Bomb Power; The Modern Presidency and The National Security State

By Garry Wills
"Wills (history, emeritus, Northwestern Univ.; Lincoln at Gettysburg) expands upon an idea he raised ten years ago in A Necessary Evil, that the atomic bomb utterly changed the nature of our government. The "monopoly on use of nuclear weaponry" first given to President Truman in 1945 has since contributed to the growth of presidential power, enveloping too many acts in an extraconstitutional secrecy grown steadily more routine. Wills starts with the story of the bomb's development at Los Alamos and other sites and goes on to outline how, as the Cold War took shape between 1945 and 1952, a national security state was constructed out of components such as the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency. The consequences and further causes of official "permanent war in peace" are examined here in episodes of entwined presidential secrecy and power ranging from the Korean War to the War on Terror. In an afterword already published in the New York Review of Books, Wills expresses doubts that the presidency of Barack Obama will be much different than those of his postwar predecessors. VERDICT The original premise is often lost here, but any tract from Wills will delight his readership. This book is among his most timely, if not among his best." (LJ Reviews)
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The Politican: An Insider's Account Of John Edward's Pursuit Of The Presidency and The Scandal That Brought Him Down

By Andrew Young
"Young had been the senator’s closest aide and most trusted friend. He believed that John Edwards could be a great president, and was assured throughout the cover-up that his boss and friend would ultimately step forward to both tell the truth and protect his aide’s career. Neither promise was kept. Not only a moving personal account of Andrew Young’s political education, THE POLITICIAN offers a look at the trajectory which made John Edwards the ideal Democratic candidate for president, and the hubris which brought him down, leaving his career, his marriage and his dreams in ashes." (Publisher Comment)
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Crash Course; The American Automobile's Road From Glory To Disaster

By Paul Ingrassia
"A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist's pedal-to-the-metal history of America's signature industry....... Employing superb storytelling skills, Ingrassia explains in head-shaking detail the elements of a wholly avoidable collision." (Kirkus Reviews)
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A New American Tea Party: The CounterRevolution Against Bailouts, Handouts, Reckless Spending and More Taxes

By John M. O'Hara
"Author John M. O'Hara - a rising star in the conservative/libertarian movement - played an integral role in starting the first modern day tea party in February of 2008, an effort that sparked off a nation wide movement. On tax day in April 2009, hundreds of thousands of citizens gathered in more than 800 cities to voice their opposition to out of control spending at all levels of government. In August, citizens in every state of the union made their voices heard at congressional town hall meetings. On September 12, 2009 over half a million people marched on the U.S. Capitol. A New American Tea Party explains how these protests evolved and were organized, and distills the results-including the often bizarre media backlashes-of the movement, the philosophy behind the movement, and the road ahead. Written by one of the leading organizers behind the protests, this book shows you how the costs of bailouts and other excessive government interference today is philosophically incompatible with the founding principles of our nation and simply unsustainable for future generations." (Publisher Comments)
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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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