Stride Toward FreedomThe Montgomery Story by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Harper and Row Publishers, New York:1958. This book chronicles Dr. King's leadership of the successful bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, which resulted in integrating Montgomery's public buses, and led to further national civil rights protests culminating in the Civil Rights Acts. The philosophy of Dr. King, who was greatly influenced by Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, is clearly stated in this book: aggressive( not passive) non-violent action as the means to achieving social justice. Although Stride Towards Freedom was written almost 50 years ago, this powerful inspirational book needs to be read in a time when basic civil liberties are threatened, and minority rights are overlooked.

Founding Father : Rediscovering George Washington by Richard Brookhiser. Free Press, New York. 1996. A valuable introductory primer on the life of the first American president. The author enlightens us to the personality of Washington, who was influenced by classic authors (e.g. Seneca) and who was very conscious of the significance of theater in his presidential role.

All the President's Words: The Bully Pulpit and the Creation of the Virtual Presidency by Carol Gelderman. Walker and Company, New York 1997. The author contends that a Presidents relationship with his speechwriter(s) is one of the most important elements contributing to an effective presidency. A President who maintains a close working relationship with his speechwriting staff will be able to communicate more effectively with his public and implement his policy more easily. The author traces the origin of the bully pulpit to Teddy Roosevelt and elaborates on the relationships of presidents and their speechwriters through the Clinton era. The decline of presidential effectiveness can be marked by an increasing alienation of the chief executive from his speech writing staff. Written by the Distinguished Professor of English at the University of New Orleans.

What Kind of Nation: Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall and The Epic Struggle to Create a United States by James F. Simon. Simon and Schuster New York: 2002. Chief Justice John Marshall, and his political adversary, President Thomas Jefferson, struggled to define the path of a nation in its infancy. Two political parties, the Federalists, advocating a strong federal government, and the Republicans, defenders of state's rights, vie for political supremacy. A number of judicial decisions, including Marbury vs. Madison, where the Supreme Court became the final arbiter of the Constitution, are discussed at great length in this book. It is very important to shed light on the political and legislative life of the early days of the United States: What Kind of Nation clearly illustrates that there was no absence of political conflict in those days - reflecting the elements of our modern democratic society which continue to this day. Mr. Simon is a Martin Professor of Law at the New York Law School. He is a former correspondent and contributing editor at Time, and the author of several critically acclaimed books on judicial history- The Antagonists, and The Center Holds.

What's So Great About America by Dinesh D'Souza. Regnery Publishing Inc. Washington, DC: 2002. Mr. D'Souza, in a lucid, non-alarmist tone, defends the great American ideals and how they manifest themselves; he refutes the so-called sins of America and the West: Slavery, Colonialism, and Decadence. Mr.D'Souza extols the wonder of the "melting pot" and how only in America, diverse cultures come together and prosper in the American experiment. The author dethrones multiculturalism, which is pervasive in the American public school arena, and points out the weaknesses in this line of thinking. This is a very thought provoking book- one written by an Indian immigrant who praises both the spiritual and material wealth of his adopted country. The author is a former domestic policy analyst, and he is currently the Rishwain research scholar at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University. Mr. D'Souza is the best selling author of Illiberal Education and The End of Racism. His website is www.dineshdsouza.com.

Why Lincoln Matters by Mario Cuomo. Harold Holzer, Historical Consultant. Harcourt San Diego, CA: 2004. Mario Cuomo invokes the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln to challenge the policies of the Bush administration. What would Lincoln counsel in regard to the War in Iraq and the increasing lack of economic opportunity in America? Lincoln is the stalwart champion of the American system- and his views on the American experiment are crucial to understanding the direction this country must pursue both at home and in the world at-large. The author relates crises in Lincoln's Presidency and ponders how Lincoln would react to similar contemporary situations. This is an important, thought- provoking book which will help to enlighten the reader in regard to our current era. Why Lincoln Matters will be rewarding to readers of all political persuasions. Mario Cuomo is the author of several books and served as Governor of the State of New York for three terms.

Freethinkers A History of American Secularism by Susan Jacoby. Metropolitan Books, Henry Holt and Company, New York:2004. An enlightened account of the impassioned fights by secularist movements for the separation of church and state in the United States. Freethinkers begins with the fierce debate over omitting God from the constitution, and moves from the abolitionist, suffragette, civil rights, and feminist movements to contemporary battles over religious influence in government. An excellent book choice, especially for those of a politically liberal bent. The author, an award winning independent scholar, has written six books, including Wild Justice: The Evolution of Revenge, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and a New York Times notable book. Ms. Jacoby is also a contributor to The New Republic, The New York Times,The Washington Post, and other publications.

The Great Agnostic: Robert Ingersoll and American Free Thought by Susan Jacoby. Yale University Press Robert Ingersoll was the 19th century's most famous orator. His talks about the separation of church and state, the rights of women, modern science, and other secular humanistic topics captivated his audiences. The "Great Agnostic" was a spokesman for an era in which science and invention would begin to dominate the progressive era. Ingersoll's impassioned oratories would be relevant to today's continuing conflict between secular humanism and religious centric thought. This book will appeal greatly to progressive readers. The author has also written Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism and nine other books. She is a contributor to many national newspapers and magazines.

The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Krugman.W.W. Norton & Company New York:2007. America experienced the "Great Compression" for a period of thirty years following the second World War. Socio-economic mobility was made possible by higher paid jobs, stronger trade unions, and an affordable educational system. The author examines the dismantling of the American Dream and the Roosevelt New Deal by radical Republican conservatives. Having returned to a new Gilded Age America, the middle class is struggling, education is unaffordable, and health care is out the reach for millions of Americans. Outspoken and contrarian, the author lays out steps which will help to reimplement a more equitable standard of American life: universal health care, stronger unions, and taxation reform- including rolling back the Bush tax cuts. The author is an economist and winner of the distinguished John Bates Clark Medal, given to American economists. He teaches at economics and international affairs at Princeton University. The author was also named Columnist of the Year by the Editor and Publisher Magazine for his twice weekly Op-Ed columns in the New York Times

Longitude and Attitudes: Exploring the World After September 11 by Thomas Friedman. Farrar, Straus and Giroux:2002. A collection of op-ed columns written before and after September 11. The author, a widely read and renowned columnist for the New York Times, presents a balanced view on the current problems in the Mideast and reflects on how 9/11 has a changed the tenor of life in the United States. Mr. Friedman writes of his in-depth conversations with Saudi leaders and other Mideast journalists and statesmen. He offers no solution to the current Mideast quagmire, but he does endorse a path of Westernization for the Mideast, one that will lift these countries from their current economic and cultural malaise. The book is divided into two parts: the published columns and diaries written after September 11. This is a sobering account of the present Mideast situation, and will guide the reader to a better understanding of the problems in this region. He is the author of From Beirut to Jerusalem, a best-selling winner of the 1999 National Book Award, and The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization.

Reason: Why Liberals Will Win The Battle for America by Robert B. Reich. Alfred A. Knopf New York: 2004. The former Clinton Administration Secretary of Labor exhorts liberals to exert greater influence in the current political tide. The author exposes the policies of the radical conservative right or "radcons," which are creating a society where tax cuts favor the wealthy, and the vast majority of Americans struggle for good health care, education, and job opportunities. Mr. Reich proposes pragmatic solutions to the current problem: job retraining, tax increases on the top income earners, and a curtailing of corporate fraud and privilege. The author cites other eras in American history where the government intervened to solve crises: he is confident that a liberal intervention will help redress the inequities of our current time. Mr. Reich is University Professor at Brandeis University and Maurice B. Hexter Professor of Social and Economic Policy at Brandeis's Heller School. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic Monthly, and The Wall Street Journal. This is his tenth book.

Ulysses S. Grant by Josiah Bunting III. Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., general Editor. Times Books, Henry Holt and Company New York:2004. A short definitive biography which argues that Grant was a misunderstood and undervalued President. Commonly accessed as a President tainted by scandal, Grant was committed to reuniting and forging the Union. He was also a champion of both full citizenship for former slaves and fair treatment to Native Americans. This book is a part of the American President Series from the publisher. The author is a former army officer and superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute. His other books include: The Lionheads, The Advent of Frederick Giles, An Education for Our Time, and All Loves Excelling.

American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune, and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush by Kevin Phillips. Viking, The Penguin Group New York: 2004. An in-depth history of the Bush family's involvement in arms dealing, energy development, and the culture of secrecy dating back to Samuel P. Bush and George Herbert Walker. Despite George H.W. Bush's unassuming demeanor as the master of "Points of Light", the former President has ties to the Bin Laden family, Mid East arms dealing( as the head of the CIA) and was most likely a major player in the "October Surprise" release of the American hostages in Iran. His son, George W. Bush, has inherited connections to the Bin Laden family, and enjoyed a close relationship with Enron's Kenneth Lay, who was an important contributor to his Presidential campaign. Bush 43 is involved with the right wing Texan crony network, and his top advisor, Karl Rove, is a serious student of the Italian philosopher, Machiavelli, known for his deceptive instructions to ruling Princes. This is an important work by the former White House strategist. It is an excellent resource with bibliographic direction for both political science students and teachers. Mr Phillips, a disenchanted Republican and currently an Independent, has written nine books including the New York Times Bestsellers The Politics of the Rich and Poor and Wealth and Democracy. He is a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, Harper's and Time.

War and the American Presidency by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. WW. Norton and Company, New York: 2004. The eminent historian questions the Bush doctrine of "preventive" war and how the latter was perceived by past Presidents. He also explores the history of constitutional democracy and its future as inextricably linked to war and the American Presidency. The enlightening final chapter is about the "inscrutability" of history and its use as a diagnostic tool for contemporary issues. Mr. Schlesinger is an author and historian. His Pulitzer Prize books are The Age of Jackson, and A Thousand Days:John F. Kennedy in the White House.

1776 by David McCullough. Simon & Schuster, New York: 2005. A moving rendering of the American war for independence from October 1775 to the turning point of the Battle of Trenton in 1776. The author skillfully portrays Washington's personality: his courage, enigmatic fortitude, and personal misgivings regarding his leadership. Britain emerges as a country divided by the war with its colonies; the strength and weaknesses of her army deployment are detailed in a balanced historical perspective. This is a moving book which will appeal both to the novice and the seasoned reader of American history. The author has twice received the Pulitzer Prize for Truman, and John Adams and received the National Book Award for Path Between the Seas, and Mornings on Horseback. David McCullough has been honored with the National Book Foundation Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and the National Humanities Medal. His other widely praised books are Brave Companions, The Great Bridge, and The Johnstown Flood.

Soldiers and Slaves American POWS Trapped by the Nazis Final Gamble by Roger Cohen. Alfred A. Knopf, New York: 2005. American Soldiers captured at the Battle of the Bulge in 1945 and elsewhere were transported by cattle car to Berga, a concentration camp in eastern Germany. Some were singled out as Jews or thought to resemble Jews and were treated more severely than the other GIs. The 350 soldiers were forced to work under brutal conditions as slave laborers mining tunnels for a planned underground synthetic fuel factory. About 20 percent of the American GIs in Berga did not survive. Their story was forgotten due to Soviet domination and the secrecy of the American authorities. It is revealed in a searing and well documented account by the author, who writes on foreign affairs for the New York Times, where he has worked as Paris correspondent, bureau chief in the Balkans and Berlin, and Foreign editor. Roger Cohen is also the author of Hearts Grown Brutal, a book on Bosnia which was cited for excellence by the Overseas Press Club. and writes a twice weekly column for the International Herald Tribune.

Hitler Youth by Michael Kater. Harvard University Press Cambridge, Massachusetts: 2005. The Hitler Youth organization, which inducted nearly all German youths aged 10- 18, was crucial to the political and ideological agenda of the Nazi Party. The author traces its history through original notes, memoirs, letters, and diaries and recounts the eventual fate of its recruits. This is a well-documented book, with many references from German sources. The author is a Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of history at York University in Toronto.

Moral Majority Our Skeptical Founding Fathers by Brooke Allen. Ivan R. Dee Chicago: 2006. The idee fixe of this important book directly points to the ideology of the founders as being strongly influenced by the 18th century Enlightenment rather than by religious doctrine. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton are documented as being religious skeptics. The full text of Madison's "Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments" is included in the appendix. Readers who are concerned about the encroachment of religion in civil life should read both Moral Majority, and Faith of the Founding Fathers( next listing).The author has written frequently for the The New York Times Book Review, The Atlantic Monthly, The Hudson Review, and The Nation.

Events Leading up to My Death by Howard K. Smith. St. Martins Press 1996. The author, a well known journalist in print, radio,and television, provides us with an invaluable insight into the history of the last sixty years. Mr. Smith reported and commentated on many of the important events of this time period. He interviewed leading political figures such as Winston Churchill, Jack Kennedy,Lyndon Johnson,and Richard Nixon. His historical perspective is not"politically correct", especially when dealing with political leaders of these times. Mr. Smith provides us with an invaluable historical insight of these world changing times,and insight which is especially important to the generations born after World War Two.

Welcome to the Homeland A Journey to the Rural Heart of America's Conservative Revolution by Brian Mann. Steerforth Press Hanover, New Hampshire: 2006. This book explores the American cultural and political divide between urban "metros" and rural "homelanders". The author traveled in rural America, interviewing typical homelanders, who express their frank opinions about the politics and cultural values of the urban majority. The political savvy of homeland grassroots organizations is brought to light. This book will especially interest readers who want to reexamine the recent shuffling of Congressional power and changes in the contemporary Republican power base. The author has covered rural America for twenty years working in public radio. His award winning stories have appeared on Npr's Morning Edition, and All Things Considered Brian Mann's website has excerpts and more information about this book

Faith of the Founding Fathers by David L. Holmes. Oxford University Press New York:2006. An intriguing look at the religious views of the US founders. Some,like Martha Washington, John Jay, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and Thomas Jefferson's daughters, held Orthodox Christian beliefs. Deism was a popular belief during this period and influenced the religious perspectives of the US founding men and women. Important figures such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John and Abigail Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James and Dolley Madison, were outwardly respectful of Christianity, but tended towards denying the divinity of Jesus and a few were agnostic. This book refutes the claims by the religious right that the founders were primarily Orthodox Christians, and will broaden the perspective of the reader about the role of religion in the early days of the Republic. The author is the Walter G. Mason Professor of Religious Studies at the College of William and Mary. Mr. Holmes is the author of A Brief History of the Episcopal Church, A Nation Mourns, and numerous articles.

The Greater Journey Americans in Paris. by David McCullough. Simon & Schuster New York:2011. An American historical classic written by one of America's leading historians. Paris has been a highly influential cultural magnet to Americans since the early days of the Republic. A diverse cast of American statesmen, artists, physicians, writers, and scientists were forever changed by their Parisian experience. These younger Americans sought to make their mark by living, working, and studying in the City of Light. The book spans the period of the 1830s to the early 1900s: well-known Americans such as Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, Augustus Saint- Gaudens, Emma Willard, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Elihu Washburne lived in an ever changing Parisian environment of world culture: medicine, art, literature, technology, and politics. The reader will be continuously enchanted by the magical spell of the Paris on emerging generations of Americans- a spell which retains its power to this day. The author has twice received the Pulitzer Prize: John Adams in 2002, and Truman in 1993. He is also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007.

Mr. Gatling's Terrible Marvel The Gun that Changed Everything and The Misunderstood Genius Who Invented It. by Julia Keller.Penguin Group New York:2008. American inventor Richard J. Gatling invented the first working machine gun during the American civil war period. The inventor hoped that this mass killing machine would save soldier's lives by decreasing the size of armies. Although the Gatling gun was rebuffed by most of the Union's traditional military leaders in the Civil War, it was later instrumental in America's rise as a world military power. North Carolina born Gatling was a entrepreneurial inventor who improved upon the technologies of his era: flush toilets, bicycles, steamship propellers, and a steam plow. The reader is transported into the world of antebellum America, where self-taught Americans from farming communities were inventing technologies which would transform both the country and the world. Gatling was a product of this era and would live to see the brutal Civil War and the beginning of America's rise as a military power. This fascinating account focuses on a very gifted and largely forgotten inventor. The author is a cultural critic at the Chicago Tribune and the winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, and has taught at Princeton University

Making Freedom The Extraordinary Life of Venture Smith by Chandler B. Smith and George A. Krimsky. Forward by James O. Horton. Wesleyan University Press Middletown, Connecticut: 2009. A fascinating biography of Venture Smith, a New England slave who lived about 1728-1805. The book is based on a facsimile of an autobiography of Smith, which is included in the book. There are maps and documents which are of historical interest, as well as in-depth accounts of the realities of slavery in New England, and the slave trade in Africa. Smith eventually gained his freedom and was a prosperous land owner. This unique book will appeal to a large spectrum of readers. Chandler B. Saint is the president of the Beecher House Center for the Study of Equal Rights in Connecticut. George A. Krimsky is a journalist and coauthor of Hold the Press, The Inside Story on Newspapers. James O. Horton is a Benjamin Banneker professor of American Studies and History at George Washington University.

The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Webster's Obsessions and Creation of an American Culture. by Joshua Kendall. G.P. Putnam's Sons New York:2011. Most Americans are familiar with the ubiquitous Webster's Dictionary, but few are acquainted with the background details of its author. Noah Webster, born in 1758, was raised on a farm in Connecticut by parents with strong New England roots. He was educated at Yale University. Webster was obsessed with compiling an American dictionary which would define words in their native context, in addition to listing words of American origin. The dictionary came to fruition later in Webster's life after he endured a number of financial hardships. This book describes Webster's slow ascent to national success, his changing viewpoints on the burgeoning American democracy, and his relationships with important early American founders. The reader will discover how the life of one of the lesser known founders would greatly influence American language and culture. The author is an award winning journalist who has written for the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, and Psychology Today. His web site is joshuaakendall.com.

Chicagonomics: The Evolution of Chicago Free Market Economics by Lanny Ebenstein St. Martin's Press :2015. How did the United States shift from a liberal interventionist government with an emphasis on services and a more equitable tax structure to a governmental philosophy of smaller government, less services, and taxation favoring the income of the top 1%? Conventional wisdom ascribes this shift to the rise of political influences such as the newer incarnation of the Right-Wing Republican Party. There is more truth to be revealed in the long-range influence of the University of Chicago School of Economics whose chief spokesperson and doctrinaire was led by Nobel Prize in Economics Laureate, Milton Freedman, who transitioned from a moderate liberal philosophy stance to staunch libertarianism. The esteemed economist was an advisor to President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

The post-war economics department after World War ll was classically liberal, and advocated government intervention, regulation, services for the economically disadvantaged, and higher taxation. The University was not yet identified as a "school of economics." Eventually, Milton Friedman, an economic empiricist, transitioned to a philosophy of less taxation, less government regulation, and the sanctioning of societal inequities which helped to fuel and propel the 80's capitalist, Laissez Faire economy. After President Reagan, President George W. Bush was the chief adherent to this economic philosophy.

This fascinating book takes us through the early development of the economics department at the University to its current incarnation. A number of important economists taught and/or studied at the University. Even though they may not be well-known outside the field, their influence, culminating in the work of Dr. Milton Friedman, has strongly impacted today's global market. Both the concept of liberal economics as well as the evolution of the science of economics itself are elaborately clarified througout the book. The reader will make his/her personal judgement about the economic philosophy propagated by Dr. Friedman and the later Chicago School. A wrong turn in the history of the United States? An inevitable transition? Lanny Ebenstein is a lecturer at the UCSB He has written 10 books of economic thought, including the first biographies of economists Frederich Hayek and Milton Friedman.

Maestro : Greenspan's Fed and the American boom by Bob Woodward. Simon & Schuster: 2000. A well-researched and highly readable book about the tenure of Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan. Both erudite and reticent, the chairman successfully influences the economy through the careful control of the Federal Funds Rate, the overnight loan rate which banks lend to each other. Behind the workings of the throne lies courtly politics, which Greenspan, although a reserved, well-spoken man, effectively uses to manage the Federal Reserve Board. " Maestro" is written in a clear informative style, making it fascinating reading for anyone interested in the inner sanctum of the Federal Reserve Bank.

Imperial Ambitions: Conversations On The Post-9/11 World. Interviews with David Barsamian by Noam Chomsky. Metropolitan Books Henry Holt and Company New York:2005. The engaging alternative voice of Noam Chomsky addresses the issues of US policy in a post 9/11 world. Interviewed by radio journalist David Barsamian, Chomsky counters prevailing conventional viewpoints on the Iraq invasion/occupation, preemptive strikes against rogue nations, and the US march toward domination, with an informed, provocative voice. David Barsamian is a recipient of the ACLU's Upton Sinclair award for independant journalism. He is also the founder and director of the syndicated weekly show, Alternative Radio. Professor Chomsky, a revolutionary in the field of modern linguistics, is a professor of linguistics at MIT, in Cambridge, MA. He is also the author of important political works. His most recent book is Hegemony or Survival, America's Quest for Global Dominance. in 2003.

Power Systems Conversations on Global Democratic Uprisings and the New Challenges to the U.S. Empire. by Noam Chomsky. Interviews with David Barsamian.Metropolitan Books (MacMillan) 2013. Leftist Elder statesmen Noam Chomsky analyzes the dangerous reach of American global, military, and economic power. His cogent analysis points to the world-wide oppression of the economically challenged, working class, and middle class by the ruling global oligarchy, commandeered by the U.S in the form of military and economic strategy. The international ruling class has made every effort to suppress the social contract in order to maintain its reins of power. This is a sobering and enlightening book which casts aside conventional military and economic mythology by articulating the realities of current global affairs. The author emphasizes that continuous opportunities exist to confront and change global inequities. He is an Institute Professor Professor (Emeritus) in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at M.I.T, where he has worked for over 50 years. In additional to his work on linguistics, the author has written on war, politics, and the mass media. David Barsamian is an Armenian-American radio broadcaster, writer, and the founder and director of Alternative Radio.

When General Grant Expelled the Jews by Jonathan D. Sarna Nextbook Press :2012. General Ulysses Grant issued an order to expel all Jews from a territory under his command in December 1862. The order was intended to control smuggling into the territory, and was rescinded by President Lincoln. "General Orders no. II" came to haunt the presidential election of 1868, when Grant was elected to the presidency. The American Jewish community was deeply divided about electing a President who had expelled "Jews as a class". The heated debate was mollified by Grant's publicized apologies for the order. After his election, Grant allied with Jewish interests and appointed Jews to federal positions. His lasting friendships included influential American Jews. This book is of great historical interest and explores in detail an relatively unknown civil wartime order which ignited American Jewish public dialog, and ultimately led to a presidency which rewarded American Jews with greater visibility in the Federal government. The author is a professor of history at Brandeis University, and is chief historian at the National Museum of American Jewish History. He is best known for American Judaism: A History.

The Great Dissent: How Oliver Wendell Holmes Changed his Mind and changed the history of Free Speech in America Macmillan :2013. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, a Yankee Aristocrat and Civil War Veteran, changed the course of American Judicial thought in Abrams in which he advocated the "free market of ideas" and cautioned against suppressing free speech unless it was a "clear and present danger". Holmes had not dissented in earlier free speech cases such as Schenk. However, his friendships with Louis Brandeis,Harold Laski, and other social liberals of day influenced his judicial evolution. Holmes is a man of two American eras- post Civil War, and the early 20th century. His erudite and logical judicial interpretations of the free speech have survived as a benchmark of American Judicial thought. Highly recommended to readers of American law history. The author is a professor of law at Seton Hall Law School This is his first book.

The Hour of Peril by Daniel Stashower.MacMillan :2013. "The Baltimore Plot" is not a well in the annals of Civil war history. President Abraham Lincoln was scheduled to stop at Baltimore by train en route to Washington for his inauguration. The nation was on the brink of civil war: Baltimore was leaning toward the confederacy. Allen Pinkerton, who was well known private detective, got wind of the an assassination plot in Baltimore, and worked in extreme secrecy to foil it. He employed a group of "spies" who planted themselves in the South and Baltimore, posing as confederate sympathizers. Unraveling the plot was painstaking, and convincing both Lincoln and his staff of his imminent danger was an arduous task. Fortunately, the brazen, pugnacious detective was successful in this tireless attempt to ferry the President-elect to safety. The book will appeal to broad cross section of historical readers. Well researched and at times riveting, this book will add an important chapter to the readers knowledge of the Civil war. The author is a biographer and historian. He also a winner of the Edgar Award, , and the Agatha Award.

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough Simon and Schuster 2015. A dream of scientists for a centuries, Orville and Wilbur Wright made one of the most important contributions to modern civilization: powered flight. The Wright brothers were successful bike manufacturers and mechanics from Dayton, Ohio. This was the era of major American industrialization, and Dayton was an important manufacturing center. The brothers were greatly influenced by their father, who encouraged the love of learning, books, frugality, and hard work. Orville and Wilbur were mesmerized by the mechanics of bird flight, and their self-taught expert  knowledge of this subject was instrumental to their understanding of airplane design. Their  successful business provided funds for both  time and  investment in experimentation and design. They were relentless perfectionists who were not defeated by setbacks. The Wright brother's work ethic and perseverance propelled them towards the accomplishment of the first human powered flight. This is an entrancing historical account which encapsulates the elements of American success demonstrated by the brothers: hard work, intelligent questioning, perseverance and
ingenuity. A wonderfully inspiring biography of the great American brothers. The author has twice received the Pulitzer Prize for Truman and John Adams . He received the Presidential Award of Freedom twice. His author web page is http://authors.simonandschuster.com/David-McCullough/938

The Einstein File: J. Edgar's Secret War Against the World's Most Famous Scientist by Fred Jerome. St. Martins Press, New York:2002. This well researched book chronicles the surveillance of the famous scientist by the FBI and other government agencies from 1933 until his death in 1955. The inept paranoia of J. Edgar Hoover resulted in a futile attempt to brand Dr. Einstein as a Communist subversive. A number of documents are cited from the FBI's secret files, which only recently were made available by the Freedom of Information Act. The investigation also took place during the McCarthy era, when Einstein supported blacklisted individuals, publicly denounced Senator McCarthy and befriended African American leaders, Paul Robeson and W.E.B Dubois. This book reveals the little known political persona of Dr. Einstein, a notable member of The American Crusade To End Lynching in 1946, which was viewed by Hoover as a Communist attempt to stir racial agitation. The author is a senior media consultant to the Gene Media, Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University. He has written for Newsweek Magazine, and The New York Times. Mr. Jerome covered the civil rights movement in the South as a young reporter. He has also taught journalism at Columbia University and other New York based Universities.

Impeachment: A Citizen’s Guide by Cass Sunstein. Harvard University Press 2017. Less than a year after the Presidential election,  perhaps a bit early in the game, the author articulates the case for impeachment from a constitutional standpoint. In this small, fascinating and  exceptionally clear explication of the impeachment process, the author cites historical cases, none resulting in removal from office nor qualifying as legal allegations for removing a President from office. We learn that the Nixon, Clinton, and Johnson cases did not warrant a removal of office as stipulated by the constitution. The author also outlines possible offenses committed prior to the Presidential election. This book is the introductory quintessential guide to understanding the impeachment process and the constitutional Presidential offenses involved in initiating the process.The author is the most cited law professor in the world. He is Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard University, where he is founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy. Sunstein co-authored Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness Yale University Press: 2008 with economist Richard Thaler of the University of Chicago. Nudge discusses how public and private organizations can help people make better choices in their daily lives. His  Harvard Faculty Website includes  a listing of his publications, courses, and a brief bio.

The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis W.W. Norton: 2018. Americans have little idea about the unknown services provided by government. The National Weather services provides Farmers with accurate data about planting crops successfully; the S.E.C. compiles market data in order to keep the stock market stable; and the USDA, which oversees food safety, are amongst the many examples of government employees working behind the scenes to assure a safer, more economically viable society. Rougly half the budget of the Department of Energy is used for safe guarding and maintaining the nuclear arsenal. Yet, the far right is notoriously anti-government and the general public takes for granted the many services the government provides. How does the machinery get started and kept running? Who are the people behind the scenes and what is their background? How did they become motivated to work for the government? A fascinating inside look at the inner workings of government. The Trump administration has brought in inexperienced cabinet secretaries who threaten the stability of various government agencies. The author interviews a number of present and former federal civil service employees who reveal the inner working of government agencies. An eye-opening account of how vital government agences are threatened by the right wing factions and the Trump administration. The author has written the best selling Liars Poker, The Blind Slide, The Big Short, and the Undoing Project. The author's web site is http://michaellewiswrites.com/#top

What Went Wrong? Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response by Bernard Lewis. Oxford University Press: 2002. A definitive work by the noted historian. Authored before September 11, and published afterwards, this book elaborates on the development of Islamic nations in the wake of post Renaissance European nations. There are vast cultural differences between the two civilizations which are attributed to the role of religion in these two societies: in Islamic culture religion plays a central role; Western nations heed to "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's": Matthew 22:21. Therefore, religion and secular interests are somewhat separated in Western society: Islamic nations are theocratically based. This is an important historical work; albeit short in length, it profondly illustrates the current conflicts between Western and Mid eastern ideology. The author is the Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Near Eastern Studies Emeritus at Princeton University. He is the author of over two dozen books.

A Higher Loyalty:Truth, Lies and Leadership Great by James Comey.Macmillan 2018. Former FBI Director was a crucial figure in the 2016 Presidential election, some blaming his investigation of Senator Hillary Clinton as contributing to the election of Donald Trump. Director Comey writes about his childhood, early career, his role as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Deputy U.S Attorney General under George W. Bush. His experiences in these positions reveals an insider's perceptions of a number of well-known political figures. Director Comey also writes candidly about his commitment to law enforcement, and his decision to investigate Senator Clinton prior to the election. The reader will gain a better insight into the intricacies of law enforcement at the State and Federal level. Highly recommended for invidiuals who want to decode some the underpinnings of the 2016 Presidential election.