Subjects:  1. Congress    2. Government - Legislative Branch    3. Legislation    4. Legislative bodies    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. States    9. U.S. Federal Legislative Bodies    10. United States    11. Central government    12. Political Science / General    13. Political structure & processes    14. USA   

Reviews (1)

some good history
For those who have seen Albany in action, some of the information in Lachman's book will not surprise you.Lachman provides some good history, but I am not sure it is from a true "insider's" point of view.In the first pages of the book, for instance, Lachman lists all those who disagree with the book.The list is long and includes some true insiders.
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Subjects:  1. Government - State & Provincial    2. New York (State)    3. Political Science    4. Political corruption    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Power (Social sciences)    8. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    9. Political Science / State & Local Government    10. USA   

Reviews (9)

Activists for democracy: here's your guide to involvement!
Frances Moore Lappe has written a book that is easy to read, its pages filled with brief and concise facts and comparisons, and above all correct in its analysis of the state of American democracy. She doesn't leave the reader to guess about whether a new people's democracy is possible; she shows it coming into being in highly diverse settings. And if anyone has thought otherwise, she disabuses us of any idea that in the U.S. of A. we currently have democracy. It would be difficult to read this book all the way through and not find oneself eager to get involved.
We Need to be Reminded
Democracy's Edge is a collection of stories of ordinary people actively practicing what the author really correctly dubs Living Democracy.When I read this, the book reminded me straight on how fragile freedoms and protections are, how easily they can be dissolved or subverted by corporate, personal, and political greed...ambitions which truly stop for no man (or woman)in the quest for taking more, more, more. So if you're worried about the pollution, land grabbing, political manipulations of law, etc and want inspiration and some guidance on whether and how you can make a difference with just one voice, read this book.It's SO EASY to read, and lacks the fractious tone that many champions of our freedoms (read liberal or left-leaning)can take, and sometimes push people away with.

Real Democracy is possible here
Lappe plots the needs of the future.She points out what is needed for this country to become a real democracy.There are lots of resources for those determined to act. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. Political Freedom & Security - General    4. Political Ideologies - Democracy    5. Political Science    6. Political participation    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. United States    10. Business & Management    11. Family & Health    12. Political Science / Democracy    13. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (111)

absolutely correct
This book has been attacked by many foolish people. This book will tell you the truth about the middle east. Nearly all arabs today are the slaves of murderous dictators. These dictators hate freedom. They teach their children from birth to hate freedom and destroy it.
frightening
An hysterical defense and rationalization of the neo-conservative creed of democratic imperialism. The real world consequences of that brand of trotskyism have proven ignoble enough not to insist here. To a certain extent this is a criminal book, yet another on an already too long list.

A must-read
This is, without doubt, the most incredible book I have ever read. It may completely change your opinions on foreign policy or may reinforce what you already believe, but it is sure to generate some response and some discussion. Sharansky respectfully tells it like it is: when politicians have been wrong, why they've been wrong, and what they should have done differently. His governmental criticism transcends party lines, and even Sharansky himself, a Jew and a member of numerous Israeli cabinets, says that a Palestinian state is the only way Israel will have peace. This book is everything you'd expect with everything you wouldn't - read it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. Despotism    3. Freedom    4. History & Theory - General    5. Liberty    6. Political And Civil Rights    7. Political Freedom & Security - General    8. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    9. Political Ideologies - Democracy    10. Political Science    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Political structures: democracy   

Reviews (3)

An attorney general willing to take on unscrupulous corporate giants (3.5*)
For a book that supposedly focuses on him, Eliot Spitzer for the most part remains a rather obscure character who operates in the background orchestrating a crackdown on various financial institutions engaged in all manner of highly unethical, if not criminal, behavior in the state of New York. It should be a disturbing book. The dishonesty and disrespect for the public evidenced in this book by major financial institutions is appalling.
A balanced look at Spitzermania
This book will intrigue anyone interested in the political process and law. Masters offers a balanced view of Spitzer's crusade (yes, i know he's jewish) against wall street. The gist of the book is Spitzer's background and education (rich, ivy league, privilleged) and his ambitious rise to NY Attorney General where he has whipped into shape Wall Street. In doing so, Spitzer has caught the ire of many people who beleive that he is trespassing on SEC and federal government grounds. Others feel Spitzer is doing the job the SEC SHOULD have been doing. Whether you like him or not, the book offers an interesting perspective into a rising politician and the reaons why he will probably never have a legitimate shot at the White House (hint, its for the same reasons he's been thus far succesful).

WORTHY OF A PULITZER
So well known are Eliot Spitzer and the corporate visionaries he brought to boot, so widely praised has he been, so robust the expectancy of his gubernatorial future, that any writer about himrisksbecominganother entrant in a great sack race of redundancy. Brooke Masters's Pulitzer worthy "Spoiling for a Fight: The Rise ofEliot Spitzer", however, is both a journalistic triumph and, socially measured,a public service. Her close description of the facts and settings, rendered in a highly readable style,reflect her Harvard and London School of Economics degrees burnished by sixteen years with the Washington Post.
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Subjects:  1. Antitrust law    2. Attorneys general    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography And Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Lawyers & Judges    9. New York (State)    10. Political    11. Public Affairs & Administration    12. Spitzer, Eliot   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (6)

Three Florida casea: Jerry Rogers, Peter Ventura, and Roy Swafford

4 stars: a SOFTcover edition cost self and Mother Earth less
Medium:Book
Beautiful photographs of those falsely accused
There are emerging artists whose work tends to emphasize style over substance, of which there are many (Notable examples include Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY artist Anissa Mack, perhaps best known for her performance piece "Pies for a Passerby" and most, though not all, of the emerging artists represented in the recent Brooklyn Museum exhibition "Open House: Working in Brooklyn".). And then there are those who can produce stylishly beautiful work, and make profound statements about culture, society, etc. through their art. Fellow Brunonian Taryn Simon - she studied photography primarily at the Rhode Island School of Design, widely regarded as America's premier art school, while still an undergraduate at Brown - is unquestionably one of these, with a distinctive documentary style which harkens back to Walker Evans's sympathetic black and white photographic portrayals of people in Depression-era America. However, here Simon has worked deliberately in color, using the conventions of commercial fashion photography to create memorable images. Hers is a splendid, mature body of work, replete with much empathy for her subjects; former convicts who were falsely accused and convicted. Each photograph is accompanied with commentary from the two attorneys in charge of the Innocence Project, Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld. Through their Innocence Project, attorneys Scheck and Neufeld have freed scores of people who were wrongly convicted. Simon received a Guggenheim Fellowship in Photography for this project; an award normally given to artists who are in mid-career or further along, not to an emerging artist. Simon's work has been exhibited at New York City's International Center of Photography and P. S. 1 Contemporary Art Center; an international tour of these photographs had its first stop at P. S. 1. As both a fellow alumnus of her college and a fellow photographer, I eagerly look forward to yet another impressive body of work from Ms. Simon. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. DNA fingerprinting    3. False imprisonment    4. Individual Photographer    5. Judicial error    6. Legal System    7. Penology    8. Photo Essays    9. Photoessays & Documentaries    10. Photography    11. Social Science    12. United States    13. Photographs: portraits    14. Photography / General   

Reviews (6)

Good enough for me
Barron's "Dictionary of Legal Terms" is a solid text. When I asked a law friend of mine which law dictionary I should purchase he told me that "Black's" was the best law dictionary out there. However, it is rather expensive at eighty or so dollars. Even the pocket version of the text is at least twenty dollars. So I sprang for this law dictionary at about eight dollars.
Perfect for everyone
Legal terms presented in a way that can be understood by all.Very helpful information in section-"KEY TO EFFECTIVE USE OF THIS DICTIONARY"

I love this dictionary!
I bought this dictionary 4 years ago and since then it has been invaluable to me in getting through law school and the bar exam. My copy is so tattered and worn out, I'm thinking of buying a new one to replace it. I highly recommend it over Black's and others that have traditionally been regarded essential for law students and lawyers. Too often with the other legal dictionaries, you look up a word, and then to understand the given definition you end up having to look up additional words. Not so with this book--it lays out legal definitions in the most simple and straightforward manner possible. For many terms, it even gives short hypotheticals to illustrate the term in its proper context.
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Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Dictionaries & Terminology    3. Dictionaries - General    4. Law    5. Law (General)    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Legal System    8. Reference    9. United States    10. Reference / Dictionaries    11. Reference works   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Domestic    3. Arts And Crafts    4. Arts and crafts movement    5. Design & Drafting    6. Design - Furniture    7. Designs and plans    8. Government - Legislative Branch    9. House Plans    10. Individual Architect    11. Residential Interior Design    12. United States    13. Architecture / Individual Architect    14. Individual architects    15. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. General    3. Political Science    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Politics and government    6. Politics/International Relations    7. United States    8. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    9. Political Science / General    10. USA   

Subjects:  1. Community Mental Health    2. General    3. Medical    4. Medical / Nursing    5. Mental Health    6. Mental health policy    7. Mental health services    8. Psychology    9. Public Affairs & Administration    10. Public Health    11. Social Policy    12. United States    13. Central government policies    14. Personal & public health    15. Political Science / Social Services & Welfare    16. Political structure & processes    17. Social issues   

Reviews (3)

It was very good, but is not current
This one was a great reference up to 10 September 2001.Then everything changed and much of what is in this book is out of date.To be fair though, there is stll considerable value here, but that value puts it into the 'buy a used one' category (but hey, that slightly dog-eared, somewhat out of date, reference work on the shelf behind your desk gives you that 'old hand' 'been there, done that' credibility, so this isn't all bad.)
A Great Reference
I met Richelson years ago and was amazed at his comprehensive knowledge of the intelligence community. For anyone who needs a reference guide to the organizational structure as well as the operations of the intelligence community, this is the book.

Excellent reference of the US Intelligence community.
Richelson does an excellent job of providing a link and detail to all of the U.S. intelligence successes and failures over the last 35 years.This is a superb reference book for the young and old intelligence officer in aJoint or Interagency environment that needs to know how the intelligencesystemin the United States works.Richelson does not write in theory. All of this book is practical, useful and hard-hitting.It will give youexcellent depth and insight into those often heard but little knownintelligence successes and debacles.From the USS Pueblo to the origin andcurrent status of satellite intelligence, this book covers it all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. Intelligence service    3. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    4. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. U.S. Government - Intelligence Agencies    9. United States    10. Espionage & secret services    11. USA   

Reviews (1)

Original, provocative, thoughful
I think this is a brilliant book. A great selection of interesting and relevant ideas on art, politics and technology. Beautiful images too and well published. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. General    3. History & Theory - General    4. History - Modern (Late 19th Century to 1945)    5. Philosophy    6. Political    7. Political Ideologies - Democracy    8. Political science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Representation (Philosophy)    11. Art / History / Modern (late 19th Century to 1945)    12. Political science & theory   

Reviews (36)

Time to get out
Like many ideas, the desire to set up a structure such as the UN was probably well-motivated and a legitimate concept at the time. But a strong argument can be made that the UN no longer serves its original purpose, and may in fact be acting against its founding ideals.
Sinister institutions

Fascistic farrago of fallacies
Mr Babbin should note at least some of the following facts. The (unelected) Bush regime supports the integrationist EU. The UN General Assembly does represent the world's nations. The US state has consistently promoted the nuclear proliferation of its favoured allies - Israel and Pakistan for example. The author's technique is the McCarthyite smear - those who disagree with him (that is, most of the world's people) belong in an asylum.
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Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. International Relations - Diplomacy    3. International relations    4. National security    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Terrorism    9. United States    10. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    11. Political Science / General   

Reviews (5)

Brilliant
This is a remarkable, though not easy to digest, book.Pocock traces the development of modern republican political theory from its birth in Renaissance Florence to the end of the 18th century.This book incorporates both broad structural analysis of the the unfolding of this tradition and a detailed readings of the major and quite a few minor contributors to this tradition.Pocock starts out by demonstrating that the Christian-Medieval tradition of western Europe was not equipped with the conceptual apparatus to develop a theory of republican governance.Intellectuals in Renaissance Florence then had to look back to the Classical writings of Aristotle, the historian Polybius, and other classical writers, to develop a system of thought that could justify and guide the life of city-states in Italy.An underlying theme that Pocock stresses throughout the book is the struggle of intellectuals trying to develop systems of government that would produce fulfillment and stability but constantly confronted with the insecurity and unstable nature of the real world.Another recurrent theme is the pressure to articulate republican theory constantly being confronted with new circumstances.The development of republican theory, particularly by the brilliant Machiavelli and Guicciardini, being prompted by the specific historical circumstances faced by the Florentine state.Machiavelli is really the pivotal figure, developing political theory unmoored from the divine.After tracing the development of Florentine theory, Pocock moves onto the development of republican theory in the very different circumstances of 17th century Britain.Here, theory had to accomodate not the problems of a city-state but an entire nation and changed significantly under the stimulus of the English Civil War.Pocock presents James Harrington as the key modifier and transmitter of the Machiavellian tradition and who in particularemphasized the role of property as the basis for republican stability.Pocock then moves on to the challenges of the 18th century with the confrontation of republican theory with an emerging commercial and imperial society.The final chapter deals with what happened when the American revolutionaries attempted to construct to a new society based on classical republican ideas.The failure of these ideas prompted the development of a new version of republican theory.Pocock's close analysis of individual thinkers is sometimes tough reading but ultimately rewarding. The analyses of individual thinkers are punctuated by general analyses that are invariably insightful and sometimes brilliant.Among other things, this is a basic book for understanding the intellectual background of the American Revolution and many important topics in modern history.

Birth and growth of the modern republic-- in a nutshell
This is the best book that I have found to date that traces the development of the theory of the modern "res public" from Machiavelli and the Florentine city-state, to the Glorious revolution in 17th century England, to the foundation of the American republic.
Machiavelli?
This book is a masterful testament to man's ability to become immersed in the importance of the force of history. After reading Pocock, there is no way to deny that this same historical force eclipses everyone in its path. It will be years before speaking or writing about Machiavelli apart from his historical moment will be possible. Any student of Machiavelli should avoid Mr. Pocock's book for this very reason. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History: American    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Western Europe - General    6. Constitution: government & the state    7. European History    8. History / Europe / Western    9. History of ideas, intellectual history    10. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    11. Philosophy    12. Political Science and International Relations    13. Political science & theory    14. Social & political philosophy    15. USA    16. Western Continental Europe   

Subjects:  1. International    2. Law    3. Legal Reference / Law Profession    4. International law    5. Law / International    6. United Nations & UN agencies   

Reviews (1)

Solid Background Book on Political Parties and Elections
Bibby has written a solid book on political parties, their function in current elections and how their role has changed over time.Read more

Subjects:  1. Political Process - Elections    2. Political Process - General    3. Political Process - Political Parties    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Elections & referenda    8. Political Science / General    9. Politics & government    10. USA   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (81)

Learning How To Think for Yourself
This book is a full-frontal assault on a very wide range of issues: Chomsky is a brilliant man and his intellect cuts across many domains with ease. If his ideas are ever discredited (they have stood up pretty well so far - Chomsky has debated numerous members of establishment and they are always heavily outmatched by Chomsky's towering intellect and wealth of facts), Chomsky's gift to humanity will be that we must always question what we are told by those who hold power. If he is right (which he probably is, at least on some levels), perhaps we can look forward to a society (a socialist-libertarian style democracy) like the one Chomsky describes in his lectures. My own impression of his ideas is that his propaganda model is the strongest of his ideas and it is very hard to disprove. It amounts to a truism: those in power will not do things to undermine their own power. And those in power right now happen to be big transnational corporations. As far as the book as a whole, it is invaluable and not to read it is to surrender yourself to some pretty big illusions. There's nothing wrong with disagreeing with Chomsky (quite the opposite), but you have to read him first (which most of the negative reviewers seem not to have done at all) and this book is the best place to start.

The Truth The Establishment Tries To Hide
"Understanding Power" contains so much discussion, dialogue, and exchange of information that there isn't a way to cover even 10% of what's in the book.A good bang for the buck.Whether newcomer to Noam or well-read of him, you can do further research on the topics discussed in this book, on your own."Understanding Power" contains a comprehensive index. The editing, footnoting, and referencing is superb.
Chomsky's vile bile
Noam Chomsky has thrived greatly in this great country of his, yours, and mine - the United States of America.He has made millions of dollars teaching, lecturing, selling his books, and investing.His world-wide fame in psycholinguistics is well-deserved.His infamy is merited for his lack of loyalty to his own Jewish ethnicity and the U.S., in spite of the fruits he has received by being a citizen of the United States.He has repaid this country in bile with his incredibly biased analysis of American foreign policy.He goes way beyond a balanced multiculturism, when he always ranks the U.S. and Israel as foremost among the terrorist forces in the world now, and even in history.His distrust of any authority, benign or otherwise, is reflected in his dogmatic and unexamined support of the "underdog," even if that underdog is a suicide bomber or a major terrorist organization such as Al Queda or Hezbollah.
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Subjects:  1. Chomsky, Noam    2. Current Affairs    3. History & Theory - General    4. Interviews    5. Modern State    6. Political    7. Political Process - Leadership    8. Political and social views    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Public Policy - Social Policy   

Reviews (4)

real political analysis
Unlike the political commentators of the late 20th and early 21st century (watchers of Sunday public affairs programs and AM radio listeners know who they are), the commentators of the 18th century actually had something of substance to say.This was a time when education was rare, but when done was done well.The New American Library does its usual exceptional job in assembling the material in this book including some of the more important selections from the Federalist Papers as well as some of the writings of the anti-Federalists.Here the role of the government and the nature of freedom are really explored.Life was better before politics became about feeling and emotion.Every American should read this book, but only if he wants to really understand the basis of the American experiment.

Provides a complete environment for the Federalist Papers
Study of the Federalist Papers, of course included in this two volume series, is a conduit for understanding the American ethic. When the Federalist Papers are viewed as included in this chronological deliberation between the Federalists and Antifederalists, they become even more profound than the enormous depth they can achieve when read alone. The concerns of Brutus and Agrippa are answered, the repititive call for a 'Bill of Rights' revealed. Madison wrote to Jefferson in 1825 defining the Federalist Papers as'may fairly enough be regarded as the most authentic exposition of the text of the federal constituion, as understood by the Body which prepared & the authority which accepted it.' The enormous insight gained from tracking the arguments and concerns of the proposed Constituion , and the responses of the Federalist cannot be easily estimated, yet the result is a much more informed conscience of the American experience.Madison in the same letter mentioned above stated that Federalist Essays did not foresee all the misconstructions which to that date had occured, nor prevent some it did foresee. For the concerned and deliberate citizen of today many of these issues remain, issues such as Federalism are current topics and all too often the opinions of the few become the conscience of the many, examining these volume will do much to alleviate this vexing condition. More alarming is the realization that many of the fears of the Antifederalists have become a reality in todays polity. An excellent and comprehensive collection thank you Bernard Bailyn.

Always Relevant . . . and Still a Lively Read at That!
Editor Bernard Bailyn has assembled a first-rate collection of letters, circulars, pamphlets, speeches, and what would be the colonial equivalent of modern op-ed pieces that allows today's readers to witness the foundingof a government through the eyes of (and with the voices of) those who werereally there.But don't be fooled into thinking this is going to be thestilted, polite prose that often belongs to 18th century philosophers ordebaters.Many of the pieces Bailyn has selected are remakrkably spry andteeming with understated wit.