MASTER OF THE SENATE
by Robert A. Caro · Knopf
Master of the Senate, Book Three of The Years of Lyndon Johnson, carries Johnson’s story through one of its most remarkable periods: his twelve years, from 1949 to 1960, in the United States Senate. A Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of the Last 30 Years At the heart of the book is its unprecedented revelation of how legislative power works in America, how the Senate works, and how Johnson, in his ascent to the presidency, mastered the Senate as no political leader before him had ever done. It was during these years that all Johnson’s experience—from his Texas Hill Country boyhood to his passionate representation in Congress of his hardscrabble constituents to his tireless construction of a political machine—came to fruition. Caro introduces the story with a dramatic account of the Senate itself: how Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, and John C. Calhoun had made it the center of governmental energy, the forum in which the great issues of the country were thrashed out. And how, by the time Johnson arrived, it had dwindled into a body that merely responded to executive initiatives, all but impervious to the forces of change. Caro anatomizes the genius for political strategy and tactics by which, in an institution that had made the seniority system all-powerful for a century and more, Johnson became Majority Leader after only a single term-the youngest and greatest Senate Leader in our history; how he manipulated the Senate’s hallowed rules and customs and the weaknesses and strengths of his colleagues to change the “unchangeable” Senate from a loose confederation of sovereign senators to a whirring legislative machine under his own iron-fisted control. Caro demonstrates how Johnson’s political genius enabled him to reconcile the unreconcilable: to retain the support of the southerners who controlled the Senate while earning the trust—or at least the cooperation—of the liberals, led by Paul Douglas and Hubert Humphrey, without whom he could not achieve his goal of winning the presidency. He shows the dark side of Johnson’s ambition: how he proved his loyalty to the great oil barons who had financed his rise to power by ruthlessly destroying the career of the New Dealer who was in charge of regulating them, Federal Power Commission Chairman Leland Olds. And we watch him achieve the impossible: convincing southerners that although he was firmly in their camp as the anointed successor to their leader, Richard Russell, it was essential that they allow him to make some progress toward civil rights. In a breathtaking tour de force, Caro details Johnson’s amazing triumph in maneuvering to passage the first civil rights legislation since 1875. Master of the Senate, told with an abundance of rich detail that could only have come from Caro’s peerless research, is both a galvanizing portrait of the man himself—the titan of Capital Hill, volcanic, mesmerizing—and a definitive and revelatory study of the workings and personal and legislative power.
STUPID WHITE MEN
by Michael Moore · ReganBooks/ HarperCollins
Rember when everything was looking up? When the government was running at a surplus pollution was disappearing peace was breaking out in the middle East and Northern Ireland and the Bridge to the Twenty-First century was strung with Internet cable and paved with 401 (k) gold? Well, so much for the future. Michael Moore the award winning povocateur behind Roger & Me and the best seller Downsize This! now returns to size up the new century and that big, ugly special interest group that's laying waste to the world as we know it: stupid white men. Among the targets of Mike's Manifesto on Malfeasance and mediocrity are the Bush family Junta, Bll Clinton the Idiot Nation and Corporate American.
A MIND AT A TIME
by Mel Levine · Simon & Schuster
"Different minds learn differently," writes Dr. Mel Levine, one of the best-known education experts and pediatricians in America today. And that's a problem for many children, because most schools still cling to a one-size-fits-all education philosophy. As a result, these children struggle because their learning patterns don't fit the schools they are in. In A Mind at a Time, Dr. Levine shows parents and others who care for children how to identify these individual learning patterns. He explains how parents and teachers can encourage a child's strengths and bypass the child's weaknesses. This type of teaching produces satisfaction and achievement instead of frustration and failure. Different brains are differently wired, Dr. Levine explains. There are eight fundamental systems, or components, of learning that draw on a variety of neurodevelopmental capacities. Some students are strong in certain areas and some are strong in others, but no one is equally capable in all eight. Using examples drawn from his own extensive experience, Dr. Levine shows how parents and children can identify their strengths and weaknesses to determine their individual learning styles. For example, some students are creative and write imaginatively but do poorly in history because weak memory skills prevent them from retaining facts. Some students are weak in sequential ordering and can't follow directions. They may test poorly and often don't do well in mathematics. In these cases, Dr. Levine observes, the problem is not a lack of intelligence but a learning style that doesn't fit the assignment. Drawing on his pioneering research and his work with thousands of students, Dr. Levine shows how parents and teachers can develop effective strategies to work through or around these weaknesses. "It's taken for granted in adult society that we cannot all be 'generalists' skilled in every area of learning and mastery. Nevertheless, we apply tremendous pressure to our children to be good at everything. They are expected to shine in math, reading, writing, speaking, spelling, memorization, comprehension, problem solving...and none of us adults can" do all this, observes Dr. Levine. Learning begins in school but it doesn't end there. Frustrating a child's desire to learn will have lifelong repercussions. This frustration can be avoided if we understand that not every child can do equally well in every type of learning. We must begin to pay more attention to individual learning styles, to individual minds, urges Dr. Levine, so that we can maximize children's learning potential. In A Mind at a Time he shows us how.
THE ART OF STAR WARS: EPISODE 2 --ATTACK OF THE CLONES
by Mark Cotta Vaz · Lucas/Del Rey/Ballantine
Visual tour of the sequel to Star Wars episode 1 : the phantom menace.
ODD GIRL OUT
by Rachel Simmons · Harcourt
The classic work on female bullying now revised and updated to include new material on cyberbullying and the dangers of life online. When Odd Girl Out was first published, it became an instant bestseller and ignited a long-overdue conversation about the hidden culture of female bullying. Today the dirty looks, taunting notes, and social exclusion that plague girls' friendships have gained new momentum in cyberspace. In this updated edition, educator and bullying expert Rachel Simmons gives girls, parents, and educators proven and innovative strategies for navigating social dynamics in person and online, as well as brand new classroom initiatives and step-by-step parental suggestions for dealing with conventional bullying. With up-to-the-minute research and real-life stories, Odd Girl Out continues to be the definitive resource on the most pressing social issues facing girls today. "Peels away the smiley surfaces of adolescent female society to expose one of girlhood's dark secrets: the vicious psychological warfare waged every day in the halls of our . . . schools."— San Francisco Chronicle "Provocative . . . Cathartic to any teen or parent trying to find company . . . it will sound depressingly familiar to any girl with a pulse."— Detroit Free Press "Encourages girls to address one another when they feel angry or jealous, rather than engage in the rumor mill."— Chicago Tribune "Simmons examines how such 'alternative aggression'—where girls use their relationship with the victim as a weapon—flourishes and its harmful effects . . . Simmons makes an impassioned plea that no form of bullying be permitted."— Publishers Weekly
SMALL WONDER
by Barbara Kingsolver · Harper-Collins
This new boxed set brings together The Poisonwood Bible and Prodigal Summer, Kingsolver's most recent novels, with The Bean Trees, Homeland and Other Stories, Animal Dreams, and Pigs in Heaven.
JOHN ADAMS
by David McCullough · Simon & Schuster
Profiles John Adams, an influential patriot during the American Revolution who became the nation's first vice president and second president.
KNIGHT: My Story
by Bob Knight with Bob Hammel · Thomas Dunne/St. Martin's
A riveting glimpse into the life and legacy of the legendary basketball coach "that will intrigue knowledgeable college hoop fans" ( Kirkus Reviews). Immerse yourself in the riveting memoir of Bob Knight, a titan in the world of college basketball, whose towering success and public controversies epitomize a storied career spanning over three decades. Embodying both triumph and turmoil, Knight: My Story goes beyond headlines, offering an intimate, first-hand account of a sports legend. From his humble beginnings as the youngest head coach at Army to constructing a formidable dynasty at Indiana University, Knight's journey is a testament to resolute determination and undying passion. Drawing from his experiences, Knight provides a rare glimpse into the winning strategies and philosophies that kept top players lining up to play under his guidance. From winning an unprecedented 700 plus games and becoming National Coach of the Year four times to meeting unparalleled success on the national and international stage, Knight's contributions to college basketball are truly unmatched. Knight is a must-read for college basketball fans and anyone captivated by the timeless power of leadership, dedication, and college sports. "There is a fascinating man hiding in these pages, a man whose multisided personality, startling depth, and undeniable intelligence may surprise many." — Booklist "The text is a lively read flavored with scores of anecdotes involving famous athletes, coaches, politicians, and other public figures with whom Knight has come into contact." — Library Journal "They say there are two sides to every story. In Knight, Bob Knight presents his, well told." — Book Page
BLINDED BY THE RIGHT
by David Brock · Crown
In a powerful and deeply personal memoir David Brock, the original right-wing scandal reporter, chronicles his rise to the pinnacle of the conservative movement and his painful break with it. David Brock pilloried Anita Hill in a bestseller. His reporting in The American Spectator as part of the infamous “Arkansas Project” triggered the course of events that led to the historic impeachment trial of President Clinton. Brock was at the center of the right-wing dirty tricks operation of the Gingrich era—and a true believer—until he could no longer deny that the political force he was advancing was built on little more than lies, hate, and hypocrisy. In Blinded By the Right, Brock, who came out of the closet at the height of his conservative renown, tells his riveting story from the beginning, giving us the first insider’s view of what Hillary Rodham Clinton called “the vast right-wing conspiracy.” Whether dealing with the right-wing press, the richly endowed think tanks, Republican political operatives, or the Paula Jones case, Brock names names from Clarence Thomas on down, uncovers hidden links, and demonstrates how the Republican Right’s zeal for power created the poisonous political climate that culminated in George W. Bush’s election. With a new afterword by the author, Blinded By the Right is a classic political memoir of our times.
REPORT FROM GROUND ZERO
by Dennis Smith · Viking Press
Immediately after two hijacked jets struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001, Dennis Smith, a retired firefighter who had served eighteen years with the New York City Fire Department, reported to Manhattan's Ladder Co. 16 to volunteer in the rescue effort. Among those missing were 343 firefighters, many of whom were his friends and longtime colleagues. & Smith uses his unique background as both respected writer and experienced firefighter to tell the story of the disaster and its aftermath as only an insider could do. This account opens with astonishing first-person testimonies from dozens of the rescuers who were present as the towers were attacked, evacuated and then fell. We hear harrowing stories of death and heroism, and miraculous stories of survival. We share the grief of the families of firefighters awaiting word of their loved ones' fate. & Report From Ground Zero is the most detailed and immediate record we will have of this unforgettable event that has permanently altered the character of America.
A SONG FLUNG UP TO HEAVEN
by Maya Angelou · Random House
"A Song Flung Up to Heaven" opens as Maya Angelou returns from Africa to the United States to work with Malcolm X and later Martin Luther King, Jr., who are both soon assassinated. Devastated, she tries to put her life back together. This book ends as Angelou begins to write the first sentences of "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
Historical bestseller data sourced from the New York Times Book Review, archived by Hawes Publications.