Washington Books

This book made me think of Julian Simon's book "The Ultimate Resource" because they both build the argument that ordinary people determine the fate of nations. That is they build the successful societies, the very few free and prosperous nations that have shown the way for others to follow. In the early days of growing economies the drive and motivation of all citizens works for the common good. Climate and natural resources are secondary to the genius of the people who will always find a way if given the chance "to make it happen." That is why Julian Simon calls them "the ultimate resource." The stories of such individuals make up the basis of this very enlightening book by Lodge and Roosevelt.

The brief biographies of these uncommon commoners shows how the brilliance of American freedom found expression in its ordinary citizens. The authors avoid the failings of the academics who seek to rewrite history to accomodate current agendas--the latter deliberately manipulate history in order to manipulate the future course of their country. Too many current books paint the pioneers of America with their anti-American brush. But in these stories, Lodge and Roosevelt strip away all that modern re-write and clearly reveal the great opportunities and upward mobility that was available to all and that served the nation so well. Each story is full of new information about the lives and times of the characters and demonstrates the past strength of our cultural and religious beliefs.

There is a growing theory that the lesson of history--the explanation why some societies Rose and others stagnated, is simply a question of whether the bulk of the ordinary people had economic freedom. Only in free and open societies can all the people strive to contribute to the nation's success. And that massive and combined effort is what brought success. This theory has been summarized and dubbed "The Radzewicz Rule" in my recent book COMMON GENIUS: Guts, Grit, and Common Sense: How Ordinary People Create Prosperous Societies and How Intellectuals Make Them Collapse That book like the biographical stories by Lodge and Roosevelt recognizes that the famous and powerful characters of history often did more harm than good, and that the overwhelming forward progress was driven by the genius of common people.

This is definitely a book to read and re-read. It is a refreshing look back to the times when we had heroes--people who acted based on strong principles rather than expediency. It is to be noted that all those selected did good things--such individuals, fiercely independent and self-reliant, built the nation. (They never looked on themselves as "victims" of asked for a hand-out.) Such people do not ever cause a nation to decline, stagnate, or Fall. Today there is a new elite that have usurped the role of ordinary people, and that may be our downfall, but in this fine volume you can relive the exploits of those who helped create our great "city on a hill." Bill Greene

I learned so many possible things that TR has done for us and his country. In my opinion, TR was a hero. He established U.S. leadership in the world as no other president had before. He was truly amazing.

This book tells the story of the founding and exhibits of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. This book does not replace visits to the Museum. It is an excellent reference book to have in combination with visits to the Museum. The Holocaust Museum is one of the finest Museums in Washington, DC.

The history told at the Museum is powerful in so many ways. My hope is that humanity can learn from history not to keep repeating the many horrific mistakes that were made during the period of Hitler and Stalin. We must always remember that most of the terrible crimes during this period were sanctioned, promoted and authorized by National Governments. The Governments of nations can and do become evil, corrupt and murderous. We the people of the world must be forever vigilant against vesting too much power in the hands of too few people. Concentrated power almost always becomes corrupt.

We must learn from history how to prevent the concentrations of power in too few people. These concentrations of power can sooner or later lead to evil. Even power that is initially built on good intentions will good bad eventually. That is the nature of the human condition that we must fear that charismatic leaders will concentrate power in ways that are unhealthy and deadly. We should find ways to avoid electing charismatic leaders as these types of leaders are just too dangerous. The Holocaust happened just seconds ago in terms of the lifespan of our planet, and something like it will happen again unless we learn the lessons taught to us by history.

Having recently visited The Holocaust Museum, I felt compelled to own this book as a tangible memory. The book captures the essence of the holocaust experience with outstanding images and words, often understated, that continue to evoke the emotions felt in the museum.

This is really a fine book and in many ways better than other books that I have read by this author.

My wife enjoyed this book as well.

I recommend it strongly as it is will appeal to all people even though the setting is about a elderly Jewish gentlemen and a black lady who is trying to help him

I read this book several years ago and enjoyed it. It came into my possession again recently and it was like meeting an old friend again. The story of Sam Horowitz and Mrs. Washington is touching and heartwarming. To sumarise this book and tell the story of Sam Horowitz, an American Jew who is mugged and slashed by black 'savages' and then has a stroke while having his face stitched, sounds so depressing, but then one meets Sam, and Mrs. Washington, his black nurse, and Mona, his typically Jewish daughter, and finds the lovely Jewish wit of Sam and the strength of Mrs. Washington. Mr. Denker, thank you for the enjoyment you have given me, not just by introducing me to Sam, but for also introducing me to Harry Spencer (in a later novel) - two of the most lifelike characters I have ever met.

Ann McLaughlin's House On Q Street tells of a family which moves to Washington in 1942 when war is preoccupying the country. A ten-year-old's coming of age in this time of conflict is recounted in a moving story of change both personal and political.

Ann McLaughlin's novel The House on Q Street captures the spirit of togetherness and the stress of the WW II homefront perfectly. As you read this book, you are growing up alongside Joey Lindsten the 10 year old narrator as she encounters the joys and frustrations of moving from childhood into adolescence during a time of tremendous personal and societal upheaval. Her loving family is fractured as her father is consumed with work on a top secret project and distracted by an extramarital affair. How Joey, her sister Madeline, and their mother cope is portrayed with realism and compassion against a background filled with urgency and evocative detail. The news, the music, the victory gardens,scrap drives and rationing are all there. You really come to care and admire the characters, their courage and determination to fulfill their responsibilities and perhaps find a little love in these very uncertain times. There is a sense of selflessness and sacrifice for the common good that is a refreshing reminder of how it once was and could be again. This is a wonderful book, and it is definitely the best I have read this year.

This is perhaps the best book of it's genre on accessing the federal government. Far too many of these books focus on the "how" to access the federal government. This book focuses almost entirely on the "why". A majority of us do not realize the subtle reasons we all wish we could hack into the federal government, the needs to control the monetary flow of the richest nation in the world, a need that we all share as a human beings. This book helps us explore our relationships with and perceptions of wealth. We learn to accept who we are in the scheme of cash-flow thus allowing us to be comfortable with ourselves as we plow a cement truck through the walls of the federal reserve. Other related titles are "How to Commit Suicide Fast", "If You Thought the Government Was Watching You Now...", "Getting in Touch With Your Lust for Power, Wealth and Corruption", "The Whitehouse's Favorite Lapdance" and "Spiking the Punch at the State of the Union Address".

With this guide, you can get the text of presidential news conferences and proclamations, follow sales of dairy products, study the CIA's assessment of Ethiopia, research breast cancer, download images of earth taken from Space, investigate Department of Justice crime statistics, and more.
The guide is divided into easy-to-use sections such as Defense, Foreigh Affairs, Energy, and the Environment, then the various sites listed with access information and helpful comments.
There is a wealth of information available FREE from the U.S. government, and this work is a handy and very useful tool for accessing it.

(The numerical rating above is an ineradicable default setting within the format of the site. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings.)

How To Kick Republican Butt!: Strategy And Tactics For Democrats To Sweep The Next Elections by Brent Reilly is an informed and informative guide which is a perfect reading choice the liberal and/or democratically inclined candidate for any political office who is going up against entrenched conservative Republican ideologues. Although very humorous, How To Kick Republican Butt! is a helpful, practical, tactful, "user-friendly" and positive approach that Democrats can apply to their campaign, as well as who, what, and how certain political an cultural issues should be targeted. How To Kick Republican Butt! is a recommended read for any well-humored democrat, especially to those running for a position in office: local, state or national.

Filled with literally thousands of facts and figures, this is the hard-hitting and hilarious indictment of Republicans that I have long been waiting for. Reilly exposes the true Republican agenda, how Democrats can attack it, and gives no quarter. It explains how to win, strategic issues, offers a Red State Strategy, and explains how to save Social Security without raising taxes or cutting benefits. After reading it, I've concluded that Bush is not a true Republican, a true Conservative, or a true Christian. Anyone pissed at Bush or the Republicans will love this book. It's got more zingers than Dolly Madison. The first chapter, the Table of Contents, and more quotes can be found at the author's website. Excerpts from the back cover:

"Republicans believe that if you enjoy sex, you are doing it wrong. Bush fought a war on poverty and the poor lost. Republicans follow the Bible until it gets to Jesus. Cheney called the new Miss America unpatriotic because she wished for world peace. With great power comes great responsibility -- unless you're Republican. Bush dances around the truth so well that rappers are ripping off his moves. If the dollar falls any further, Bush will have to peg it to the peso. America fought a war with Iraq and Halliburton won. The only time Republicans talk to blacks is when they challenge them at the polls. Bush's foreign policy is so retarded it needs a special bus. Is it just me, or does Tom Delay look like a big, fat Adolf Hitler without the mustache? The voter always wins -- unless Republicans get their way. Bush is responsible for enough disasters to qualify for scripture. He may not follow the Commandments, but he's pretty good at the plagues. Bush hasn't choked this much since his last pretzel. A Republican future is so bleak that their only approval numbers are coming from Gothic fans. Bush is slow making decisions because he first waits for the check to clear. Republicans are backing off Social Security cuts so fast that they are practically moonwalking. Why is Bush so weak? Because knowledge is power."

I first read this in an old (1895) copy of Century Magazine, and enjoyed it very much. I am re reading if, out loud this time, to my husband, who agrees with me. I was amazed to find it still in print, and look forward to having it in our library. I think this would be a wonderful movie, and good for our children to see.

Weir Mitchell's HUGH WYNNE is one of the best historical novels set during the Revolutionary War in American literature. Set mainly against a Quaker backdrop in Philadelphia, Mitchell creates an accurate picture of the social as well as the military history of the time. Hugh Wynne, the main character, is faced with a number of interesting conflicts with his father, the Revolutionary cause, his cousin Arthur Wynne, and his sweetheart Darthea. Hugh favors the Revolutionary cause, which brings him into opposition with his strict Quaker father, who is against war and is a Tory. Hugh breaks with the Quakers and his father, and lives with his non-Quaker and worldly aunt Gainor Wynne. It's at her home that Hugh meets Darthea and a number of other famous people fighting for (some against)Independence, including Washington, Benjamin Rush, Hamilton, John Adams, Col. Tarleton, and many others. His cousin Arthur, a greedy, cruel Tory sympathizer, becomes the chief villain of the story and Hugh's chief antagonist, especially after they both fall in love with Darthea. Hugh's adventures multiply after he joins the troops on the field, and his conflict with Arthur is resolved after Darthea agrees to be Hugh's wife (there's a lot more to it than that, but why spoil it?).

Like Churchill's historical novels written around the same time, Mitchell's novel is filled with accurate (thanks to years of intense research) historical and social information. It's a fascinating portrayal of Revolutionary-era Philadelphia. And the main fictional characters are also well drawn, especially Aunt Gainor, whose forceful personality resonates throughout the story. Mitchell's narrative skills are much better developed than the aforementioned Churchill's, particularly when it comes to creating believable dialogue. Mitchell also criticizes in an interesting way the strict religious discipline practiced by Hugh's father (he ends up going insane, a most pitiable character), and makes it a point to indicate that Hugh and Darthea's children will not be raised that way. (FREE QUAKER is an important feature of the title.) Lovers of historical fiction will enjoy this book immensely.

A Fabulous book. I totally enjoyed the intense depth of this book. Initially, I was a bit taken aback by the sexual preverseness of one the characters but it was very well handled without being too graphic and matched the painful confusion of the novel's political setting and characters' personal conflicts. The author's style of writing was easy to read, very realistic yet, almost poetic and at the same time ... taking you on an emotional sweeping journey with the characters and through the recent political transitions of Hong Kong.
A Great style of writing not easily found in much of today's fiction; this should have been on the Best seller's list.
Looking forward to more of the same intensity and depth from this author. A must Read!

Bought this book solely by the recommendation on the jacket cover based on the quote from the UK Guardian "The best thing to come out of Australia since Peter Carey". Another positive statement on the inside cover, from the Who Weekly, "...combines emotional power with assured artistic polish", that clinched my decision to buy the book. Interested in other cultures, I had no idea, *not* a clue ... about the deeply disturbing subject matter of this book. A word to this wise, there are a few explicit disturbing descriptions of s*x*al perversion. Frankly, I would not have read this book had I known. Nothing in the title or cover descriptions (inside or outside) leads one to suspect. While I give it 5 stars for drama, suspense, characterization, artisic and creative writing, the author's extraordinairy ability to write about deep psychological problems ... still, I feel I was tricked into reading the book. However, as a reviewer, to new readers, I am upfront about its contents. Oddly enough, I do highly recommend this book,if one does not mind reading about this topic.

Rachel Gallagher and Anne-Louise Buchanan, two very different personalities who were born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, become best friends as they share similar artistic careers at a fashion magazine. They escape their mundane existence in Brisaben, to explore artistic career options in London, UK. Each gets odd jobs, one in a women's clothing store; the other as a waitress. They dreams of making it big in the world as famous artists. Oddly enough for one of these two, the dream comes true. The author alternates the stories and lives of each main character in subsequent chapters. We are first introduced to Martin James Bannister, a handsome stock broker and trader in Hong Kong. We learn of his career climb after graduating from the London School of Economics. He kept his social background suitably vague so that although he was from a working class background, no one knew or suspected. The author reveals and explores different psycholiogcal aspects of the main characters by reviewing how they were raised and the impact of key familial relationships on their personalities. This clever writing device gives the unsuspecting reader clues to future problems, however innocent the early life experiences sound, they carry the seeds of destruction ... in the future. The book is riveting and eerie ... the bonds of friendship link these two friends and pull them down deeper and deepr into a whirling abysss of unusual life experiences of chaotic and destructive proportions. Only in later chapters does the reader connect early developmental experiences and family relationships that lead to personality and behavioral patterns. These culminate into major problems that are woven as the main themes of this book. These three lives are trapped because of their past ... not by lies ... but somehow their life experiences and personalities interlink and hook in the most twisted ways ... unimaginable except by the author. Uniquely interesting book. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Every time I had to put this wonderful book down, I couldn't wait to pick it up and find out what was going to happen next. It is exciting, fun, and interesting. You will love to read it. I enjoyed reading it to my son, He even stayed still long enough to hear the whole book. He love it too

I had this book when I was a little girl. I would read this book over and over again. I lost the book in my travels and havent been lucky enough to find it anywhere. If you can find this book. Read it, you will not be sorry.

I credit this book with changing my life. In a period of lengthy unemployment I purchased the book, read every bloody page, and finally got the job I really wanted. And that job put me on a trajectory for long term career success. I am very sad to see that the book is out of print.

Even 15 years after its initial publication I would recommend this book highly. It will be missing tools that would be used today (for instance, not a word is devoted to the Internet), but there is still lots and lots of good advice to be found. Out of work? Buy this book!

This was the best job search book I have ever found. Why is it out of print so soon? It was published in 1992 with no updates or reprintings? I am shocked and disappointed. It is well worth your time and effort to find a used copy if you can! It is the complete guide to effective job finding....not just a catchy phrase.