Non-fiction

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, has authored a personal biography of his father, George H. W. Bush, the 41st President.

Forty-three men have served as President of the United States. Countless books have been written about them. But never before has a President told the story of his father, another President, through his own eyes and in his own words. A unique and intimate biography, the book covers the entire scope of the elder President Bush's life and career, including his service in the Pacific during World War II, his pioneering work in the Texas oil business, and his political rise as a Congressman, U.S. Representative to China and the United Nations, CIA Director, Vice President, and President. The book shines new light on both the accomplished statesman and the warm, decent man known best by his family. In addition, George W. Bush discusses his father's influence on him throughout his own life, from his childhood in West Texas to his early campaign trips with his father, and from his decision to go into politics to his own two-term Presidency.

Now available in paperback, the New York Times bestseller. When John F. Kennedy called America "the land we love" more than 42 years ago, he was reminding us of the lofty ideals on which our country was founded. But what are those ideals, and how have Americans defined them Is America the land of George Washington and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who rallied the country's spirits for unity in wartime, or is it a land of dissent, a land in which Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Martin Luther King, Jr. remind us of our duty to protect our most fundamental freedoms? Are we defined by the speeches of Thomas Jefferson and Ronald Reagan or by the humor of H.L. Mencken and Mark Twain? Caroline Kennedy's answer in A Patriot's Handbook is that we are all of those things and more. The poems, songs, speeches, letters, and historical documents that Caroline Kennedy has chosen for this remarkable collection remind us of the foundations on which America was built. But they also ask us to examine what it truly means to be a "patriot," even if our assumptions are challenged along the way, because it is only by doing so that America can "truly be our own." Voices as diverse as the nation itself:

Thomas Jefferson

Cole Porter

Chief Red Jacket

Amy Tan

Betty Friedan

Albert Einstein

George W. Bush

Loretta Lynn

John F. Kennedy

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bob Dylan

Cesar Chavez

Toni Morrison

Groucho Marx

and many more

America: A Patriotic Primer is a succinct history of the United States, an ABC of the principles on which this country was founded, and a book for children and families to pore over, discuss, and cherish.
A is for America,
the land that we love.
B is for the Birthday
of this country of ours....
To choose the twenty-six people and ideas that comprise the book, Lynne Cheney has drawn on a lifetime of learning about the American past, and on the inspiration that comes from witnessing recent history firsthand. Illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser imbues Mrs. Cheney's words with childlike joy through her exuberant drawings. Together they have created a patriotic primer, a book that teaches history by celebrating the diversity, tenacity, and faith of the American people.

This A to Z of America frames the story -- and the miracle -- of our country.

Teachers learn how to pose well-thought-out questions and encourage students to ask better ones. This complete analysis of teaching, questioning, and learning includes tips for modeling, questions, innovative activities, and lesson plans.

In his acclaimed Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam describes the United States as a nation in which we have become increasingly disconnected from one another and in which our social structures have disintegrated. But in the final chapter of that book he detects hopeful signs of civic renewal. In Better Together Putnam and coauthor Lewis Feldstein tell the inspiring stories of people who are reweaving the social fabric by bringing their own communities together or building bridges to others.
Better Together examines how people across the country are inventing new forms of social activism and community renewal. An arts program in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, brings together shipyard workers and their gentrified neighbors; a deteriorating, crime-ridden neighborhood in Boston is transformed by a determined group of civic organizers; an online "virtual" community in San Francisco allows its members to connect with each other as well as the larger group; in Wisconsin schoolchildren learn how to participate in the political process to benefit their town. As our society grows increasingly diverse, say Putnam and Feldstein, it's more important than ever to grow "social capital," whether by traditional or more innovative means. The people profiled in Better Together are doing just that, and their stories illustrate the extraordinary power of social networks for enabling people to improve their lives and the lives of those around them.

In 1993, a giant bone was discovered by an amateur fossil hunter in the
badlands of central Argentina. The two paleontologists who were summoned to the
site thought it was the thigh of a plant-eating dinosaur, but further
examination showed it to be the shin of a previously unknown species of
predatory dinosaur. "Bigger Than T-Rex" is an account of the excavation of
the fossil and the subsequent reconstruction of a dinosaur thought to have been
bigger, heavier, and fiercer than the reigning "king" of the meat-eaters,
"Tyrannosaurus rex." In clear, easy-to-follow language, dinosaur expert
Don Lessem explains how the scientists drew conclusions about the size and
habits of the new species, how they came to give it its
name- "Giganotosaurus" -and how it compared to other dinosaurs. Illustrated
with color photographs of the excavation and meticulously painted
reconstructions of "Giganotosaurus" and other species, here is
up-to-the-minute news about dinosaur discoveries for dinophiles of all ages.

Discover how to design and implement a positive plan for your son's development, using the powerful principles of mentoring, intentional blessing, and rites of passage, so that he becomes the man God created him to be.

Without guidance, a boy's transition from childhood to manhood is dangerous and confusing. With tragic results, today's boys rarely learn from the adults closest to them what it means to become a man. In this celebratory and hopeful book, parents and other concerned adults learn how to guide boys and young men on their journey to maturity.

'Woman' has never been able to define herself any other way than in terms of the violence done to her. In this work Malabou begins with philosophy, asking: what is the life of a woman philosopher?

Weekly Standard editor Daniel Halper provides a meticulously researched account of the brilliant calculations, secret deals, and occasionally treacherous maneuverings that led to the Clintons' return to political prominence.

In the twelve years since the Clintons left the White House, they have gone from being virtually penniless to multi-millionaires, and are arguably the most popular politicians in America--respected and feared by Republicans and Democrats alike. But behind that rise is a never-before-told story of strategic cleverness, reckless gambles, and an unquenchable thirst for political power.

Investigative reporter Daniel Halper uses a wealth of research, exclusive documents, and detailed interviews with close friends, allies, and enemies of the Clintons to reveal the strategy they used and the deals they made to turn their political fortunes around. Clinton, Inc. exposes the relationship between President Obama, the Bush family, and the Clintons--and what it means for the future; how Bill and Hillary are laying the groundwork for the upcoming presidential campaign; how Vice President Biden and other Democrats are trying to maneuver around her; Chelsea's political future; the Clintons' skillful media management; the Clintons' marriage and why it has survived; and an inside look at the Clinton's financial backers and hidden corporate enterprises.

Clinton, Inc. is the key to understanding America's most powerful political couple.

This book displays tools and templates for planning, organizing, and monitoring a beginning principal's daily tasks.

J is for Jefferson and S is for signatures in this illustrated children's picture book that traces the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence and its subsequent profound impact. Unlike alphabet books that string together unrelated facts, this one actually tells the story of how our nation's founding document came to be.

"China is nervous because there are now more Falun Going practitioners than there are members of the Chinese Communist Party"
--Li Hongzhi, founder of Falun Gong.

In one of the most bizarre cases of political repression in modern history, the People's Republic of China has banned a spiritual practice built around traditional exercises and meditation. They say that Falun Gong has become a dangerous threat to the largest nation on Earth. In a return to the dark days of the Cultural Revolution, they have burned thousands of Falun Gong books and literature. They have beaten and detained thousands of practitioners. They have issued an arrest warrant for Falun Gong founder Li Hongzhi. They are sentencing some practitioners to long periods of incarceration at show trials. World leaders and human rights groups are speaking out.

Why is this happening? Is it because Falun Gong has attracted an estimated l00 million practitioners? What is Falun Gong's appeal? What is it that China fears?

This is their story. Largely Unheard. Until Now.

This timely non-fiction book presents the inside story of China's crackdown on Falun Gong, taking a stand against the most blatant and pervasive political book burning since the days of Hitler's rise to power. By offering Falun Gong's story in the context of the current crisis in China, it provides an important look at a dramatic underreported and unfolding story. In China, their point of view has been banned. It deserves to be heard worldwide.

Veteran journalist Danny Schechter executive produced "China Now" for Channel 13 in 1991. He has written about Chinese issues for Newsday and Z Magazine. He is the author of The More You Watch, The Less You Know (Seven Stories Press) and is the executive producer of Globalvision and executive editor of the Media Channel.

An Excerpt

"The picture doesn't add up. What I see here with these people and what they're doing, they seem very normal people. They're from all walks of life; and then on the other side you've got this picture that the Chinese government is painting, and the two just don't match."-Adam Montanaro, Falun Gong practitioner (USA)

Forced Exit exposes the false premise of the euthanasia movement to make a compelling case against assisted suicide.

Led by advocates of "the right to die" such as Jack Kevorkian and Derek Humphrey, America is embroiled in a heated debate over assisted suicide. Wesley Smith argues that this is not just a compassionate response to those in terrible pain. Instead, Americans must consider the context within which euthanasia would be performed -- the profit-driven U.S. health-care system -- and the inevitable shift toward a policy of legalized killing that will target the handicapped, the mentally ill, and the poor.

Forced Exit reveals the horrors of the Netherlands, where 8.5% of all deaths are attributed to assisted suicide and where Dutch doctors have rapidly moved from euthanizing the terminally ill, to the chronically ill, to the depressed with no organic disease, to killing infants born with birth defects.

Smith reveals positive alternatives: easy access to hospice care for the dying, effective pain control, and independent living for the disabled. And he profiles people who have considered suicide the only choice, but after receiving proper care and assistance have gone on to lead full and satisfying lives.

A running tally of the folly of the 80's, the decade known for men of "huge brains, small necks, weak muscles and fat wallets." -- "NY Times Book Review"

Gossip is no trivial matter; despite its reputation, Epstein argues, it is an eternal and necessary human enterprise. Proving that he himself is a master of the art, Epstein serves up delightful mini-biographies of the Great Gossips of the Western World, along with many choice bits from his own experience. He also makes a powerful case that gossip has morphed from its old-fashioned best--clever, mocking, a great private pleasure--to a corrosive new-school version, thanks to the reach of the mass media and the Internet.

Written in his trademark erudite and witty style, Gossip captures the complexity of this immensely entertaining subject.

In this bestseller which touched the heart of a nation--now in paperback--Brokaw tells the story of a generation, America's citizen heroes and heroines who came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modern America.

Ten true stories of real-life heroes during Hurricane Katrina!

Donald Colletti and Jimmy Pitre are forced to flee their flooded houses as Hurricane Katrina devastates their beloved city of New Orleans. But rather than seek shelter, the two brave men put their lives on the line to rescue hundreds of their neighbors.As Coast Guard helicopter 6514 is buffeted by severe winds, rescue swimmer Laurence Nettles is lowered into the dangerous waters with one goal in mind -- save the lives of a family with an infant who are stranded in a damaged boat.Cut off from outside help for days, the valiant medical staff at Lindy Boggs Medical Center -- which is cut off by rising floodwaters and cripped by a power failure -- fight desperately to keep more than 100 patients alive.These and other real-life heroes risked their lives to save others during Hurricane Katrina, the most catastrophic natural disaster in United States history. You will never forget their courageous true stories.

Thomas L. Friedman's phenomenal number-one bestseller The World Is Flat has helped millions of readers to see the world in a new way. In his brilliant, essential new book, Friedman takes a fresh and provocative look at two of the biggest challenges we face today: America's surprising loss of focus and national purpose since 9/11; and the global environmental crisis, which is affecting everything from food to fuel to forests. In this groundbreaking account of where we stand now, he shows us how the solutions to these two big problems are linked--how we can restore the world and revive America at the same time.

Friedman explains how global warming, rapidly growing populations, and the astonishing expansion of the world's middle class through globalization have produced a planet that is "hot, flat, and crowded." Already the earth is being affected in ways that threaten to make it dangerously unstable. In just a few years, it will be too late to fix things--unless the United States steps up now and takes the lead in a worldwide effort to replace our wasteful, inefficient energy practices with a strategy for clean energy, energy efficiency, and conservation that Friedman calls Code Green.

This is a great challenge, Friedman explains, but also a great opportunity, and one that America cannot afford to miss. Not only is American leadership the key to the healing of the earth; it is also our best strategy for the renewal of America.

In vivid, entertaining chapters, Friedman makes it clear that the green revolution we need is like no revolution the world has seen. It will be the biggest innovation project in American history; it will be hard, not easy; and it will change everything from what you put into your car to what you see on your electric bill. But the payoff for America will be more than just cleaner air. It will inspire Americans to something we haven't seen in a long time--nation-building in America--by summoning the intelligence, creativity, boldness, and concern for the common good that are our nation's greatest natural resources.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded is classic Thomas L. Friedman: fearless, incisive, forward-looking, and rich in surprising common sense about the challenge--and the promise--of the future.