Toward the light of liberty : the struggles for freedom and rights that made the modern Western world by A C Grayling

“A probing, thoughtful meditation…The excellence of Among the Dead Cities, however, rests less on Grayling’s deductions than his provision of enough information and argument for readers with alternate premises to draw different conclusions. That richness makes wrestling with his views a demanding intellectual exercise.”—Philadelphia Inquirer

Medicine bags and dog tags : American Indian veterans from colonial times to the second Iraq War by Al Carroll

"Drawing on a rich array of archival records and oral traditions, Al Carroll offers the most complete account of Native veterans to date and is the first to take an international approach, drawing comparisons with Native veteran traditions in Canada and Mexico. He debunks the “natural warrior” stereotype as well as the popular assumption that Natives join the military as a refuge against extreme poverty and as a form of assimilation. The reasons for enlistment, he argues, though varied and complex, are invariably connected to the relative strengths of tribal warrior traditions within communities." - Editorial Reviews

Zachary Taylor by John S D Eisenhower

"Zachary Taylor was a soldier’s soldier, a man who lived up to his nickname, “Old Rough and Ready.” Having risen through the ranks of the U.S. Army, he achieved his greatest success in the Mexican War, propelling him to the nation’s highest office in the election of 1848. He was the first man to have been elected president without having held a lower political office." - Editorial Reviews

The Big Red One : America's legendary 1st Infantry Division from World War I to Desert Storm by James Scott Wheeler

"An exceptionally fine work of scholarship, written with a storyteller's verve. The Big Red One is not just a vivid account of the nation's most venerable division, but a compelling yarn for anyone interested in the history of the U.S. Army."- Rick Atkinson, author of An Army at Dawn and In the Company of Soldiers

Warrior king : the triumph and betrayal of an American commander in Iraq by by Nathan Sassaman

"Warrior King is the explosive memoir of one of the most deeply involved members of the U.S. military in Iraq. This is the first book to take readers from the overnight brutality of combat to the daunting daytime humanitarian tasks of rebuilding Iraq to the upper echelons of the Pentagon to show how and why the war has gone horribly wrong." - Editorial Reviews

The new Asian hemisphere : the irresistible shift of global power to the East by Kishore Mahbubani

"Parag Khanna argued that there will be three global leaders in the new century: the US, the EU, and China. Mahbubani would like to add India, for he sees India as a bridge between the East and the West. This is a valid point since many Indian intellectuals are at home in both the East and the West. He claims there is still a resistance among public intellectuals and journalists in the West to accept the East on equal terms, but I myself have not seen this resistance. I see a greater recognition of the East almost on a daily basis. With Asia's growing economic power, political power will follow no matter how much real or imagined resistance there is." - Izaak VanGaalen

A case of exploding mangoes by Mohammed Hanif

"Starred Review. Pakistan's ongoing political turmoil adds a piquant edge to this fact-based farce spun from the mysterious 1988 plane crash that killed General Zia, the dictator who toppled Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, father of recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto. Two parallel assassination plots converge in Hanif's darkly comic debut: Air Force Junior Under Officer Ali Shigri, sure that his renowned military father's alleged suicide was actually a murder, hopes to kill Zia, who he holds responsible. " - Publishers Weekly

The faces of World War II : the Second World War in words and pictures by Max Arthur

"Paying tribute to all who fought and died, this chronologically structured collection of photographs covers all the major events of the Second World War—from the blitzkrieg to the Battle of Britain, from the invasion of Poland to Pearl Harbor. Many of the images capture harrowing combat scenes of conflict, brutality, suffering, and slaughter, but these pictures also include poignant and uplifting scenes of civilians, nurses, and doctors fighting their own battles. " - Editorial Reviews

The Shamrock Battalion in the Great War by Martin J Hogan

"When Martin Hogan began training on a vacant lot to be a soldier, he had no idea that he was about to become part of one of the most famed fighting units of World War I, the 165th Infantry in World War I, a regiment in the famed Rainbow Division. Company K of the Third or Shamrock Battalion had a part in every fight, and those who survived had more wound stripes than soldiers of any other company in the American Expeditionary Forces. Few soldiers saw as much of the war in eighteen months as did Hogan, and in this stirring account he tells of his experiences with graphic power, humility, and humor." - Editorial Reviews

Croatia through history : the making of a European state by Branka Magaš

"This comprehensive volume recounts Croatia's development from the early Middle Ages to the present day. Unlike most Western histories of the region, which tend to neglect the concurrent evolution of Croatia's constituent parts, it shows instead that Croatia developed gradually and organically. Maga' pays particular attention to the historical turning points at which a state seemingly marked for extinction managed to bounce back." - SAQI

The arms trade and international law by Zeray Yihdego

"This book deals with the proliferation of SALW and their unregulated trade and transfer across borders. It addresses questions of definition, manufacturing, trade/transfer, and issues relating to state responsibility. The primary focus is on conventional small arms, in particular military-style weapons.The book tackles the core and most divisive legal problem of whether or not the laws relating to arms control and relevant norms of international law provide substantive restrictions upon the transfer of small arms by states. " - Editorial Reviews

Human rights and non-discrimination in the "War on terror" by Daniel Möckli

"This book explores how three major liberal democratic states - the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany - have approached this challenge by analyzing the human rights impacts of their anti-terrorism laws and practices. The analysis reveals that the most far-reaching restrictions of liberty have been imposed on minorities: foreign nationals and certain 'racial', ethnic and religious groups." - Editorial Reviews

Civilian immunity in war by Igor Primoratz

"Civilian Immunity in War, written in collaboration by eleven authors, provides the first comprehensive analysis of all main aspects of this highly topical subject. It considers the arguments for rejection of civilian immunity and the main theories of the grounds and proper scope of this immunity, both deontological (just war theory) and consequentialist. Separate chapters examine the historical development of the idea of civilian immunity, its standing in current international law, and the problem of "collateral damage": of harming civilians without intent, as a side-effect of attacks on military targets." - Editorial Reviews

Power and military effectiveness : the fallacy of democratic triumphalism by Michael C Desch

"Power and Military Effectiveness is an instructive reassessment of the increasingly popular belief that military success is one of democracy's many virtues. International relations scholars, policy makers, and military minds will be well served by its lessons." - Editorial Reviews

International justice in Rwanda and the Balkans : virtual trials and the struggle for state cooperation by Victor Peskin

"This book tells the compelling story of how the UN International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda prod states implicated in atrocities to hand over their own leaders for trial. Without state cooperation, the United Nations would fail in its mission to help bring perpetrators of war crimes to justice and to rebuild and reconcile war-torn societies. The tribunals' relative success in overcoming state resistance to international trials is the outcome of a political process that Victor Peskin uncovers and explains. This is the first in-depth, comparative study of state cooperation in the tribunals. " - Editorial Reviews

China's Tibet? : autonomy or assimilation by Warren W Smith

"This groundbreaking book explores China's efforts to assimilate Tibet, in the process rewriting Tibetan history to conform to its own goals. Warren W. Smith argues that Beijing fears that any genuine autonomy or dialogue with the Dalai Lama will fuel renewed nationalism in China's Tibet, as the leadership calls its possession. Highlighting China's past and current propaganda on Tibet, the book demonstrates China's sensitivity regarding the legitimacy of its rule. " - Editorial Reviews

My Guantánamo diary : the detainees and the stories they told me by by Mahvish Rukhsana Khan

"Mahvish Khan is an American lawyer, born to immigrant Afghan parents in Michigan. Outraged that her country was illegally imprisoning people at Guantanamo, she volunteered to translate for the prisoners. She spoke their language, understood their customs, and brought them Starbucks chai, the closest available drink to the kind of tea they would drink at home. And they quickly befriended her, offering fatherly advice as well as a uniquely personal insight into their plight, and that of their families thousands of miles away." - Editorial Reviews

The shackled continent : power, corruption, and African lives by Robert Guest

"The Shackled Continent provides a persuasive look into the persistent problems of modern Africa and offers some possible solutions. What Africa needs is peace, the rule of law, and greater freedom for individuals to pursue prosperity without hindrance from their rulers. The prescription may sound simple, but it is tough to administer, as Guest's investigations from Angola to Zimbabwe reveal. " - Editorial Reviews

The future of political Islam by Graham E Fuller

"September 11; vitriolic rhetoric against the United States by prominent Muslims; the war against terrorism shifts from Afghanistan to the Philippines and Indonesia. It is easy to believe Islam and Muslims are enemies of the West; it is also wrong. This sweeping survey of trends in the Muslim world contends that the issue is not whether Islam plays a central role in politics, but what Muslims want. To focus on radicalism and extremism blinds us from another trend: liberal political Islam.Proponents of liberal political Islam emphasize human rights and democracy, tolerance and cooperation. " - Editorial Reviews

Courage and fear : a primer by Wesley L Fox

"Medal of Honor recipient and retired Marine colonel Wesley L. Fox writes about his fears in difficult operational and training situations, their effect on him, and he how he handled particular fears. While he focuses primarily on military experiences, Fox’s methods of handling the thoughts, actions, and reactions to fear apply to civilian circumstances as well. Fear can bombard us in our daily routine, sometimes in unexpected ways. The more we know about ourselves and how fear affects us, the better able we are to control it and to produce positive results." - Editorial Reviews

The Civil War and the limits of destruction by Mark E Neely

"Neely begins by contrasting Civil War behavior with U.S. soldiers' experiences in the Mexican War of 1846. He examines Price's Raid in Missouri for evidence of deterioration in the restraints imposed by the customs of war; and in a brilliant analysis of Philip Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley campaign, he shows that the actions of U.S. cavalrymen were selective and controlled. The Mexican war of the 1860s between French imperial forces and republicans provided a new yardstick for brutality: Emperor Maximilian's infamous Black Decree threatened captured enemies with execution." - Editorial Reviews

James Van Allen : the first eight billion miles by Abigail Foerstner

"A distinct contribution, long overdue, this most satisfying biography sets the subject within the context of his time, place, and profession. It not only illuminates the early history of space science but addresses the larger history of the scientific enterprise and even American history. The scientific basics and the open questions and controversies with which Van Allen was involved are well articulated, and the contextual look at the birth of space science will be useful to scientists."—Tom Crouch

The environmental dimension of Asian security : conflict and cooperation over energy, resources, and pollution by In-t'aek Hyŏn

"The Environmental Dimension of Asian Security examines these issues through a regional environmental security complex that explores the potential for greater intersubjective understandings of regional environmental and natural resource problems and greater institutional collaboration and management. " - Editorial Reviews

Negotiating hostage crises with the new terrorists by Adam Dolnik

"This book is about the role of negotiation in resolving terrorist barricade hostage crises. What lessons can be learned from past deadly incidents so that crisis negotiators and decision makers can act with greater effectiveness in the future? What are the lessons the terrorists are learning and how will they affect the dynamics of future incidents? What can we learn about the terrorist threat, and about preventing the escalation of future terrorist hostage-taking situations? While there are many trained crisis negotiators around the world, almost none of them has ever had contact with a terrorist hostage-taking incident." - Editorial Reviews

Beyond the national interest : the future of UN peacekeeping and multilateralism in an era of U.S. primacy by Jean-Marc Coicaud

"Coicaud's experience at the UN and his dual intellectual roots in political theory and international relations have enabled him to produce a book of considerable value to both the policymaking and scholarly communities. Combining a wealth of empirical material with compelling analytic insight, Beyond the National Interest makes a major contribution to the literature." -Charles A. Kupchan

Reassessing security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific : competition, congruence, and transformation by Amitav Acharya

"This volume reassesses security cooperation in the region in light of such recent developments as the emergence of new roles for existing institutions, the rise of new institutions, challenges to existing norms of regional interaction, increasing formalization or legalization of regional institutions, the reconstruction of modes of security cooperation that were once seen as mutually exclusive, and the creation of ad hoc and informal security approaches. The book examines how successful these new arrangements have been, whether there is competition among them, and why some modes of security cooperation have proven more feasible than others. " - Editorial Reviews

Oxford atlas of the world by George Philip & Son 15th ed.

"The latest revision of Oxford's highly acclaimed Atlas of the World is as up-to-date as can be in the post-September 11 world. "Site of former World Trade Center" says one caption on an updated map of lower Manhattan- and Baghdad has been added to the 67 maps of major cities around the world, including Moscow, Lisbon and Jerusalem." - Publishers Weekly

The peninsula question : a chronicle of the second Korean nuclear crisis by Yōichi Funabashi

"Funabashi provides a window of understanding on the historical, geopolitical, and security concerns at play on the Korean peninsula since 2002. Notably, his attention to China's dealings with Pyongyang offer rare and valuable insights into decisionmaking processes in Beijing. His authoritative account is an important resource for understanding the crisis in Korea, diplomacy in Northeast Asia, and nuclear policy in the age of terror." - Editorial Reviews

The leaders we need : and what makes us follow by Michael Maccoby

"This insightful book shows that followers have their own powerful motivations to follow. Many relate to their leader as to some important person from the past—a parent, a sibling, a close friend. With major shifts in family structure and other social changes (especially transformations in technology and work life), these “transferences” have grown complex—making leaders’ work more challenging. " -Editorial Reviews

Taiwan's statesman : Lee Teng-Hui and democracy in Asia by Richard C Kagan

"Richard C. Kagan describes in rich detail Lee's struggle to reinvent Taiwan s culture and political system by advocating an independent sovereign nation with universal values of human rights, democracy, freedom, and economic justice. His book offers new insights into the role Lee played in the still volatile Taiwan Strait crisis and how Lee's diplomatic skills used the crisis to break free of the "One China" straitjacket of the Shanghai Communiqué of 1972 while avoiding open warfare with the People's Republic of China. The author argues that Taiwan is a vital part of America's national security interests in Asia and that the loss of Taiwan to Mainland China would seriously damage American economic and military power in Asia. " - Editorial Reviews

Humanitarian military intervention : the conditions for success and failure by Taylor B Seybolt

"This study focuses on the questions of when and how military intervention in conflicts can achieve humanitarian benefits. It uses the standard that an intervention should do more good than harm to evaluate the successes and failures. The author develops a methodology to determine the number of lives saved, as a minimalist measure. The analysis of 19 military operations in the 6 case studies of Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Kosovo and East Timor reveals both successful and unsuccessful interventions in the same locations. " - BiggerBooks.com