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

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

A thoroughly Canadian general : a biography of General H. D. G. Crerar by Paul Douglas Dickson

"In this biography, Paul Douglas Dickson argues that the long and controversial career of General H.D.G. Crerar can best be understood in terms of the general's great personal ambition and his sense that military service was the supreme form of civic duty. The primary research from both Canadian and British archives is formidable and carefully managed by the author. A Thoroughly Canadian General is a significant contribution to the field of Canadian military history, and also to international studies of the Second World War, particularly operational command of the western Allied forces." - Editorial Reviews

With honor : Melvin Laird in war, peace, and politics by Dale Van Atta

"Van Atta illuminates the inner workings of high politics: Laird’s behind-the-scenes sparring with Kissinger over policy, his decisions to ignore Nixon’s wilder directives, his formative impact on arms control and health care, his key role in the selection of Ford for vice president, his frustration with the country’s abandonment of Vietnamization, and, in later years, his unheeded warning to Donald Rumsfeld that 'it’s a helluva lot easier to get into a war than to get out of one.'”- Editorial Reviews

Counselor : a life at the edge of history by Theodore C Sorensen

"The book is full of arresting observations, not all complimentary. Sorensen opines, for example, that Robert Kennedy should not have been attorney general because of the impossible predicament he would have faced in bringing any charges against his brother. Sorensen expresses regret that he and JFK were slow to censure Sen. Joseph McCarthy, and reflects candidly on the president's problems with fidelity. Sorensen is also hard on himself at moments. He admits to charges others have leveled at him -- that he was abrasive, arrogant and obsessive about his relationship with Kennedy. He clearly has not shed all of those qualities and defends his president like a Rottweiler refusing to let go of a pant leg." - The Washington Post

Mr. Gatling's terrible marvel : the gun that changed everything and the misunderstood genius who invented it by Julia Keller

"In Mr. Gatling’s Terrible Marvel, Julia Keller offers a riveting account of the Gatling gun’s invention, its misunderstood creator, and its tremendous impact on American and world events. She also shows how the gun, in its combination of ingenuity, idealism, and destructive power, perfectly exemplified the paradox of America’s rise as a world superpower." - Editorial Reviews

Genocide at the millennium by Samuel Totten

"The previous volumes in this critical bibliographic review of genocide focused on the twentieth century. One hoped that the age of genocide would become a thing of the past, but that is not yet the case. Hence this important new volume looks at acts of genocide in the past fifteen years, providing brief case studies of the violence in Rwanda, Bosnia, and Kosovo, and carefully selected, annotated bibliographies ... " - HighBeam Research

Sobral Pinto : the conscience of Brazil : leading the attack against Vargas (1930-1945) by John W F Dulles

"This book is the first of a projected two-volume biography of Sobral Pinto. Drawing on Sobral's vast correspondence, which was not previously available to researchers, John W. F. Dulles confirms that Sobral Pinto was a true reformer, who had no equal in demonstrating courage and vehemence when facing judges, tribunals, and men in power. He traces the leading role that Sobral played in opposing the Vargas regime from 1930 to 1945 and sheds light on the personalities and activities of powerful figures in the National Security Tribunal, the police, the censorship bureau, and the Catholic Church. " - Editorial Reviews

Did Lincoln own slaves? : and other frequently asked questions about Abraham Lincoln by Gerald J Prokopowicz

East Carolina University history professor Prokopowicz has created a Lincoln trivia book, answering dozens of questions about the 16th president of the United States.

Blacklisted by history : the untold story of Senator Joe McCarthy and his fight against America's enemies by M Stanton Evans

"The long-awaited Blacklisted by History, based on six years of intensive research, dismantles the myths surrounding Joe McCarthy and his campaign to unmask Communists, Soviet agents, and flagrant loyalty risks working within the U.S. government. Evans’s revelations completely overturn our understanding of McCarthy, McCarthyism, and the Cold War." - Editorial Reviews

Angler the Cheney vice presidency by Barton Gellman

"Gellman explores the behind-the- scenes story of Cheney’s tremendous influence on foreign policy, exposing how he misled the four ranking members of Congress with faulty intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, how he derailed Bush from venturing into Israeli- Palestinian peace talks for nearly five years, and how his policy left North Korea and Iran free to make major advances in their nuclear programs." - Editorial Reviews

Becton : autobiography of a soldier and public servant by Julius W Becton

"This autobiography, published in cooperation with the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), highlights Lt. Gen. Becton's remarkable career and reveals the influences that contributed to his success. Becton's autobiography reflects on his youth in the suburban Philadelphia area, his parental and family influences, and his almost forty years of service in the U.S. Army and in subsequent civilian appointments. His devotion to leadership, education, service, race, and his spiritual upbringing are all central themes in the book." - Editorial Reviews

Command of honor : General Lucian Truscott's path to victory in World War II by H Paul Jeffers

"In Command of Honor, author H. Paul Jeffers chronicles the life of this American hero, from his ramshackle childhood in Texas and Oklahoma, to the defeat of Nazi Germany. But this is above all a story of service and sacrifice by a man who lived for duty, honor, and courage—a man who would become a legend in the annals of World War II. " - Editorial Reviews

Ahmadinejad : the secret history of Iran's radical leader by Kasra Naji

"An excellent biography, one that is lively and informative, and at the same time sets the President in his international and domestic contexts. In so doing, Naji provides a most informative portrait of Iran today, and of the many, conflicting, forces that are at play within it."- Fred Halliday, author of 100 Myths about the Middle East

Warlords the generals by Hal Holbrook

"Three captivating glimpses into the extraordinary lives of the greatest military minds of WWII MacArthur: The Defiant General Douglas MacArthur commanded American forces through three major wars. His powerful image, backed by awesome achievement in battle, was front page news across the country." - Editorial Reviews

John Stark : maverick general by Ben Z Rose

"In his biography, author Ben Z. Rose focuses on a handful of key people in John Stark's life in an effort to gain insight into his motivation and character. These include his wife, Elizabeth "Molly" Stark, who hailed from a prominent Puritan family; his oldest son, Caleb, who enlisted in the Continental Army at the age of 15; Robert Rogers, founder of the colonial ranger force that bears his name; Seth Warner, the Green Mountain Ranger who fought for Vermont's independence; fellow-New Hampshire Revolutionary War General John Sullivan, who fought alongside Stark at the Battle of Trenton; and Horatio Gates, who rivaled George Washington for leadership of the Continental Army." - Editorial Reviews

God willing : my wild ride with the new Iraqi Army by Eric Navarro

" Whether riding into downtown Fallujah in an unarmored Nissan pick-up truck, living in squalor in abandoned buildings, dodging trigger-happy troops, sharing FHM magazine with Iraqi soldiers to boost morale, or getting attacked by insurgent rockets less than an hour after arriving, life is never easy and more often surreal. The Drifters’ trials and tribulations help shed light on this most under-reported aspect of the war: What is wrong with the new Iraqi Army? The answer is not as pretty as the politicians would like. " - Editorial Reviews

The man who pushed America to war : the extraordinary life, adventures, and obsessions of Ahmad Chalabi by Aram Roston

"This is the true story of Ahmad Chalabi, fraudster, statesman, banker, math whiz and aesthete, whose legendary charisma and charm - and almost hypnotic powers of persuasion - helped propel the United States to war in Iraq. This extraordinary investigative biography - written by an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works for NBC's Investigative Unit - exposes massive white-collar mischief, sophisticated international espionage operations, and political intrigue spanning the globe from Tehran to Texas." - Editorial Reviews

The translator : a tribesman's memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari

"The Translator tells the remarkable story of a man who came face-to-face with genocide– time and again risking his own life to fight injustice and save his people. " - Editorial Reviews

Jeb Stuart and the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg by Warren C Robinson

"Mr. Robinson has examined a considerable amount of data and presents well-argued and at times provocative conclusions about one of the Civil War's most controversial events."-Thomas J. Ryan