The House
Posted by admin on Nov 27, 2006
Robert V. Remini. The House: The History of the House of Representatives. New York, Smithsonian Books in association with HarperCollins, 2006. JK1319 .R46 2006
From the publisher: The United States House of Representatives is regarded by many as the finest deliberative body in existence. Throughout America’s history, the House has played a central role in shaping the nation’s destiny. In our own time the impeachment hearings of President Clinton and the rise and fall of Newt Gingrich revealed, quite starkly, just how vital the House’s constitutional powers remain. In this incomparable single-volume history, distinguished historian Robert V. Remini traces the development of this quintessential American institution from a struggling, nascent body to the venerable powerhouse it has become since America’s rise on the world stage. Violence, acrimony, triumph, and compromise litter the House’s varied and illustrious past. Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, John Randolph, “Czar” Thomas Reed, “Uncle Joe” Cannon, and, more recently, Sam Rayburn, Tip O’Neill, Gerald Ford, Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Jim Wright, Patricia Schroeder, Dick Cheney, Tom Foley, Peter Rodino, and John Murtha are just a few of the figures who have played significant political roles. These leaders mastered the rules and folkways of the House and bent them to their own or the people’s wills and needs. Through their exploits, Dr. Remini shows the true brilliance of constitutional elasticity and the dangers inherent in it. The founders of our country created the House to reflect the will of the people. Out of chaos could emerge a national consensus that could bind the country together after first revealing the deep fissures between North and South and, in our day, among the Midwest, the South, and the coastal regions. For two centuries the powerful hold the Founding Fathers gave the House over the purse strings of the nation has forced its members to be conciliators and statesmen in times of crisis. The essential drama of democracy — the struggle between principle and pragmatism — is showcased throughout the book and through it the history of America’s successful experiment with democracy unfurls.
Without Precedent
Posted by admin on Nov 8, 2006
Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton. Without Precedent: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Commission. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. HV6432.7 .K43 2006
From the publisher: In the words of the commission’s co-chairmen, this is the compelling inside story of how the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States-more commonly known as the 9/11 Commission-managed to succeed against all odds in producing a report that made clear what went wrong and why. The mandate of the 9/11 Commission was daunting and all-encompassing. In its investigation of the events leading up to and including September 11, 2001, the commission had to examine U.S. diplomacy, military policy, intelligence agencies, law enforcement, border and aviation security, and congressional oversight, as well as the immediate response to the terrorist attacks, while also investigating the lethal enemy al Qaeda. Here for the first time is the story of how the commission came together to produce its landmark document.
The Yale Book of Quotations
Posted by admin on Nov 8, 2006
Fred R. Shapiro. The Yale Book of Quotations. New Haven, Yale University Press, 2006. Reference PN6081 .Y35 2006
From the publisher: This reader-friendly volume contains more than 12,000 famous quotations, arranged alphabetically by author. It is unique in its focus on American quotations and its inclusion of items not only from literary and historical sources but also from popular culture, sports, computers, science, politics, law, and the social sciences. Anonymously authored items appear in sections devoted to folk songs, advertising slogans, television catchphrases, proverbs, and others.
For each quotation, a source and first date of use is cited. In many cases, new research for this book has uncovered an earlier date or a different author than had previously been understood. (It was Beatrice Kaufman, not Sophie Tucker, who exclaimed, “I’ve been poor and I’ve been rich. Rich is better!” William Tecumseh Sherman wasn’t the originator of “War is hell!” It was Napoleon.) Numerous entries are enhanced with annotations to clarify meaning or context for the reader. These interesting annotations, along with extensive cross-references that identify related quotations and a large keyword index, will satisfy both the reader who seeks specific information and the curious browser who appreciates an amble through entertaining pages.
The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law
Posted by admin on Nov 1, 2006
Mark Herrman. The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law. Chicago, Ill. : American Bar Association, c2006. KF300 .H47 2006
From the publisher: “The Curmudgeon” has been practicing law for just a little too long, and he may be too jaded for his own good. Beneath his crusty exterior, however, lies a fount of wisdom. The Curmudgeon knows everything about the legal profession, and he’s willing to share his keen observations from the corner office. He offers practical and honest, if blunt, advice for surviving and thriving in a law firm. He tells you what you need to know about billing, managing your assistant, drafting internal memos, dealing with clients and building your law practice. Read the Curmudgeon and find out what drives law partners crazy, what will impress them and what ten mistakes you should avoid. Concise, humorous and full of valuable (but curmudgeonly) insight, this is a must-read for every lawyer and law student.