Governments

Having lived nearly my entire life under Schaefer's management, first as Mayor, then as Governor, I wanted to read about his personal qualities that made him such a success. This books explains that, as well as the many undercover forces as well. The only element missing is a discussion of why many of his successes were not enough to save the city from its current decline.

If you are interested in the politics of American cities this marvelous biography of the four-term mayor of Baltimore should be on the top of your reading list. C. Fraser Smith, a veteran reporter for the Baltimore Sun, has used the life of William Donald Schaefer -- a lackluster ward politician who surprised almost everyone by becoming one of America's most successful big city mayors -- as a vehicle for examining the inner workings of Baltimore during the last half century. In doing so he opens up a window through which to view and better understand every American city. With a sharp eye for detail and a knack for compelling narrative, Smith guides us through the morass of city politics, introducing us up-close-and-personal to an array of interesting characters who, at one time or another, performed on center stage with Schaefer. They include members of the mayor's staff, party godfathers, business leaders, neighborhood activists, obscure but powerful civil servants, black political leaders, and owners of sports teams, to cite a few. In his ability to employ ordinary citizens to tell a city's story, one is reminded immediately of J. Anthony Lukas' Common Ground, the Pulitzer-prize winning dissection of Boston. The reader senses that Smith, as a reporter on city and state beats, knew personally and had earned the trust of most of the key players he interviewed. They felt comfortable revealing to him the most intimate stories and opinions.

Yet despite all its attention to the political context, the book stays true throughout to its basic purpose of creating a rich, reliable biography of a remarkable public servant. It will be as valuable to scholars of urban America as it will be enjoyable to persons wanting simply to immerse themselves in big city lore.

Just a terrific political history of Baltimore over the past 40 years. Wonderfully told.

Sell is admittedly an outsider, always studying Boeing from the periphery of a neutral journalist, or family member of one employed there, yet he manages to deftly describe the essence and culture of Boeing as a longtime employee would. He understands and conveys the conservative approach Boeing has always taken toward state governmental affairs, and presents Boeing as above reproach in these matters, a reputation Boeing has gone to great lengths to ensure. I appreciated the detail to which Sell went to explain the legislative aspects of growth in Washington state and Boeing's occasional collisions with it - a good read whether one is interested in the evolution of Boeing from Bill Boeing's hobby shop to the economic powerhouse it is today, or if one is interested in the impact of growth. Sell also slips in delightful, but subtle witticisms.

Sell's book cuts through the fog of loyalty to green or greed parties and explains the paradox of growth with facts not fictions. Everyone has something to learn from this book. Sell makes both sides of the growth issue stand naked before the mirror and it isn't always pretty. "Wings of Power" is a well written and thoroughly researched book that, unlike most of this genre, is not devoid of humor.

A great read, especially considering recent events (Boeing leaving Seattle.)

A rare voice of reason and compassion. Dr. Dixon-Mueller gives us a chance to look clear-eyed at the facts . . . and the facts speak for themselves. Every woman should read this book! -- along with every single person involved on either side of the debate. Bravo!

"A near-perfect primer on reproductive health and policy issues" (Conscience: A Newsjournal of Catholic Opinion).

"Well organized, very readable, well argued. ...Essential."
(American Library Association).

"Truly impressive; the information and perspectives presented are invaluable .. for the helping professional" (Canadian Counselling Association)

"I would hope that every medical student has the opportunity to read this book" (British Medical Women's Federation).

"Balanced and well-researched, with global and culturally sensitive perspectives" (Journal of American Board of Family Practice)

"If you're looking for an intelligent, informative and readable discussion of why abortion needs to be safe, legal and accessible, this is the book for you. The authors focus on the realities of unwanted pregnancies and on women's experiences with legal and illegal abortion in the U.S., Canada and worldwide. An estimated 48 million of the world's women terminate their pregnancies every year, some safely, many dangerously. Others bear unwanted children. In the U.S. four women in ten will have at least one abortion in their lifetime. ABORTION & COMMON SENSE explains why "perfect contraception" is elusive; the reasons for contraceptive failure or nonuse; the process of abortion decision-making; safe and unsafe procedures and their physical and emotional effects; and the legal, medical, and political environments--both domestic and international--that affect women's access to safe services. Demonstrating that restricting legal access is both unworkable and unfair, the authors conclude that safe and early abortion services should be an integral element of good medical care and a rational social policy. A Quick Quiz at the beginning of the book tests your knowledge of abortion laws and practices. You may be surprised!

"I would hope that every medical student has the opportunity to read this book" (British Medical Women's Association)

"Offers factual reporting and balanced perspective on topics that continue to be controversial, confusing, and misrepresented" (Journal of the American Library Association)

"An excellent new entry inbto the field of abortion literature ... accessible to the lay public" (Conscience: An Newsjournal of Catholic Opinion)

"Truly impressive... the information and perspectives presented are invaluable .. for the helping professional (Canadian Counselling Association"

"Balanced and well-researched, with global and culturally sensitive perspectives" (Journal of the American Board of Family Practice)

Compassionate and pragmatic, Abortion and Common Sense cuts through the rhetoric and misinformation of the abortion debate to show how restricting women's access to early, safe and legal services is not only unworkable and unfair but also harmful, illogical and undemocratic. In the context of the Bush administration's reactionary position on sex education, abortion and even contraception together with its defunding of international family planning organizations, the authors' insistence that safe early termination services should be a routine element of good medical care and of an equitable and rational social policy is refreshing indeed! This book is a "must read" for health professionals, teachers, social workers, lawmakers, and everyone else who may harbor a few doubts about the moralities and practicalities of abortion in women's lives. (A Quick Quiz in the early pages of the book to test your knowledge of abortion laws and practices will really surprise you.)

Turkey is an undiscovered jewel for many Americans. I have had the opportunity to lead groups to Turkey several times and to travel in all parts of the country on my own. Dr. Ergener has served as our guide several times. I have always encouraged the group members to buy his book because it provides the information one needs when traveling in Turkey. Now that the book is available on Amazon.com, I will be able to have tour members secure the book prior to the tour.

In these times of world tension and great misunderstanding about people of the Middle East, Dr. Ergener's book educated me about the culture and people of Turkey. I recommend this book to anyone who plans to travel to Turkey. But on a wider scope, I wish that all Americans could read "About Turkey" to increase their awareness about this wonderful country. I made a trip there last year and found that the people were warm and friendly, and that Turkey should be on everyone's travel list. I never realized just how much Turkey's history has impacted the rest of the world. Dr. Ergener's book addresses everything from Turkey's religions, to its history, to current-day politics and world affairs. "About Turkey" is a wonderful, educational, timely read.

If you want to know about Turkey this gem is the place to begin your journey. Dr. Ergener's clear and concise presentation spared me countless hours of research. He provides a broad perspective and insight into the character and concerns of modern Turkish society and the wondrously colorful mosaic that is Turkey. After reading this informative book I was well prepared to settle comfortably and quickly into my new neighborhood in the delightful old city of Istanbul.
Thank you Dr. Ergener.

> This book is an inspiration. The interviews range from funny to militant,
> the organizing strategies range from creatively loopy to brave and
> brilliant. What the reader absorbs from these wonderful and diverse
> activists is an infectious sense of commitment to improving society, and a
> sense of idealism about the potential we all have to make those changes. We
> see and feel how lives are made whole by engagement with social change.

This masterful collection of intimate interviews is even more than the sum of its wonderful parts. While there are many books about activists, this is the only one that embraces activists across diverse disciplines, ranging from community arts and culture to banking and finance. After reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that interviews may be the only way to authentically capture the perspectives of visionary leaders. Marie Cieri and Claire Peeps clearly engendered an intimacy with their subjects that resulted in an outpouring of insight and honesty. As a reader, you feel that you've actually had a personal conversation with these special human beings. And perhaps the greatest gift of this book is that it humanizes these activists, focusing on the everyday choices that these leaders made in their lives, and the simple improvisational skills they demonstrated in the face of life's surprising curves. The result is that the reader is inspired to believe that he or she could actually make changes in their own world. And what better reason is there to write a book? I purchased a stack of these books for my family, frioends, and colleagues. I heartily recommend buying this book for everyone you know.

This is a great book for everyone interested in arts and activism to read because there are no easy answers or facile solutions given here. The editors respect the individual voices of the 15 artists and activists they interviewed. They don't try to tidy up the narrative and impose their own generalizations and comparisons. What they give us through these interviews are tough questions and real inconsistencies that we must try to figure out. Why are so many people indifferent to artists today? Can art help us relate across generations and build stronger communities? Can involvement in activism challenge artists to do better work? To me, this book contains the kind of information and inspiration that represents art and activism at its best.

Crouch continues to prove beyond any doubt to be an individual with the highest standard of literary precision. His insight into the human condition and clearness of thought are peerless in American correspndence.

Ken Mask, MD
New Orleans

american's of all ages and colors should feel indebted to Mr. Crouch for writing some of the most interesting commentary on our american cultural scene. it is because crouch understands so well the basic promise and opportunity of american life that he can weave such wide-ranging and often disparate opinion without losing touch with the reality of the culture. most importantly, crouch establishes himself as part of the great triad of negro americans - along with the novelist albert murray and trumpet virtuoso wynton marsalis who seek to recommit americans to the power and complexity of our national music: jazz. this can only be done by tossing some left hooks at our great national embarrassment: namely the nihilism and materialism of modern popular music, especially rap music. the fact that this music has been co-opted by white suburban kids shows that it has long been a bankrupt and impotent force whose only purpose is to further depress the culture for the enrichment of a few. crouch is calling on americans of all stripes to turn their back on the 'electronic judgement day' of the mass media and the self-serving race-hustlers of the academic and literary establishment and rededicate the culture to jazz and literature based on the 'tragic optimism' that has always been at the heart of jazz/blues music and american culture. count me in.

Crouch has a long history as a politically incorrect commentator on the vexed questions of race & victim politics. From what he calls "the Afrocentric hustle" to the real "race card" played in the O.J. Simpson trial; a stunning suite of essays in praise of Ralph Ellison; and how the Constitution is like the blues, I found my self in passionate agreement & furious dissent - often within the same sentence. For pure verve, style & energy Crouch is possibly the only writer who stands with Camille Paglia as a thinker who is hard to like but impossible to ignore.

This is a comprehensive analysis of the threat without being alarmist.

It is far too easy to find shocking explanations of the biological weapons potential that do not describe some of the difficulties in their procurement and delivery. This "sexy" approach captures our attention and makes for good entertainment, but the 'Chicken Little' approach doesn't help us develop rational methods for dealing with the issue.

Read this book if you want a levelheaded examination. It also contains a good description and solid recommendations for a national strategy.

In a very good way, I got more than I bargained for by reading this book. While seeking a solid source to inform myself on the "nuts and bolts", policy implications, and development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), I continued to come across this title. Expect some dense and intense reading; there is not a wasted word here. The book focuses exclusively on the covert delivery of a nuclear, biological, or chemical weapon against an American target, exploring possible methods, limitations, locales, preventive measures, and consequences. This book will considerably broaden the knowledge of any first-timer looking into WMD and likely provides substantive material for discussion among policy makers and experts in the field.

I picked up this book as a research tool for a paper. Not only did I find the book to contain everything I needed, I became so enveloped in the reality of what I was reading that I couldn't put it down. A fan of Tom Clancy novels, this book describes the harsh reality that we live in, while detailing both the strengths and the weaknesses of the US response to bioterrorism. A must read for those with an interest in national security issues.

I have never read any Native American literature before but, I had to read these stories for a Literature class and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I would recommend this reading to anyone who is somewhat interested in the history of Native America or who is interest in great story telling. The stories are so visual and Zitkala Sa takes the reader through her childhood memories with passion, emotion, depth and sincerity. Her stories shed light on what happened in that era for those who aren't as familiar with the history of Native Americans. Her experience compels us as humans to take a closer look at our actions and strive to preserve the beauty and differences of all cultures not just of the Native American. Zitkala Sa emerges from her tragic experiences and her loss of culture and spirit to become one of the most notable Native American Activists fighting for the rights of her people and stressing the importance cultural preservation.

All these short stories are beautiful and moving.

I have never read any Native American literature before but, I had to read these stories for a Literature class and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I would recommend this reading to anyone who is somewhat interested in the history of Native America or who is interest in great story telling. The stories are so visual and Zitkala Sa takes the reader through her childhood memories with passion, emotion, depth and sincerity. Her stories shed light on what happened in that era for those who aren't as familiar with the history of Native Americans. Her experience compels us as humans to take a closer look at our actions and strive to preserve the beauty and differences of all cultures not just of the Native American. Zitkala Sa emerges from her tragic experiences and her loss of culture and spirit to become one of the most notable Native American Activists fighting for the rights of her people and stressing the importance cultural preservation.

All these short stories are beautiful and moving.

Zitkala-Sa (Gertrude Bonnin) collected her autobiographical narratives from the Atlantic Monthly (1900-1902), and some fictional folktales, in this 1921 book. Obscure and out of print for decades, it was rediscovered in the 1970s and in 1985 was issued in this facsimile of the first edition, with a helpful forward by Dexter Fisher. It's tempting to call Zitkala-Sa the Native American Zora Neale Hurston, but Zitkala-Sa is too original to be seen as a version of anyone else. The story of her upbringing, and the deceptive luring of her to a missionary-sponsored school in the east, where she found herself held down as her hair was cut (a scene that reads with the intensity of a rape), is riveting and heartrending. Although bitter about her experiences, she achieved a full education in English, expertise on the violin (she performed in Paris), and finally the presidency of the National Council of American Indians, which successfully promoted a law making Native Americans citizens of the United States. The book as a whole reflects her empowerment, but also speaks eloquently in a conquering culture's language of what it is to have no power over your destiny or selfhood. Her integration of several competing selves led her to write this, in "The Great Spirit": "The racial lines, which once were bitterly real, now serve nothing more than marking out a living mosaic of human beings." I for one feel richer for having read this book, and knowing the story of an American hero in her own words. Very highly recommended to all.

As a child and young adult, I was taught to have great respect for Mr. Truman. Among the things he was praised for was his plain-speaking manner and the fact that he told it as it was, with no sugar coating. I never really understood what that meant until I read this book. The Harry Truman that comes across here is a person you could easily image as your next-door neighbor. He always gives it to you in a no-nonsense, down-to-earth way that anybody can understand the first time.

That having been said I just want to voice two criticisms. First, I think Mr. Truman's understanding of history might be a little too "black and white". For example, he states that after WWI, the allied powers didn't really go to hard on Germany in terms of making the Germans pay reparations. I think just the opposite is true. The allied powers at Versailles imposed very hard terms on the Germans. Mr. Truman was correct in stating that the allies never entered German soil, however, the severity of the peace terms combined with the fact that the Germans never saw an enemy soldier sowed the seeds for Hitler's preaching that the Germans were stabbed in the back. I'm just saying that perhaps Mr. Truman's historical understanding was not as sophisticated as me might think.

Second, it seems that Mr. Truman's dislike of Mr. Eisenhower finds it's way onto virtually every page of the book. No matter who or what he's talking about, he seems to find a way to turn the subject into a criticism of Ike. I guess he really didn't like him too much.

All that having been said, I think this is great book.

This book does something very rare--it actually reveals the plain-spoken nature of Harry S. Truman while still demonstrating the depth and breadth of Truman's knowledge of history, politics, economics, and foreign affairs. It was really amazing to me that an essentially "self-taught" man was so brilliant with such a deep understanding of a vast array of issues. Unlike our current president, Harry S. Truman understood the complexities of international relations and implications of taking unilateral approaches in our foreign policy.

Truman also recognized that military action was something to be used as a LAST resort, especially when the rest of the world is against such an action. Although Truman had an appreciation for some military experience in public servants, he also recognized the danger of career military men in those positions. Unlike politicians of today, Truman was bold enough to make the unpopular decision to fire General McArthur because our foreign policy should not be predicated on our ability to anhilate every other country on the face of the earth.

This book is absolutely essential for the student of Harry S. Truman in particular, as well as for the student of History in general. Truman goes through all the important historical phases of our country and makes the information really breathe. In this age of political sophistry, it's very refreshing to hear a politician just being himself. It's interesting that Truman was vilified in his day. Perhaps he told it too much like it was for ears of that time. Nonetheless, this is a book that can be read again and again. This and Merle Miller's book should be in every Truman admirer's library.

Harden brings one of the lest reported parts of the world to light, but it is now a bit out of date. It is hard to give a book this good less than five stars, but many things have happened in Africa in the last five years. I would purchase an update in a minute.

Simply put this is the best book on Africa dealing up to the 1990's. As an African living in Europe I found this book an excellent read and spot on in its findings. Students of political science, and those who have an interest in Africa such as western governments, aid agencies and miltinationals would do well to read this book. By better understanding Africa real progress could be made to solve the problems of Africa.

I cant recommend this book more strongly.

A friend gave me this book, and said "you gotta read this". And you know what, I'm really happy she did, because I learned a lot from Dispatches. Harden does a great job of weaving different short stories, each with a unique slant and look at African life. Both entertaining and educational, I'm now fascinated with Africa and ready to read more!