of being a family man, from a guy who never dreamed of being one.Happily unmarried with no desire for a change in status, Stoney Stamper met a beautiful lady with two daughters, and to his surprise fell head over boots in love. At the encouragement of family and friends, he decided to chronicle his new life and created the popular blog--The Daddy Diaries. My First Rodeo will inspire those just starting out with families to hang in there, they can do it. And for those well beyond the child raising years, it will be a poignant reminder of the enduring goodness of family.
The Art of Diplomacy: Strengthening the Canada-U.S. Relationship in Times of Uncertainty
by Bruce Heyman Vicki HeymanA personal and insightful call to action and a much-needed book about one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world—the relationship between Canada and the US—and why diplomacy matters now more than ever before.All over the world, diplomacy is under threat. Diplomats used to handle sensitive international negotiations, but increasingly, incendiary Tweets and bombastic public statements are posing a threat to foreign relations. In The Art of Diplomacy, the former US ambassador to Canada, Bruce Heyman, and his partner, Vicki Heyman, spell out why diplomacy and diplomats matter, especially in today’s turbulent times. This dynamic power couple arrived in Canada intent on representing American interests, but they quickly learned that to do so meant representing the shared interests of all citizens—no matter what side of the 49th parallel they happened to live on. Bruce and Vicki narrate their three years in Canada spent journeying across the country and meeting Canadians from all walks of life—including Supreme Court justices, prime ministers, fishermen, farmers, artists, and entrepreneurs. They tell the behind-the-scenes stories of how their team helped bring Obama to Canada and Trudeau to the US. They also reveal the importance of creating cultural and artistic exchange between Canada and the US, of promoting economic and trade interests, and overall, of making a lasting positive impact on one of the most important relationships in the free world today. This politically poignant and heartfelt memoir is a call to action, a reminder that only by working together to protect our shared values—the environment, social justice and human rights—can nations build a better world for all. As their long-time friend and colleague President Obama once said, “The world needs more Canada.” At this key moment in history, when opposing nationalist and populist agendas threaten to divide us, The Art of Diplomacy reminds us to keep calm, to work together and to carry on.
Noah Webster And His Words
by Jeri Chase Ferris Vincent X. KirschWebster’s American Dictionary is the second most popular book ever printed in English. But who was that Webster? <P><P>Noah Webster (1758–1843) was a bookish Connecticut farm boy who became obsessed with uniting America through language. <P><P>He spent twenty years writing two thousand pages to accomplish that, and the first 100 percent American dictionary was published in 1828 when he was seventy years old. <P><P>This clever, hilariously illustrated account shines a light on early American history and the life of a man who could not rest until he’d achieved his dream. <P><P>An illustrated chronology of Webster’s life makes this a picture perfect bi-og-ra-phy [noun: a written history of a person's life
The Marvelous Thing That Came From A Spring: The Accidental Invention Of The Toy That Swept The Nation
by Gilbert FordWith magnificent dioramic illustrations, Gilbert Ford captures the joy, creativity, and determination behind the invention of an iconic, one-of-a-kind toy: the Slinky! <P><P> One day, a spring fell from the desk of Richard James, an engineer, and a dreamer. Its coils took a walk…and so did Richard’s imagination. He knew right away that he had stumbled onto something marvelous. <P><P> With the help of his wife, Betty, Richard took this ordinary spring and turned it into a plaything. But it wasn’t just any old trinket—it was a Slinky, and it would become one of the most popular toys in American history.
Ada Lovelace
by Diane Stanley Jessie Hartland“A fascinating look at Ada Lovelace, the pioneering computer programmer and daughter of the poet Lord Byron."
Jean Laffite: Pirate or Hero? (Fountas & Pinnell LLI Purple #Level V)
by Jacqueline AdamsPirate, smuggler, outlaw, spy. Jean Laffite (ZHAHN la-FEET) was all of these things. But he was also a hero. This legendary pirate surprised everyone by defending the United States when it was under attack. This move came as a surprise because authorities from Louisiana, which was part of the United States, wanted to arrest Jean. Many stories are told about Jean Laffite. It's impossible to tell if some are true or exaggerated. But we do know some things about his unusual and adventurous life. Here is his story.
Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT Leroy
by Savannah KnoopThe JT LeRoy scandal is a story of our times. In January 2006, the New York Times unmasked Savannah Knoop as the face of the mysterious author JT LeRoy. A media frenzy ensued as JT's fans, mentors, and readers came to terms with the fact that the gay-male-ex-truck-stop-prostitute-turned literary-wunderkind was really a girl from San Francisco, whose sister-in-law wrote the books.Girl Boy Girl is the story of how Savannah Knoop led this bizarre double life for six years, trading a precarious existence as a college dropout for a life in which she was embraced by celebrities and artists--Carrie Fisher, Courtney Love, Mary Ellen Mark, Winona Ryder, Asia Argento, Sharon Olds, Gus Van Sant, Mike Pitt, Calvin Klein, and Shirley Manson, to name a few--and traveled the world. Telling her side of the story for the first time, Savannah reveals how being perceived as a boy gave her a sense of confidence and entitlement she never had before. Her love affair with Asia Argento is particularly wrenching, as they embark on an intimate relationship that causes more alienation than closeness.As Savannah and Laura struggle over control of the JT character, Savannah realizes the limits of the game - - and inadvertently finds herself through the adventure of being someone else.
Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook
by Martin DugardJames Cook never laid eyes on the sea until he was in his teens. He then began an extraordinary rise from farm boy outsider to the hallowed rank of captain of the Royal Navy, leading three historic journeys that would forever link his name with fearless exploration (and inspire pop-culture heroes like Captain Hook and Captain James T. Kirk). In "Farther Than Any Man", noted modern-day adventurer Martin Dugard strips away the myth of Cook and instead portrays a complex, conflicted man of tremendous ambition (at times to a fault), intellect (though Cook was routinely underestimated) and sheer hardheadedness. When Great Britain announced a major circumnavigation in 1768 -- a mission cloaked in science, but aimed at the pursuit of world power -- it came as a political surprise that James Cook was given command. Cook's surveying skills had contributed to the British victory over France in the Seven Years' War in 1763, but no commoner had ever commanded a Royal Navy vessel. Endeavor's stunning three-year journey changed the face of modern exploration, charting the vast Pacific waters, the eastern coasts of New Zealand and Australia, and making landfall in Tahiti, Tierra del Fuego, and Rio de Janeiro. After returning home a hero, Cook yearned to get back to sea. He soon took control of the Resolution and returned to his beloved Pacific, in search of the elusive Southern Continent. It was on this trip that Cook's taste for power became an obsession, and his legendary kindness to island natives became an expectation of worship -- traits that would lead him first to greatness, then to catastrophe. Full of action, lush description, and fascinating historical characters like King George III and Master William Bligh, Dugard's gripping account of the life and gruesome demise of Capt. James Cook is a thrilling story of a discoverer hell-bent on traveling farther than any man.
Los niños del desierto: La misión de un cirujano de Médicos Sin Fronteras en el corazón de África
by Martín CazenaveLa primera misión de un joven cirujano de Médicos Sin Fronteras en el corazón de África. Una historia verídica de coraje y esperanza, en la que los niños son, a la vez, víctimas y héroes. En 2005 el cirujano argentino Martín Cazenave llega a Sudán como voluntario de Médicos Sin Fronteras. Allí pone toda su experiencia y conocimiento de la medicina al servicio de aquellos que lo necesiten. Durante su misión en Golo, Martín y el equipo se esfuerzan por resolver los cuadros más dramáticos en medio de una cruenta guerra civil cuyas balas y explosiones se escuchan muy cerca. Hasta que un día estallan dentro del hospital. Relato vertiginoso e inspirador sobre las vivencias de un grupo humano de múltiples nacionalidades que, brindando atención médica con recursos limitados a pacientes desesperados en uno de los rincones más desolados del planeta, afronta la gesta de curar, de salvar vidas y de forjar, a cada minuto, la esperanza de un mundo mejor. Una historia verídica de coraje, valor y decisión. En la que los niños son, a la vez, víctimas y héroes. "Un niño se asomó, tímido, con los movimientos cautos de un cachorro que descubre el mundo real. Ya no sonreía, ya no bailaba. Yo observaba su cuerpo diminuto solo para preguntarme: ¿estábamos a la altura de ese niño? ¿Qué habíamos hecho con su mundo?"
La Argentina imaginada: Una biografía del pensamiento nacional
by Hernán BrienzaLos principales exponentes en 200 años de nacionalismo argentino. De Mariano Moreno y Juan Bautista Alberdi al Peronismo. Del nacionalismo de elite al socialismo nacional. Una mirada crítica sobre los imaginarios de Nación hasta la actualidad. "Quizás sea buena idea pensar al nacionalismo como una filosofía práctica, concreta, comunitaria, de valores marcados por la amistad", propone Hernán Brienza. Para ello reconstruye los pilares sobre los que se erigieron 200 años de imaginarios. Interesado en la erradicación de las formas represivas con las que ha sido pensado el nacimiento y el desarrollo del capitalismo argentino por una clase dominante, sugiere ver al Estado como un espacio de encuentro entre ciudadanos. "Los argentinos, salvo en contadas ocasiones, no hemos podido construir una Nación homogénea. Apenas hemos logrado diseñar un teatro de operaciones en el que protagonizamos un combate perpetuo entre nosotros mismos." Para revertir esta perversa dinámica social que mantiene al país preso de un virtual "empate hegemónico", el autor repasa vida y obra de escritores y políticos argentinos y analiza las circunstancias históricas internas y globales en las que surgieron y difundieron las ideas de Belgrano, Alberdi, Sarmiento, Gálvez, Ricardo Rojas, Lugones, Manuel Ugarte, Raúl Scalabrini Ortiz, Jauretche, Juan José Hernández Arregui y Juan Domingo Perón, entre otros Apasionante y revelador, este abordaje dinámico construye un fresco que parte de la literatura y la historia, para sistematizar un ideario tan amplio que abarca desde nociones republicanas y fascistas, pasando por la derecha y la izquierda, hasta el catolicismo, el liberalismo y la revolución.
Gallardo recargado: Tres años inolvidables y una final soñada
by Diego BorinskySegunda parte de Gallardo Monumental, que abarca desde el Mundial de Clubes en 2015 hasta la final más emocionante de la historia del fútbol argentino con la derrota de Boca en el Estadio Bernabéu tal como los vivieron el DT y el plantel de River Plate. Gallardo recargado es un repaso minucioso y emocionante de los últimos tres años de River, desde octubre de 2015 hasta diciembre de 2018. A través de horas y horas de charlas, más de quince encuentros y cientos de mensajes intercambiados con el autor durante este lapso, además de la mirada complementaria de jugadores, colaboradores e hinchas, el libro nos permite recorrer de la mano de este auténtico líder una época inigualable, descubriendo historias desconocidas, modos de plantear partidos y gestionar situaciones extremas. Gallardo recargado no es una actualización de Gallardo Monumental sino su continuidad: el segundo episodio de una saga que promete seguir sumando contenido premium en años venideros y que contiene, como no podía ser de otro modo, un desarrollo exhaustivo e íntimo de la memorable final en el Bernabéu.
Shattered Dreams: The Lost and Canceled Space Missions (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight)
by Colin BurgessShattered Dreams delves into the personal stories and recollections of several men and women who were in line to fly a specific or future space mission but lost that opportunity due to personal reasons, mission cancellations, or even tragedies. While some of the subjects are familiar names in spaceflight history, the accounts of others are told here for the first time. Colin Burgess features spaceflight candidates from the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Australia, and Great Britain.Shattered Dreams brings to new life such episodes and upheavals in spaceflight history as the saga of the three Apollo missions that were cancelled due to budgetary constraints and never flew; NASA astronaut Patricia Hilliard Robertson, who died of burn injuries after her airplane crashed before she had a chance to fly into space; and a female cosmonaut who might have become the first journalist to fly in space. Another NASA astronaut was preparing to fly an Apollo mission before he was diagnosed with a disqualifying illness. There is also the amazing story of the pilot who could have bailed out of his damaged aircraft but held off while heroically avoiding a populated area and later applied to NASA to fulfill his cherished dream of becoming an astronaut despite having lost both legs in the accident. These are the incredibly human stories of competitive realists fired with an unquenchable passion. Their accounts reveal in their own words—and those of others close to them—how their shared ambition would go awry through personal accidents, illness, the Challenger disaster, death, or other circumstances.
When Big Data Was Small: My Life in Baseball Analytics and Drug Design
by Richard D. CramerRichard D. Cramer has been doing baseball analytics for just about as long as anyone alive, even before the term “sabermetrics” existed. He started analyzing baseball statistics as a hobby in the mid-1960s, not long after graduating from Harvard and MIT. He was a research scientist for SmithKline and in his spare time used his work computer to test his theories about baseball statistics. One of his earliest discoveries was that clutch hitting—then one of the most sacred pieces of received wisdom in the game—didn’t really exist. In When Big Data Was Small Cramer recounts his life and remarkable contributions to baseball knowledge. In 1971 Cramer learned about the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and began working with Pete Palmer, whose statistical work is credited with providing the foundation on which SABR is built. Cramer cofounded STATS Inc. and began working with the Houston Astros, Oakland A’s, Yankees, and White Sox, with the help of his new Apple II computer. Yet for Cramer baseball was always a side interest, even if a very intense one for most of the last forty years. His main occupation, which involved other “big data” activities, was that of a chemist who pioneered the use of specialized analytics, often known as computer-aided drug discovery, to help guide the development of pharmaceutical drugs. After a decade-long hiatus, Cramer returned to baseball analytics in 2004 and has done important work with Retrosheet since then. When Big Data Was Small is the story of the earliest days of baseball analytics and computer-aided drug discovery.
Haig's Coup: How Richard Nixon's Closest Aide Forced Him from Office
by Ray LockerWhen General Alexander M. Haig Jr. returned to the White House on May 3, 1973, he found the Nixon administration in worse shape than he had imagined. President Richard Nixon, reelected in an overwhelming landslide just six months earlier, had accepted the resignations of his top aides—the chief of staff H. R. Haldeman and the domestic policy chief John Ehrlichman—just three days earlier. Haldeman and Ehrlichman had enforced the president’s will and protected him from his rivals and his worst instincts for four years. Without them, Nixon stood alone, backed by a staff that lacked gravitas and confidence as the Watergate scandal snowballed. Nixon needed a savior, someone who would lift his fortunes while keeping his White House from blowing apart. He hoped that savior would be his deputy national security adviser, Alexander Haig, whom he appointed chief of staff. But Haig’s goal was not to keep Nixon in office—it was to remove him. In Haig’s Coup, Ray Locker uses recently declassified documents to tell the true story of how Haig orchestrated Nixon’s demise, resignation, and subsequent pardon. A story of intrigues, cover-ups, and treachery, this incisive history shows how Haig engineered the “soft coup” that ended our long national nightmare and brought Watergate to an end.
The Age of Exploration: Totally Getting Lost (Epic Fails #4)
by Ben Thompson Erik SladerChristopher Columbus is one of the most famous explorers of all time, but he was neither the first nor last adventurer to ever stumble upon a great discovery. From the Silk Road of Asia to the icy shores of Antarctica, our knowledge of the world today is in large part due to several intrepid pioneers, risking life and limb for the sake of exploration. After all, setting off into the dark unknown requires an enormous amount of bravery. But every explorer quickly learns that courage and curiosity aren’t enough to save you if you can’t read a map or trespass on somebody else’s land! In this fourth installment of the Epic Fails series, authors Erik Slader and Ben Thompson introduces readers to an international cast of trailblazers and details every mutiny, wrong turn, and undiscovered city of gold behind the age of exploration.
Secret Empires: How The American Political Class Hides Corruption And Enriches Family And Friends
by Peter SchweizerPeter Schweizer has been fighting corruption—and winning—for years. In Throw Them All Out, he exposed insider trading by members of Congress, leading to the passage of the STOCK Act. In Extortion, he uncovered how politicians use mafia-like tactics to enrich themselves. And in Clinton Cash, he revealed the Clintons’ massive money machine and sparked an FBI investigation. <P><P> Now he explains how a new corruption has taken hold, involving larger sums of money than ever before. Stuffing tens of thousands of dollars into a freezer has morphed into multibillion-dollar equity deals done in the dark corners of the world. <P><P> An American bank opening in China would be prohibited by US law from hiring a slew of family members of top Chinese politicians. However, a Chinese bank opening in America can hire anyone it wants. It can even invite the friends and families of American politicians to invest in can’t-lose deals. <P><P> President Donald Trump’s children have made front pages across the world for their dicey transactions. However, the media has barely looked into questionable deals made by those close to Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Mitch McConnell, and lesser-known politicians who have been in the game longer. <P><P> In many parts of the world, the children of powerful political figures go into business and profit handsomely, not necessarily because they are good at it, but because people want to curry favor with their influential parents. This is a relatively new phenomenon in the United States. But for relatives of some prominent political families, we may already be talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. <P><P> Deeply researched and packed with shocking revelations, Secret Empires identifies public servants who cannot be trusted and provides a path toward a more accountable government.