The Spirit Level; Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger

By Richard Wilkinson
"Popular wisdom would tell us that poverty is the breeding ground for many of society's ills. But British academics Wilkinson (emeritus, Univ. of Nottingham Medical Sch.) and Pickett (senior lecturer, Univ. of York) argue otherwise. They've woven together a great deal of international research to show that inequality, not poverty per se, is what contributes most to social problems. The authors not only compare data from a range of countries but also gather data from all 50 states to verify that relationships that exist on a national level also exist on a more local scale. The first element examined is trust as a measure of community life and social relations. Once it is established that people in unequal societies don't trust one another, the stage is set to examine a host of other dystopian problems from mental health to teenage births to social mobility. VERDICT In this fascinating sociological study, the authors do an excellent job of presenting the research, analyzing nuances, and offering policy suggestions for creating more equal and sustainable societies. For all readers, specialized or not, with an interest in understanding the dynamics today between economic and social conditions." (LJ Reviews)
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Notes From A Cracked Ceiling: Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin And What It Will Take For A Woman To Win

By Anne E. Kornblut
"Although neither Hillary Clinton nor Sarah Palin managed to pull off the historic achievement of becoming the first woman president or vice president, they have added to the debate about the likely prospect of a woman ever reaching the highest office. Washington Post reporter Kornblut reviews the campaigns of Clinton and Palin from the perspective of how the media and voters reacted to female candidates. Based on her own observations, as well as those of campaign consultants and advisors, Kornblut explores how the candidates wrestled, or not, with gender issues from appearance to the role of their husbands and children in the campaign. Clinton was determined to downplay her gender in favor of her experience, while Palin apparently was unconcerned about the issue but more willing than Clinton to use gender to her advantage as Republicans and Democrats reversed themselves on traditional feminist issues. Kornblut analyzes the double standard applied to Clinton, Palin, and a number of other female politicians, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and self-made billionaire and Republican California governor hopeful Meg Whitman. Kornblut concludes with an analysis of the long-range implications of the two historic campaigns for the future prospects of women in public office." ( Booklist Reviews)
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Inside Obama's Brain

By Sasha Abramsky

"Journalist Abramsky attempts to delineate the working of President Obama's mind by analyzing his voluminous record of speeches, interviews, and published writings, in addition to interviewing many of his friends, colleagues, classmates, and professors for this concise yet well-researched work. From the comprehensive range of interviews and interpretive analysis certain traits and talents emerge, notably the President's ability to listen, which Abramsky and others contend has been as instrumental in his rise as his lauded oratorical skills. Indeed, many argue that Obama's ability to listen, empathize, and craft pragmatic solutions made him an effective community organizer, which was in turn a formative influence on his subsequent career. Abramsky examines the academic milieus of Harvard and the University of Chicago to demonstrate how their competitive, demanding cultures honed Obama's intellect and, perhaps more important, his desire to familiarize himself with, and sometimes incorporate, ideas and philosophies contrary to his own. He also skillfully applies context, e.g., the Iowa Caucus, to illustrate Obama's use of his skills. " (LJ Reviews)

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How They See Us; Meditations On America

By James Atlas
"In this collection, Atlas... has asked disparate thinkers from around the world to offer their impressions, in essay form, of America in 2009. While other books, such as Ole R. Holsti's To See Ourselves as Others See Us: How Publics Abroad View the United States After 9/11, have tackled this topic from a more academic or partisan perspective, none has sought to hear from such a range of writers who are not foreign policy experts. The short essays vary from Da Chen's moving description of immigration from China to Leilah Nadir's bitter screed against the Iraq War to Terry Eagleton poking fun at American myths and culture. What ties the pieces together is an apt observation from Imraan Coovadia that there are only two ways of looking at America from the outside: submission or resentment. VERDICT This is an easy and interesting read.." (LJ Reviews)
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Lobbying In America; A Reference Handbook

By Bryson Morgan

"This very informative reference handbook covers the background and history of lobbying and interest groups, the problems and controversies they face, and possible solutions. ......Morgan (law student, Harvard) also present(s) a worldwide perspective on lobbying. They offer a well-written chronology that covers interest group politics and lobbying from 1763 to the present, and biographical sketches featuring major scholars, commentators, interest group founders and leaders, and lobbyists such as Ralph Nader, Cesar Chavez, and Jack Abramoff. ....It also addresses attempts made by Congress to regulate lobbying activities through hearings, legislation, and other official means. A directory of organizations, associations, and agencies is featured, along with a selective bibliography of print and electronic resources related to interest groups, campaign finance, and lobbying. Laid out in a simple, clean manner with concise entries, this work nicely summarizes lobbying and interest group politics in a single, readable volume. (Choice Reviews)

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The Forty Years War; The Rise And Fall Of The Neocons From Nixon To Obama

By Len Colodny
"Chronicle of the decades-long battle between the pragmatists and the neocons for control of U.S. foreign policy.....In this readable history, the authors tell many intriguing tales, including the neocon incubator that was Scoop Jackson's senate office; the military spying on Nixon's National Security Council; Haig's maneuverings during Nixon's final days; the rise of Cheney and Rumsfeld under Ford and their denouement under Bush II; the neocon's shameless readopting of Reagan after his accords with Gorbachev proved successful; the controversial decision to leave Saddam Hussein in power after the Gulf War; and the continuing and curious role of reporter Bob Woodward in the neocon story.A well-reported, fast-paced history lesson on the eternal conflict between ideologues and policymakers and the hubris that always accompanies success." (Kirkus Reviews)
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Becoming Americans; Four Centuries Of Immigrant Writing

By Ilan Stavans
"Becoming Americans presents the full range of the experience of coming to America: the reasons for departure, the journey itself, the shock and spectacle of first arrival, the passionate ambivalence toward the old country and the old life, and above all the struggle with the complexities of America. Arranged in chronological order by date of arrival, this unprecedented collection presents a collective history of the United States that is both familiar and surprisingly new, as seen through the fresh eyes and words of newcomers from more than forty different countries." (Publisher Description)
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An American Original: the Life And Constitution of Antonin Scalia

by Joan Biskupic
"The legal affairs correspondent for USA Today examines the life and legal philosophy of the Supreme Court's most colorful, combative and controversial Justice.Antonin Scalia did not invent the doctrine of originalism, but he has been its most prominent practitioner during his 22 years on the Court. Rejecting the notion of a so-called "living" or "evolving" Constitution and disparaging the influence of international law, Scalia has emerged as a conservative champion, decrying the meddlesome ways of Court colleagues "busy designing a Constitution for a country I do not recognize." Skeptical about the authority, indeed, the capacity of judges, Scalia prefers a legislative resolution of democracy's contentious issues—abortion, affirmative action, etc.—and takes a broad view of executive power. Fluently discussing the cases he has authored and those in which he has famously dissented, Biskupic (Sandra Day O'Connor, 2005) sets out the origins of Scalia's judicial philosophy and explains its increasing influence. The book's real charm, however, lies in her treatment of the man. She traces the important influences on Scalia—the lessons from his immigrant parents, the centrality of his Catholic faith, the early professional experiences in the Nixon justice department—and offers a portrait of a man quite unlike any
other judge" (Kirkus Reviews)


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The Arabs; A History

By Eugene L. Rogan
"Rogan, an Oxford University lecturer, comments that Western intellectuals and leaders have an inadequate grasp of how Arabs understand their own history, which generates many grievances...Framing modern history as viewed from the Arab world, Rogan eruditely furnishes Western readers with a background to current events." (Booklist Reviews)
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Whole Earth Discipline; An Ecopragmatic Manifesto

By Stewart Brand
"Trained as a biologist and spectacularly well read and traveled, Brand is the entrepreneurial mastermind behind the Whole Earth Catalog, Wired magazine, and the Global Business Network. He now brings all his knowledge and creativity to the complex problems of climate change. Designating himself an ecopragmatist, he argues agilely that we must become "benevolent ecosystem engineers" and expand our definition of infrastructure to include both river and bridge. Nuclear power is the answer to our energy needs, Brand avers, and explains why at length, then does the same as he advocates for genetic engineering. Urbanization is the greenest form of human life, says Brand, and he even celebrates the ecology of the squatter cities that ring the planet's megalopolises. Here, Brand declares, human ingenuity triumphs; waste is eradicated, and opportunities arise. Brand's reasoning is lucid if disturbing, his perspective genuinely global and realistic. " (Booklist Reviews)
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