Politics Books

From a bestselling author with unprecedented access to Pope Francis, an investigative look at the recent financial scandals at the highest levels of the VaticanA veritable war is waging in the on one side, there is Pope Francis’s strong message for one church of the poor and all; on the other, there is the old Curia with its endless enemies, and the old and new lobbies struggling to preserve their not-so-Christian privileges.The old guard do not back down, they are ready to use all means necessary to stay in control and continue the immoral way they conduct their business. They resist reforms sought by Pope Francis and seek to delegitimize their opponents, to isolate those who want to eliminate corruption. It’s a war that will determine the future of the church. And if he loses the battle against secular interests and blackmail, Pope Francis could resign, much like his predecessor.Based on confidential information―including top secret documents from inside the Vatican, and actual transcripts of Pope Francis’s admonishments to the papal court about the lack of financial oversight and responsibility― Merchants in the Temple illustrates all the undercover work conducted by the Pope since his election and shows the reader who his real enemies are. It reveals the instruments Francis is using to reform the Vatican and rid it, once and for all, of the overwhelming corruption traditionally encrusted in the Roman Catholic Church.Merchants in the Temple is a startling book that will shock every reader. It’s a story worthy of a Dan Brown novel, with its electrifying details of the trickery and scheming against the papacy―except that it is real.

Recommendation: - If you're interested in understanding the complex relationship between Islam, democracy, and the West, "Reconciliation" is a powerful and insightful book that offers a fresh perspective. Benazir Bhutto, a courageous woman tragically killed, provides a gripping account of her final months in Pakistan and presents a bold agenda for tackling Islamic radicalism. Her message of tolerance, justice, and the need for global unity is both thought-provoking and inspiring. By reading this book, you'll gain a deeper understanding of modern Islam and the urgent need for reconciliation in our world today.

Recommendation: - If you're looking to be inspired and motivated, "I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World" is a must-read. This book captures the powerful words of Martin Luther King Jr., a true visionary and leader in the fight for civil rights. His speeches continue to resonate today, reminding us of the importance of equality and justice. Prepare to be moved by his timeless messages that have shaped history and inspired generations.

"Handbook on Teaching Social Issues" could be a great read for educators or teachers who are looking for new and innovative ways to engage their students in topics that matter. This handbook offers insights on how to incorporate issues-centered approaches to teaching American and World History, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, and Economics. It also includes essays on alternative futures for International Social Studies and teaching resources for Foreign Policy and Domestic Economic Policy. The book features practical advice for educators on designing curricula, lesson planning, and assessing student learning. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for educators seeking to foster critical thinking, promote civic engagement, and encourage students to participate in public discourse.

If you're looking to step outside the familiar Western viewpoint and understand a bit more about Asian perspectives, "Can Asians Think?" will offer you that chance. Kishore Mahbubani delivers a stirring critique of Western triumphalism and invites readers, whether from the East or West, to engage with provocative questions and alternative ideas concerning geopolitics, culture, and intellectual diversity. It's a powerful read for anyone interested in global thinking and cultural introspection.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the political climate and history of Singapore. It provides a detailed analysis of the Marxist conspiracy in 1987, shedding light on a pivotal moment in the country's history. The authors provide a unique perspective on the events that took place, making this book a valuable addition to any political or historical book collection.

If you're looking to dive into the foundational texts of Marxist theory, "The German Ideology" is a pivotal read. It offers a deep look into how Marx and Engels interpret history through their materialist lens. Not only does it provide critical insight into their views on society and ideas, but it also serves as a crucial piece for anyone interested in the philosophical underpinnings of socialist and communist thought.

If you have a thirst for understanding pivotal moments in recent history through the eyes of seasoned reporters, "Time: 85 Years Of Great Writing" could be your cup of tea. These curated articles aren't just news; they're snapshots of the world's psyche during times of upheaval and triumph, written by some of the most skilled journalists of the past century. It promises to be an immersive dive into the events that have shaped our modern era, with storytelling that brings those events to life once more.

Recommendation: This book is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the shifting power dynamics in the global economy. Through gripping storytelling and insightful analysis, Jeffrey E. Garten takes us on a journey to explore the ten most influential emerging markets and their impact on our lives. From China's rise to South Africa's potential, Garten reveals the challenges and opportunities for America in this new world order. Prepare to gain a fresh perspective on trade, human rights, and America's global leadership.

This book is a must-read for educators and researchers who are interested in critical theories and social justice issues in education. It critiques traditional ideas of critical theory and brings in fresh perspectives from different disciplines. The book is notable for its exploration of Marxist theories of education, as well as its connection of pedagogy with larger issues of the state, economy, social movements, and literary criticism. The book provides a valuable resource for those interested in rethinking traditional approaches to education and bringing about positive social change.

Recommended for those interested in espionage and politics. It provides an insider's perspective into the workings of the CIA and its role in contemporary political affairs.

Betrayal is a spine-chilling and intriguing book that tells the true story of the notorious American spy Aldrich "Rick" Ames. It offers a detailed account of his life and how he betrayed his fellow CIA agents. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in espionage, spy networks, and true crime stories. The unraveling of the story and how Ames got caught will keep reader's glued to the pages till the end.

"The Paradoxes of the American Presidency" could be a good read for those interested in exploring the complex and often contradictory expectations that the American people have of their president. The author delves into the subtleties of leadership and governance, highlighting the intricacies of power dynamics in American politics. The book not only provides an insightful overview of the presidency but also examines the inherent contradictions that shape the expectations of the American people. It is a recommended read for political enthusiasts who want to expand their understanding of the presidency and American government.

Can we trust France? Apparently not. After more than 200 years of shared history and interests, the U.S.-France marriage looks as if it's ending in an acrimonious divorce. Here is the shocking insider account.In the wake of French behavior at the United Nations, where Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin systematically undermined the efforts of Secretary of State Colin Powell to convince the Security Council to authorize force against Iraq, Americans have at best come to suspect our ally of double dealing, and at worst come to view them as the enemy. Almost daily over the past year, new stories have emerged of how the government of French President Jacques Chirac has sought to undermine the U.S. war on terror, publicly sniping at America and inciting other countries to do the same. What's wrong with France? What's behind their recent perfidy? According to bestselling author Kenneth R. Timmerman, the American public doesn't know half the story. After they read The French Betrayal of America , American anger at France will turn to outrage.Timmerman, who worked as a journalist in France for eighteen years and knows the players on both sides, lifts the veil of Jacques Chirac's scandalous love affair with Saddam Hussein, beginning in 1975, when he took him on a tour of top-secret French nuclear facilities. The French attitude toward the dictator, which seemed to baffle American politicians, was in fact entirely predictable. Put bluntly, it was all about money, oil, and guns. Chirac needed Saddam's oil and Saddam's money, and Saddam needed French weapons and French nuclear technology.Despite this, the relationship between France and America was not only amicable but at times very mutually beneficial. That was until the most recent war on Iraq, where France turned the tables, engaging in dirty diplomacy and helping to sway other European countries to their side. French war coverage was not merely It was viciously inaccurate, skewed, and openly anti-American. Timmerman also presents incredible new evidence of France's duplicity, including the fact that the French stood to gain $100 billion from secret oil contracts they had concluded with Saddam Hussein.The French Betrayal of America raises questions of whether the nuclear cooperation agreements still in force with the French today should be canceled in light of France's behavior. Our security interests no longer converge, and our economic systems increasingly appear to be at loggerheads. The war in Iraq harshly exposed French treachery and their desire to do business with the worst of international tyrants, putting their economy, their international standing, and their relationship with a 200-year-old friend in severe jeopardy.Shocking new revelations in The French Betrayal of AmericaThe French president lied to Bush and to the public about the war in Iraq.President Jacques Chirac had personally told President George W. Bush well ahead of time that France would be at America's side.France urged Saddam to commit genocide.Saddam launched his genocidal campaign against the Marsh Arabs in southern Iraq to make their region "safe" for French oil engineers.France helped build Saddam's long-range missiles and nukes.Based on exclusive access to new documents, provided by Iraq to the United Nations -- that French defense companies were key partners in helping Saddam Hussein perfect the long-range missiles that killed U.S. soldiers in Saudi Arabia in 1991 and rained terror onto Israel.Chirac has blocked cooperation on a high-profile terrorism case.France's top counter-terrorism judge was ordered to stop cooperating with the United States in the prosecution of Zacarias Moussaoui despite mounds of documents that would have helped the United States to convict Moussaoui of conspiracy to commit mass murder.France illegally sold U.S. military secrets to Saddam Hussein.A prominent French defense company shipped U.S.-designed laser designator pods to Iraq in the 1980s that compromised the most high-tech weapons in the U.S. arsenal.President Mitterrand, a Socialist, became Ronald Reagan's best ally in Europe.The French Betrayal of America reveals the extent of French strategic and intelligence cooperation with the United States at the peak of the Cold War, in areas that will surprise readers on both sides of the Atlantic. The French ran a key agent inside the KGB, whose "cosmic" reach -- right up to the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union -- hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union.President Chirac almost went to jail for corruption.Chirac was on the verge of getting indicted on corruption charges in 1999 until he cooked up an immunity deal with the head of the French Supreme Court, former Socialist foreign minister Roland Dumas. While the French corruption scandals are well known in France, they have rarely been reported in the United States and will alternately shock and amuse American readers.The Bush administration is now offering France the secrets of our national missile defense.The French Betrayal of America reveals the hitherto top secret missile defense cooperation between the United States and France that has taken off at precisely the same time the Chirac government was undermining the United States on Iraq. Meanwhile, United States and French nuclear weapons designers continue to meet to exchange secrets of maintaining our respective nuclear arsenals.

Red China Blues gives readers a first-world perspective of China from the height of Maoism to Deng Xiaoping's capitalist reforms. Through the author's personal experiences, she provides insight on how communism affected individuals in China, and how the Chinese society struggled to cope with communist ideals. This book is suitable for readers interested in history and political science.

Vengeance is a true story that reads like a novel. It is the account of five ordinary Israelis, selected to vanish into "the cold" of espionage secrecy -- their mission to hunt down and kill the PLO terrorists responsible for the massacre of eleven Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972.This is the account of that secret mission, as related by the leader of the group -- the first Mossad agent to come out of "deep cover" and tell the story of a heroic endeavor that was shrouded in silence and speculation for years. He reveals the long and dangerous operation whose success was bought at a terrible cost to the idealistic volunteer agents themselves."Avner" was the leader of that team, handpicked by Golda Meir to avenge the monstrous crime of Munich. He and his young companions, cut off from any direct contact with Israel, set out systematically to find and kill the central figures of the PLO's Munich operation, tracking them down wherever they lived.The mechanics, the horror, the day-by-day suspense of what they did surpass by far anything John le Carré or Robert Ludlum could imagine, as they themselves were tracked in turn (and some killed) by PLO assassins, changing identities constantly, moving from country to country, devoting their young lives to the brutal task of vengeance.Vengeance is a profoundly human document, a real-life espionage classic that plunges the reader into the shadow world of terrorism and political murder. But it goes far beyond that, to explore firsthand the feelings of disgust and doubt that gradually came to torment each member of the Israeli team, and that in the end inexorably changed their view of the mission -- and themselves.Vengeance opens a window onto a secret world, a book that at the same time inspires and horrifies. For its subject is an act of revenge that goes to the very heart of the ancient biblical questions of good and evil.

The Way Things Ought to Be could be a good read for someone who enjoys hearing provocative opinions on hotly debated topics. The book is known for its conservative stance on issues such as teenage sex, abortion, and feminism, making it a good choice for readers who are interested in these subjects. Rush Limbaugh's confident and direct writing style make this book an engaging read that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Recommendation: Fighting for Peace by Caspar Weinberger is a must-read for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes power struggles in the US military policy-making during the '80s. The book exposes the internal workings of government decision-making with a hard-hitting insider's look, making for an eye-opening and informative read. The 16-page photo insert provides visual evidence of the times.

Part of the 'Spy Files' series, this book stealthily slips into the shadows, exposing the tricks and techniques of agents, the classified operations of the secret services, and the weapons and gadgets they use.

Late Imperial Culture provides a nuanced exploration of imperial cultural practices and their effects on colonial subjects. The diverse range of contributors offer a sophisticated and historically informed analysis that critiques and exposes the contradictions inherent in imperialism. This book would be an excellent read for those interested in understanding the long and complex history of imperialism and its ongoing impact on our contemporary world.

Recommendation: Naked Pictures of Famous People is a must-read for those seeking a satirical take on contemporary society. Jon Stewart's unique brand of humor shines through in these irreverent essays that cover a wide range of topics, from fashion to politics. Readers will appreciate how Stewart brilliantly uses humor to expose the absurdities of modern life.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of race, identity, and heritage. Through a deeply personal narrative, Barack Obama takes us on a journey of self-discovery as he unravels the truth about his father's life and grapples with his own place in the world. With beautiful prose and heartfelt introspection, Dreams From My Father offers a powerful exploration of the universal longing to understand our roots and the forces that shape us.

The Price of Inequality is an eye-opening book that delves deeply into the issues of inequality and offers realistic solutions to level the playing field. Stiglitz provides detailed evidence to support his argument that our economic and political systems are fundamentally unfair. He shows how investment, rather than austerity, is necessary for productivity and social mobility. This well-researched and insightful book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the causes and effects of inequality and is recommended for those who care deeply about creating a fairer and more just society.

If you revel in the quirks of the English language and find delight in the dance around directness, Nigel Rees' collection in "A Man About a Dog" could be a jovial companion for you. It's a playful expedition, an exploration of linguistic creativity that entertains and enlightens the curious mind fascinated by how we often opt to say anything but the blunt truth. This witty anthology might just become your guilty pleasure, revealing the rich tapestry of euphemisms that drape the bare facts of our world.

Is mercy more important than justice?Since antiquity, mercy has been regarded as a virtue. The power of monarchs was legitimated by their acts of clemency, their mercy demonstrating their divine nature. Yet by the end of the eighteenth century, mercy had become “an injustice committed against society . . . a manifest vice.” Mercy was exiled from political life. How did this happen?In this book, Malcolm Bull analyses and challenges the Enlightenment’s rejection of mercy. A society operating on principles of rational self-interest had no place for something so arbitrary and contingent, and having been excluded from Hobbes’s theory of the state and Hume’s theory of justice, mercy disappeared from the lexicon of political theory. But, Bull argues, these idealised conceptions have proved too limiting. Political realism demands recognition of the foundational role of mercy in society. If we are vulnerable to harm from others, we are in need of their mercy. By restoring the primacy of mercy over justice, we may constrain the powerful and release the agency of the powerless. And if arguments for capitalism are arguments against mercy, might the case for mercy challenge the very basis of our thinking about society and the state?An important contribution to contemporary political philosophy from an inventive thinker, On Mercy makes a persuasive case for returning this neglected virtue to the heart of political thought.

If you're curious about where Singapore might be headed and enjoy diverse viewpoints, "The Birthday Book 2016" could be quite the treat. It's like listening in on a symposium of the nation's rising stars—each with their own vision for the country's journey forward. Their collective essays provide not just food for thought but a feast of aspirations and challenges that are distinctly Singaporean.

Recommendation: - This book is a must-read for anyone interested in gaining insights into the 2008 financial crisis and its far-reaching implications. George Soros, a legendary financier, offers a unique perspective rooted in decades of experience in financial markets. He delves into the origins of the crisis and connects the dots between individual and institutional behavior. With a combination of practical insight and philosophical depth, Soros makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of this historic event. Prepare to be enlightened and challenged as you navigate through the complexities of the credit crisis and its aftermath.

The Investigation could be a good read for those interested in a factual and emotional recounting of the war crimes that occurred in Auschwitz. The author, Peter Weiss, offers no artistic license, providing readers with an unfiltered and realistic perspective. Readers will be drawn into the powerful testimonies of those who survived and are searching for truth and justice.