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The Rise and Fall of Bear Stearns
by Alan C. GreenbergFormer CEO of Bear Stearns, Alan Greenberg, sheds light on his life as one of Wall Street&’s most respected figures in this candid and fascinating account of a storied career and its stunning conclusion. On March 16, 2008, Alan Greenberg, former CEO and current chairman of the executive committee of Bear Stearns, found himself in the company&’s offices on a Sunday. More remarkable by far than the fact that he was in the office on a Sunday is what he was doing: participating in a meeting of the board of directors to discuss selling the company he had worked decades to build for a fraction of what it had been worth as little as ten days earlier. In less than a week the value of Bear Stearns had diminished by tens of billions of dollars. As Greenberg recalls, "our most unassailable assumption—that Bear Stearns, an independent investment firm with a proud eighty-five-year history, would be in business tomorrow—had been extinguished. . . . What was it, exactly, that had happened, and how, and why?" This book provides answers to those questions from one of Wall Street&’s most respected figures, the man most closely identified with Bear Stearns&’ decades of success. The Rise and Fall of Bear Stearns is Alan Greenberg&’s remarkable story of ascending to the top of one of Wall Street&’s venerable powerhouse financial institutions. After joining Bear Stearns in 1949, Greenberg rose to become formally head of the firm in 1978. No one knows the history of Bear Stearns as he does; no one participated in more key decisions, right into the company&’s final days. Greenberg offers an honest, clear-eyed assessment of how the collapse of the company surprised him and other top executives, and he explains who he thinks was responsible.
The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh
by Candace FlemingSIX STARRED REVIEWS!Discover the dark side of Charles Lindbergh--one of America's most celebrated heroes and complicated men--in this riveting biography from the acclaimed author of The Family Romanov.First human to cross the Atlantic via airplane; one of the first American media sensations; Nazi sympathizer and anti-Semite; loner whose baby was kidnapped and murdered; champion of Eugenics, the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding; tireless environmentalist. Charles Lindbergh was all of the above and more. Here is a rich, multi-faceted, utterly spellbinding biography about an American hero who was also a deeply flawed man. In this time where values Lindbergh held, like white Nationalism and America First, are once again on the rise, The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh is essential reading for teens and history fanatics alike.
The Rise and Fall of Jesse James
by Robertus LoveExplore the dramatic and turbulent life of one of America's most infamous outlaws with Robertus Love's The Rise and Fall of Jesse James. This captivating biography provides an in-depth look at the life and legacy of Jesse James, from his beginnings as a Confederate guerrilla fighter to his notorious career as a bank and train robber, and ultimately, his dramatic downfall.Robertus Love, a renowned journalist and historian, meticulously chronicles the events that shaped Jesse James's life, offering readers a nuanced and well-researched portrait of this legendary figure. The Rise and Fall of Jesse James delves into the socio-political context of post-Civil War America, examining how the turbulent times influenced James's actions and the public's perception of him.The book covers Jesse James's early life and family background, his transition into a life of crime alongside his brother Frank, and the formation of the James-Younger Gang. Love vividly recounts their daring heists, violent encounters, and the relentless pursuit by law enforcement. Through detailed narrative and historical accuracy, readers gain a comprehensive understanding of the man behind the myth.This biography is an essential read for anyone interested in American history, the Old West, and the enigmatic figures who have become legends in popular culture. Robertus Love's engaging storytelling and rigorous scholarship make The Rise and Fall of Jesse James a definitive account of one of America's most enduring outlaw legends.Join Robertus Love on a journey through the life of Jesse James, and uncover the truth behind the legend. The Rise and Fall of Jesse James is a compelling and insightful exploration of the man whose name became synonymous with rebellion, adventure, and infamy.
The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden
by Peter L. BergenThe world&’s leading expert on Osama bin Laden delivers for the first time the definitive biography of a man who set the course of American foreign policy for the 21st century, and whose ideological heirs we continue to battle today. In The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden, Peter Bergen provides the first reevaluation of the man responsible for precipitating America&’s long wars with al-Qaeda and its descendants, capturing bin Laden in all the dimensions of his life: as a family man, as a zealot, as a battlefield commander, as a terrorist leader, and as a fugitive. The book sheds light on his many contradictions: he was the son of a billionaire, yet insisted his family live like paupers. He adored his wives and children, depending on two of his wives, both of whom had PhDs, to make important strategic decisions. Yet he also brought ruin to his family. He was fanatically religious, yet willing to kill thousands of civilians in the name of Islam. He inspired deep loyalty yet, in the end, his bodyguards turned against him. And while he inflicted the most lethal act of mass murder in United States history, he failed to achieve any of his strategic goals. The lasting image we have of bin Laden in his final years is of an aging man with a graying beard watching old footage of himself, just another dad flipping through the channels with his remote. In the end, bin Laden died in a squalid suburban compound, far from the front lines of his holy war. And yet despite that unheroic denouement, his ideology lives on. Thanks to exclusive interviews with family members and associates, and documents unearthed only recently, Bergen&’s portrait of Osama will reveal for the first time who he really was and why he continues to inspire a new generation of jihadists.
The Rise and Fall of Senator Joe Mccarthy
by James Cross GiblinWhen Cold War tension was at its height, Joseph ("call me Joe") McCarthy conducted an anti-Communist crusade endorsed by millions of Americans, despite his unfair and unconstitutional methods. Award-winning writer James Cross Giblin tells the story of a man whose priorities centered on power and media attention and who stopped at nothing to obtain both. The strengths and weaknesses of the man and the system that permitted his rise are explored in this authoritative, lucid biography, which sets McCarthy's life against a teeming backdrop of world affairs and struggles between military and political rivals at home. Chapter notes, bibliography, index.
The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell: Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant
by John SchofieldThomas Cromwell rose from very humble beginnings to become Henry VIII's chief minister, his right-hand man during the English Reformation. He wielded enormous power while he retained the king's favour, but the failure of Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves, which Cromwell had arranged, led to his swift downfall and execution. John Schofield's biography reveals that the popular image of him as a blood-stained henchman is largely fictional. Detailed research into contemporary sources illuminates his brilliant mind and his love for and patronage of the arts and humanities, while short case studies shed new light on his relations with, and his reputation among, Henry VIII's subjects. The final part narrates the drama of his downfall, and the king's posthumous exoneration of the 'most faithful servant he ever had.'
The Rise and Fall of War Crimes Trials
by Charles Anthony SmithThis book is the first comprehensive analysis of the politics of war crimes trials. It provides a systematic and theoretically rigorous examination of whether these trials are used as tools for political consolidation or whether justice is their primary purpose. The consideration of cases begins with the trial of Charles I of England and goes through the presidency of George W. Bush, including the trials of Saddam Hussein and those arising from the War on Terror. The book concludes that political consolidation is the primary concern of these trials - a point that runs contrary to the popular perception of the trials and their stated justification. Through the consideration of war crimes trials, this book makes a contribution to our understanding of power and conflict resolution and illuminates the developmental path of war crimes tribunals.
The Rise and Fall of a 'Casino' Mobster: The Tony Spilotro Story Through a Hitman's Eyes
by Dennis N. Griffin Frank CullotttaThe true crime story behind the film Casino from the mob enforcer who lived it and the author of The Accidental Gangster. Tony Spilotro was the Mob&’s man in Las Vegas. A feared enforcer, the bosses knew Tony would do whatever it took to protect their interests. The &“Little Guy&” built a criminal empire that was the envy of mobsters across the country, and his childhood pal, Frank Cullotta helped him do it. But Tony&’s quest for power and lack of self-control with women cost the Mob its control of Vegas, and Tony paid for it with his life. From Dennis N. Griffin: &“I was a little nervous before my first meeting with former mobster Frank Cullotta. It turned out we had a pleasant conversation that ended with an agreement for me to write his book. As I drove home, I realized I had made a deal with a career thief and killer on a handshake. What was I thinking?&”&“Extraordinary insights.&”—Nick Pileggi, #1 New York Times–bestselling author and screenwriter of Casino
The Rise and Fall of a Medieval Family: The Despensers
by Kathryn WarnerA historian’s fascinating account of two centuries in the lives of the powerful Despensers, famed for tragedy and scandal in medieval England.The Despensers were a baronial English family who rose to great prominence in the reign of Edward II (1307-27) when Hugh Despenser the Younger became the king’s chamberlain, favorite, and perhaps, lover. He and his father Hugh the Elder wielded great influence, and Hugh the Younger’s greed and tyranny brought down a king for the first time in English history and almost destroyed his own family.The Rise and Fall of a Medieval Family tells the story of the ups and downs of this fascinating family from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, when three Despenser lords were beheaded and two fell in battle. We begin with Hugh, Chief Justiciar of England, who died rebelling against King Henry III and his son in 1265, and end with Thomas Despenser, summarily beheaded in 1400 after attempting to free a deposed Richard II, and Thomas’s posthumous daughter Isabella, a countess twice over and the grandmother of Richard III’s queen.From the medieval version of Prime Ministers to the (possible) lovers of monarchs, the aristocratic Despenser family wielded great power in medieval England. Drawing on the popular intrigue and infamy of the Despenser clan, Kathryn Warner’s book traces the lives of the most notorious, powerful, and influential members of this patrician family over a two-hundred-year span.
The Rise and Fall of a Medieval Family: The Despensers
by Kathryn WarnerA historian’s fascinating account of two centuries in the lives of the powerful Despensers, famed for tragedy and scandal in medieval England.The Despensers were a baronial English family who rose to great prominence in the reign of Edward II (1307-27) when Hugh Despenser the Younger became the king’s chamberlain, favorite, and perhaps, lover. He and his father Hugh the Elder wielded great influence, and Hugh the Younger’s greed and tyranny brought down a king for the first time in English history and almost destroyed his own family.The Rise and Fall of a Medieval Family tells the story of the ups and downs of this fascinating family from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, when three Despenser lords were beheaded and two fell in battle. We begin with Hugh, Chief Justiciar of England, who died rebelling against King Henry III and his son in 1265, and end with Thomas Despenser, summarily beheaded in 1400 after attempting to free a deposed Richard II, and Thomas’s posthumous daughter Isabella, a countess twice over and the grandmother of Richard III’s queen.From the medieval version of Prime Ministers to the (possible) lovers of monarchs, the aristocratic Despenser family wielded great power in medieval England. Drawing on the popular intrigue and infamy of the Despenser clan, Kathryn Warner’s book traces the lives of the most notorious, powerful, and influential members of this patrician family over a two-hundred-year span.
The Rise and Fall of an American Army
by Shelby L. Stanton“THE MEN WHO SACRIFICED FOR THEIR COUNTRY ARE RIGHTFULLY HERALDED . . . This is an honest book–one well worth reading. . . . Stanton has laid his claim to the historian’s ranks by providing his reader with well-documented, interpretive assessments. ” –Parameters The Vietnam War remains deep in the nation’s consciousness. It is vital that we know exactly what happened there–and who made it happen. This book provides a complete account of American Army ground combat forces–who they were, how they got to the battlefield, and what they did there. Year by year, battlefield by battlefield, the narrative follows the war in extraordinary, gripping detail. Over the course of the decade, the changes in fighting and in the combat troops themselves are described and documented. The Rise and Fall of an American Armyrepresents the first total battlefield history of Army ground forces in the Vietnam War, containing much previously unreleased archival material. It re-creates the feel of battle with dramatic precision. “Stanton’s writing . . . gives the reader a terrifying graphic description of combat in the many mini-environments of Vietnam. ” –TheNew York Times “[A] MOVING, IMPORTANT BOOK. ” –St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The Rise and Fall...and Rise Again: The Rise And Fall... And Rise Again
by Gerald RatnerIn 1991, Gerald Ratner made a landmark speech to the Institute of Directors After over 25 years in the jewellery trade, Gerald Ratner was one of the most well-known and successful retailers of his generation. He had built up a highly profitable, multi-million pound international business, including household names like Ratners, H Samuel, Ernest Jones, Watches of Switzerland, as well as over one thousand stores in the US. Being asked to give the keynote address at the Institute of Directors' annual conference at The Royal Albert Hall was a great honour and should have been the crowning glory on two decades of empire building. Gerald's speech was seized upon by the media after he included jokes about the quality of some of the shops' products. But the far-reaching impact that these jokes would have no one could have predicted. "Even though I had once had my name above hundreds of shops up and down the country, it had become more famous as a byword for crap. It took several years to realise just what an impact the speech had had on every aspect of my life." Press coverage of hardback version: "... a rollicking good read" —Michael Skapinker, The FT "Most business autobiographies are so overlaid with ghost-writerly blandness that the character of the subject is lost. Mr Ratner had help with this one, but fortunately he is still there: obsessive, funny and a bit of a scoundrel - the last mitigated by how well he knows it." —The FT "self-effacing, revealing and human" —Luke Johnson, FT Business Life "A few ill-chosen words to a well-heeled audience 16 years ago reduced Britain's biggest jeweller to poverty. Now he reveals how he bounced back" —Jewish Chronicle "...contains lessons for us all" —Management Today "...worth its weight in gold" —The Independent Amazon reviews "Everyone knows the story of Gerald's rise and fall - what an amazing story and well worth reading.... I couldn't put it down, totally gripping and inspiring stuff, you really couldn't see this coming from such an energetic, passionate man" "I have read many bio's from business leaders and most are boring 'how to get rich' or 'let me tell you a long list of not very interesting stories with all the good bits missed out'. Gerald's book is very different it is a great read, I could not put it down" "Sobering and enlightening at the same time. A great read and a morality tale of our time."
The Rise of Abraham Cahan (Jewish Encounters Series)
by Seth LipskyPart of the Jewish Encounters seriesThe first general-interest biography of the legendary editor of the Jewish Daily Forward, the newspaper of Yiddish-speaking immigrants that inspired, educated, and entertained millions of readers; helped redefine journalism during its golden age; and transformed American culture. Already a noted journalist writing for both English-language and Yiddish newspapers, Abraham Cahan founded the Yiddish daily in New York City in 1897. Over the next fifty years he turned it into a national newspaper that changed American politics and earned him the adulation of millions of Jewish immigrants and the friendship of the greatest newspapermen of his day, from Lincoln Steffens to H. L. Mencken. Cahan did more than cover the news. He led revolutionary reforms--spreading social democracy, organizing labor unions, battling communism, and assimilating immigrant Jews into American society, most notably via his groundbreaking advice column, A Bintel Brief. Cahan was also a celebrated novelist whose works are read and studied to this day as brilliant examples of fiction that turned the immigrant narrative into an art form. Acclaimed journalist Seth Lipsky gives us the fascinating story of a man of profound contradictions: an avowed socialist who wrote fiction with transcendent sympathy for a wealthy manufacturer, an internationalist who turned against the anti-Zionism of the left, an assimilationist whose final battle was against religious apostasy. Lipsky's Cahan is a prism through which to understand the paradoxes and transformations of the American Jewish experience. A towering newspaperman in the manner of Horace Greeley and Joseph Pulitzer, Abraham Cahan revolutionized our idea of what newspapers could accomplish.(With 16 pages of black-and-white illustrations.)nd Nextbook Press.(With 16 pages of black-and-white illustrations.)
The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln Abridged College Edition
by Sean WilentzAcclaimed as the definitive study of the period by one of the greatest American historians, The Rise of American Democracy traces a historical arc from the earliest days of the republic to the opening shots of the Civil War. Ferocious clashes among the Founders over the role of ordinary citizens in a government of "we, the people" were eventually resolved in the triumph of Andrew Jackson. Thereafter, Sean Wilentz shows, a fateful division arose between two starkly opposed democracies―a division contained until the election of Abraham Lincoln sparked its bloody resolution.
The Rise of Andrew Jackson: Myth, Manipulation, and the Making of Modern Politics
by David S. Heidler Jeanne T. HeidlerThe story of Andrew Jackson's improbable ascent to the White House, centered on the handlers and propagandists who made it possibleAndrew Jackson was volatile and prone to violence, and well into his forties his sole claim on the public's affections derived from his victory in a thirty-minute battle at New Orleans in early 1815. Yet those in his immediate circle believed he was a great man who should be president of the United States. Jackson's election in 1828 is usually viewed as a result of the expansion of democracy. Historians David and Jeanne Heidler argue that he actually owed his victory to his closest supporters, who wrote hagiographies of him, founded newspapers to savage his enemies, and built a political network that was always on message. In transforming a difficult man into a paragon of republican virtue, the Jacksonites exploded the old order and created a mode of electioneering that has been mimicked ever since.
The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope Was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church
by John L. Allen Jr."Commendable and balanced ... With crisp writing and an amazing attention to detail, Allen brings readers inside the papal jockeying, covering the days of mourning and the conclave." --The Los Angeles Times. "A welcome contribution to understanding the new pontificate ... The Rise of Benedict XVI is a useful chronicle that packs a lot into relatively few pages." --Richard John Neuhaus, First Things. "For a current look at the new papacy, Allen is the person to read. He is fair, free from the oracular pomposity of some American commentators, and, as always, highly readable." --Commonweal. On April 18, 2005, the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church gathered to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II. Faced with several potential candidates, the cardinals made a bold choice, entrusting the Keys of the Kingdom to 78-year-old Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, a man whose views on the challenges facing the Church and the broader culture could not be more unambiguous, or controversial. Questions arose as the world watched while Ratzinger was installed as Pope Benedict XVI. No one can tell the story of exactly what took place during the closed doors meeting, known as the conclave, when Cardinals from around the world cast their votes for the next pope, better than John L. Allen, Jr. As a correspondent for National Catholic Reporter and a Vatican analyst for CNN and National Public Radio, Allen has spent years covering Vatican politics and personalities, and his unique access to Roman halls of power has enabled him to write the ultimate behind-the-scenes account of the election of Pope Benedict XVI.
The Rise of Hitler: Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives (Images of War)
by Trevor SalisburyIn 1945, amidst the ruins of a bomb-damaged German home a tattered book, Deutschland Erwache, was recovered as a souvenir by a British soldier. This rare and invaluable primary resource now forms the basis of The Rise of Hitler Illustrated, which is a photographic record of Hitlers' rise to power from when he was born in 1889, as he took over the hearts and minds of the German people, and his eventual arrival at the top.The original book is typical of the propaganda of the time, with the obvious non-critical acceptance of everything that Adolf Hitler was and what he stood for. It attempts to present him as a peaceloving man, who wanted nothing other than quiet in his 'beloved Alps', who dearly loved children and was kind to all. But as we all know, the truth was completely different. He was a man who, despite his unbounded evilness, was able to assert limitless power over a nation before creating maximum misery for millions.When found, the original book was divest of its cover and all the worse for wear, but Trevor Salisbury has gone to every effort to salvage some of the images, the result a fresh and new perspective that sheds light on Hitler's control of Germany. It is a welcome addition to Pen & Sword's highly acclaimed Images of War series.
The Rise of Marco Rubio
by Manuel Roig-FranziaSENATOR MARCO RUBIO has been called the Michael Jordan of Republican politics and a crown prince of the Tea Party. He is a political figure who inspires fierce passions among his supporters--and his detractors. From his family's immigrant roots to his ascent from small-town commissioner to the heights of the United States Senate, The Rise of Marco Rubio traces a classic American odyssey. Rubio's grandfather was born in a humble thatched-palm dwelling in a sugar cane-growing region of Cuba, more than fifty years before Rubio's parents left the island for a better life in Miami. His father worked as a bartender, his mother as a maid and stock clerk at Kmart. Rubio was quick on his high school football field, and even quicker in becoming a major voice on everything from immigration to the role of faith in public life and one of the great hopes of the Republican Party. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and documents, Washington Post reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia shows how Rubio cultivated a knack for apprenticing himself to the right mentor, learning the issues, and volunteering for tough political jobs that made him shine. He also has a way with words and the instinct to seize opportunities that others don't see. As Mike Huckabee says, Rubio "is our Barack Obama with substance." The Rise of Marco Rubio elegantly tells us why. *
The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
by Robert B. AspreyEver since 1821, when he died at age fifty-one on the forlorn and windswept island of St. Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte has been remembered as either demi-god or devil incarnate. In The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, the first volume of a two-volume cradle-to-grave biography, Robert Asprey instead treats him as a human being. Asprey tells this fascinating, tragic tale in lush narrative detail. The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte is an exciting, reckless thrill ride as Asprey charts Napoleon's vertiginous ascent to fame and the height of power. Here is Napoleon as he was-not saint, not sinner, but a man dedicated to and ultimately devoured by his vision of himself, his empire, and his world.
The Rise of Rahm
by Chicago Tribune StaffFor 20 years, one of the most dynamic figures and accomplished leaders in American politics had never even been elected to a position of executive power. Then in early 2011, Rahm Emanuel won the election to become the mayor of Chicago, supplanting Richard M. Daley, who had been firmly entrenched in the role before Emanuel even emerged on the national political scene. Comprised of two decades of Chicago Tribune articles on the man who said "You never want a crisis to go to waste", The Rise of Rahm is a fast-paced retrospective on the bold, authoritative, and above-all-else effective methods of Rahm Emanuel.The Rise of Rahm tracks the meteoric ascent of Emanuel from his effective direction of Bill Clinton's 1992 primary and presidential campaigns through the Tribune's recent five-part series on Emanuel's first year in office as the mayor of Chicago. In between, The Rise of Rahm explores his up-and-down years as a staffer in the Clinton White House, Emanuel's own 2002 congressional run as a representative from Chicago, his exemplarily masterful orchestration of the 2006 Democratic sweep of Congress, his oft-contentious tenure as President Barack Obama's chief of staff, as well as his successful mayoral campaign. Along the way, stories are revealed of Emanuel's infamous mailed fish and lost finger, as well as countless examples of Emanuel as a ruthless tactician, a focused strategist, an on-message adviser, and a spiteful competitor, but above all else, as a gifted power-broker.In this collection, stories of Emanuel's aggressive enthusiasm and profane style are presented next to continuous proof of his ability to build partnerships between major, high-profile players in the worlds of politics and business. This book truly is a fascinating glimpse into the inner world of the man behind nearly every national Democratic power-swing since the early 90s, as written by the group of journalists who have been following Emanuel since his start. For anyone curious in studying where the Chicago mayor has been and where he will be going in his current tenure, The Rise of Rahm is a gripping and telling read on Rahm Emanuel's political ascendance.
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt: The Rise Of Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Rex, And Colonel Roosevelt (Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction Books)
by Edmund MorrisThis is Morris's highly acclaimed account of Theodore Roosevelt's life, encompassing the years from Roosevelt's birth to his service in the White House. He was one of our most vibrant presidents; his image still haunts our past and our present. This fascinating and comprehensive biography of the extraordinary naturalist, adventurer, soldier, and politician, tells the improbable, but very real, story of a man determined to get what he wanted, an American who helped define our century and our very character.<P><P> Winner of the Publitzer Prize<P> Winner of the National Book Award
The Rise of Thomas Cromwell
by Michael EverettHow much does the Thomas Cromwell of popular novels and television series resemble the real Cromwell? This meticulous study of Cromwell's early political career expands and revises what has been understood concerning the life and talents of Henry VIII's chief minister. Michael Everett provides a new and enlightening account of Cromwell's rise to power, his influence on the king, his role in the Reformation, and his impact on the future of the nation. Controversially, Everett depicts Cromwell not as the fervent evangelical, Machiavellian politician, or the revolutionary administrator that earlier historians have perceived. Instead he reveals Cromwell as a highly capable and efficient servant of the Crown, rising to power not by masterminding Henry VIII's split with Rome but rather by dint of exceptional skills as an administrator.
The Rise of a New Left: How Young Radicals Are Shaping the Future of American Politics
by Raina LipsitzHOW THE FIRST MAJOR LEFTWING GENERATION SINCE THE SIXTIES HAS SHAPED ELECTORAL POLITICSThe mushrooming rolls of the Democratic Socialists of America, Marxist explainers in Teen Vogue, and the outsized impact of the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, all herald a new, youth-inflected radical politics. The Rise of a New Left gets behind the headlines about AOC and her cohort of elected officials to tell the stories of the young organizers who created the Squad and the new social movements that have roiled US politics, from the DSA to the Sunrise Movement to Justice Democrats. Ranging across the country to describe grassroots organizing in places like rural Pennsylvania, upstate New York, Kentucky, Florida, and California, this book examines the panoply of strategies and struggles of activists working in—and trying to transform—electoral politics and the climate justice, racial justice, and labor movements. Alongside Ocasio-Cortez, we hear from the even younger Alexandra Rojas, one of the strategists who guided her political insurgency. Propelled by scores of immersive and absorbing conversations on political strategy with young activists determined to reshape the country, this book—by a writer who is herself a member of this generational movement—is a riveting account of a resurgent left.
The Rise of a Prairie Statesman
by Thomas J. KnockThe Rise of a Prairie Statesman is the first volume of a major biography of the 1972 Democratic presidential candidate who became America's most eloquent and prescient critic of the Vietnam War. In this masterful book, Thomas Knock traces George McGovern's life from his rustic boyhood in a South Dakota prairie town during the Depression to his rise to the pinnacle of politics at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago where police and antiwar demonstrators clashed in the city's streets.Drawing extensively on McGovern's private papers and scores of in-depth interviews, Knock shows how McGovern's importance to the Democratic Party and American liberalism extended far beyond his 1972 presidential campaign, and how the story of postwar American politics is about more than just the rise of the New Right. He vividly describes McGovern's harrowing missions over Nazi Germany as a B-24 bomber pilot, and reveals how McGovern's combat experiences motivated him to earn a PhD in history and stoked his ambition to run for Congress. When President Kennedy appointed him director of Food for Peace in 1961, McGovern engineered a vast expansion of the program's school lunch initiative that soon was feeding tens of millions of hungry children around the world. As a senator, he delivered his courageous and unrelenting critique of Lyndon Johnson's escalation in Vietnam--a conflict that brought their party to disaster and caused a new generation of Democrats to turn to McGovern for leadership.A stunning achievement, The Rise of a Prairie Statesman ends in 1968, in the wake of the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, when the "Draft McGovern" movement thrust him into the national spotlight and the contest for the presidential nomination, culminating in his triumphal reelection to the Senate.
The Rise of the Israeli Right
by Colin ShindlerThe Israeli Right first came to power nearly four decades ago. Its election was described then as 'an earthquake', and its reverberations are still with us. How then did the Right rise to power? What are its origins? Colin Shindler traces this development from the birth of Zionism in cosmopolitan Odessa in the nineteenth century to today's Hebron, a centre of radical Jewish nationalism. He looks at central figures such as Vladimir Jabotinsky, an intellectual and founder of the Revisionist movement and Menahem Begin, the single-minded politician who brought the Right to power in 1977. Both accessible and comprehensive, this book explains the political ideas and philosophies that were the Right's ideological bedrock and the compromises that were made in its journey to government.