Fat Leonard
#1 New York Times bestselling author Craig Whitlock's "masterly investigation into one of the Navy's worst scandals" (The New York Times). All the admirals in the US Navy knew Leonard Glenn Francis--either personally or by his legendary reputation. He was the larger-than-life defense contractor who greeted them on the pier whenever they visited ports in Asia, ready to show them a good time after weeks at sea while his company resupplied their ships and submarines. He was famed throughout the fleet for the gluttonous parties he hosted for officers: $1,000-per-person dinners at Asia's swankiest restaurants, featuring unlimited Dom P矇rignon, Cuban cigars, and sexy young women. On the surface, with his flawless American accent, he seemed like a true friend of the Navy. What the brass didn't realize, until far too late, was that Francis had seduced them by exploiting their entitlement and hubris. While he was bribing them with gifts, lavish meals, and booze-fueled orgies, he was making himself obscenely wealthy by bilking American taxpayers. Worse, he was stealing military secrets from under the admirals' noses and compromising national security. Based on reams of confidential documents--including the blackmail files that Francis kept on Navy officers--Fat Leonard is the full, unvarnished story of a world-class con man and a captivating testament to the corrosive influence of greed within the ranks of the American military.
Interference
Interference uncovers the explosive revelations of the Mueller investigation, detailing the behind-the-scenes efforts to expose Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election to favor Donald Trump and the ways Trump interfered in the ongoing investigation, as recounted by Robert Mueller's closest colleagues, and including an introduction by Mueller himself. The team also shares new and important insights about the role of a special counsel and a criminal investigation in holding a president accountable. Interference is the "essential" (Kirkus Reviews) true history of the most important and consequential decisions, obstacles, and quandaries Mueller and his team faced when investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. For the first time, Mueller's only deputy, his most senior counselor who served on the Watergate Special Prosecution Force, and the lead prosecutor looking into obstruction of justice and Russian interference, have come together to tell a highly relevant and readable account of their investigation into election interference and the connections between various Russians and members of the 2016 Trump campaign. Mueller himself wrote the book's preface. Interference highlights the many actions Russia took as it favored candidate Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, offering a powerful reminder of how committed Russia was to influence the election outcome. Ultimately, the special counsel brought indictments against thirty-four individuals and entities, including Trump's campaign chairman; his deputy campaign chairman; a campaign advisor; his first national security advisor; a longtime Trump associate; and over two-dozen Russian nationals. Every case that was able to proceed to a conclusion resulted in a guilty verdict or plea. Interference explains the motivations and actions of Russia (which has not stopped exploiting American weaknesses), the importance and limitations of a special counsel, and the urgent need for people to make principled decisions even when being pushed from all directions not to do so. Much can be learned from the experiences faced by Mueller's team as they broke ground on some of the most complicated challenges facing our country--then and now. Their findings are essential to an understanding of America's current struggle to preserve the rule of law and strike the balance between presidential immunity and presidential accountability. The narrative carries special relevance following the Supreme Court's 2024 decision granting broad immunity to a president, a decision that sharply limits the conduct for which a president can be prosecuted--or even investigated.
The Broken China Dream
A provocative book that demystifies China's great democratic leap backward under Xi Jinping, revealing why the country's embrace of capitalism has given rise to hard authoritarianism, mass surveillance, and one-man rule instead of democracy as many in the West had hoped When China embarked on its transformative journey of modernization in 1979, many believed the country's turn toward capitalism would put its totalitarian past to rest and mark the birth of a democratic, open society. Instead, China reverted to a neo-totalitarian state, one backed by one of the fastest-growing, most formidable economies on earth. The Broken China Dream pulls back the curtain on the regime of strongman Xi Jinping, revealing why the reforms of the post-Mao era have been reversed on nearly every front--and why the world failed to see it coming. Exposing the truth behind China's economic ascendency after the Cultural Revolution, Minxin Pei shows how, following Mao's death in 1976, Deng Xiaoping strategically deployed the tools of capitalism to preserve the Chinese Communist Party. Deng kept intact the institutional foundations of totalitarianism even as he unleashed private entrepreneurship and courted foreign investment, giving China's one-party state control of a vast repressive apparatus and the most critical sectors of the economy. Only a fragile balance of power among dueling factions prevented the rise of a totalitarian leader in the two decades after the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989--but this temporary equilibrium collapsed. Essential to understanding today's China, this meticulously researched book is a sobering account of why the country's reformers and institutions could not stop a shrewd and ruthless politician like Xi from resurrecting dormant totalitarian practices that, for the foreseeable future, have spelled the end of China's dream of a free and prosperous society.
The Federalist Papers
Proudly read and display the blueprint for American democracy with this stunning, unabridged edition featuring sprayed edges and a foil-embossed faux-leather cover. Written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison between October 1787 and May 1788 and published anonymously in May 1788, The Federalist Papers presents a series of 85 essays advocating for the ratification of the newly proposed United States Constitution. As Madison and Hamilton were both members of the Constitutional Convention, this collection of essays is used today to further illuminate the intentions of the Constitution, as it was drafted. The essays cover a wide variety of topics, including foreign affairs, relationships between states, preserving the union, commercial interests and the economy, and more. This collectible edition features: An elegant faux-leather cover with foil-embossed designsStunning sprayed edges for a continuous design on the front, edges, and backAn introduction by American history scholar and author Andrew S. Tree Unabridged textA historical timeline at the backPerfect for US history lovers and bibliophiles alike, The Federalist Papers is a must-have addition for any home library. Essential volumes for the shelves of every classic literature lover, Chartwell Deluxe Editions offer beautifully presented works from some of the most important authors in literary history. Other deluxe classics from Chartwell include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, The Iliad, Inferno, Irish Fairy and Folk Tales, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Little Women, Meditations, and The Republic.
1992 The Year That Shaped the World We Live In
Blackout
It's time for a black exit. Political activist and social media star Candace Owens addresses the many ways that Democrat Party policies hurt, rather than help, the African American community, and why she and many others are turning right. Black Americans have long been shackled to the Democrats. Seeing no viable alternative, they have watched liberal politicians take the black vote for granted without pledging anything in return. In Blackout, Owens argues that this automatic allegiance is both illogical and unearned. She contends that the Democrat Party has a long history of racism and exposes the ideals that hinder the black community's ability to rise above poverty, live independent and successful lives, and be an active part of the American Dream. Instead, Owens offers up a different ideology by issuing a challenge: It's time for a major black exodus. From dependency, from victimhood, from miseducation--and the Democrat Party, which perpetuates all three. Owens explains that government assistance is a double-edged sword, that the Left dismisses the faith so important to the black community, that Democrat permissiveness toward abortion disproportionately affects black babies, that the #MeToo movement hurts black men, and much more. Weaving in her personal story, which ushered her from a roach-infested low-income apartment to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, she demonstrates how she overcame her setbacks and challenges despite the cultural expectation that she should embrace a victim mentality. Well-researched and intelligently argued, Blackout lays bare the myth that all black people should vote Democrat--and shows why turning to the right will leave them happier, more successful, and more self-sufficient.
How to Test Negative for Stupid
One of the most distinctive and funny politicians, Senator John Kennedy (the one from Louisiana)--hailed by Politico as "America's most quotable Senator"--offers his perceptive (and hilarious) takes on the ridiculousness of political life in this scathingly witty takedown of Washington and its elite denizens.How to Test Negative for Stupid offers the Senator's tongue-in-cheek guidebook through Washington, punctuated by his thoughts on various issues and humorous stories about life from Louisiana politics and inside the Senate.From the mind--and mouth--of "America's Most Quotable Senator" "Always be yourself . . . unless you suck.""I say this gently: This is why the aliens won't talk to us.""If you trust government, you obviously failed history class.""I believe that our country was founded by geniuses, but it's being run by idiots.""Always follow your heart . . . but take your brain with you.""I'm not going to Bubble Wrap it: The water in Washington, D.C., won't clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek.""I have the right to remain silent but not the ability.""Common sense is illegal in Washington, D.C., I know. I've seen it firsthand.""I believe that we are going to have to get some new conspiracy theories. All the old ones turned out to be true."
Furious Minds
The story of the radical conservative intellectual movement shaping Donald Trump's agenda--and how it threatens American freedoms, values, and democracy Donald Trump is not a big thinker, but his 2016 presidential victory presented a grand opportunity for people who are, and it set off a radicalization and reconfiguration of the American conservative intellectual world. In Furious Minds, Laura Field, who spent close to a decade in conservative academic circles, chronicles the rise of the New Right--the network of academics, public intellectuals, and influencers who provide ideological fuel to Trumpism. This movement includes figures such as Patrick Deneen, Christopher Rufo, Peter Thiel, and JD Vance. Their agenda is built to last, and it has dire long-term implications for liberal democracy. The New Right has precedents in American history, but it is distinct for its youthfulness, misogyny, and extraordinary successes--most notably the elevation of Vance to the vice presidency. The movement--which draws together associates of the right-wing Claremont Institute, National Conservatives, Postliberals, and the Hard Right--advocates nationalist economics, tight borders, isolationism, and reactionary social values. It helped to strategize January 6th and created Project 2025. But above all, the New Right is engaged in a vast culture war against modern liberal pluralism. It is determined to harness state power and use it in new, illiberal ways, from college campuses to the international scene--all driven by the fantasy of restoring a pure America. Incisive and urgent, Furious Minds tells the story of the thinkers of the New Right--and their powerful assault on American freedoms, values, and ideals.
Liberals with Attitude
LIBERALS WITH ATTITUDE DOCUMENTS THE SIXTEEN MONTHS IN 1991-92 between the brutal beating of Rodney King by four police officers that was captured on a home video camera and the resignation of LAPD chief Daryl Gates. Gates was reviled by the local Black and civil liberties communities because of the pattern of racism and brutality in the department, and he was uniquely powerful because of the structure of the Los Angeles City Charter and the secret files he kept on local politicians.The effort to get Gates to step down after thirteen years as chief and to amend the City Charter to prevent another unaccountable chief from amassing that much power was led by Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley, a former LAPD officer and the first Black mayor of the city. To overcome Gates's entrenched power, Bradley assembled a team that included future US secretary of state Warren Christopher, the local ACLU, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and activists who saw the struggle against Gates as an important chapter in the civil rights movement. Much of the local media, especially the Los Angeles Times, was supportive of Bradley's agenda, as was the burgeoning "gangsta rap" culture of LA, much of which emerged in reaction to the LAPD. Author Danny Goldberg was the chair of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California during those years and was personally acquainted with the leaders of the fight against Gates. He interviewed several dozen people who are still alive and got access to thousands of pages of documents among the papers of Stanley Sheinbaum, who was married to the heiress of the Warner Bros. film fortune. Sheinbaum was chosen by Mayor Bradley to be the president of the Los Angeles Police Commission, with the specific mission of getting Gates out of office. Goldberg's insider saga demonstrates that cooperation between the political left and center is required to overcome white grievance and unaccountable power.
Practising Citizenship and Heterogeneous Nationhood
Charlie Kirk Quotes
Charlie Kirk Quotes from The Courageous Life and Legacy of Charlie Kirk Founder, Turning Point USA. Proceeds from the sale of this book go to fund The Charlie Kirk Publishing Scholarship
Charlie Kirk Quotes
Charlie Kirk Quotes from The Courageous Life and Legacy of Charlie Kirk Founder, Turning Point USA. Proceeds from the sale of this book go to fund The Charlie Kirk Publishing Scholarship
The Hour of the Predator
A CHILLING ASSESSMENT OF THE DISINTEGRATING WORLD ORDER: the rise of autocratic regimes, erosion of traditional diplomacy, and growing influence of tech billionaires and unregulated AI "The one book you absolutely need to read in order to understand current politics" -- Anne Applebaum, author of the New York Times bestseller Autocracy, Inc. Blending the internationally bestselling author's personal insight with startling historical comparisons to the days of Machiavelli and the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Giuliano Da Empoli's The Hour of the Predator is a timely and incisive examination of the shifting power dynamics in global politics, where traditional government institutions find themselves increasingly outmatched by technology tycoons and autocratic strongmen: geopolitical predators who shape the world through brute force, ceaseless deception, and chaotic disruption. Drawing on his experience as a political advisor to a former Italian Prime Minister, Da Empoli takes the reader on an eye-opening journey around the international political circuit--from New York to Riyadh, and from the United Nations to Mohammed bin Salman's Ritz-Carlton-- and through the looking glass to a world of ruthless power struggles, where the tech lords already seem to inhabit another world and AI is already out of control. The Hour of the Predator is the latest book from the internationally bestselling author of The Wizard of the Kremlin, which has been translated into thirty-five languages and is now being adapted for a major movie by Olivier Assayas starring Jude Law as Vladimir Putin.
How to Overcome Childhood Trauma
Discover the Path to True Healing and Emotional Renewal Are the shadows of your past still holding you captive? Many carry invisible wounds from childhood trauma that silently shape their thoughts, emotions, and relationships. This compassionate guide sheds light on the deep roots of that pain and offers a roadmap to reclaim your life. With clarity and understanding, it reveals how trauma affects your brain and body, and why survival mechanisms you didn't choose continue to influence your behavior. Imagine breaking free from cycles of guilt, shame, and self-doubt that have defined your story for far too long. Through practical, heartfelt advice, you'll learn how to recognize your triggers and gently nurture your inner child. This book offers powerful tools to set healthy boundaries without fear or guilt and shows you how to silence the critical voice inside that undermines your worth. It's more than just recovery-it's about reparenting yourself with kindness and building a foundation of genuine self-love. Inside, you'll find effective techniques-from mindfulness and cognitive behavioral strategies to somatic practices-that empower you to regain control and rewrite the narrative of your life. Whether you're navigating relationships, seeking to maintain lasting progress, or determining when to reach out for further support, this guide walks beside you every step of the way. Step into a future where peace replaces pain and emotional freedom becomes your reality. Your journey toward healing is possible, and this book is the companion you need to begin transforming old wounds into newfound strength and resilience.
Fear as Fuel
Why do free societies surrender their freedoms when fear strikes? And who benefits when panic becomes policy?This gripping expos矇 reveals how crisis politics is engineered to reshape public behavior, manufacture consent, and legitimize sweeping powers that would be unthinkable in calmer times. From pandemic and political control to the rise of the surveillance state, it uncovers the playbook used by governments to amplify fear, silence dissent, and reframe emotional manipulation as national security.Drawing on insights from political psychology of fear, social behavior, and modern propaganda tactics, this book dissects real-world examples-from post-9/11 laws to lockdown-era mandates-to show how fear is not just a response to danger, but a tool of fear-based propaganda and influence. It reveals how crises are declared, enemies are invented, and emotional narratives override rational judgment-all while the public believes they're acting freely.For readers of politics, psychology, media, and power-this is a must-read for anyone who senses that something deeper is at play behind the headlines. Whether you're a student of history, a concerned citizen, or simply someone who wants to stay alert in an age of emotional manipulation in government, this book equips you with a powerful framework to recognize the patterns.By the final page, you'll see fear not as a warning-but as a weapon. And you'll never look at a state of emergency the same way again.Perfect for readers searching how fear is used in politics, propaganda in modern democracies, and the hidden tools behind authoritarianism in times of crisis.
The History of the Future
What if the future you believe in was never truly yours to imagine? From ancient empires to Silicon Valley, those in power have always used the illusion of "what comes next" to shape belief, behavior, and control. This book uncovers the untold history of how governments, corporations, and ideologues have scripted the future-not as prediction, but as propaganda.Blending cultural analysis, political theory, and media insight, it explores how predictive power and politics go hand in hand. From empires and imagination to Silicon Valley techno-utopias, the most influential actors don't just adapt to the future-they manufacture it. You'll see how narrative control and society are deeply entangled, how future forecasting can justify inequality, and why today's innovations often mask old agendas.This is a book for the deeply curious-the readers who question the news cycle, who sense that every optimistic launch pitch or global trend report comes with hidden motives. For policy watchers, tech skeptics, cultural critics, and anyone grappling with the ethics of tomorrow, it delivers sharp, evidence-backed revelations.By the final page, you won't just think differently about the future-you'll see it differently. You'll know how to recognize when a future as propaganda is being sold to you. You'll reclaim the tools to ask: who controls the future, and who gets left out when that future is built.A vital read for those seeking clarity in an age of cultural manipulation through futurism, this is your lens to pierce the narratives and reclaim the horizon.
Fear as Fuel
Why do free societies surrender their freedoms when fear strikes? And who benefits when panic becomes policy?This gripping expos矇 reveals how crisis politics is engineered to reshape public behavior, manufacture consent, and legitimize sweeping powers that would be unthinkable in calmer times. From pandemic and political control to the rise of the surveillance state, it uncovers the playbook used by governments to amplify fear, silence dissent, and reframe emotional manipulation as national security.Drawing on insights from political psychology of fear, social behavior, and modern propaganda tactics, this book dissects real-world examples-from post-9/11 laws to lockdown-era mandates-to show how fear is not just a response to danger, but a tool of fear-based propaganda and influence. It reveals how crises are declared, enemies are invented, and emotional narratives override rational judgment-all while the public believes they're acting freely.For readers of politics, psychology, media, and power-this is a must-read for anyone who senses that something deeper is at play behind the headlines. Whether you're a student of history, a concerned citizen, or simply someone who wants to stay alert in an age of emotional manipulation in government, this book equips you with a powerful framework to recognize the patterns.By the final page, you'll see fear not as a warning-but as a weapon. And you'll never look at a state of emergency the same way again.Perfect for readers searching how fear is used in politics, propaganda in modern democracies, and the hidden tools behind authoritarianism in times of crisis.