Book picks similar to
Against Excess: Drug Policy For Results by Mark A.R. Kleiman
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Midnight’s Descendants: South Asia from Partition to the Present Day
John Keay - 2012
At c1.5 billion, Midnight’s Descendants (the offspring of those affected by ‘the midnight hour’ Partition) already outnumber Europeans and Chinese; and they are growing faster than either. They comprise all the peoples of what is now called ‘South Asia’ (the preferred term for the partitioned subcontinent of modern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, plus Nepal and Sri Lanka).‘Midnight’s Descendants’ is the first history of the region as a whole. Correlating and contrasting the fortunes of all the constituent nations over the last six decades affords unique insights into what is hailed as one of the world’s most dynamic regions.John Keay is an expert on the region and the book will be the first account to incorporate the rich story of South Asia’s transnational, or ‘diasporic’, peoples – from the overlooked narratives of the subcontinent to the rise of India as a global force, ‘Midnight’s Descendants’ will be expansive and tumultuous in the great tradition of India’s narrative epics.
How We Got Here: The 70's: The Decade that Brought You Modern Life (For Better or Worse)
David Frum - 2000
In this first, thematic popular history of the decade, David Frum argues that it was the 1970s, not the 1960s, that created modern America and altered the American personality forever. A society that had valued faith, self-reliance, self-sacrifice, and family loyalty evolved in little more than a decade into one characterized by superstition, self-interest, narcissism, and guilt. Frum examines this metamorphosis through the rise to cultural dominance of faddish psychology, astrology, drugs, religious cults, and consumer debt, and profiles such prominent players of the decade as Werner Erhard, Alex Comfort, and Jerry Brown. How We Got Here is lively and provocative reading.
The Long Divergence: How Islamic Law Held Back the Middle East
Timur Kuran - 2010
But by 1800, the region had fallen dramatically behind--in living standards, technology, and economic institutions. In short, the Middle East had failed to modernize economically as the West surged ahead. What caused this long divergence? And why does the Middle East remain drastically underdeveloped compared to the West? In The Long Divergence, one of the world's leading experts on Islamic economic institutions and the economy of the Middle East provides a new answer to these long-debated questions.Timur Kuran argues that what slowed the economic development of the Middle East was not colonialism or geography, still less Muslim attitudes or some incompatibility between Islam and capitalism. Rather, starting around the tenth century, Islamic legal institutions, which had benefitted the Middle Eastern economy in the early centuries of Islam, began to act as a drag on development by slowing or blocking the emergence of central features of modern economic life--including private capital accumulation, corporations, large-scale production, and impersonal exchange. By the nineteenth century, modern economic institutions began to be transplanted to the Middle East, but its economy has not caught up. And there is no quick fix today. Low trust, rampant corruption, and weak civil societies--all characteristic of the region's economies today and all legacies of its economic history--will take generations to overcome. The Long Divergence opens up a frank and honest debate on a crucial issue that even some of the most ardent secularists in the Muslim world have hesitated to discuss.
Hardball: How Politics Is Played Told By One Who Knows The Game
Chris Matthews - 1988
In this revised and updated edition of his political classic, he offers fascinating new stories of raw ambition, brutal rivalry, and exquisite seduction and reveals the inside rules that govern the game of power.
The Cube Method
Brandon Lilly - 2012
Sadly, many programs focus on one or the other, and others leave raw lifters broken down, and for that matter some geared lifters as well. Too many programs emphasize the “PR” in the gym. While PR’s are extremely important, there is nowhere more important than on the platform.The Most Fun You Will Have Training For PowerliftingThe Cube Method is the powerlifting training program that has taken athlete after athlete to the next level of strength. Powerlifters have been hitting PR after PR taking their strength to levels previously not thought possible. The Cube Method is not just another powerlifting program. It combines and rotates Heavy Days, Rep Days, and Explosive Days in a way that has never been done before.Time to take the guesswork out of powerlifting training. In the revolutionary Cube E-book you will learn….The Journey to the Cube-How the Cube method was formed-Why it became the training method of Elite Level Powerlifter Brandon Lilly, and numerous other powerlifters .The Method Behind the Cube-Explanation of the program and the secret to the unique rotation of training modes.-Get set up on your own Cube rotation to maximize strength, and preparedness.Gym Training-Learn how to rethink what strength is. It’s not just 1 Rep PR’s that matter. We find ways to set PR’s for weight, reps, time, and speed.-How to rotate the training waves of each of the main lifts-Proper weight, rep and set schemes needed in order to make you the very best powerlifting you can be.Assistance Work-Assistance work takes a huge role on the Cube Method. We set up assistance to absolutely maximize future barbell lifts-Find out how to maximize certain assistance exercises in order toget the most benefit from them.Warm Ups-How to warm up properly in order to prevent injury and prime your body for training.Conditioning-Use the sled and Prowler to build strength, size and a powerful physique that reflects your strengthThe Cube Method is a comprehensive program that will help you take out all of the uncertainty in your training and finally give you a definitive program to help you to achieve your goals!THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF A 10 YEAR CAREER IN POWERLIFTINGThe Cube Method has given me the greatest Multi-Ply, and Raw Totals in my career.Here is a short list of my powerlifting career:-Member of the 1000 lbs. Squat, 800lbs. Bench, and 800 lbs. Deadlift Club-Trained at both Westside Barbell, Lexen Xtreme Barbell alongside some of the greatest lifters in the world.-Competed for 9 years in all specialties from Raw, Single Ply, and Multi-Ply-Totaled Elite in 5 weight classes (220,242,275,308, and SHW)-Totaled 2,204 lbs. raw ranking 16th All-Time regardless of weight. One of 19 men ever to total over 2,200 lbs. raw.-Totaled 2,530 lbs. Multi-PlyWhat does that mean? All of that knowledge and training experience has come together in The Cube Method. I wish I had a program like this when I coming up in powerlifting. I would have avoided injury, and burnout. This is the best advice I have to offer based on all the lessons I have learned, in one place, for you.The Cube Method has allowed my training to make me the strongest, most conditioned and explosive I have ever been! Not to mention all of the Cube lifters who are continuously smashing PR’s!
Russia: The Story of War
Gregory Carleton - 2017
Their “motherland” has been the battlefield where some of the largest armies have clashed, the most savage battles have been fought, and the highest death tolls paid. Having prevailed over the Mongol hordes and vanquished Napoleon and Hitler, many Russians believe that no country on earth has sacrificed so much for the world. In Russia: The Story of War Gregory Carleton explores the belief in exceptionalism that pervades Russian culture and politics and shows how Russians have forged a distinct identity rooted in war.While outsiders view Russia as an aggressor, Russians themselves see a country surrounded by enemies, poised in a permanent defensive crouch as it fights off one invader after another. Time and again, history has called upon Russia to play the savior―of Europe, of Christianity, of civilization itself―and Russia’s victories, especially over the Nazis in World War II, have come at immense cost. Even its defeats, always suffered on behalf of just causes in this telling, have become a source of pride.War is the unifying thread of Russia’s national epic, the factor that transcends its wrenching ideological transformations from the archconservative Russian Empire to the radical-totalitarian Soviet Union to the pseudo-democratic Russian Federation. Today, as Vladimir Putin’s Russia asserts itself in ever bolder ways, knowing how the nation’s war-torn past inflects its self-image is essential to understanding Russia’s sense of place in history and in the world.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: The Making of Douglas MacArthur
Mark Perry - 2014
Imperious, headstrong, and vain, MacArthur matched an undeniable military genius with a massive ego and a rebellious streak that often seemed to destine him for the dustbin of history. Yet despite his flaws, MacArthur is remembered as a brilliant commander whose combined-arms operation in the Pacific—the first in the history of warfare—secured America’s triumph in World War II and changed the course of history. In The Most Dangerous Man in America, celebrated historian Mark Perry examines how this paradox of a man overcame personal and professional challenges to lead his countrymen in their darkest hour. As Perry shows, Franklin Roosevelt and a handful of MacArthur’s subordinates made this feat possible, taming MacArthur, making him useful, and finally making him victorious. A gripping, authoritative biography of the Pacific Theater’s most celebrated and misunderstood commander, The Most Dangerous Man in America reveals the secrets of Douglas MacArthur’s success—and the incredible efforts of the men who made it possible.
Prosperity & Violence: The Political Economy of Development
Robert H. Bates - 2001
Brief and compelling, Prosperity & Violence is certain to be an excellent supplement in any comparative politics course.
Think Yourself Thin: A 30-Day Guide to Permanent Weight Loss
J.J. Smith - 2018
In Think Yourself Thin, Smith helps you uncover the root of your struggle and address the spiritual or emotional issues tied to your eating behavior. By applying the strategies outlined in this book, you will have the tools you need to take control of your weight, and thus your health, and experience the joy of having your dream body. Divided into four parts, Smith’s book uncovers the five psychological stages required to lose weight and keep it off. Smith also introduces the all-new SUCCESS System detailing the mental habits and approaches necessary for permanent weight loss. Filled with inspiring, motivational success stories and user-friendly principles that provide the guidance you need to eat in a manner that helps the body burn fat and lose weight, Think Yourself Thin makes long-term weight loss a reality by starting with what matters most.
Godfather of the Kremlin: The Decline of Russia in the Age of Gangster Capitalism
Paul Klebnikov - 2000
Paul Klebnikov pieces together the previous decade in Russian history, showing that a major piece of "the decline of Russia' puzzle lies in the meteoric business career of Boris Berezovsky. Transforming himself from a research scientist to Russia's most successful dealmaker, Berezovsky managed to seize control of Russia's largest auto manufacturer, largest TV network, national airline, and one of the world's biggest oil companies. When Moscow's gangster families battled one another in the Great Mob War of 1993-1994, Berezovsky was in the thick of it. He was badly burned by a car bomb and his driver was decapitated. A year later, Berezovsky emerged as the prime suspect in the assassination of the director of the TV network he acquired. Although plagued by scandal, he enjoyed President Yeltsin's support, serving as the personal financial "advisor" to both Yeltsin and his family. In 1996, Berezovsky organized the financing of Yeltsin's re-election campaign-a campaign marred by fraud, embezzlement, and attempted murder. Berezovsky became the President's most trusted political advisor-playing a key role in forming governments and dismissing prime ministers. Based on hundreds of taped interviews with top businessmen and government officials, secret police reports, contractual documents, and surveillance tapes, Godfather of the Kremlin is both a gripping story and a unique historical document.
Writings
Alexander Hamilton - 2001
As a military aide to George Washington, forceful critic of the Articles of Confederation, persuasive proponent of ratification of the Constitution, first Secretary of the Treasury, and leader of the Federalist party, Hamilton devoted himself to the creation of a militarily and economically powerful American nation guided by a strong republican government. His public and private writings demonstrate the perceptive intelligence, confident advocacy, driving ambition, and profound concern for honor and reputation that contributed both to his rise to fame and to his tragic early death.Arranged chronologically, Writings contains more than 170 letters, speeches, essays, reports, and memoranda written between 1769 and 1804. Included are all 51 of Hamilton's contributions to The Federalist, as well as subsequent writing calling for a broad construction of federal power under the Constitution; his famous speech to the Constitutional Convention, which gave rise to accusations that he favored monarchy; early writings supporting the Revolutionary cause and a stronger central government; his visionary reports as Treasury secretary on the public credit, a national bank, and the encouragement of American manufactures; a detailed confession of adultery made by Hamilton in order to defend himself against charges of official misconduct; and his self-destructive attack on John Adams during the 1800 campaign. An extensive selection of private letters illuminates Hamilton's complex relationship with George Washington, his deep affection for his wife andchildren, his mounting fears during the 1790s regarding the Jeffersonian opposition and the French Revolution, and his profound distrust of Aaron Burr. Included in an appendix are conflicting eyewitness accounts of the Hamilton-Burr duel.
Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception
Thom Hartmann - 1993
His groundbreaking work in ADD/ADHD and psychotherapy has been featured in TIME magazine, the New York Times, and in media around the world. He lives in Oregon.
Napoleon: The Path to Power
Philip G. Dwyer - 2007
But the journey that led him there was neither inevitable nor smooth. This authoritative biography focuses on the evolution of Napoleon as a leader and debunks many of the myths that are often repeated about him—sensational myths often propagated by Napoleon himself. Here, Philip Dwyer sheds new light on Napoleon’s inner life—especially his darker side and his passions—to reveal a ruthless, manipulative, driven man whose character has been disguised by the public image he carefully fashioned to suit the purposes of his ambition. Dwyer focuses acutely on Napoleon’s formative years, from his Corsican origins to his French education, from his melancholy youth to his flirtation with radicals of the French Revolution, from his first military campaigns in Italy and Egypt to the political-military coup that brought him to power in 1799. One of the first truly modern politicians, Napoleon was a master of “spin,” using the media to project an idealized image of himself. Dwyer’s biography of the young Napoleon provides a fascinating new perspective on one of the great figures of modern history.
Imposter: On booze, crippling self-doubt and coming out the other side
Matt Chisholm - 2021
The Great Chinese Revolution 1800-1985
John King Fairbank - 1986
Examines the transformation of Imperial China to Communist China, discusses the social and cultural changes that have occurred, and looks at modern economic development in China.