Vital statistics on American politics 2007-2008 by Harold W. Stanley

"This new edition is updated with the most recent information available, including data on the 2006 congressional, and gubernatorial elections. What sets this book apart is the experience of editors Harold Stanley and Richard Niemi. These scholars consult hundreds of sources to calculate and locate the data, facts, and figures that offer a vivid and multifaceted portrait of the broad spectrum of United States politics and policies. " - Editorial Reviews

The complex : how the military invades our everyday lives by Nick Turse

“This is a deeply disturbing audit of the Pentagon’s influence on American life, especially its subtle conscription of popular imagination and entertainment technology. If Nick Turse is right, the ‘Matrix’ may be just around the corner.”—Mike Davis, author of Buda's Wagon: A Brief History of the Car Bomb

The fall and rise of the Islamic state by Noah Feldman

"The author knows exactly what he is talking about. And unlike most of the literature he is trying to discuss the issue logically and in details. He seems to have very good understanding of the way muslims think in the East. " - Ibn Araby

Standard operating procedure by Philip Gourevitch

"This is literally a thought provoking work. The authors carefully refrain from judgment and share a dozen carefully interwoven stories: the slapdash way the occupation of Iraq was handled; the deliberately vague guidance given the almost completely untrained national guard platoon; the tragedy that ensues when a group of near-civilians get puffed up with the..." - George Borrow

America's Rasputin : Walt Rostow and the Vietnam War by David Milne

"David Milne examines one man’s impact on the United States’ worst-ever military defeat. It is a portrait of good intentions and fatal misjudgments. A true ideologue, Rostow believed that it is beholden upon the United States to democratize other nations and do “good,” no matter what the cost. America’s Rasputin explores the consequences of this idealistic but unyielding dogma." - Macmillan

A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn - the Last Great Battle of the American West by James Donovan

"Donovan's research covers the entire period of the Indian wars, including conflicts involving tribes far from the Great Plains involving military officers who participated in the campaign which cost George Armstrong Custer his life, but the main focus of the book once this background is established is the Battle of the Little Bighorn." - BC Blogcritics Magazine

Taking the hill : from Philly to Baghdad to the United States Congress by Patrick J. Murphy

"Told with passion and candor, Taking the Hill is a powerful and moving tale of love for family and the belief that the American dream is still within reach. More than anything, Murphy’s life demonstrates the joys and necessity of serving others, whether that means one’s family or students, community or fellow soldiers, or one’s nation." - Macmillan

The world on fire : 1919 and the battle with Bolshevism by Anthony Read

"This well-written book should be read in conjunction with "Savage Peace" by Ann Hagedorn, which I reviewed on June 28, 2007. They both offer insights into what was happening in the U.S. right after the end of World War I, and particularly the hysteria caused by the Russian Revolution. There are some of the same incidents in both books, but this latest one goes beyond... " - Frank J. Konopka

Trigger men : shadow team, spider-man, the magnificent bastards, and the American combat sniper by Hans Halberstadt

"Based on hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews, Halberstadt gets inside the sniper mind and shows how they think and interact with each other, how missions are planned and executed, how the weapons work, and even what happens when a bullet finally strikes its target. There are only a few hundred snipers from all the services put together in combat at any one time, making this true inside story a rare and important event." - Macmillan

Superclass : the global power elite and the world they are making by David Rothkopf

"Drawn from scores of exclusive interviews and extensive original reporting, Superclass answers all of these questions and more. It draws back the curtain on a privileged society that most of us know little about, even though it profoundly affects our everyday lives. It is the first in-depth examination of the connections between the global communities of leaders who are at the helm of every major enterprise on the planet and control its greatest wealth." - Macmillan

Rising powers, shrinking planet : the new geopolitics of energy by Michael T Klare

"Four centuries ago, as the conquistadors roamed through South America, it was the search for gold that drove the clash of empires. A hundred years later, as the great powers fought over the West Indies, it was the quest for land that could grow sugar cane. Today, the key commodity is oil. No one knows this subject better than Michael Klare, and his book is a trenchant and informative guide to what the fatal thirst for oil means for the tensions and rivalries of our fragile planet."—Adam Hochschild, author of King Leopold’s Ghost

Italy's sorrow : a year of war : 1944 - 1945 by James Holland

"Compelling and detailed...Entertaining though scholarly, this exhaustively researched narrative moves seamlessly from the exalted strategy conferences of generals and presidents to the individual grunt on the front line, offering as complete a portrait of this important episode in WWII as we are likely to see."- Publishers Weekly

In the jaws of the dragon : America's fate in the coming era of Chinese hegemony by Eamonn Fingleton

“Eamonn Fingleton demonstrates once again why his analyses of moderncapitalism deserve serious attention. As he has done before with Japan, heidentifies the elements of China’s business model that depart sharply from easy Western assumptions---and he lays out the consequences of seeing Chinathe way outsiders would like it to be, rather than the way it is.” - James Fallows, Atlantic Monthly.

Guantanamo's child : the untold story of Omar Khadr by Michelle Shephard

"Guantanamo's Child is a sweeping narrative that reconstructs the life of Omar Khadr, from his childhood spent traveling between a Canadian suburb and Peshawar at the height of the jihad against the Soviets, and into Afghanistan and the homes of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda's elite. " - Editorial Reviews

Going to war : how misinformation, disinformation, and arrogance led America into Iraq by Russ Hoyle

"This is the most definitive and comprehensive portrayal to date of the forces that led us into Iraq. Hoyle helps us understand how the American public was deceived and dragged into a war whose end is nowhere in sight. Going to War tells a story that is destined to join the ranks of the great follies of U.S. diplomatic and political history." - Macmillan

General Lee's army : from victory to collapse by Joseph T Glatthaar

"Joseph T. Glatthaar brings a fresh and revealing perspective to the much-studied history of Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. Prodigious research, a meticulous use of statistical information, and analytical acuity mark this book, which abounds with surprising information about the makeup of the army, its casualties, and the quality of its leadership. This is now the indispensable first place to go for anyone interested in Lee, his army, and their storied campaigns." - Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Confederate War

Footprint South American handbook 2008 by Ben Box

"Visit the most exciting continent on Earth. Celebrate at the best of the festivals. Swim with sea lions and walk with dinosaurs. Get off the beaten track. Experience cities of gold and mountains of silver. Get inside info on where to eat, drink and sleep. Learn about evolution, revolution and visitors from outer space. Grab the pick of heart-stopping adventure activities. See man-eating fish, blood sucking bats and smooth-talking dolphins. "- Editorial Reviews

Career Guide to Industries (CGI), 2008-09 Edition by United States. Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Career Guide to Industries tells you about: occupations in the industry, training and advancement, earnings. expected job prospects and working conditions

2008 Best's key rating guide : life/health, united states & canada by Best

"Best's Key Rating Guide has provided the insurance industry with reliable third-party financial data for over 100 years. It offers five years of key financial figures and Best's Ratings for thousands of insurance companies and HMOs -- plus personalized reports that display information on individual companies in a format ideal for client presentations and proposals. " - A.M. Best

Who's Who 2008: 160th annual edition by A&C Black

"The 160th annual edition of the internationally respected and renowned source book of information on people of influence and interest in every area of public life. It is the first autobiographical reference book in the world and, after 160 years, still the most accurate and reliable resource for information supplied and checked by the entrants themselves." - Editorial Reviews

Medal of Honor : portraits of valor beyond the call of duty by Peter Collier

"This group portrait of most of the living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor has an entry for each recipient, including a photo portrait at the time of the award, a summary of the medal-winning action and sometimes (though not often enough) the later career. " - Editorial Reviews

International security and the United States an encyclopedia by Karl R DeRouen

"These volumes provide detailed information on countries from every geographic region and continent on the globe, evaluating their relationship with the United States and measuring the potential security threats posed by each. The contributors consider factors such as geography and history; the political systems of each state; their human rights records; the ability to maintain law and order and provide security within their own borders; the impact of current administrations, rulers, or regimes on a nation's foreign policy; and the regional factors that often dictate local politics, in order to make their assessments. " - Editorial Reviews

Evolution of U.S. counterterrorism policy by Yonah Alexander

"Including many older documents not available electronically or otherwise accessible, this three-volume set provides the first comprehensive collection of key documents, statements, and testimony on U.S. government counterterrorism policies as they have evolved in the face of the changing terrorist threats. Selected executive and congressional materials highlight the government's diverse policy and program responses to terrorism." - Greenwood Publishing Group

A gallant little army : the Mexico City Campaign by Timothy D Johnson

"Providing the definitive work on the Mexico City campaign, A Gallant Little Army highlights the visionary command of a legendary general, the flinty toughness of the troops he led, and the emergence of the United States as a potential global military power." - Editorial Reviews

1948 : a history of the first Arab-Israeli war by Bennî Môrîs

"Despite his personal views, Morris strives to give a balanced view of the conflict. The collapse of the Arab military effort caused a chain reaction of coups and assassinations that brought down many of the old regimes. Leaders were killed or discarded in Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Jordan. "But 1948 has haunted, and still haunts, the Arab world on the deepest levels of collective identity, ego, and pride," Morris writes. "The war was a humiliation from which that world has yet to recover." - Editorial Reviews

Algeria : anger of the dispossessed by Martin Evans

"In this lucid and gripping account, Martin Evans and John Phillips explore Algeria’s recent and very bloody history, demonstrating how the high hopes of independence turned into anger as young Algerians grew increasingly alienated. Unemployed, frustrated by the corrupt military regime, and excluded by the West, the post-independence generation needed new heroes, and some found them in Osama bin Laden and the rising Islamist movement. " - Editorial Reviews

Double trouble : Iran and North Korea as challenges to international security by Patrick M Cronin

“In this informative volume, several policy analysts examine various aspects of these two countries' nuclear programs. Cronin, director of studies at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies, introduces the sections on Iran and North Korea with a comparative overview chapter. The book's contributors analyze presumed motivators behind the nuclear course taken by the leadership of Iran and North Korea and offer policy alternatives for engaging both of these countries....Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections.”–Choice

Nuclear insecurity : understanding the threat from rogue nations and terrorists by Jack Caravelli

"This perspective draws heavily from the author's work on the White House National Security Council Staff (1996-2000), where he was directly responsible to President Clinton for the development of U.S. nuclear material security policies and, subsequently, at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he directed the department's largest international nuclear security program, focused primarily on Russia. " - Editorial Reviews

Dynamic of destruction : culture and mass killing in the First World War by Alan Kramer

"From the Western Front to the Balkans, from Italy to the war in the East, the First World War was the most apocalyptic the world had ever known. This book tells you how and why the civilized nations of Europe descended into unprecedented orgy of destruction. " - Editorial Reviews

First to the Rhine : the 6th Army Group in World War II by Harry Yeide

"This is the story of the Allied forces--the U.S. 6th Army Group and French 1st Army--that landed in southern France on August 15th, 1944. The book follows the action from the French beaches to the Vosges Mountains, where the first Allied penetration along the entire Western front reached the Rhine River. First to the Rhine covers the vicious fighting during the German Nordwind counteroffensive in January 1945 and the French-American offensive to clear the Colmar Pocket. It then pursues the forces of the Third Reich across the Rhine to their ultimate destruction." - Editorial Reviews

Friends indeed? : the United Nations, groups of friends, and the resolution of conflict by Teresa Whitfield

"Addressing an increasingly important and greatly understudied phenomenon in international affairs, this groundbreaking volume analyzes the formation, actions, and efficacy of groups of states created to support UN peacemaking and peace operations. While these groups Friends of the Secretary-General and related mechanisms may represent just one small component of the United Nations increased involvement in conflict management, they have fast become a critical element in today's system of global-security governance. " - Editorial Reviews

Lords of the land : the war over Israel's settlements in the occupied territories, 1967-2007 by Idith Zertal

"In this thorough and eye-opening book, Idith Zertal, a historian, and Akiva Eldar, a journalist, explain how a few tens of thousands of people bent the state to their purpose. Settlements were not on the official agenda after Israel's surprise capture of the Palestinian territories in 1967. But pressure from ardent young religious Zionists found a secular echo among military men, who came to see security benefits to having Israelis live in the West Bank." - The Economist

Koran, Kalashnikov, and laptop : the neo-Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan

"This detailed study... chronicles the rise of what Giustozzi labels 'the neo-Taliban'. Separate chapters treat how and why the neo-Taliban were recruited, their organization, their tactics and strategy, and the counterinsurgency efforts of the Afghan government and its outside supporters. With copious cross-referencing, he works in such subjects asthe continued involvement of Pakistan, the drug trade, neo-Taliban relations with Al Qaeda, and the rural-versus-urban dimension of this struggle." - Editorial Reviews

Iran and the bomb : the abdication of international responsibility by Thérèse Delpech

"The Iranian regime is in the middle of a dangerous nuclear poker game with the West. Drawing on her inside knowledge and experience, Thérèse Delpech provides a hard-hitting analysis of Iran''s intentions and its ability to beguile the international community, often with the aid of China and Russia, two countries eager to benefit from Iran''s acquisition of nuclear weapons. Delpech is one of the world''s leading authorities on international nuclear security, and in this book, she dissects Iran''s …" - Columbia University Press

Iran's military forces and warfighting capabilities the threat in the Northern Gulf by Anthony H Cordesman

"Given the ambiguous nature of Iran's global objectives, this new study focuses on the tangible aspects of Iran's military forces and takes an objective look at the realistic threats that Iran poses to the region and the world. The authors systematically assess each aspect of Iranian military forces from their conventional armies to their asymmetric threat via proxy wars in the region. Much attention in national security debates is paid to Iran's intentions without first understanding its capabilities. Lacking such a fundamental understanding, much of this speculation tends to be wasted and irrelevant to what could actually happen in the event of a conflict..." - Editorial Reviews

The suicide of reason : radical Islam's threat to the enlightenment by Lee Harris

"In The Suicide of Reason, he explains the logic of fanatical movements from the Crusades through Nazism to radical Islam; describes how the Enlightenment overcame fanatical thinking in the West; shows why most Western attempts to address the problem are doomed to fail; and offers strategies by which liberal internationalism can defend itself without becoming a mirror of the tribal forces it is trying to defeat." - Editorial Reviews

Operation Albion : the German conquest of the Baltic Islands by Michael B Barrett

"A campaign relatively unknown even in the field of military history, Albion was quite significant in dictating events on the Eastern Front in World War I. It features a sea battle between German dreadnoughts and a Russian battleship; the use of aircraft and zeppelins; and an attack and dramatic stand by bicycle troops. And Michael Barrett writes very well, indeed." --Malcolm Muir, Jr., author of The Human Tradition in the World War II Era

A soul on trial : a Marine Corps mystery at the turn of the twentieth century by Robin R Cutler

"Touching on lives great and small, A Soul on Trial is a rich portrait of Progressive Era America. Part murder mystery, part ghost story, and part courtroom drama-the book follows the stories of Rosa Sutton, her daughter Rose, and three Marine Corps lieutenants whose futures were at stake as the Naval investigation unfolded. It is a riveting tale of the power of the press, the secrecy of the military in times of crisis, and the lives of young officers whose private battles were often as difficult as their professional ones. " - Editorial Reviews

Brookings Trade Forum 2007: Foreign Direct Investment by Susan M. Collins

"This tenth issue of the Brookings Trade Forum examines a variety of dimensions of FDI. On balance, have developing countries benefited from FDI inflows? To what extent has FDI played an important role in China's impressive economic performance? How do tax and productivity differences between source and host countries affect bilateral FDI flows? How have profits been shared between multinational corporations and host country governments in resource-rich economies? Why do U.S. investors appear to earn substantially higher returns on their investment abroad than foreigners earn on their investments in the United States?" - Brookings

American Black military leaders by Walter L Hawkins

This reference work contains information and over 2000 photos not contained in any of his other books.

The United States, NATO, and a new multilateral relationship by Frank R Douglas

"This work documents the transition of the United States relationship with NATO from a focus on the defense of Western Europe to an inclusive military and political organization concerned with the security of all of Europe with the real potential for employment of its military power beyond the European continent." - Editorial Reviews

Trace Chemical Sensing of Explosives by Ronald L Woodfin

"This timely book covers the most recent developments in the chemical detection of explosives in a variety of environments. Beginning with a broad view of the need for and the potential applications of chemical sensing, the book considers the issue of how to effectively include chemical sensing into systems designed to find hidden explosives devices." - Editorial Reviews

The Challenge: Hamdan v. Rumsfeld and the Fight over Presidential Power by Jonathan Mahler

“This is the definitive work on an epic Supreme Court case—and on the human beings behind the headlines.” —Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism by Ron Suskind

"Tracking down truth and hope within the Beltway and far beyond it, Suskind delivers historic disclosures with this emotionally stirring and strikingly original portrait of the post-9/11 world." - Editorial Reviews

Gold Juno Sword by Georges Bernage

"Here at last is an "hour by hour" account of the Landings in the British Sector, from Asnelles to Ouistreham on 6th June 1944 : the German troops defending the Atlantic Wall ; the British and Canadian troops attacking, with the weaponry used for assault. It is a synthesis : in color throughout, with photos of the period and comparitive photos from the present day. " - Editorial Reviews

Totenkopf by Charles Trang

"The author traces here the complete record of this SS armored division which was originally composed of concentration camp guards. This detailed text is accompanied by an astonishing collection of some 800 photographs. " - Editorial Reviews

Guide to Congress 6th ed. by Congressional Quarterly

Concludes with a selected bibliography and key reference materials. List of senators and representative since 1789, floor leaders and committee chairs, congressional election results, female and minority members, and more.

Chronologies of modern terrorism by Barry M Rubin

"The authors construct regional chronologies of terrorism in the 20th century. They characterize terrorism as being generally the product of social revolutionaries or nationalists and neglect counter-revolutionary and state terrorism. " - bBNET

The much too promised land : America's elusive search for Arab-Israeli peace by Aaron David Miller

“Extraordinary…. Miller evinces genuine compassion for both sides in the conflict … while maintaining a detachment that allows him to draw hard conclusions…. Miller’s writing is both approachable and deeply smart.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

Escape from Saddam : the incredible true story of one man's journey to freedom by Lewis Alsamari

"Escape from Saddam is a powerful nonfiction thriller that, even as it plunges the reader into a netherworld of crooked border police, military checkpoints, counterfeiters, and smugglers, provides a fascinating window into a totalitarian regime. It is also a remarkably inspirational story of a resourceful young man who refused to accept his fate . . . and then risked everything he’d achieved to save his family." - Editorial Reviews