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The plague year : America in the time of Covid / by Wright, Lawrence,1947-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower, whose best-selling thriller The End of the October all but predicted our current pandemic, comes another momentous account, this time of COVID-19: its origins, its myriad repercussions, and the ongoing fight to contain it. Beginning with the absolutely critical first moments of the outbreak in China, and ending with an epilogue on the vaccine rollout and the unprecedented events between the election of Joseph Biden and his inauguration, Lawrence Wright's The Plague Year surges forward with essential information--and fascinating historical parallels--examining the medical, economic, political, and social ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wright takes us inside the CDC, where the first round of faulty test kits cost America precious time; inside the halls of the White House, where Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger's early alarm about the virus was met with great skepticism; into a COVID ward in a Charlottesville hospital, with an idealistic young woman doctor from Little Africa, South Carolina; into the precincts of prediction specialists at Goldman Sachs; and even inside the human body, diving deep into the science of just how the virus and vaccines function, with an eye-opening detour into the history of vaccination and of the modern anti-vaxxer movement. In turns steely eyed, sympathetic, infuriated, comical, and always precise, Wright is a formidable guide, slicing through the dense fog of misinformation to give us a 360-degree portrait of the catastrophe we thought we knew. His full accounting does honor to the medical professionals around the country who've risked their lives to fight the virus, revealing America in all its vulnerability, courage, and potential"--
Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); COVID-19 (Disease); COVID-19 (Disease); COVID-19 (Disease);

Confronting the presidents : no spin assessments from Washington to Biden / by O'Reilly, Bill,author.; Dugard, Martin,author.;
"Every American president, from Washington to Biden: Their lives, policies, foibles, and legacies, assessed with clear-eyed authority and wit. Authors of the acclaimed Killing books, the #1 bestselling narrative history series in the world, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard begin a new direction with Confronting the Presidents. From Washington to Jefferson, Lincoln to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Kennedy to Nixon, Reagan to Obama and Biden, the 45 United States presidents have left lasting impacts on our nation. Some of their legacies continue today, some are justly forgotten, and some have changed as America has changed. Whether famous, infamous, or obscure, all the presidents shaped our nation in unexpected ways. The authors' extensive research has uncovered never before seen historical facts based on private correspondence and newly discovered documentation, such as George Washington's troubled relationship with his mother. In Confronting the Presidents, O'Reilly and Dugard present 45 wonderfully entertaining and insightful portraits of each president, with no-spin commentary on their achievements-or lack thereof. Who best served America, and who undermined the founding ideals? Who were the first ladies, and what were their surprising roles in making history? Which presidents were the best, which the worst, and which didn't have much impact? How do decisions made in one era, under the pressure of particular circumstances, still resonate today? And what do presidents like to eat, drink, and do when they aren't working-or even sometimes when they are? These and many more questions are answered in each fascinating chapter of Confronting the Presidents. Written with O'Reilly and Dugard's signature style, authority, and eye for telling detail, Confronting the Presidents will delight all readers of history, politics, and current affairs, especially during the 2024 election season"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Executive power; Political leadership; Presidents; Presidents;

Where to from here : a path to Canadian prosperity / by Morneau, Bill,author.; Reynolds, John(John Lawrence),author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Bill Morneau's experience as Canada's finance minister crystalized his vision for the country's potential for growth and prosperity. Where To from Here looks backward with coolness and candor and forward with a fresh vision of all that Canada can--and must--become. Much of the world reacted with surprise and admiration to the results of the 2015 Canadian federal election and the makeup of the government it produced. Led by a young charismatic leader with a storied family legacy on Parliament Hill, the Liberal government scored an historic victory, rising from third-party status to substantial majority. With a gender-equal cabinet and an ambitious agenda, it heralded a new approach to the country's federal politics. After an exciting and productive five years spent focused on domestic and global issues, Finance Minister Bill Morneau decided to take his leave from the same government. What prompted him to abandon one of the most powerful political offices in the country? How much of his decision was based on the often brutal give-and-take of politics? When did the penny drop, persuading one of Trudeau's brightest lights to shift his talents and energies elsewhere? In his own persuasive voice, Bill Morneau paints a positive picture, tracing his widely lauded entry into the political arena, the arc of his career in politics, major accomplishments and missed opportunities, his surprising exit, and a host of revealing episodes between the events. Told with measures of both pride and regret, he explores personalities, achievements, and failures with candor. Morneau's experience crystalized his vision for Canada and its potential for growth and prosperity. He shares a vision clearly and provocatively expressed, drafting a blueprint for the country's future. Where To from Here looks backward with coolness and candor and forward with a fresh vision of all that Canada can--and must--become."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Morneau, Bill.; Finance ministers; Finance, Public;

Injustice : how politics and fear vanquished America's Justice Department / by Leonnig, Carol,author.; Davis, Aaron C.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.Throughout his first administration, Trump did more than any other president to politicize the nation's top law enforcement agency, pressuring appointees to shield him, to target his enemies, and even to help him cling to power after his 2020 election defeat. The department, pressed into a defensive crouch, has never fully recovered. Injustice exposes not only the Trump administration's efforts to undermine the department at every turn but also how delays in investigating Trump's effort to overturn the will of voters under Attorney General Merrick Garland helped prevent the country from holding Trump accountable and enabled his return to power. With never-before-told accounts, Carol Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis take readers inside as prosecutors convulsed over Trump's disdain for the rule of law, and FBI agents, the department's storied investigators, at times retreated in fear. They take you to the rooms where Special Counsel Jack Smith's team set off on an all-but-impossible race to investigate Trump for absconding with classified documents and waging an assault on democracy ... and inside his prosecution's heroic and fateful choices that ultimately backfired. With a plethora of sources deeply embedded in the ranks of three presidencies, Leonnig and Davis reveal the daily war secretly waged for the soul of the department, how it has been shredded by propaganda and partisanship, and how ... if the United States hopes to live on with its same form of government ... Trump's war with the Justice Department will mark a turning point from which it will be hard to recover. Injustice is the jaw-dropping account of partisans and enablers undoing democracy, heroes still battling to preserve a nation governed by laws, and a call to action for those who believe in liberty and justice for all.
Subjects: Trump, Donald, 1946-; United States. Department of Justice; Political corruption;

The dying citizen : how progressive elites, tribalism, and globalization are destroying the idea of America / by Hanson, Victor Davis,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Most of human history is full of the stories of peasants, subjects, or tribes. The concept of the "citizen," an idea we take for granted, is historically quite rare-and was, until recently, amongst America's most profoundly cherished ideals. But without shock treatment, warns historian and conservative political commentator Victor Davis Hanson, American citizenship as we have known it for well over two centuries may soon vanish. In The Dying Citizen, Hanson outlines the forces that have brought us to the twilight of American citizenship, and led to the deeply fractured politics of the present era. Over the last half-century, numerous forces from both above and below have conspired to undermine the value we place in the idea of citizenship-and our vigilance in protecting it. To be self-governing, citizens must be economically autonomous, but the evisceration of the middle class and the rise of inequality have made many Americans dependent on the federal government. Citizenship exists within delineated borders-but open borders and the elite concept of "global citizenship" have rendered meaningless the idea of allegiance to a particular place. Citizenship relies on the renunciation of tribal identity in favor of the state, but identity politics have eradicated the idea of a collective civic sense of self. A vastly expanded unelected bureaucracy has overwhelmed the power of elected officials, thereby destroying the sovereign power of the citizen. Progressive academics and activists lay siege to the institutions and traditions of constitutional citizenship. As in the revolutionary years of 1848, 1917, and 1968, 2020 has ripped away our complacency about the future of our most cherished ideals. Americans are forced to confront the fragility of citizenship-indeed, the fragility of our nation. But this calamitous year may also teach Americans to rebuild and recover what we have lost. The choice is ours"--
Subjects: Citizenship; Citizenship; Elite (Social sciences); World citizenship.;

Spies : the epic intelligence war between East and West / by Walton, Calder,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."The riveting, secret story of the hundred-year intelligence war between Russia and the West with lessons for our new superpower conflict with China. Spies is the history of the secret war that Russia and the West have been waging for a century. Espionage, sabotage, and subversion were the Kremlin's means to equalize the imbalance of resources between the East and West before, during, and after the Cold War. There was nothing "unprecedented" about Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. It was simply business as usual, new means used for old ends. The Cold War started long before 1945. But the West fought back after World War II, mounting its own shadow war, using disinformation, vast intelligence networks, and new technologies against the Soviet Union. Spies is an inspiring, engrossing story of the best and worst of mankind: bravery and honor, treachery and betrayal. The narrative shifts across continents and decades, from the freezing streets of St. Petersburg in 1917 to the bloody beaches of Normandy; from coups in faraway lands to present-day Moscow where troll farms, synthetic bots, and weaponized cyber-attacks being launched on the woefully unprepared West. It is about the rise and fall of eastern superpowers: Russia's past and present and the global ascendance of China. Mining hitherto secret archives in multiple languages, Calder Walton shows that the Cold War started earlier than commonly assumed, that it continued even after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, and that Britain and America's clandestine struggle with the Soviet government provides key lessons for countering China today. This fresh reading of history, combined with practical takeaways for our current great power struggles, make Spies a unique and essential addition to the history of the Cold War and the unrolling conflict between the United States and China that will dominate the 21st century"--
Subjects: Cold War.; East and West.; Espionage; Espionage; Intelligence service; Intelligence service; Intelligence service; Intelligence service; World politics;

Homeland. [videorecording] / by Danes, Claire,1979-actor.; Patinkin, Mandy,actor.; Friend, Rupert,actor.; Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Inc,publisher.;
Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, Rupert Friend.Now living in New York City, Carrie (Claire Danes) gets swept up in the aftereffects of the U.S. presidential election as she struggles to deal with an injury ravaged Peter Quinn (Rupert Friend) and an increasingly suspicious Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin). When the president-elect battles the CIA during her transition to power, Carrie finds herself caught in the crossfire in this acclaimed series that continues to deliver stunning twists and edge-of-your-seat suspense.Canadian Home Video rating: 14A.DVD ; widescreen (1.78:1) presentation ; Dolby Digital 5.1.
Subjects: Detective and mystery television programs.; Spy television programs.; Television programs.; Video recordings for the hearing impaired.; Terrorists;
For private home use only.

Operation Angus : a novel / by Fallis, Terry,author.;
Angus McLintock, accidental Member of Parliament, has won re-election and is now the Minister of State for International Relations--or, in other words, he's the junior global affairs minister. In this new post, he and his trusty Chief of Staff, Daniel Addison, are in London to meet with their international counterparts to discuss the upcoming G8 Summit in Washington. Unfortunately, Angus is not in charge of Canada's involvement in the summit--that task falls to the actual Global Affairs Minister, not the junior one. What Angus is responsible for is planning a brief post-summit meeting in Ottawa between the Prime Minister and the President of Russia, the former head of the KGB. The London meetings are all going to plan until Daniel receives a cryptic, late-night text, from a burner phone, directing him to a pub around the corner from their hotel. There is important information he needs to know, the mysterious texter says--but he must keep the meeting a secret, and must come alone. Naturally, he immediately tells Angus, who of course tags along to the pub--just as reinforcement. The soon-to-be-retired MI6 agent who is waiting for Daniel is not pleased, but there are more pressing matters at hand: Chechen separatists are plotting to assassinate the Russian President--and it's going to happen when he's in Ottawa to meet with the Prime Minister, just weeks away. Angus and Daniel have to put a stop to it before it's too late. Naturally, no one in Ottawa will take them, or their top-secret intelligence, seriously, so they're on their own. In an instant, they are thrown into a race against the clock to uncover the Chechen sleeper cell, thwart their plans, and ultimately save the Russian President. Along the way, in classic Angus and Daniel style, they have to dodge bitter rivals, enraged protestors, and even a runaway Cessna. This is a madcap cloak-and-dagger adventure with humour and heart that will delight and entertain readers until the very last page.
Subjects: Humorous fiction.; Political fiction.; Legislators; Attempted assassination;

Undiplomatic : how my attitude created the best kind of trouble / by Dyer, Deesha,author.;
"When Deesha Dyer applied for a White House internship, she was 31, a community college student and aspiring hip-hop journalist, working in an administrative role at a real estate company. When President Barack Obama was elected, she felt so inspired that she took a chance on herself despite having no political background or connections. Suddenly, she found herself in the White House at the epicenter of U.S. government. Her fellow interns were in their early 20s, went to Ivy League schools, and had previous political experience. But in spite of the little voice in her head telling her she didn't deserve to be there, Deesha thrived, accompanying President Obama on high-level trips, continuing to work for the administration full-time after her internship ended, and ultimately rising to the key administration role of Social Secretary, for which she orchestrated everything from major diplomatic summits to functions with Beyonce and the Pope. Still, Imposter Syndrome appeared at every turn threatening her self-esteem and proven aptitude. Undiplomatic is personal development book combining Deesha's personal story with hard-earned lessons on how she successfully combatted feelings of doubt while holding a top-level position. In this book, Deesha will share what she's learned along the way and reflect on how she changed her life by realizing that her imposter syndrome was neither her fault nor her responsibility. She will dive into how she learned to give herself the same grace she gives to others and offer her best wisdom about authenticity and curiosity, the myth of "being yourself", and the importance of understanding that what you have is what you've earned. Deesha is honest that nobody can "solve" imposter syndrome and never think of it again. But she invites you to walk beside her as she shows you what the journey of believing you belong really looks like, and the joy and freedom that await you on the other side"--
Subjects: Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Dyer, Deesha.; United States. White House Office; Impostor phenomenon.; Success.;

Shadow state : murder, mayhem and Russia's remaking of the West / by Harding, Luke,1968-author.;
A thrilling account of how Russia is waging a hidden war against America and the West, using espionage, corruption, fake news, and KGB-style murder. March 2018. Two Russian assassins arrive in a provincial English city to kill a former officer from Russia's GRU intelligence agency. His crime? Passing secrets to British spies. The poison? A lethal nerve agent, novichok. The attempted execution was a reminder - as if one were needed - of Russia's contempt for international norms. The Soviet Union and its doctrine are long gone, but the playbook used by the Kremlin's spies during that long confrontation with the West is back. And the underlying goal remains the same: to undermine democracy and exploit divisions within American and European society and politics. Moscow's support for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election has grown into the biggest political scandal of modern times. Its American players are well-known. In Shadow State, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Luke Harding reveals the Russians behind the story: the spies, hackers and internet trolls. Harding charts how the Kremlin has updated Communist-era methods of influence and propaganda for the age of Facebook and Twitter, and considers the compelling question of our age: what exactly does Vladimir Putin have on President Trump? Similar to those of the Cold War, Putin's ambitions are truly global. His emissaries include oligarchs, bankers, lawyers, mercenaries, and agents of influence. They roam from Salisbury to Helsinki, Ukraine to Central Africa, London to Washington, D.C. Shadow State is the singular account of how the Kremlin seeks to reshape the world, to divide the US from its European friends, and to remake America in its own dark and kleptocratic image. This is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand how our politics came to be so chaotic and divided. Nothing less than the future of Western democracy is at stake.
Subjects: Espionage, Russian; Political corruption; Political campaigns;

Results 221 to 230 of 317 | « previous |