Politics Books

I have twenty years of investigation experience in both law enforcement and the private sector. Never have I seen such a well written and insightful book on the art of investigative interviewing. Drawing on sound psychological theory and good old fashion practical nous; this book fully explains and provides an investigator with a solid foundation to work with, but the flexibility to move in any type of interview or interrogation setting. Sadly, Australian courts and those in the UK would render any confessions (criminal prosecutions) using this technique inadmissible, due to what some critics say is psychological thuggery. However, the technique has seen an increasing use in the private sector with excellent results, especially in the investigation of insurance fraud. Much like the Reid Technique, but more open and flowing - learn this excellent interviewing system and benefit from reading this investigative masterpiece.

I went to the Wicklander seminar recently. The book was just as great as the class, I'm very fortunate to have been able to go and receive the book. Thanks!

This is an excellent referecne book for anyone involved in both private and public sector interviews.

I found this book to be very informative. A big part of my job is interview and interrogation. This book was able to put into context what I have already been doing for a number of years. I found that I was referencing the book in my head as I watched the people I was speaking with and knew by their actions how truthful or untruthful they were being. If this is the type of work you do the book is a very good read.

As a practitioner in the field of investigations, it has been my experience that there are two excellent choices for investigators when deciding on what type of style they will employ. W-Z (Wicklander Zulawski) and Reid. I "grew up" in the W-Z system and employed it with great success. I found it to be flexible and able to approach a wide variety of scenarios thanks to the variety of interview styles it employs. Unfortunately, I also noticed that the variety of interview styles it employs generates a steep learning curve, and an expert at one style may wander into an interview that needs to turn an unfamiliar direction and find themselves drowning as they try to keep up with the change in style. I recently attended the Reid seminar and joined their association immediately. Reid and W-Z differ in a distinct area. Reid interviews and interrogations are always the same, only the *theme* changes, whereas the entire interview or interrogation changes under W-Z. Under both systems, a mistake can be fatal, but the consistency of the Reid technique introduces fewer areas to make mistakes in, and allows quick mastery of the styles needed to successfully interview. Both systems provide good (but not perfect) methods of detecting dishonesty and between the two systems, W-Z is slightly more flexible. That said, if you want to become very good, very fast, Reid is a better choice. Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation is a good book, and serves as a great reference for those who have already attended a W-Z seminar. If you are looking to get into investigations, are newly hired into an investigations position or just want to know more about what to expect if you're ever investigated, this book is not a good choice for you. You should be familiar with phases of an investigation, interview and know the difference between an interview and an interrogation before you pick up this book or you could be easily confused. That said, if you are familiar with investigations, this is a good resource to have on hand for both review and pre-interview or interrogation preparation. 4/5 stars because Reid's Investigator Anthology provides easier to read and more concrete, repeatable insight and experience.

A Preparation Guide for the Assessment Center Method
This book is a great tool for not only preparing for promotional exams but also for becoming a better supevisor or manager. The examples and guidelines given are helpful in addressing every day situations. The acronym PACTSFID assists in ensuring every step in the process has been addressed. The author has an amazing writing style that makes this book an easy read. I refer back to it again and again.

I bought this book after looking for something to assist me in a police lieutenant's exam. I picked this one over the other books after reading the positive reviews.
This book was well written and easy to follow. The way it is laid out makes it easy to skip around later after it has been read. The author was careful to keep the text in chronological order leading up to the day of the assessment center. The author gives the reader several easy to remember tools to assist on the day of the assessment center. I feel fortunate to have purchased this book because I think it was the main factor in my own successful assessment center. I would not buy anything else and I have recommended it to several people so far.
Just a side note; after finishing the book, i e-mailed the author with a few follow up questions. She replied the following day with a personal e-mail and a lot of additional examples. I doubt she will be able to do this for everybody, but it shows her dedication to her product.

Very helpfull!!! made the assessment center understandable for fire officer testing as well. Thank you!!

This book gives you what you need. I made the first spot on my assessment center after scoring mid range in two previous ones.

Study it and know it!!

I have had the opportunity to do a lot of assessing, and have also been a candidate for promotion. I think this book is the best I've seen for helping a candidate get inside the process, really understand it and prepare for it. It would also be useful for assessors and those who are developing an assessment center without professional help. I'm going to use it as a general reference.

This is not a book to skim, because it is jam-packed with information, without the excess white space and big margins so many of these kind of books seem to have. I would suggest reading it one time for an overview, then slowly re-reading it from the very beginning. You will miss out on a lot of good material if you skip chapters or don't read them in order.

One of the things that stands out about this book is that the author uses many footnotes, quotations, and real-life examples, which always increases the credibility of a book for me. Not only did I find useful information, I found the titles of many other books I can use. It was obviously well researched, which I thought was impressive considering that you're lucky if you find even one or two validating footnotes in most of the other books on the subject. And the behind-the-scenes stories were so true, there is no doubt she has been there and done that.

This book is not only interesting to read...it would be worth reading even if you aren't taking a test...but I thought it was inspirational. Most books on promotional processes only talk about how to get promoted. This one talks about how to be your best after you are promoted, or even if you don't make it to the top of a list. I would like to read more books by this author.

Short and concise, this little book is an excellent introduction to the life of that rarest of modern American personages: a Statesman. Though never holding public office, Ralph Nader is unmatched in post-Martin Luther King, Jr. America in his influence on the public good, his consistant stand for principles, and his enduring and often lonely crusade for democracy. This book belongs in every school in the nation as proof that the Jeffersonian ideals are still alive in this country and American democracy need not be a lost cause. This book is filled with inspiration - only wish there was an expanded version for us older readers!

This is one of the best biographies I have seen that is intended for all ages. Not only does it have the most ADORABLE pictures of young Ralph as a child and young man, but it offers a terrific tribute to Ralph's heroics over the years, with a much greater focus on American activist-hero than on election-spoiler. This book will be great to have around for myself and for my own kids in the future, and the best way I can think of to remember Ralph when he's gone. Read This!

This tightly written biography offers keen insight into one of the most important figures in the movement toward true representative democracy in the U.S. - a government run by the people and for the people, rather than one dominated by corporate interests. Graham gives us a compelling read on Nader and the values he extolls and has fought for as a consumer advocate - and which he has continued to battle for as a U.S. presidential candidate.

The book is refreshingly concise without sacrificing a multi-dimensional portrait of Nader. Graham, for example, not only describes the important and ground-breaking work Nader has undertaken in his selfless career, but he also gives us intimate insight into the events in Nader's life that shaped his all-too-rare integrity and his passion for true democracy.

I love biographies, but generally they require a good chunk of my time to get through. This book offers a real advantage to the person who wants to get an intimate feel for and understanding of this fascinating man in a short read. If you're cynical about political "business as usual," take heart. Read Graham's book. Change can happen!

This book exposes the selfless man, Ralph Nader, who has cosistantly embraced democracy and fought for individuals against power and corruption. His personal histoy will inspire citizens of this hard-won democracy to use their voice and vote for a vision of a more fair future. Ralph's life proves you can have an impact and you must participate.

This book is great if you want a concise, quick-read biography of Ralph Nader, the hero of our times. For me, it just wet my appetite to know more. Be aware that it is written for children, and for that reason I think it should be banned. If our children read this and then see who we voted for in this election, they will never forgive us.

Many books and/or their reviews glibly claim to "change your life". This one doesn't explicitly make any such promises, but change my life it has. More specifically, it has changed the way I look at life and the world. Postmodernism has brought about radical and sweeping changes, whether we realise it or not. This is a book that blows the lid on reality in terms of the paradigms that most of us have grown up with, and within which humanity has come to understand religion, politics, history and culture. Indeed, it is a timely and sobering deconstruction of many of the illusions (or Socially Constructed Realities) that people across time and cultures have come to regard as sacred and infallible. Its purpose is not to deconstruct for the promotion of its own paradigm or belief system (though I suppose an element of that is inseparable from any such undertaking). One of the most enduring images from the book is the description of a postmodern art piece which shows a hand drawing a hand that is drawing a hand. What a striking metaphor for the postmodern world, and indeed for epochs that have gone before us. Where indeed is the line between objective, absolute 'reality' and that which is subjectively constructed? Does it and can it exist for human beings at all? Whatever else may be said, this is a book that challenged me and stimulated me to think about all aspects of modern life in new and profound ways. If you are anything like me and read books which do that very thing, then believe me - this one is for you.

I am an anthropologist who teaches courses on popular culture as well as culture theory and postmodernism. This is one of the smartest and most entertaining books on the subject of modern and postmodern life. If I had found it in time, I would have used it as a required book in my course.
A lot of postmodern writing is full of puffery, but Anderson not only grounds it but makes it very engaging and immediate. He makes many insightful observations and phrases things in quotable ways. Anyone who is new to, or even fairly familiar with, postmodern and popular culture would benefit from this book. The range of topics and the smoothness of style are among the best out there.

This book was published almost twenty years ago and I only wish I had found it sooner. Written in an easy-to-read and understandable style, it covers the influence of post-modern thinking on politics, pop culture, religion, art and philosophy, among other areas. Powerfully, Anderson makes the argument that everyone has their own version of reality, carefully providing examples from everyday life. For example, he contrasts the objectivist (there are a few perfect rules that everyone must obey) and the constructivist (aware that many rules are part of a socially constructed reality), the exoteric religions (Christianity and Islam - God said so, it must be true) and esoteric religions (Zen Buddhism - a personal journey without judgement).

Why is this important? Because of most of the tension in the world comes from the differences of opinion between six main groups he has outlined: Christianity, Islam, capitalism, communism/socialism, environmentalism and new age. All of these groups passionately believe in the truth of their message and would like the entire world to conform to their thinking. In the end, the book makes you wonder where all this will lead to -- complete freedom is a beautiful thing that makes many people uncomfortable.

Get this book, take it to a quiet beach and you won't see the world the same way again.

I first stumbled upon this book by accident, read a few pages, and was amazed, amused, aghast and (forgive me) agog! Written in 1993, the author's observations and predictions (although he wasnt trying to be prophetic) were accurate and correct -- especially the section about whatit would "take" to get Americans to support a war - and how long (or short) the govt. could keep the people from getting fed up. He said it would take something like Pearl Harbor -- of that magnitude in order for teh govt to whip up enough support for a vindictive invasion/assault etc. He was right about that! That's just one small section -- the entire book is fascinating, easy to read, and explains the fracas over Globalization better than any other book I've read.
Buy it.

Anderson's reevaluation of the past few decades puts a clarifying and relieving spin on everything from global memes to the Ayatollah Khomeini. He sees the postmodern era as superficially confusing but surprisingly comprehensible on a deeper level. By reconsidering the growing pains of our complex and creative species in light of the theory that we humans construct our own realities, he shows the reader pattern and order and even hope amidst the fascinating chaos of our times.

Reinventing Democrats chronicles the efforts of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) to shift the Democratic Party from its liberal orientation to a more centrist position. It details the DLC's strategies, its successes and its failures up to the 2000 primaries, before the Democratic Party had selected a candidate. It makes a compelling case that the Democratic Party needs to (1) select public policies that are fiscally responsible, business friendly, and, in short, consonant with middle-class values and (2) eschew or de-emphasize policies that are attractive primarily to the party's issue-activists -- this being necessary to occupy the mainstream of American political thought and avoid becoming politically marginalized. This message is particularly relevant now (2003) that some Democrats are panicking over the 2002 mid-term election results and calling for a shift back to the left, effectively seeking to reverse the successful course set by Clinton after the disaster of the 1994 mid-term elections.

Clinton was elected on a New Democrat (i.e. DLC) platform, but he commenced to govern, or was perceived to govern, with a liberal agenda. This led to his plummeting popularity and the mid-term disaster of 1994, and at the time it appeared he would be retired after one term. Since a good scare is always more valuable than good advice, he embraced a New Democratic agenda in his second two years and, with a little help from the Republicans, he won a handy victory in 1996, vindicating the DLC in the process. In all likelihood the New Democratic philosophy (embodied in Al Gore) would have achieved further electoral vindication in 2000 but for unfortunate lapses in the Oval Office and mis-steps thereafter -- the 2000 election was close; Clinton-exhaustion seems to have been a factor.

This book narrates events in a Democratic evolution that is still taking place, and the success of which is not guaranteed. If you care about public policy and the future of the Democratic Party, or just like to look inside the political process, this book is worth a read.

This book is a must read for anyone with even a passing interest in American politics. Baer tells the thrilling story of how a group of Democratic Party activists saved the party from itself and brought it back on the side of middle class values. This is the real "inside" story of how Bill Clinton became president and explains the politics of the 2000 campaign better than any other book I've read.

This intelligent and exhaustively researched book outlines -- in a style that both political junkies and normal readers alike will find engaging -- how Bill Clinton and like-minded Democrats, for all of their foibles, truly became the political "comeback kids" of the late twentieth century. George W. Bush and Bill Bradley would do well to stop ignoring the lessons Baer teaches, and aspiring leaders from around the world undoubtedly will turn to this book as an answer key for the tests voters put before them on election days.

Whether you have a passing interest or are a true political junky, this book is a must read to understand America's contemporary political landscape. Highly recommended.

A must read for anyone interested in our political system! At the dawn of the 21st century, the face of politics and parties is changing at an alarming rate. Reinventing Democrats takes an insightful look at the underlying truthes of government today. Baer is a thoughtful and intelligent writer who sheds light on what fuels the actions and decisions that affect the lives of all Americans. This book definetly can't be missed!

I used to work in WTC building #7 until I moved to LA about a year before 9/11. I never felt so out of place as I did for a few weeks after 9/11 as I watched the recovery and clean-up efforts from Ground Zero from California. I wanted to know everything I could which is of course impossible unless you were there. This book gives you incredible insight to the bravery, courage, strength and gut-wrenching horrors of those who were there to find, clean-up and recover.

This is absolutely a great book, probably the best one for getting you into ground zero and feeling what they felt, to as great of an extent as you can. I don't quite understand all of the [---] he uses, for example, "the [firefighters] started down Vessey". Is he just trying something new? I don't care though, I have never read a book that is as honest and makes you feel like your fighting the fires with dennis more then his series of books. Great job!

A very readable, moving book that adds still more to the memory-bank of September 11, 2001. The book is divided into two sections: 9/11 itself and the first months afterward, recounted day by day. Most of the second section is Smith's own experiences, with fewer "interviews" with others; however, this doesn't take away from the power of the work.

One peeve is that Smith too often refers to his previous work "Report from Engine Co. 82" in terms of whether or not people were aware of it--including incredulity that a police officer guarding the crime scene a few days afterwards didn't know. However, he writes some of the best descriptions of a profession, any profession, that I have ever read: "...to me it was always the best responsibility to have in a fire--to be on my stomach and to have the officer and the men shouting, 'That's it, you got it, move in, a little more, get the ceiling, get the ceiling, watch the windows, you got it now...".

One quote from an Assistant Chief of Department captures how quickly people forget--from November 5, 2001: "They came down to the World Trade Center in fire trucks and we should not let them leave in dump trucks." Five years later, don't forget all of those who did not leave that day the way they started it.

It's hard to not give this book a 5-star rating because I was moved in many places and I'm so grateful for the sacrifice of the firemen on 9/11. This book opened my eyes in many ways to their ultimate sacrifice and their continued efforts to honor their own.

I do think, however, that this could have been edited a bit better. The aftermath section (which is about half of the book) seems repetitive to me and thus, not quite as powerful as the earlier section. Also, I found it strange that there was no mention of the crash of flight 587 on November 12th, 2001. Mr. Smith records that on that day he was in a meeting with Mayor Guilliani and other firemen about their role at ground zero. He focused on this day for several pages and failed to mention that 250+ people perished in a NY neighborhood aboard that flight and everyone initially suspected terrorism as the cause of the crash. This omission, perhaps, would have been more understandable had he not mentioned 11/12/01 at all, but there is a whole section for that day and certainly this crash was on his mind, since it did indeed involve firemen.

Overall, I recommend this book.

"Report from Ground Zero: The Story of the Rescue Efforts at the World Trade Center" by Dennis Smith provides a poetic-journalistic look at a tragedy which still continues to shake America. You'll find the book stronger in intensity than many of the photographic collections of September 11, 2001.

Why? Dennis Smith was a fireman who understood tragedy from an experienced viewpoint. Like all of us, he saw the worst of humankind crash into the World Trade Center. Then, he saw the best of humankind enter those same buildings to save the victims.

Now, three years later, after many in America have preferred to see terrorism as a political event and not one of evil and hate, it is important to remember the violent images, and the tender responses to the hurting and scared. America was in one its greatest moments in those torrid days, and we should never forget.

Smith's descriptions are more than photo-realistic versions of what he saw, but brings forth the anguish and passion, and the smell of wet ash and burning debris. Smith manages to connect with the reader beyond the hype and politics. You will not be able to read this unaffected.

The people in the high-rises, on the planes, and the policemen and fireman all were real people. Even the foolish young men who hijacked the planes, the ones who believe Bin Laden -- all real people who died for another man's lie. Smith draws out the real, draws out the essence as well as the actual accounts of the awful events.

I fully recommend "Report from Ground Zero: The Story of the Rescue Efforts at the World Trade Center" by Dennis Smith.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

This is the latest offering from one of the most insightful analysts of national and global security issues. In this book, Klare is essentially warning of the impending energy crisis, both related to climate change and to the increasing scarcity of petroleum, and of how both will likely escalate into political and/or military crises. He tells the sordid tale of the unholy alliances the United States has historically entered into to secure access to petroleum, and reveals the dynamics of the current global energy market--who has it, who needs it, the deals being cut to access it, and what the consequences of this arrangement may be. Klare also makes a compelling case for US/Chinese cooperation on things like carbon sequestration for coal-powered power plants to mitigate global warming, since both nations will continue to rely heavily on this dirtiest of fuels. He also makes a strong pitch for a rapid and massive move toward renewable energy sources as a key part of not only securing energy, but securing peace as well.

"Oil will cease to be primarily a traded commodity, but instead the preeminent strategic resource on the planet -- with power struggles over energy being the defining characteristic of the new century."

The charts alone tell the story of what lies ahead. The most striking figure for me is that the US, the world's sole superpower for the last 2 decades, holds 3.3% of the world's natural gas reserves yet produces and uses 18.5% of the world total - not sustainable long term strategy for a country that refuses to invest meaningfully or intelligently in efficiency or alternative sources of energy. More concerning yet is the growing concentration of the world's dwindling oil reserves in unstable regions of the world where ALL of the major developing and developed countries are involved in a high stakes, high nerves 21st century version of the Great Game. Klare lays out the situation simply and clearly and lets the reader draw most of the conclusions. It doesn't take much editorializing to help us understand why the US has 12 major military bases in the Gulf region or why China refuses to condemn the appalling situations in Sudan or Zimbabwe. For anyone who wants to understand the larger picture, this is a great book.

I have read all of Michael T. Klare's books and I think this is his best work. The book is well written and well thought out. I think some of his other works, his liberal colors show and he showed his personal dislike for the President and Republicans and conservatives in general and liked to play the blame game. Don't get me wrong, I am not a Republican or a Democrat, I am just saying I can be more objective than Mr. Klare because I dislike everybody equally, Mr. Klare is political. In the past Mr. Klare seems to show his world view might be colored because he might have been a 1960's hippie and he's spent a lot of his professional career in rich New Hampshire in the comfort and safety of rich, and comfortable Hampshire College in squeaky clean Amherst. I don't question the author's smarts or his honesty. He believes what he says. What does the author want? Page 252, "devise new technologies and industrial processes that consume fewer resources while stimulating economic growth, improving human life, and protecting the global climate." You don't want much do you honey?! Page 254, China and the United States, "cooperation would be the development of super-efficient, lightweight motor vehicles." More cars?! You are not asking for much are you Mr. Klare? Then why can't I have a wife that's always 117 pounds, is never moody and easy to get along with, has an IQ of 150 and loves to cut grass and clean the gutters and doesn't like to go shopping? I am sure Mr. Klare will remember the 1960's Rolling Stone song, "You can't always get what you want." I admire the Author's love of his son and his wife. Again, this is a sharp book by a very smart man. I am glad I bought it. Regards, Keith Renick, Peachtree City, Ga.

A sobering non-ideological account of the struggle among world powers for energy resources.

The author points to actions that could be taken to avoid the catastrophe of world war or another arms race as countries seek to obtain control of the remaining world energy resources.

If anyone is wondering why we have such high gasoline prices in this country this book might give us some clues as to the reason(s) behind such increases in price- peak oil. But not just that- it's peak everything! Increasingly as China, India, Japan, Russia, United States, and Canada compete for natural resources, we are depleting them at a very rapid rate. The author thinks we are pretty much at peak oil and will soon reach peak natural gas in the next decade. Due to the increased competition for resources, alliances have been built to ensure access to these resources via weapons trade and security whether it be in Africa, Central Asia, or Latin America. Countries are even competing for the remaining 25% of oil reserves in the North Pole. Michael Klare believes that if this gun boat diplomacy build up continues, we will be looking at another global war which would be catatrophic for the world. Unfortunately, his suggestions for alternative energy sources are of little consolation give that research and development are still at the early stages and in no way can compete with petroleum. I seriously doubt diplomacy will work as Klare suggests given the history of world conflict and the quest for precious resources. I find the current state of world affairs to be very frightening. Nevertheless, this book provides important information that is sure to startle you. So if you want to understand world affairs and politics as it relates to oil and other natural resources, this book is a must. Highly recommend.

This book is really exciting to read. I have been trying to find a book on Soviet weapons for a while and came across this book. I must say I was amazed of the amount of content and detail included in this book. The book lists different strategic missiles from the very first ICBM to the latest model that was produced in the Soviet Union. The authors even lists different missile bases and production sites i.e. (closed cities) and warhead depositories, and the nuclear fuel cycle . Even though the Cold War is over I'm wondering if some of the material should still be classified.

This book goes through the early history of the production of missiles, naval fleets, information of strategic aviation sites and production facilites and locations. This book has a section on nuclear tests which lists nuclear explosions. It also describes the decision making process of the strategic nuclear forces in the event of a nuclear war. The chapter that was interesting was the "Strategic Defense" chapter which includes missile and space defense forces, antisatellite and space surveillance the Soviet version of the United States SDI program was interesting. Toward the end of this book includes the present state of Russian strategic forces.

I would recommend this book to anyone that's interested in soviet military thinking and the history of Soviet/Russian weapons systems. A great reference.

Pavel Podvig's Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces was initially available only in Russian, however when it was finally updated and released in English we received the absolute most authoritative and detailed report on the subject available in the civilian sector.

Podvig's effort is to be highly commended, as he has compiled an impressive amount of research, much of it relating to the technical side, though good write-ups and historical overviews are included. From R&D to production and finally deployment, every Soviet/Russian ICBM, SLBM and Strategic Bomber system is discussed in extensive technical detail, including such well researched and hard to find details such as Circular Error Probability of all Russian strategic systems.

The book is a heavy volume containing nearly 700 pages, none of it filler, so you can imagine the sheer amount of information in this volume for anyone interested in attaining a deeper understanding of the subject. Given the price, it really is a no-brainer. Furthermore Pavel Podvig maintains a frequently updated and detailed web site which continually adds newer information, essentially making this a "living research" project on the subject. You can locate his site here:

Seems Amazon edits out any links in reviews, so to try again Podvig's site can be found at russianforces.org

Once again, for the incredibly low price this book is offered at, you have nothing to lose, and a wealth of knowledge to gain.

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Mr. Podvig, aside from being someone who has been won over by his dedication and research to the subject at hand.

This book is interesting in some ways but heavily focused on facilities and process rather than the history of development of some of the critical technologies. A good reference but a bit disappointing.

For most readers interested in Soviet missile development I would recommend Zaloga's The Kremlin's Nuclear Sword: The Rise and Fall of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces. Covers some of the early debates on missile development and strategy, with special emphasis on competition between the design bureaus.

Note that both of these books only focuses on Strategic missiles, as their titles certainly acknowledge, so there is little detail on short and intermediate range missiles except for the earliest missiles such as the SS-3 and SS-4. If you are looking for Scud information you won't find it here unless you are looking for the submarine launched version.

Mr. Podvig's book, "Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces," is an excellent unclassified look into the world of Russian/Soviet nuclear weapons. The book covers weapon systems, facilities and nuclear tests since the dawn of their nuclear age. The diagrams and tables are clear and concise.

This book was very helpful in allowing an individual to quickly memorize (or 'compare and contrast') different missile ranges and warhead yields. Very useful if briefing American missile combat crews on potential nuclear threats, or if writing 'peace-nik' papers on the evils of nuclear weapons. Honestly, I don't care what your bent is - if you want to know about nukes, this book needs to be added to your library.

Nuclear forces, like other branches of the military, are divided into two categories: Tactical and strategic. Strategic division of the nuclear forces covers the armaments that have a wider scope of effect. These are the forces that have kept the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) balance between the superpowers so far. Strategic nuclear forces have air, land and submarine launch capability of nuclear warheads targeted for intercontinental targets.
This book covers every aspect of the Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces from the very beginnings up to post-Soviet restructuring. It covers detailed development phases of strategic bombers, land-based launch platforms and the submarine leg of the nuclear triad. There are detailed data on the organization of the nuclear command, early warning systems and launch protocols. There are also detailed data on the Soviet/Russian nuclear complex and their products. At the end of the book, there is a long list of the nuclear tests undertaken by Russia.
All in all, this book should be read and kept as a reference by all those who want to have a well-balanced look at the Russian Nuclear Strategic Command's capabilities and importance. Readers of this book will appreciate why the latest efforts by the United States for a missile defense system will be highly counter-productive.

Kudos for J.R. Norton for pulling together our Founding Fathers and our current foundering, floundering politicians. Reading Norton's quick-minded, incisive writing is to bask in the sunlight of memory recovered--he reminds us of the progressive stance of the founders of this country. One cannot read this book and then listen to the news in the same way. Reading Norton's book will make you want to do your own careful analysis of the current war, if you haven't done it already. Norton's book is a wonderful reminder of the principles on which this country was founded and how far we have allowed our country to be pulled from those noble and ambitious principles. Should be required reading!

This fascinating, meticulously-researched book takes a biting, clever and frequently hilarious look back at the founding fathers, the revolution they fought, and the constitution they miraculously crafted. Norton deftly connects the biggest issues and controversies of today with the cultural and political ideals of the founders, arguing convincingly and passionately that, contrary to what the Right would have us believe, the founders' policies, beliefs and priorities were incredibly progressive by today's standards. In fact, it is the the Left, and modern day progressives, who are the rightful heirs to the founders' legacy.

Filled with illuminating (and often quite amusing) quotes from the founding fathers' letters, books and speeches, this book transforms the remote, infallible, wig-wearing deities of elementary school parables and the "heads" side of money into real, flesh and blood men. By the end of the book (which I devoured in a single sitting), I felt like I KNEW these guys. But more importantly, I was reminded of how much I love this country and what it stands for, despite how horrifying and frightening I find its current leadership and policies. And, above all, how vital it is that the progressive, rational, tolerant, civic-minded people of this country -- the rightful cultural and political descendents of the founders -- fight to take it back.

Saving General Washington is a cleverly written treatise calling us to task on our national lack of historical memory. Norton's is an amusing ride, simultaneously weaving history and current events into one sharp commentary on who we are, where we came from and where we ought to be going.

Norton uses his firm grasp on current political events as a hook into the excellent contemporary literature on the founding fathers, creating a text that's easy to read if you are familiar with either -- and entertaining if you're familiar with both. It's hip and full of witty references -- but never to the point where it gets cutesy or the author becomes more into himself than the idea. I was most impressed by his ability to pull from historical research to provide a concise argument without getting lost in the details or horribly glossing over the historical subject matter.

One criticism could be that it doesn't go extremely deep into the history, but I'd argue that it serves its purpose by providing a good entree into the subject matter for those interested. There's worse things one could do than convince someone to pick up the latest McCullough biography. I'd also recommend Gordon Woods for anyone into these ideas.

For an example of the style, take Norton's discussion of business and politics -- where he contrasts Bush / Cheney to Franklin. Norton's description of Franklin, 'the official funny fat guy of the founding fathres and the nation's inspirationally folksy old bastard' is on the mark and hilarious. Norton does and excellent job of doing what our schools should have done -- reveal these old codges for the fascinating, contradictory, but ultimately foresighted people that they were and suggesting what lasting principles we might learn from them.

Saving General Washington reads like an entertaining friend walking you through a compelling argument -- that modern Republicans have hi-jacked the memory of our founding fathers and now we're taking it back.

Norton's dropping Burrs and Hamiltons like Samberg, and so should you.

Like the previous reviewer, I read this text in one sitting. It's well-written, insightful, and useful for any folks like me who have a huge critique of the current administration but a less-than-perfect understanding of history to articulate why the current state of affairs is such an assault on patriotic values. Brilliant! I'd recommend it to everyone. Bought it for my father. Bought it for my friends.

It was so good, I read the entire book in one sitting. I couldn't stop. The author does an excellent job marrying history with humor and making a statement in the process. The bibliography and the end of the book I thought especially useful.

The author provides few hints that he has studied the basis for his beliefs Certainly, he has thought about how to defend public religious expression. Understandably, he talks about his faith. At the same time, he claims those disagreeing with his belief are advancing their "faith" in so doing. (In this context he borrows the phrase..."the church of the left"... from the rather superficial essays of Dr. Stan Kurtz).

He consistently toys with straw man constructions in this polemic without admitting his faith is that of one hoping for substance unseen. It is not likely this hope will ever be commonly shared by all of humanity.

It is rather interesting to see him start asserting matters of "proof" when engaging a fellow law school student who is gay. Surely, proof is hard come by and an unlikely companion when making such traditional assertions of faith. Many passages in this book begin with the author being "stunned" or being "shocked" at what he observes. This rightly characterizes the emotional basis for both his convictions and the religious ideas he endorses.

Impressionable children weeping their way into a church auditorium fully reveals how dramatically emotional is so much of the faith he espouses. And yet he attempts to portray liberal opponents as similarly locked in into a faith while not recognizing... much of their profound distrust of what he presents as that faith... is based on antagonism to the widely seen religious emotional extremism that he actually describes. He finds grace in such experiences while others of us recoil at the Old Time Religion that drags sinners down the aisle to the "mourners bench."

Emotion may be natural to the human condition but as the basis of religious zeal it has proven to be dangerous throughout history. Such strong emotional responses usually exclude rational and calm discourse. The author paints emotional palettes to advance his ideas while apparently thinking that emotion validates his arguments. A better understanding is that emotion is the basis and content of the religious ideas he celebrates. Emotion validates little or nothing in this context.

Typically, it crowds out facts. Of course, certitude characterizes such intense emotion. Liberals cannot be demonized just because they lack such emotional certainty and such can hardly be described as a "faith". Learning greatly tempers certainty while emotional intensity fosters rigidity. Neither may rise to a "worldview!" Ambiguity may be the nature of the cosmos and is, of course, no friend to rigid, inflexible belief systems. Much more than "civil rights" seems to be involved here. Neither can the issues be simplified as "secular" liberalism versus straight- arrow religious faith. The presence of emotion excludes problem solving. The greater the emotion the less problem solving will occur.

Religious communities that define faith and practice it in terms of emotion are not likely to problem solve. More importantly their emotional intensity creates barriers with others in the larger community who might be willing to problem solve. This is not a matter of a "liberal" faith standing in hard headed opposition to simple religious folk. It is a matter of understanding the lessons of history where zealotry rages.

A second matter needs mention. Those, the author champions and has great affection for, those who deny or distort what we have come to understand about human beings. One might say that the worldview he espouses is a crippled and inadequate view of humanity. The cultural split he alludes to is truly great. His co-religionists continue to insist their worldview is the only accurate view, as it was authored by divinity. No values outside of this worldview can be recognized nor celebrated. This is the magical thinking that is so often considered to be the remarkable religiosity of Americans.

Supportive of the contention that the faith being discussed here is of extreme emotional intensity is this: the constant conditioning of church members with song, prayer, sermon, testimony is not seen as conditioning. In fact, the very idea, if put to religious folk, would be rejected as offensive. Somehow the well-understood conditioning that occurs to all of us at work, at home and in school never happens at church. This is a denial of the first order that thoughtful people, liberal or not, should not ignore. Such a lack of insight should make every thoughtful person wary of many religious affiliations.

The limitations of the author's views are obvious. What may be less obvious is that some religious people seem bent on turning every courthouse, every stadium, every school, every government facility, even private work spaces, into a church. This "handbook" may well help. Some of his more cautious and carefully weighed thoughts may pass unnoticed. They are worth reading as they reveal some underlying conflicts felt by the author. There are signs here that if Americans don't grant this "right" to "share"... as a civil right... religious people will opt out as many are doing.

Does "share" signal a strategy to make converts of the entire majority? Can a mere 8 percent of the population who are evangelicals accomplish this? Whatever the goals, there is no civil right that can protect us from stupidity whether it be from school administrators in Chelmsford , Massachusetts or town administrators in Georgetown, Kentucky.

There was a time when religious folk, the church, were fully in charge...of everything. Do we wish to return to that time...the Middle Ages? Civil rights posed no problem. Sacred law was the measure, the only measure, for all matters.

Mr. French seems to carefully weigh these considerations in his argument especially as a minority religionist, but when push comes to shove, will he attempt to do more than just "share" his faith? Does he not understand there would be no church today, as we understand it, without the political power of a Constantine and others?

Just maybe, as the foundations of faith continue to quake, with faith-based emotion proving inadequate to cope with the modern age, the author will wish government had picked a faith for the state...his!

The author may well be a master of arms in the "culture wars." The reader will find the subtext of this book is that the good and wise are not just being discriminated against but seriously persecuted. As those of his faith seem to portrayed as without blemish or rancor, only an invalid opposing "faith" of distorted origins can explain such negative treatment. It is just possible that more cases could be added to those discussed by the author here.

Unfortunately, as all members of his faith have not been uniformly kind, charitable and loving to others, the unkind feelings generated in others towards them will not abate. Was it not written, somewhere, that one should be mindful "...of the beam in one's own eye..."? While all citizens should have recourse to the law, one might ask what marks authentic faith? Is government to protect all those "...persecuted for righteousness sake..."? Does this stance reflect the early days of this faith?

One last comment. The author discusses the Middle School and homosexuality on pages 52-53. He hesitates to affirm the incident he cites is wide spread. He says without crisply delineating "secular" the following, "Because the content of the program was 'secular,' it was legally acceptable for government officials to use government funds to promote behavior incompatible with evangelical Christianity."

This assertion is nothing short of incredible. How can a Harvard trained consitutional specialist begin to suggest government test all its actions against what evangelicals, Mormons, Moonies, Jehovah Witnesses, Scientologists or any other "recognized" religion deem "behavior incompatible?" Please Mr. French, let's not go there! Maybe this is evidence that we should shear Samson's locks, in a literary sense, lest he pull the temple down on us all?

This is a remarkable and courageous book by a very talented student of law, religion, and liberty. There are not many evangelical Christians who would write such a blunt and forceful plea to an audience that, as he has admitted, has not always been uniformly tolerant of those on the other side of the religious and cultural divide. His fundamental point is that Christians must be given equal rights in the public square, to defend their beliefs and to attempt to convince others to see the light as they have seen it. But part of the pact must involve Christians' acceptance of the notion that the government cannot favor their positions any more than it can discriminate against them. David French is as important to liberty as he is to religion. Harvey A. Silverglate, Cambridge, MA

I found this book to be very enlightening on the issues and hurdles facing many of our Christian brothers today. This book serves as a wake-up call to those of us who may have become lethargic and lazy in our faith. I believe you will find "A Season for Justice" to be highly educational and inspirational.

This book is very educational, but the tone of the book is conversational and approachable. The author talks about religious freedom issues in quite interesting and remarkably innovative ways. I have been a Christian all my life, have heard the arguments from the pulpit about how we need to "take our country back" from those who try to relegate Christianity to the back rooms and away from public life. I always agreed to some extent, but never felt empowered because I didn't understand HOW to do that precisely. This book explains the HOW. If you are remotely interested in American culture and Christianity's place in that culture, this book's for you. If you wonder how September 11th changed things in America's spiritual/political climate, this book's for you. I highly recommend the purchase of A Season for Justice. It will change the way you think about the "culture wars," and it will give you courage to stand up in the name of Christ to actually fight these battles.

In A Season For Justice: Defending The Rights Of The Christian Home, Church, And School, David French (Counsel for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship's Religious Freedom Crisis Team) brings to bear his many years of litigious expertise and experience as a courtroom defender of the rights and constitutional freedoms of the Christian community. French traces how Christians have fought for their legal rights through the use of anecdotal stories, case studies, and personal accounts illustrating and showcasing battles to preserve the basic right to share gospel teaching in their churches, schools, and workplaces. A Season For Justice is informed and strongly recommended reading for those concerned with the freedom of religion, and the relationship of Church and State, within the American constitutional framework.