George W. Bush is a direct and decisive man who is much nicer to his Secret Service agents than Bill Clinton was, according to author Ronald Kessler, and smarter than his critics believe him to be. A Matter of Character, Kessler's examination of the 43rd U.S. President, treads lightly on policy issues as the author instead focuses on Bush's positive personality traits and relates how those traits are positive indicators of his ability as a policymaker and leader of the world's lone sup...

In October 2004, a team of Australian and Indonesian anthropologists led by Mike Morwood and Raden Pandji Soejono stunned the world with their announcement of the discovery of the first example of a new species of human, Homo floresiensis, which they nicknamed the "Hobbit." This was no creation of Tolkien's fantasy, however, but a tool-using, fire-making, cooperatively hunting person. The more Morwood and his colleagues revealed about the find, the more astonishing it became: stand...

Old age in America is not what it used to be

In 1994 New York Times writer Dudley Clendinen?s mother?a Southern matron of iron will but creaking bones?sold her house and moved to Canterbury Tower, a geriatric apartment building with full services and a nursing wing in Tampa Bay. There she landed in a microcosm of the New Old Age. Canterbury was filled not just with old Tampa neighbors but also with strangers from across the country. Wealthy, middle class, or barely aflo...

“I’m the only person in the history of Virginia elected to statewide office with a Union card, two Purple Hearts, and three tattoos."

Jim Webb—the bestselling author and now the celebrated, outspoken U.S. Senator from Virginia—presents a clear-eyed, hard-hitting plan of attack for putting government to work for the people, rather than special interests, and for restoring the country's standing around the world.

Infused with the intelligence, for...

A couch potato?s book of wisdom? 100% commercial free!

Some say that entire generations of Americans are being raised by the television?like that?s a bad thing. Not so, says author Jeff Alexander, long-time television writer, advocate of education by television, and recapper for the popular website Television Without Pity. Here, he offers the ultimate in life lessons as seen on TV. Topics include:

? Saved by the Bell: School on TV

? Somebody Save Me: Super Power...

Farsighted and fascinating predictions for a new world order in which America is no longer number one

The world is now at a hinge moment in its history, according to veteran international correspondent Paul Starobin. A once-dominant America has reached the end of its global ascendancy, and the question of what will come next, and how quickly, is not completely clear. Already the global economic crisis, in exposing the tarnished American model of unfettered free-market capitalism...

Now in paperback, a look into the disturbing but fascinating new field of bio-recovery, as a critically acclaimed crime writer rolls up his sleeves and delves into the world of Aftermath, Inc.

The best way to understand the world of Aftermath, Inc. is to imagine life before it. Grief-stricken families of suicide or homicide victims were left to cope on their own. Sometimes police would leave a can of ground coffee behind to soak up the mess. Sometimes local church groups offere...

In 2002 Jim Sciutto began filing in-depth reports on the Middle East for ABC News. Now, after nearly 100 assignments in Muslim countries, Sciutto brings back this disturbing truth: the Al-Qaeda–inspired view of an evil America bent on destroying Islam has moved from the fringes to the mainstream. Today, a surprising number of America’s enemies are not wild-eyed fanatics, but moderates—often middle-class and well educated, frequently young, many motivated by political convict...

"(E)xcellent...what makes Mr Brzezinski's account interesting - and, in parts, intellectually demanding - is the sense it makes of the great swirl of shifting forces that set the context." Financial Times"

" He writes with insight, expertise, authority and with the credentials that come from his dedicated service in war and peace. . . . . A fast, solid worthwhile read." -- Colin L. Powell

"A leader and passionate advocate of dialogue and multilateral engagement, Chuck Hagel?s book describes in clear terms why the world needs enlightened American leadership. His vivid examination of American politics provides a rationale for future policy." -- Kofi A. Annan, UN Secretary-Gen...

From the writer called our "modern-day Tom Paine,"an explosive analysis of the axis of religion, politics, and fiscal imprudence that threatens to destroy the nation.

Unabridged CDs - 11 CDs, 13 hours

Whether calling for an end to the capitalist system, addressing the crowds after the Russian Revolution, or attacking Stalin during his years of exile, Trotsky’s speeches give an extraordinary insight into a man whose words and actions determined the fates of millions. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provo...

Five iconic installations: one mobile and four fixed "Arteplage" locations; 500 individual structures in transition from experimental architecture to scenographics; 45 international designer teams. Fascinating illustrations, exact detailed plans and instructive texts portray the architecture of the Expo in all its complexity: from Pipilotti Rist's Laboratory of Ideas, the visionary models of 1998 and the international competition, through to its fulfilment. The project concepts are explained ...

She may be smart, incisive, witty, and keenly observant but with the release of Are Men Necessary?--a series of pithy (some might say piqued) ruminations on the sexes--Maureen Dowd will never, ever be championed by guys. Not that she cares. Even those who seek to avoid her columns in the august pages of The New York Times are certain to stumble over her invective in syndication. Dowd, it often seems, is everywhere. So those seeking even more via this book should be warned: Ar...

What's the perfect car for a pizza guy? Does that 'Check Engine' light indicate a bona fide problem? And, should a teenager drive a minivan? The hilarious hosts of NPR's Car Talk answer all your car conundrums. For more than two decades, the Tappet brothers, a.k.a. Click and Clack, have been answering automotive questions in their highly successful column 'Click and Clack Talk Cars,' syndicated in over 400 newspapers around the country. Collected here for the first time are 100 of th...

For new or expecting parents sifting through the massive tomes on baby's health can seem like a full-time job. This book cuts to the chase presenting parents with all the essential facts they need. Using easy-to-understand charts graphs and lists this helpful guide sheds light on every part of baby's developmentófrom physical to emotional to intellectualóand also provides information on a wealth of common childhood ailments and remedies. Combining essential information in a way busy pare...

Noted forensic expert Ramsland (The Forensic Science of C.S.I.) disappoints with this plodding history of the evolution of forensic investigation. Tracing the earliest roots of what has become an invaluable component of criminal investigations and legal proceedings, Ramsland begins in ancient Greece, with Heraclitus' and Paramenides' philosophies of change and permanence as the governing forces of the world. Moving her way through the Industrial Revolution and Charles Dickens's apparen...

From the authors of Bodies We?ve Buried?an uncensored look at real-life CSIs. With a foreword by Patricia Cornwell.

For years, Jarrett Hallcox and Amy Welch trained CSIs at the National Forensic Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee. Now they provide a glimpse into the real world of crime scene investigation, and the investigators themselves. Experience, through gripping text and photographs, eight gripping accounts of true crime from across the country: from the murky waters ...

Do you take God at His word, believing what He has told us, or do you just believe in His existence and the salvation He offers?

Beth Moore has believed in God all of her life. She has been dedicated to teaching others to believe in Him as well. But as an adult she came face to face with the single most important question as she meditated on a passage from Isaiah:

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me a...