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A Yorkshire Boyhood
by Roy HattersleyIt was not until he was dead and I was forty that I realised my father was once in Holy Orders,' Roy Hattersley tells us in the opening pages of A YORKSHIRE BOYHOOD; so setting the tone for an elegant, continually surprising book.A somewhat precocious only child, Roy grew up surrounded by protective, ever-anxious adults, equally determined to expose him to books and to shield him from germs -- second-hand books were decontaminated by a sharp session in the oven. Uncle Ernest, a timber merchant's clerk celebrated for his skill at 'fretwork and the manipulation of Indian clubs'; a ten-year feud with the next-door neighbours; unwavering devotion to Sheffield Wednesday - all the pleasures and pangs of northern working-class childhood are magnificently evoked as Roy Hattersley takes us through the hardships of the Thirties and the Blitz; and into the 1940s, the 11-plus examination and Grammar School.Completely updated, A YORKSHIRE BOYHOOD is an autobiographical essay of unusual wit, eloquence and candour.
A Yorkshire Boyhood
by Roy HattersleyIt was not until he was dead and I was forty that I realised my father was once in Holy Orders,' Roy Hattersley tells us in the opening pages of A YORKSHIRE BOYHOOD; so setting the tone for an elegant, continually surprising book.A somewhat precocious only child, Roy grew up surrounded by protective, ever-anxious adults, equally determined to expose him to books and to shield him from germs -- second-hand books were decontaminated by a sharp session in the oven. Uncle Ernest, a timber merchant's clerk celebrated for his skill at 'fretwork and the manipulation of Indian clubs'; a ten-year feud with the next-door neighbours; unwavering devotion to Sheffield Wednesday - all the pleasures and pangs of northern working-class childhood are magnificently evoked as Roy Hattersley takes us through the hardships of the Thirties and the Blitz; and into the 1940s, the 11-plus examination and Grammar School.Completely updated, A YORKSHIRE BOYHOOD is an autobiographical essay of unusual wit, eloquence and candour.
A Yorkshire Lass at the Court of Thatcher
by Elizabeth PeacockElizabeth Peacock served as MP for Batley and Spen for 14 years and was one of the most outspoken politicians during her time at Westminster.Famed for her 'no nonsense, just common sense' approach, Elizabeth won many admirers along with a reputation for being difficult. Not afraid to vote against her own party, the Conservatives, Elizabeth genuinely said and did what she thought was right for all Britain, but especially her local constituents.At the time she became an MP, she was one of very few women to do so but quickly made her mark in a very male dominated environment. She was the first woman MP to take part in the Lords v Commons charity motor race at Brands Hatch in which she more than held her own. Elizabeth was heavily involved in the Miners Strike of the 80's and was one of the few to vote against her own government as well as meeting regularly with Arthur Scargill, an unthinkable thing to do for a Conservative MP. She would go on to vote against the Major government too, never to be difficult, but just because she thought their actions weren't in the best interest of the nation. Her outspoken views on the IRA would lead to an unsuccessful but extremely frightening attack on her car whilst parked outside her home.In this candid, honest and often very funny autobiography, Elizabeth reveals what it was like to work at Westminster during those turbulent years. She offers frank assessments of the men and women she worked with including Margaret Thatcher, John Major and many others.A completely absorbing and insightful read.
A Young Generation Under Pressure?: The Financial Situation and the "Rush Hour" of the Cohorts 1970 - 1985 in a Generational Comparison
by Joerg TremmelJustice between generations is still not as prominent on any agenda as justice between rich and poor or men and women. For the first time, this three-part book explores the situation of young people of today in comparison to their direct predecessors. The first part, The Financial Situation of the Young Generation in a Generational Comparison, deals with this generation's financial standing; the second part, The Rush Hour of Life, examines their time restrictions. Both are considered from a life-course perspective. The third part, On the Path to Gerontocracy?, addresses the demographic shift in favor of the elderly in aging Western democracies.
A Young Woman on Her Own: from A Woman in Charge
by Carl BernsteinA Vintage Shorts Selection From the definitive, humanizing biography of one of the most powerful and widely misunderstood women of our time: Hillary Rodham Clinton. Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Carl Bernstein sheds light on Hillary's political development during her four years as an impressionable but fierce undergraduate at Wellesley. In thick, Coke-bottle glasses, here is an ambitious young student--galvanized by the assassination of Martin Luther King and the women's liberation movement--fighting to be recognized by the East coast elite. Bernstein reveals a side of Hillary not often seen in a tender, heartening, and measured depiction of her even-keeled transformation from a Barry Goldwater conservative raised in a staunchly anti-communist household in Illinois into an "agnostic intellectual liberal" and an impassioned progressive dedicated to peaceful and pragmatic reform. An ebook short.
A Zionist among Palestinians (Encounters: Explorations in Folklore and Ethnomusicology)
by Hillel Bardin&“A testimony to the effort to bring about change, to educate Palestinians and Israelis about one another, and to touch them one at a time.&”—Jewish Book Council A Zionist Among Palestinians offers the perspective of an ordinary Israeli citizen who became concerned about the Israeli military&’s treatment of Palestinians and was moved to work for peace. Hillel Bardin, a confirmed Zionist, was a reservist in the Israeli army during the first intifada when he met Palestinians arrested by his unit. He learned that they supported peace with Israel and the then-taboo proposal for a two-state solution, and that they understood the intifada as a struggle to achieve these goals. Bardin began to organize dialogues between Arabs and Israelis in West Bank villages, towns, and refugee camps. In 1988, he was jailed for meeting with Palestinians while on active duty in Ramallah. Over the next two decades, he participated in a variety of peace organizations and actions, from arranging for Israelis to visit Palestinian communities and homes, to the joint jogging group &“Runners for Peace,&” to marches, political organizing, and demonstrations supporting peace, security, and freedom. In this very personal account, Bardin tries to come to grips with the conflict in a way that takes account of both Israeli-Zionist and Palestinian aims. &“A rare first-hand account of dialogue and joint-action efforts on the ground between Israelis and Palestinians [and] brings to light unknown grassroots episodes that illustrate both the hopeful potential for coexistence and the huge obstacles that continue to plague these well-intentioned efforts.&”—Neil Caplan, author of The Israel-Palestine Conflict: Contested Histories &“Enlightening and moving.&”—Howard M. Sachar, author of A History of Israel
A `Social Turn’ in the European Union?: New trends and ideas about social convergence in Europe (Europa Perspectives on the EU Single Market)
by Jacek KuberaSocial Europe is a key topic in the construction of the EU and its institutions. This volume examines the current state of, and perspectives for, Social Europe, as well as key issues in European social policy, including the posting of workers, the impact of the free market and regulations on social convergence, work automation, digitalisation, taxation and democracy in the workplace. The aim of this volume is to identify a course to be followed in integrating the EU’s social policies and point to areas in which co-operation between member states is likely to produce best results. While a Social Europe was previously seen to be a natural consequence of political and economic integration, it is now viewed as a separate area that requires active policies to preserve the European project. The EU’s big question today concerns the level at which this policy should be pursued: the volume’s contributors outline difficulties with harmonising social policies across the Union, but they nevertheless argue that, owing to the common challenges faced by Europe, the idea of a Social Europe must not be abandoned and requires specific action. The volume consists of 11 chapters written by a variety of expert authors, analysing the idea of a Social Europe and proposing ways in which it could be put into practice. Social policy can no longer be seen as derived from economic policy but rather as a separate driver of development that could be of interest to the northern, southern and eastern states of the EU. Jacek Kubera, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Sociology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. Tomasz Morozowski, PhD candidate, Faculty of Political Science and Journalism, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, and analyst at the Poznań Institute for Western Affairs.
A critical approach to the social acceptance of renewable energy infrastructures: Going beyond green growth and sustainability
by Susana Batel David RudolphThis book provides a critical approach to research on the social acceptance of renewable energy infrastructures and on energy transitions in general by questioning prevalent principles and proposing specific research pathways and lines of inquiry that look beyond depoliticised, business-as-usual discourses and research agendas on green growth and sustainability. It brings together authors from different socio-geographical and disciplinary backgrounds within the social sciences to reflect upon, discuss and advance what we propose to be five cornerstones of a critical approach: overcoming individualism and socio-cognitivism; repoliticisations – recognising and articulating power relations; for interdisciplinarity; interventions – praxis and political engagement with research; and overcoming localism and spatial determinism: As such, this book offers academics, students and practitioners alike a comprehensive perspective of what it means to be critical when inquiring into the social acceptance of renewable energy and associated infrastructures.
A for Anonymous: How a Mysterious Hacker Collective Transformed the World
by David KushnerThe illustrated, inside story of the legendary hacktivist group's origins and most daring exploits.A for Anonymous shows how a leaderless band of volunteers successfully used hacktivism to fight for the underdog, embarrass their rich and powerful targets--from Sony and Paypal to the Church of Scientology and Ferguson Police Department--all in the name of freedom of speech and information. Their exploits blurred the distinction between "online" and "reality," and help shape our contemporary world.
A generation of change, a lifetime of difference?: Social policy in Britain since 1979
by Martin Evans Lewis WilliamsThis innovative book addresses the historical development of social and fiscal policies from the late 1970s to the present day by asking what has changed, how these changes have affected the lifecourse and what the potential lifetime impacts of policy change are. This book provides an overview of the development of policy change over the period and uses an innovative and unique lifetime approach from the cradle to the grave to put it into perspective. The authors begin by reviewing the political changes and policy story since the 1970s and demonstrate the economic and social changes that have occurred alongside. The book then takes an innovative approach in looking at specific programmes about crucial aspects of the lifecycle - from maternity and childhood, through to adult events and risks before finally looking at retirement, survivorship and death. Finally, profiles of three hypothetical families - the Meades, who are median earners, the Moores, high earners and the Lowes who are low paid - are developed for 1979, 1997 and 2008 to provide a comprehensive discussion of policy change and make innovative insights for the future. This is the first book to join up the history of policy direction with an analysis of outcomes over the whole period. It will therefore be ideal for students of social policy and attract a wide readership interested in pensions, children's support and related issues.
A is for Activist
by Innosanto NagaraOne of NPR's Top 100 Book for Young Readers &“Reading it is almost like reading Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, but for two-year olds—full of pictures and rhymes and a little cat to find on every page that will delight the curious toddler and parents alike.&”—Occupy Wall StreetA is for Activist is an ABC board book written and illustrated for the next generation of progressives: families who want their kids to grow up in a space that is unapologetic about activism, environmental justice, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and everything else that activists believe in and fight for. The alliteration, rhyming, and vibrant illustrations make the book exciting for children, while the issues it brings up resonate with their parents' values of community, equality, and justice. This engaging little book carries huge messages as it inspires hope for the future, and calls children to action while teaching them a love for books.
A is for Armageddon: A Catalogue Of Disasters That May Culminate In The End Of The World As We Know It
by Richard HorneA Is for Armageddon is a stunningly illustrated, eye-openingly informative, and wickedly entertaining catalog of disasters that may possibly culminate in the end of the world as we know it. Richard Horne—author of 101 Things to Do Before You Die and illustrator of the blockbuster New York Times bestseller The Dangerous Book for Boys, as well as the covers for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter School Books for Comic Relief,Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Quidditch Through the Ages—combines science, religion, and sociology with good old fashioned paranoia to explore humankind’s dire future. From the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to super volcanoes, A Is for Armageddon is a delectable compendium of doom—and in plenty of time for 2012!
A is for Asylum Seeker: Words For People On The Move/palabras Para Personas En Movimiento
by Rachel Ida BuffA clear and concise A-to-Z of keywords that echo our current human rights crisisAs millions are forced to leave their nations of origin as a result of political, economic, and environmental peril, rising racism and xenophobia have led to increasingly harsh policies. A mass-mediated political circus obscures both histories of migration and longstanding definitions of words for people on the move, fomenting widespread linguistic confusion. Under this circus tent, there is no regard for history, legal advocacy, or jurisprudence. Yet in a world where the differences between “undocumented migrant” and “asylum seeker” can mean life or death, words have weighty consequences. A timely antidote to this circus, A is for Asylum Seeker reframes key words that describe people on the move. Written to correct the de-meaning of terms by rhetoric and policies based on dehumanization and profitable incarceration, this glossary provides an intersectional and historically grounded consideration of the words deployed in enflamed debate. Skipping some letters of the alphabet while repeating others, thirty terms cover everything from Asylum-seeker to Zero Tolerance Policy. Each entry begins with a contemporary or historical story for illustration and then proceeds to discuss the language politics of the word. The book balances terms affected by current political debates—such as “migrant,” “refugee,” and “illegal alien”—and terms that offer historical context to these controversies, such as “fugitive,” “unhoused,” and “vagrant.”Rendered in both English and Spanish, this book offers a unique perspective on the journeys, histories, challenges, and aspirations of people on the move. Enhancing the book’s utility as an educational and organizing resource, the author provides a list of works for further reading as well as a directory of immigration-advocacy organizations throughout the United States.*****Un claro y breve abecedario de palabras clave que hacen eco en nuestra crisis humanitaria presente. Mientras millones son forzados de huir de sus naciones de origen debido a peligro político, económico, y ecológico, racismo y xenofobia han llevado a políticas más y más severas. Un circo político en los medios oculta a ambas las historias de inmigración y las definiciones antiguas de palabras para personas en movimiento, creando confusión lingüística amplia. Bajo esta carpa de circo, no hay consideración para historia, defensa legal, o jurisprudencia. Pero en un mundo donde las diferencias entre “migrante indocumentade” y “solicitante de asilo” pueden ser la diferencia entre vida y muerte, palabras tienen consecuencias graves. Un antídoto oportuno a este circo, A de Asilo re-enmarca palabras claves que describen a personas en movimiento. Escrito para corregir la de-significación de términos por retórica y políticas basadas en deshumanización y encarcelación lucrosa, este glosario provee una consideración interseccional e histórica de las palabras usadas en debate inflamado. Brincando a unas letras del alfabeto mientras repite a otras, treinta términos cubren todo desde Asilo a Tolerancia Cero. Cada artículo empieza con una historia contemporánea u histórica para ilustrar, y después discute la política alrededor de la palabra. El libro balancea términos impactados por debates políticos contemporáneos—como “migrante,” “refugiado” y “extranjero ilegal”—y términos que ofrecen contexto histórico a estas controversias, como “fugitivo” “sin casa” y “vagante.”Escrito en inglés y español, este libro ofrece una perspectiva única en las jornadas, historias, retos, y aspiraciones de personas en movimiento. Aumentando la utilidad del libro como un recurso educacional y organizacional, la autora provee una lista de obras para más lectura, igual que un directorio de organizaciones de defensa de inmigrantes a través de los Estados Unidos.
A los que vienen: Democracia, desigualdad, justicia, educación, ecología, sexualidad, felicidad explicadas a los jóvenes
by Manuela CarmenaEl primer testimonio escrito de Manuela Carmena después de ser alcaldesa de Madrid. Sus palabras más personales e inspiradoras dirigidas a las generaciones venideras y a la sociedad en general. Un libro para ti, que eres joven. Para ti, porque puedes cambiar las cosas. Manuela Carmena, exalcaldesa de Madrid y jueza durante más de 30 años, es mujer, de izquierdas, progresista, feminista, ecologista, demócrata, patriota (si la patria lo es en positivo), agnóstica, madre y abuela, entre otras muchas cosas. Pero ante todo es una ciudadana, una persona como cualquier otra que ha demostrado que se puede hacer política de otra manera, que los pequeños gestos y hechos importan, que nuestros intereses, los de la gente, pueden ser llevados a las instituciones, defendidos y puestos en valor. Que, en definitiva, el pueblo puede y tiene que ser escuchado. En este libro Manuela quiere recoger los principales temas y preocupaciones que ya ha puesto de relevancia en su alcaldía y que ahora quiere compartir de otra manera, desde la vida civil, con las nuevas generaciones que vienen con fuerza y que quizás puedan necesitar algunas cariñosas y valiosas palabras de una de las más queridas figuras públicas que nos han gobernado en las últimas décadas. Gracias, Manuela.
A luz que nos ilumina: Superar tempos de incerteza
by Michelle ObamaDepois do sucesso de vendas e da crítica Becoming - a minha história, a ex-primeira-dama Michelle Obama regressa com um novo e inspirador livro onde partilha conhecimentos práticos e estratégias eficazes para mantermos a esperança e o ânimo apesar da enorme incerteza do mundo atual. Não há soluções fáceis nem respostas diretas para os grandes desafios da vida, mas Michelle Obama acredita que todos podemos desenvolver estratégias em que possamos apoiar-nos para navegar um mundo em mudança sem nos entregarmos à deriva. A luz que nos ilumina enceta um diálogo franco e honesto com os seus leitores acerca de um conjunto de problemas com que muitos nos debatemos: Como podemos construir relações sinceras? Como descobrir a força e a união nas nossas diferenças? Que ferramentas podemos usar para mitigar os nossos medos e incertezas? O que fazer quando tudo começa a tornar-se de mais? Michelle Obama oferece aos seus leitores uma série de reflexões e histórias inéditas sobre mudanças, desafios e poder, incluindo a sua convicção de que, quando nos iluminamos para o nosso semelhante, potenciamos a prosperidade do mundo à nossa volta., desvendando sentidos mais profundas e novos caminhos em direção ao progresso. Baseando-se na sua experiência quanto mãe, filha, esposa, amiga e primeira-dama, partilha os hábitos e princípios que lhe permitiram adaptar-se à mudança e superar inúmeros obstáculos - a mesma sabedoria que continua a ajudá-la a construir a história. Descreve as suas preciosas técnicas, como "ser gentil", "aspirar ao topo" e preparar uma "mesa de refeições" composta por amigos sinceros e mentores. Com o humor, a honestidade e compaixão que lhe são característicos, explora ainda questões relacionadas com a raça, o género e a visibilidade, encorajando o leitor a ir além do medo, a encontrar forças na sua comunidade e a viver sem medo. Quando aprendemos a reconhecer a nossa própria luz, temos a capacidade de a usar" escreve Michelle Obama. A Luz que nos ilumina inspira os leitores a refletirem sobre as suas vidas, a identificarem aquilo que lhes traz alegria e a encontrarem um sentido maior num mundo conturbado.
A paso de cangrejo
by Umberto EcoA paso de cangrejo -es decir, hacia atrás- es como parece caminar la historia en este nuevo milenio. Todos los avances científicos y los progresos democráticos que auguraban un espléndido futuro se han convertido en conflictos e insatisfacciones. El mundo no va bien.Contra esta inquietante situación lanza Umberto Eco sus afilados dardos, sus reflexiones. Tras el 11 de septiembre, la humanidad ha entrado en una peligrosa regresión. Vuelven los viejos conflictos territoriales, las guerras medievales con denominación de «cruzada», la nostalgia por los totalitarismos, el antisemitismo y otras formas múltiples de racismo. En muchos lugares del mundo, algunos siguen empeñados en combatir las tesis evolutivas de Darwin. Partiendo de la actitud del gran jurista y politólogo italiano Norberto Bobbio, que enunció los deberes del sabio -«El deber de los hombres de cultura es hoy más que nunca sembrar dudas, no ya recoger certezas»-, Eco arremete, entre otros asuntos, contra la forma de vida contemporánea, las guerras, la política internacional y el consumo en las grandes superficies como único espacio de ocio posible, sin olvidar el nefasto papel de los medios de comunicación, empeñados en construir una imagen del mundo basada en el espectáculo y la manipulación. El resultado es un libro intenso y combativo cargado de lúcidos análisis sobre el escenario que nos rodea. Una invitación de Eco a pensar sobre el presente y el futuro.
A political History of the Two Irelands: From Partition to Peace
by Brian M. WalkerThis ground-breaking political history of the two Irish States provides unique new insights into the 'Troubles' and the peace process. It examines the impact of the fraught dynamics between the competing identities of the Nationalist-Catholic-Irish Community on the one hand and the Unionist-Protestant-British community on the other.
A sus órdenes, mi general: El caso Cienfuegos y la sumisión de AMLO ante el poder militar
by J. Jesús Esquivel«En Nueva York, en la Corte del Distrito Este, hay un caso muy delicado que tiene que ver con tu país. SE TRATA DE UN GENERAL DE LAS FUERZAS ARMADAS METIDO CON EL NARCOTRÁFICO. Hablo de un general muy importante. La DEA lo ha investigado y tiene pruebas en su contra… CREO QUE LE DICEN EL PADRINO.» El 15 de octubre de 2020, el arresto del general Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda en el aeropuerto de Los Ángeles, California, sacudió las estructuras del poder militar en México. El Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos lo acusaba de usar su rango para ofrecer protección al Cártel de Sinaloa, así como de recibir sobornos millonarios y estar coludido con dicha organización criminal para el trasiego de drogas. La denominada “Operación Padrino” era la investigación internacional más sólida y contundente sobre un militar mexicano relacionado directamente con el narcotráfico. Pese a esto, nadie en el gobierno deMéxico supo de lo que las autoridades estadounidenses tenían entre manos hasta la detención del general. J. Jesús Esquivel —corresponsal en Washington, D. C. de la revista Proceso— fue el primer reportero en tener pistas sobre esta operación meses antes del arresto, cuando un fiscal federal de distrito —a quien conoció durante el juicio de Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán en Nueva York— le dio el pitazo. En este libro relata aquel encuentro y todo lo que pudo recabar sobre la operación, desde los antecedentes, que datan de 2015, hasta la reacción del gobierno mexicano a la detención, así como las consecuencias en la relación con Estados Unidos luego de que México hubiera optado por la liberación de Cienfuegos. A sus órdenes, mi general traza una línea para entender todas las concesiones que han existido para el ejército durante el gobierno de López Obrador y demuestra la fuerza perdurable de esta institución en México
A un pam de la independència: Com hi arribarem i com la viurem
by Vicent PartalUna reflexió sobre els processos independentistes d'Europa i de Catalunya des d'una visió optimista i pràctica. El país que volem és la crònica del procés que porta des de la gestació de l’Estatut de 2006 fins a la situació actual, amb el sobiranisme en primer pla del debat a Catalunya. Partal, basant-se en la seva llarga experiència com a periodista internacional, també reflexiona sobre els diversos processos independentistes que s’han produït recentment arreu del món, com ara els països bàltics, els països dels Balcans, Escòcia i Quebec. I, en darrer terme, exposa el seu ideari sobre les característiques de la Catalunya independent que desitja i creu possible. La seva és una visió optimista i pràctica, convençuda que la independència de Catalunya no només és possible sinó que es produirà en el si de la Unió Europea
A. L. Morton and the Radical Tradition (Palgrave Studies in Utopianism)
by James CrossleyThis is the first book-length treatment of the life and thought of the Communist intellectual A. L. Morton (1903–1987) who pioneered studies of utopianism, radical history, and English national identity. Morton is now best known for A People's History of England (1938) and The English Utopia (1952), but his output was vast, and he was once widely read in socialist circles and beyond. He published on the English Revolution, Chartism, the emergence of the British labour movement, the legacy of utopianism in working-class movements, Arthurian legends, Shakespeare, the Brontë sisters, Robert Owen, William Morris, millenarianism, imperialism, and much more. Through extensive archival work (including recently released secret service files) and a close reading of Morton's publications, this book shows how Morton was a key influence on the famed generation of British Marxist historians associated with the postwar Communist Party Historians' Group, often anticipating their more celebrated findings. This book analyses the interrelated significance of Morton’s political work and his role within the Communist Party of Great Britain at crucial points in its history. The book further functions, then, as a story of English socialism and Communism during the Cold War.
A. Lincoln: A Biography
by Ronald C. White"If you read one book about Lincoln, make it A. Lincoln."--USA TodayNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BYThe Washington Post * The Philadelphia Inquirer * The Christian Science Monitor * St. Louis Post-Dispatch. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER AWARDEveryone wants to define the man who signed his name "A. Lincoln." In his lifetime and ever since, friend and foe have taken it upon themselves to characterize Lincoln according to their own label or libel. In this magnificent book, Ronald C. White, Jr., offers a fresh and compelling definition of Lincoln as a man of integrity-what today's commentators would call "authenticity"-whose moral compass holds the key to understanding his life. Through meticulous research of the newly completed Lincoln Legal Papers, as well as of recently discovered letters and photographs, White provides a portrait of Lincoln's personal, political, and moral evolution. White shows us Lincoln as a man who would leave a trail of thoughts in his wake, jotting ideas on scraps of paper and filing them in his top hat or the bottom drawer of his desk; a country lawyer who asked questions in order to figure out his own thinking on an issue, as much as to argue the case; a hands-on commander in chief who, as soldiers and sailors watched in amazement, commandeered a boat and ordered an attack on Confederate shore batteries at the tip of the Virginia peninsula; a man who struggled with the immorality of slavery and as president acted publicly and privately to outlaw it forever; and finally, a president involved in a religious odyssey who wrote, for his own eyes only, a profound meditation on "the will of God" in the Civil War that would become the basis of his finest address. Most enlightening, the Abraham Lincoln who comes into focus in this stellar narrative is a person of intellectual curiosity, comfortable with ambiguity, unafraid to "think anew and act anew." A transcendent, sweeping, passionately written biography that greatly expands our knowledge and understanding of its subject, A. Lincoln will engage a whole new generation of Americans. It is poised to shed a profound light on our greatest president just as America commemorates the bicentennial of his birth. From the Hardcover edition.
A. Lincoln: A Biography
by Ronald C. White Jr.In this important new biography, Ronald C. White, Jr. offers a fresh and fascinating definition of Lincoln as a man of integrity--what today's commentators are calling "authenticity"--whose internal moral compass is the key to understanding his life. Through meticulous research, utilizing recently discovered Lincoln letters, legal papers, and photographs, White depicts Lincoln as a person of intellectual curiosity, comfortable with ambiguity, and capable of changing his mind. The reader is treated to an exploration of Lincoln's compelling words, his changing ideas on slavery, the shaping of the modern role of Commander-in-Chief, and his surprising religious odyssey. A. Lincoln, so titled for the way Lincoln signed his name, sheds an innovative and profound light on our nation's most beloved leader for a new generation of Americans. "Ronald C. White's A. LINCOLN is the best biography of Lincoln since David Donald's LINCOLN (1995)... Amid all the books on Lincoln that will be published during the coming year, this one will stand out as one of the best." - James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
A. Philip Randolph: Union Leader and Civil Rights Crusader
by Catherine ReefBiography of the African-American union leader.
A.D. 381: Heretics, Pagans, and the Dawn of the Monotheistic State
by Charles Freeman“A chronicle of one significant year in Christian history.” —Kirkus ReviewsIn A.D. 381, Theodosius, emperor of the eastern Roman empire, issued a decree in which all his subjects were required to subscribe to a belief in the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This edict defined Christian orthodoxy and brought to an end a lively and wide-ranging debate about the nature of God; all other interpretations were now declared heretical. It was the first time in a thousand years of Greco-Roman civilization free thought was unambiguously suppressed. Why has Theodosius’s revolution been airbrushed from the historical record? In this groundbreaking book, acclaimed historian Charles Freeman argues that Theodosius’s edict and the subsequent suppression of paganism not only brought an end to the diversity of religious and philosophical beliefs throughout the empire, but created numerous theological problems for the Church, which have remained unsolved. The year A.D. 381, as Freeman puts it, was “a turning point which time forgot.”“A well-argued and -documented study of the rise of the monotheistic state in the late Roman Empire and its aftereffects.” —Library Journal
A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham, The: A Civil Rights Landmark (American Heritage)
by Marie A. SuttonTraveling throughout the South during the 1950s was hazardous for African Americans. There were precious few hotels and restaurants that opened their doors to minorities, and fewer still had accommodations above the bare minimum, to say nothing of the racism and violence that followed. But in Birmingham, black entrepreneur and eventual millionaire A.G. Gaston created a first-class motel and lounge for African Americans that became a symbol of pride of his community. It served as the headquarters for Birmingham's civil rights movement and became a revolving door for famous entertainers, activists, politicians and other pillars of the national black community. Author Marie Sutton chronicles the fascinating story of the motel and how it became a refuge during a time when African Americans could find none.