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The Presumed Alliance: The Unspoken Conflict Between Latinos and Blacks and What It Means for America
by Nicholás C. Vaca“A hard and unnerving look at how changing demographics will forever alter our country’s dialogue on race.” — San Jose Mercury NewsAs Latino and African Americans increasingly live side by side in large urban centers, as well as in suburban clusters, the idealized concept of a "Rainbow Coalition" would suggest that these two disenfranchised groups are natural political allies. Indeed, as the number of Latinos has increased dramatically over the last ten years, competition over power and resources between these two groups has led to surprisingly antagonistic and uncooperative interactions. Many African Americans now view Latinos, because of their growth in numbers, as a threat to their social, economic, and political gains.Nicolas C. Vaca debunks the myth of "The Great Union" and offers the hope he believes each community could learn from, in order to achieve a mutually agreed upon agenda. More than simply unveiling the problem, The Presumed Alliance offers optimistic solutions to the future relations between Latino and Black America.
The New American Revolution: How You Can Fight the Tyranny of the Left's Cultural and Moral Decay
by Tammy BruceThe New American RevolutionA controversial and powerful manifesto for twenty-first-century American Patriots"It's time to swing back the curtains and invite the light in. And that light is American Nationalism, perennially shunned by the Left, condemned by Socialists, and without any special interest group fighting for its rebirth. It has no legitimate advocates. And yet it is the very idea that will save not only our nation, but the rest of the world as well," declares Tammy Bruce.With this remarkable book, the bestselling author, activist, and independent pundit pulls no punches, illustrating how a new American revolution is upon us -- a revolution based on American Nationalism and Individualism.Grounded in reason, classical philosophy, and hard-earned experience, Bruce explores the dramatic shift in American attitudes since the tragedy of September 11. She illustrates how in our effort to take this nation back from nihilistic extremists, American Nationalism, individualism, gun ownership, the tearing down of liberal institutions, personal activism, and knowing the enemy are the new tools for today's Patriot.The "Hate America First" ideology has prevailed for far too long, says Bruce, and she now offers a powerful prescription to reverse the moral and cultural decay wrought by Leftist extremists for four decades. This power to stem the tide resides squarely within the reawakened American founding concept of E Pluribus Unum, or "Out of Many, One." It is this ingrained individualist spirit of the average American that makes this country the best nation on earth, and now fuels the noble fight against the scourge of the Collectivist Left.In a positive framework with empowering ideas, insight, and tools for direct action, Bruce has captured a watershed moment in American history.
The Price of Terror: Lessons of Lockerbie for a World on the Brink
by Allan Gerson Jerry AdlerPresident Bill Clinton called it "an attack against America," but after Libyan agents planted a bomb aboard Pan Am Flight 103, killing 259 people in the air and 11 on the ground, America did not strike back. Instead, the grieving relatives of the victims did the unthinkable—as mere civilians-and tried to force Libya to pay for its crime. Lawyers told the families that they could never sue Libya in American courts, and they were right. This would require changing a bedrock principle of international law—a change that every government in the world feared and fought, including the United States itself.Working virtually alone at first, Allan Gerson, a former diplomat and prosecutor of Nazi war criminals, took on the case and spent the next eight years on the families’ quest for justice. In this high-stakes game of international power politics and legal maneuvering, there were friendships, jobs, and reputations lost, but a precious principle—that of accountability under the law—was strengthened and preserved. Now Gerson and his co-author, Newsweek writer Jerry Adler, follow the threads of this extraordinary tale back to that deadly night over Lockerbie, Scotland—and forward into a new era of international justice, when terrorists will learn to fear the righteous retribution of their own victims.
Off with Their Heads: Traitors, Crooks, and Obstructionists in American Politics, Media, and Business
by Dick MorrisWhat happened to the unity that so blessed America after 9/11? Where did our sense of determination go? Our political, journalistic, and cultural leaders have mounted a campaign to oppose and impede the war on terror that seemed so vital in that rare moment of clarity. This book is my personal cri du coeur about deception in politics, journalism, and business-especially when it stops us from following through on the work 9/11 has left for us all to do. This book takes on some pretty sacred cows, but it's about time they became fair game. -from the Introduction Are you appalled by the antiwar tone the news media has taken since the war on terror began-especially "objective" news outlets like the New York Times and the network news? Are you wondering when liberal celebrities like Barbara Streisand, Sean Penn, and Susan Sarandon suddenly became geopolitical oracles whose advice we're supposed to value above the wisdom of tenured experts? Are you at a loss to decide who has betrayed us more outrageously: the French who abandoned us in our time of need, or our own elected officials, who tapped our 401(k) savings and the tobacco-settlement windfall with equal abandon? In Off with Their Heads, syndicated columnist and Fox News Cannel political analyst Dick Morris points an accusing finger at the many ways the public has been lied to and misled, pickpocketed and endangered. Whether it's Bill Clinton, who ignored mounting evidence of impending terrorist catastrophe throughout the 1990s, or the members of Congress, who quietly sold our democracy down the river in exchange for lifetime incumbency, Morris rips the cover off the cowardly and duplicitous figures who have sacrificed America's interests for their own. From private corruption to public treachery, even longtime political buffs will marvel at the astonishing behavior Morris reveals at every level of society-and at how it threatens to compromise the American way of life.
Original Zinn: Conversations on History and Politics
by Howard ZinnHistorian, activist, and bestselling author Howard Zinn has been interviewed by David Barsamian for public radio numerous times over the past decade. Original Zinn is a collection of their conversations, showcasing the acclaimed author of A People's History of the United States at his most engaging and provocative.Touching on such diverse topics as the American war machine, civil disobedience, the importance of memory and remembering history, and the role of artists--from Langston Hughes to Dalton Trumbo to Bob Dylan--in relation to social change, Original Zinn is Zinn at his irrepressible best, the acute perception of a scholar whose impressive knowledge and probing intellect make history immediate and relevant for us all.
The Rake: A Novel
by William F. Buckley Jr.A prototypical child of the sixties, Senator Reuben Castle coasted through his early life on a cloud of easy charisma, leaving behind more skeletons than Arlington: a highly questionable Vietnam record, an abandoned wife, and worse. Now, two decades later, his greatest dream is within reach. But his personal history is about to become his political epitaph—unless he takes the direst of measures to protect himself.From William F. Buckley Jr.—nationally bestselling author and one of the keenest political minds of our time—comes an ingenious blending of satire and suspense, the riveting tale of an all-too-recognizable presidential candidate and the dark shadows cast behind him.
The Reagan Diaries: Volume 1: January 1981-october 1985 Volume 2: November 1985-january 1989
by Ronald Reagan#1 New York Times Bestseller&“Reading these diaries, Americans will find it easier to understand how Reagan did what he did for so long . . . They paint a portrait of a president who was engaged by his job and had a healthy perspective on power.&”—Jon Meacham, NewsweekDuring his two terms as the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan kept a daily diary in which he recorded his innermost thoughts and observations on the extraordinary, the historic, and the routine occurrences of his presidency. To read these diaries—now compiled into one volume by noted historian Douglas Brinkley and filled with Reagan’s trademark wit, sharp intelligence, and humor—is to gain a unique understanding of one of our nation’s most fascinating leaders.
The Silent Service: Seawolf Class (Silent Service Ser. #2)
by H. Jay RikerIn the ocean depths, America's warriors ceaselessly patrol the dark territory on freedom's outer edge. These are the battles fought in silence . . . and in secret. The newest fight begins when the People's Republic of China buys a fleet of highly stealthy and deadly attack subs from a cash-hungry Russia and takes advantage of international unrest to lay claim to territories they have long considered their own. US Commander Tom Garrett is asked to serve as Executive Officer on board the USS Seawolf to monitor the PRC's activities as they use all the firepower necessary to close the Straits of Taiwan in preparation for invading their "renegade province." As the Chinese fleet moves in for attack, it's left to Commander Garrett to sink the Chinese boats, break the PRC siege of Taiwan, and avenge those who were lost in the struggle.
The Silent Service: Virginia Class (Silent Service Ser. #3)
by H. Jay RikerA crew of American naval submariners go up against an unidentified terrorist threat in this military thriller from a U.S. Navy veteran.The U.S.S. Virginia— the first in the most technologically advanced new class of U.S. attack submarines—sets sail, even as the Navy’s high-tech submarine program falls under attack from a Congress ready to cut military spending. But a threat no one anticipated is gliding silently through dangerous waters. A rogue Kilo-class submarine built by a shadowy and powerful ally has become the latest weapon in al Qaeda’s terrorist arsenal. The submarine’s brutal strikes have created a volatile hostage situation in the Pacific . . . and have left hundreds of people dead.This new and stealthy terrorist threat must be eliminated before more innocent lives are lost. But the officers, crew, and Navy SEALs aboard the Virginia will face more than they anticipated in the turbulent waters of the South China Sea—as one untried American sub races toward an explosive confrontation with a cunning, and ruthless enemy.
Silent Witness: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death
by Mark FuhrmanWe all watched Terri Schiavo die. The controversy around her case dominated the headlines and talk shows, going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, the White House, and the Vatican.And it's not over yet. Despite her death, the controversy lingers. In Silent Witness, former LAPD detective and New York Times bestselling author Mark Fuhrman applies his highly respected investigative skills to examine the medical evidence, legal case files, and police records. With the complete cooperation of Terri Schiavo's parents and siblings, as well as their medical and legal advisers, he conducts exclusive interviews with forensics experts and crucial witnesses, including friends, family members, and caregivers.Fuhrman's findings will answer these questions:What was Terri and Michael Schiavo's marriage really like?What happened the day Terri collapsed?What did Michael Schiavo do when he discovered Terri unconscious? How long did he wait before calling 911?What do medical records show about her condition when she was first admitted to the hospital?What will the autopsy say?The legal issues and ethical questions provoked by Terri Schiavo's extraordinary case may never be resolved. But the facts about her marriage, her condition when she collapsed, and her eventual death fifteen years later can be determined.With Silent Witness, Fuhrman goes beyond the legal aspects of the case and delves into the broader, human background of Terri Schiavo's short, sad life.
Smear Tactics: The Liberal Campaign to Defame America
by Brad MinerIn this spirited survey of liberal lies and dirty tricks, Brad Miner, one of America's leading conservative insiders, offers a look at the American liberal tradition of slander, insult, and character assassination throughout history. Smear Tactics mines both today's papers and the classic campaigns of history for tales of liberal deception and manipulation. Tracing smears from the early days of our nation right through the run-up to the 2008 elections, Miner highlights the Left's most atrocious campaigns against:Soldiers: The media's attacks on our troops, from Vietnam to IraqThe Faithful: The Left's campaign to vilify Christians in American lifeEntrepreneurs: Is the American Dream dead? The Left says yes, and Girl Scout cookies, Wal-Mart, and Legos have all played a part.President Bush: He caused global warming and Hurricane Katrina? Smears against the man the Left loves to hate. As Brad Miner shows, American politics has never been a sport for gentlemen—but recent campaigns have proven dirtier than ever, full of negative ads, rumormongering, and worse. With the coming election a wide-open race, full of polarizing candidates of all stripes, the mud is about to start flying across the American landscape, and in Smear Tactics Brad Miner returns the fire—with a vengeance.
Soulless: Ann Coulter and the Right-Wing Church of Hate
by Susan Estrich"A word to those of you out there who have yet to be offended by something I have written or said: Please be patient. I am working as fast as I can." –Ann Coulter, 2006Is she ever!Ever since the publication of her Clinton-bashing debut, High Crimes and Misdemeanors, right-wing fire-brand Ann Coulter has made herself one of the most talked-about figures in contemporary American life—and has done so by issuing a near-continuous barrage of insult and invective, which has been described as "shameless," "cruel," "shrill, bombastic, and mean-spirited," "grossly inappropriate," "hate speech." She has called the 9/11 widows "witches" and "harpies," referred to Muslims as "ragheads," called Al Gore a "total fag," and said that both New York Times editor Bill Keller and antiwar congressman Jack Murtha deserved to die. Yet with each new statement—and each new book launch—Coulter somehow manages to co-opt the media as a megaphone for her attacks, while emerging from the backlash miraculously unscathed.Until now. With Soulless, political commentator Susan Estrich takes on Ann and the "Coulter culture" she has created, exposing how the pundit provocatrice has downgraded our political discourse with her irresponsible rhetoric, personal attacks, and slanderous asides. Trawling through Coulter's history of often-violent public statements, Estrich asks which are more cynical: the pundit and her headline-grabbing drive-by character assassinations, or the networks who happily bring her back for more. Soulless also casts a light on "the Anns," wannabes like Michelle Malkin and Glenn Beck, whose imitation Coulterisms coarsen our culture with every passing news cycle. And, most important, she challenges us—the readers, the voters—to remember that behind the huckster's rhetoric lurks a dangerous reactionary whose real agenda is wildly out of step with the American public.As Estrich says, "She knows exactly what she is doing. And she is scary as hell because of it."
Straight Talk from the Heartland: Tough Talk, Common Sense, and Hope from a Former Conservative
by Ed SchultzEd Schultz is here to slay the "right-wing radio dragon" and revitalize the charge against Bush-era "conservative cruelty" with his own bold, irreverent truth-talk. When the self-described "gun-toting, meat-eating, drug-free liberal" from America's heartland came out swinging with his syndicated radio program, The Ed Schultz Show, listeners realized right away that this was no cookie-cutter liberal, but a tough-talking advocate for everything that's right about the left. "A free press is all that stands between you and a dictatorship," warns Schultz, in defiance of the Bush administration and ultra-conservative talking heads like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, whom he blames for quashing political debate just when America needs it most. While Big Ed has what it takes to "go bare-knuckle brawling" with his staunchest detractors, it is with a deep compassion and impeccable common sense that he describes how our "government by the rich and for the rich" is imperiling the lives of average hard-working Americans.In Straight Talk from the Heartland, Schultz rails against the havoc that our nation's leaders are wreaking on everything from international relations to homeland defense, from our skyrocketing federal deficit to the disenfranchised families of rural America who are struggling to make ends meet. With a heady mix of patriotism, outrage, humor, and hope, he makes an urgent appeal to universal virtues such as honesty and liberty, and reminds readers of what he calls the Four Pillars of a Great Nation:Defending America: "We have lost faith in our leaders. The world has lost faith in us. Our foray into Iraq, to disarm a nation of biological and nuclear weapons they did not have, has shrunk American credibility like a cheap sweater."A Sound Economy: "The Bushies are like street hustlers. While they show you a meager tax cut with one hand, they steal your wallet with the other."Feeding the Nation: "Bad farm policy and bad trade agreements are running the American farmer off the land. It's killing small towns, and small towns are the heart of this nation."Educating America: "Don't start counting your tax break just yet. Your state and local taxes are rising to support the unfunded mandate of the No Child Left Behind act.""I'm here to give it to you straight," Big Ed says. "I've got faith that, when Americans grasp what's going on around them, they'll start acting like a bear fresh out of hibernation -- famished, ill-tempered, and ready to start raising hell."Straight Talk from the Heartland is the wake-up call America has been waiting for.
Rewriting History
by Dick MorrisNow, for the first time, Fox News political analyst and former Clinton adviser Dick Morris turns his sharp-eyed gaze on Hillary, the longtime First Lady, current New York senator, and bestselling author. For, as he argues, no politician in America today is better aligned to become president in 2008-and none would bring more baggage to the White House-than Mrs. Clinton. In Rewriting History, Morris draws on his own long working relationship with the Clintons, as well as his trademark deep research and candid, nonpartisan analysis, to create a rebuttal to Hillary's bestselling autobiography, Living History. Morris documents how Hillary hides her true self behind a "Hillary" brand that is chatty, charming, giggly, and warm-but is far from her true personality. In Rewriting History, Morris pierces the mask to get at the truth behind the distortions and omissions of Hillary's memoir. Here we meet the real Hillary, both good and bad: the manager who makes the trains run on time, but also the paranoid who sees all those who disagree with her as personal enemies; the idealist, but also the "advice addict" easily misled by the guru of the moment. Morris describes Hillary's sense of entitlement, and warns that it may lead deep into financial scandal. And he demonstrates how Hillary dodges criticism by pretending that every attack is directed not just at her, but at every working woman in America. Ultimately, Morris argues, the Hillary Clinton of today is marketing a false front, obscuring both her wants and her assets behind the phony facade of a domestic Everywoman. But as she pursues higher office, she also faces a choice. Will she, like Bobby Kennedy, see the error of her ruthless ways, and embrace the sincere idealism she professes? Or, like Richard Nixon, will she allow the darker angels of her nature to overcome her, jeopardizing herself and the country in the process? As Rewriting History suggests, we can only hope that Hillary Clinton's past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Rome Wasn't Burnt in a Day: The Real Deal on How Politicians, Bureaucrats, and Other Washington Barbarians Are Bankrupting America
by Joe ScarboroughThe former Republican congressman and now host of MSNBC’s “Scarborough Country” wittily presents The Real Deal—that Democrats and Republicans are indistinguishable: equally adept at pillaging and pork-barrelling your tax dollars—and he offers some solutions to the problemThey get themselves elected as “Washington outsiders”— Barbarians at the Gate. Once inside, however, these Vandals and Visigoths swiftly shed their pelts, don their togas, and heartily set about the business-as-usual of Our Perpetual Imperial Congress—fiddling while your tax dollars burn. Meanwhile, a Republican president and self-proclaimed conservative, George W. Bush, while mooning over Mars, has grown the federal government by a staggering 10.5% (Bill Clinton exited office at a disgraceful 3.4%). Welcome to the Orwellian “Animal Farm”-world of U.S. politics, as only Joe Scarborough can explain it from his unique perspective inside “Scarborough Country.”From his unseating of an entrenched Democratic congressman in 1994 as part of the Gingrich Revolution, to his leadership role in the overthrow of Gingrich himself, to his rise as one of America’s most respected and entertaining political and cultural commentators as host of MSNBC’s top-rated “Scarborough Country,” Joe Scarborough has consistently surprised friend and foe alike. Is he a conservative? Most certainly. Is he a Republican? Yes. Does that mean that the president, his oil-cabal cronies, and other false claimants to conservatism should get a pass? Certainly not.In Rome Wasn’t Burnt in a Day, Scarborough recounts his own political awakening within the Imperial Congress; provides profound and shocking insight into what is really happening inside Washington today; and offers solutions to our present dilemma that will appeal to all intelligent readers — be they conservatives, liberals, libertarians, or folks just plain fed up with all the labels and all the lies.
Sacred Causes: The Clash of Religion and Politics, from the Great War to the War on Terror
by Michael BurleighBeginning with the chaotic post-World War I landscape, in which religious belief was one way of reordering a world knocked off its axis, Sacred Causes is a penetrating critique of how religion has often been camouflaged by politics. All the bloody regimes and movements of the twentieth century are masterfully captured here, from Stalin's Soviet Union, Hitler's Germany, Mussolini's Italy, and Franco's Spain through to the modern scourge of terrorism. Eloquently and persuasively combining an authoritative survey of history with a timely reminder of the dangers of radical secularism, Burleigh asks why no one foresaw the religious implications of massive Third World immigration, and he deftly investigates what are now driving calls for a civic religion to counter the terrorist threats that have so shocked the West.
Salem Witch Judge: The Life and Repentance of Samuel Sewall
by Eve LaPlanteIn 1692 Puritan Samuel Sewall sent twenty people to their deaths on trumped-up witchcraft charges. The nefarious witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts represent a low point of American history, made famous in works by Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne (himself a descendant of one of the judges), and Arthur Miller. The trials might have doomed Sewall to infamy except for a courageous act of contrition now commemorated in a mural that hangs beneath the golden dome of the Massachusetts State House picturing Sewall's public repentance. He was the only Salem witch judge to make amends.But, remarkably, the judge's story didn't end there. Once he realized his error, Sewall turned his attention to other pressing social issues. Struck by the injustice of the New England slave trade, a commerce in which his own relatives and neighbors were engaged, he authored "The Selling of Joseph," America's first antislavery tract. While his peers viewed Native Americans as savages, Sewall advocated for their essential rights and encouraged their education, even paying for several Indian youths to attend Harvard College. Finally, at a time when women were universally considered inferior to men, Sewall published an essay affirming the fundamental equality of the sexes. The text of that essay, composed at the deathbed of his daughter Hannah, is republished here for the first time.In Salem Witch Judge, acclaimed biographer Eve LaPlante, Sewall's great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter, draws on family lore, her ancestor's personal diaries, and archival documents to open a window onto life in colonial America, painting a portrait of a man traditionally vilified, but who was in fact an innovator and forefather who came to represent the best of the American spirit.
Secret History of the Iraq War
by Yossef BodanskyIn the months leading up to March 2003, fresh from its swift and heady victory in Afghanistan, the Bush administration mobilized the United States armed forces to overthrow the government of Iraq. Eight months after the president declared an end to major combat operations, Saddam Hussein was captured in a farmhouse in Al-Dawr. And yet neither peace nor democracy has taken hold in Iraq; instead the country has plunged into terrorist insurgency and guerrilla warfare, with no end in sight.What went wrong?<P> In The Secret History of the Iraq War, bestselling author Yossef Bodansky offers an astonishing new account of the war and its aftermath—a war that was doomed from the start, he argues, by the massive and systemic failures of the American intelligence community. Drawing back the curtain of politicized debate, Bodansky—a longtime expert and director of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare—reveals that nearly every aspect of America's conflict with Iraq has been misunderstood, in both the court of public opinion and the White House itself. Among his revelations:<P> * The most authoritative account of Saddam Hussein's support for Islamic terrorist organizations—including extensive new reporting on his active cooperation with al-Qaeda in Iraq long after the fall of Baghdad<P> * Extensive new information on Iraq's major chemical and biological weapons programs—including North Korea's role in building still-undetected secret storage facilities and Iraq's transfer of banned materials to Syria, Iran, and Libya <P> * The first account of Saddam's plan for Iraq, Syria, and Iran to join Yasser Arafat's Palestinian forces to attack Israel, throw the region into turmoil, and upend the American campaign<P> * The untold story of Russia's attempt to launch a coup against Saddam before the war—and how the CIA thwarted it by ensuring that Iraq was forewarned<P> * Dramatic details about Saddam's final days on the run, including the untold story of a near miss with U.S. troops and the stunning revelation that Saddam was already in custody at the time of his capture—and was probably betrayed by members of his own Tikriti clan<P> * The definitive account of the anti-U.S. resistance and uprising in Iraq, as the American invasion ignited an Islamic jihad and Iran-inspired intifada, threatening to plunge the region into irreversible chaos fueled by hatred and revenge<P> * Revelations about the direct involvement of Osama bin Laden in the terrorism campaigns in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the rest of the Middle East—including the major role played by Iran and HizbAllah in al-Qaeda's operations<P> Drawing upon an extraordinary wealth of previously untapped intelligence and regional sources, The Secret History of the Iraq War presents the most detailed, fascinating, and convincing account of the most controversial war of our times—and offers a sobering indictment of an intelligence system that failed the White House, the American military, and the people of the Middle East.
Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (Eminent Lives)
by Christopher Hitchens"A balanced, readable portrait. A refreshing perspective.” —New York Times Book ReviewWith intelligence, insight, eloquence, and wit, bestselling author Christopher Hitchens gives us an artful portrait of a complex, formative figure in American history and his turbulent era.In this unique biography of Thomas Jefferson, leading journalist and social critic Christopher Hitchens offers a startlingly new and provocative interpretation of our Founding Father—a man conflicted by power who wrote the Declaration of Independence and acted as ambassador to France yet yearned for a quieter career in the Virginia legislature. A masterly writer, Jefferson was an awkward public speaker. A professed proponent of emancipation, he elided the issue of slavery from the Declaration of Independence and continued to own human property. A reluctant candidate, he left an indelible presidential legacy.
Taking Heat: The President, the Press, and My Years in the White House
by Ari FleischerThe early years of the twenty-first century were a tumultuous time in America. The country faced a hotly contested presidential election, the largest terrorist attack in the nation's history, and the early stages of war. Through it all, President George W. Bush surrounded himself with a handful of close advisers. During this time the man beside the President was Ari Fleischer, his press secretary and one of his most trusted confidants. In this role, Fleisher was present for every decision and became an eyewitness to history.In this riveting account, Fleischer goes behind the scenes as he recalls his experiences in the West Wing. Through the ups and downs of this time, he took the heat, fielded the questions, and brought the President's message into living rooms around the world.In Taking Heat, Fleischer, for the first time, gives his perspective on:The 2000 election, from the recounts to the transition to powerSeptember 11, 2001, its aftermath, and the anthrax scareThe pressure-filled buildup to the war in Iraq and the President's thoughts as the war beganLife in the White House, from learning to adjust to the pace of the West Wing and his early briefings to his relationship with the pressThe White House press corps, who they are, and how they report the newsThe factors that led to his decision to leave Washington behind.This is the story of the men and women of the White House press corps and the cornerstones of democracy: freedom of speech and the freedom of the press. Fleischer presents an in-depth, insider's view on the Washington political arena from a perspective few have seen.Fleischer writes of his belief that the press has a bias in Washington. It's not a question of partisanship or press-driven ideology. Instead, it's a focus on conflict, particularly if it's a conflict they can attach to the President. It's the nature of the White House press corps, regardless of who's in power. The members of the White House press corps are masters at being devil's advocate, able to take with passion the opposite side of whatever issue the President supports. Fleischer's job was to calmly field their questions, no matter how pointed.Taking Heat is an introspective exploration of the top political events in the first half of the Bush administration, as well as the candid observations of a professional who stood in the bright lights of the world stage.
Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill
by Jessica SternFor four years, Jessica Stern interviewed extremist members of three religions around the world: Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Traveling extensively—to refugee camps in Lebanon, to religious schools in Pakistan, to prisons in Amman, Asqelon, and Pensacola—she discovered that the Islamic jihadi in the mountains of Pakistan and the Christian fundamentalist bomber in Oklahoma have much in common.Based on her vast research, Stern lucidly explains how terrorist organizations are formed by opportunistic leaders who—using religion as both motivation and justification—recruit the disenfranchised. She depicts how moral fervor is transformed into sophisticated organizations that strive for money, power, and attention.Jessica Stern's extensive interaction with the faces behind the terror provide unprecedented insight into acts of inexplicable horror, and enable her to suggest how terrorism can most effectively be countered.A crucial book on terrorism, Terror in the Name of God is a brilliant and thought-provoking work.
Understanding Thomas Jefferson
by E. M. HallidayRecent biographies of Thomas Jefferson have stressed the sphinxlike puzzles of his character—famous champion of freedom yet lifelong slaveholder, foe of miscegenation yet secret lover of a beautiful slave for 30 years, aristocrat yet fervent advocate of government by the people. E. M. Halliday's absorbing and lucid portrait recognizes these and other puzzles about this great founder, but shows us how understandable they can be in light of his personal and social circumstances. Halliday takes readers deep into Jefferson's private life—exploring his childhood, his literary taste, and his unconventional religious thinking and moral philosophy. Here, too, are his adamant opinions on women, the evolution of his ideas on democracy and freedom of expression, and fresh insights into his relationship with Sally Hemings.
Washington: The Making of the American Capital
by Fergus M. BordewichWashington, D.C., is home to the most influential power brokers in the world. But how did we come to call D.C.—a place once described as a mere swamp "producing nothing except myriads of toads and frogs (of enormous size)," and which was strategically indefensible, captive to the politics of slavery, and the target of unbridled land speculation—our nation's capital? In Washington, acclaimed, award-winning author Fergus M. Bordewich turns to the backroom deal-making and shifting alliances among our Founding Fathers to find out, and in doing so pulls back the curtain on the lives of the slaves who actually built the city. The answers revealed in this eye-opening book are not only surprising but also illuminate a story of unexpected triumph over a multitude of political and financial obstacles, including fraudulent real estate deals, overextended financiers, and management more apt for a banana republic than an emerging world power.In a page-turning work that reveals the hidden and unsavory side to the nation's beginnings, Bordewich once again brings his novelist's eye to a little-known chapter of American history.
What Would Martin Say?
by Joel Engel Clarence B. Jones“What Would Martin Say? about the pressing issues of our time is a bold question to ask. To presume to know the answer is even bolder. Clarence Jones is one of the few who possesses the moral authority necessary to even attempt such a task. One that he more than accomplishes with a compelling candor and an uncommon grace and dignity.” —Tavis SmileyIf anyone would have insight into Martin's thoughts and opinions, it would be Clarence B. Jones, King's personal lawyer and one of his closest principal advisers and confidants. Removing the mythic distance of forty years' time to reveal the flesh-and-blood man he knew as his friend, Jones ponders what the outspoken civil rights leader would say about the serious issues that bedevil contemporary America: Islamic terrorism and the war in Iraq, reparations for slavery, anti-Semitism, affirmative action, illegal immigration, and the state of African American leadership.
What's Right with Islam Is What's Right with America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West
by Feisal Abdul RaufAn American imam offers answers for today's toughest questions about Islam, and a vision for a reconciliation between Islam and the West.One of the pressing questions of our time is what went wrong in the relationship between Muslims and the West. Continuing global violence in the name of Islam reflects the deepest fears by certain Muslim factions of Western political, cultural, and economic encroachment. The solution to the current antagonism requires finding common ground upon which to build mutual respect and understanding. Who better to offer such an analysis than an American imam, someone with a foot in each world and the tools to examine the common roots of both Western and Muslim cultures; someone to explain to the non-Islamic West not just what went wrong with Islam, but what's right with Islam.Focused on finding solutions, not on determining fault, this is ultimately a hopeful, inspiring book. What's Right with Islam systematically lays out the reasons for the current dissonance between these cultures and offers a foundation and plan for improved relations. Wide-ranging in scope, What's Right with Islam elaborates in satisfying detail a vision for a Muslim world that can eventually embrace its own distinctive forms of democracy and capitalism, aspiring to a new Cordoba - a time when Jews, Christians, Muslims, and all other faith traditions will live together in peace and prosperity.