Politics
Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia, by Angus Roxburgh
Russia under Vladimir Putin has proved a prickly partner for the West, a far cry from the democratic ally many hoped for
when the Soviet Union collapsed. Abroad, Putin has used Russia’s energy strength as a foreign policy weapon, while at
home he has cracked down on opponents, adamant that only he has the right vision for his country’s future.
Former BBC Moscow correspondent Angus Roxburgh charts the dramatic fight for Russia’s future under Vladimir Putin—
how the former KGB man changed from reformer to autocrat; how he sought the West’s respect but earned its fear; how
he cracked down on his rivals at home and burnished a flamboyant personality cult, one day saving snow leopards or
horseback riding bare-chested, the next tongue-lashing Western audiences. Drawing on dozens of exclusive interviews in
Russia, where he worked as a Kremlin insider advising Putin on press relations, Roxburgh also argues that the West threw
away chances to bring Russia in from the cold by failing to understand its fears and aspirations following the collapse of
communism.
I Putin, by Jennifer Ciotta
Vladimir Putin, the enigmatic, controversial president of Russia, is faced with a decision so harrowing, it changes him
forever. It's the year 2000. Newly elected President Putin is embattled after the Kursk submarine explodes and spirals into
the abyss. 118 submariners are trapped. Outwardly, Putin seems not to care, but behind the scenes is another story.
Meanwhile, the Russian people yearn for a response from their leader. Mass protests ignite across Russia. Does Putin save
the sailors and unite his beloved motherland, or does he lose everything?
Discover what motivates the man behind Russia. Is he the cold, ruthless leader you know, or is he...human?
Churchill’s Empire, by Richard Toye
A critically acclaimed new account of Churchill's lifelong involvement with the British Empire
I have not become the King's First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire. These notorious
words, spoken by Churchill in 1942, encapsulate his image as an imperial die-hard, implacably opposed to colonial freedom
– a reputation that has prevailed, and which Churchill willingly embraced to further his policies. Yet, as a youthful minister
at the Colonial Office before World War I, his political opponents had seen him as a Little Englander and a danger to the
Empire. Placing Churchill in the context of his times and his contemporaries, Richard Toye evaluates his position on key
Imperial questions and examines what was conventional about Churchill's opinions and what was unique. Combining a
lightness of touch and entertaining storytelling with expert and insightful analysis, the result is a vivid and dynamic account
of a remarkable man and an extraordinary era.
Dreams from My Father, by Barack Obama
The son of a black African father and a white American mother, Obama was only two years old when his father walked out
on the family. Many years later, Obama receives a phone call from Nairobi: his father is dead. This sudden news inspires an
emotional odyssey for Obama, determined to learn the truth of his father's life and reconcile his divided inheritance.
Written at the age of thirty-three, Dreams from my Father is an unforgettable read. it illuminates not only Obama's
journey, but also our universal desire to understand our history, and what makes us the people we are.
MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909 – 1949, by Keith Jeffery
The authorized history of the world's oldest foreign intelligence service, drawing on hitherto secret documents. Britain's
Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) was born a century ago amid fears of the rising power of other countries, especially
Germany. The next 40 years saw MI6 taking an increasingly important & largely hidden role in shaping history. This
revelatory account draws on a wealth of archival materials never before seen by outsiders to unveil the inner workings of
the world's 1st spy agency. MI6's early days were haphazard but it was quickly forged into an effective organization during
WWI. During the war years, MI6 also formed ties with the USA--harbingers of a relationship that would become vital to
both. These early years also saw the development of techniques that would become plot devices in books & films--forgery,
invisible ink, disguises, concealing mechanisms etc.
The interwar years were nominally peaceful, but Britain perceived numerous threats, all of which MI6 was expected to
keep tabs on. The outbreak of WWII again caught MI6 off balance, & high-profile blunders (& the memoirs of MI6
operatives like Graham Greene) created an impression of ineffectiveness. At the same time the service was pioneering
cryptography at Bletchley Park, breaking the Enigma code & devising the methods & equipment inspiring Ian Fleming's
novels. The aftermath of WWII was as dramatic as the war itself had been, because 1945-49 saw not only the end of the
British Empire but also the emergence of a new sort of conflict--the Cold War. We witness MI6 wrestling with these epic
changes as it tightens its bonds with the newly christened CIA, changes that would dictate the shape of the service & the
world for decades.
International Relations, by Paul Wilkinson
Covering topics such as foreign policy, the world economy, and globalization, this Very Short Introduction exemplifies the
many disciplines that come together in the study of international events. Discussing not only the main academic theories,
but also the practical problems and issues, Wilkinson considers key normative questions, such as how the international
state system might be reformed so that international relations are improved.
How to Run a Government, by Michael Barber
The secrets of successful government from Michael Barber, one of the world's leading experts on carrying out lasting
improvements in public life. Billions of citizens around the world are frustrated with their governments. Political leaders
struggle to honour their promises and officials find it near impossible to translate ideas into action. The result? High taxes,
but poor outcomes. Cynicism not just with government but with the political process. Why is this? How could this vicious
spiral be reversed? In this groundbreaking book Michael Barber draws on his wealth of experience of working for and with
government leaders the world over to present a blueprint for how to run a government. Using contemporary cases from
every continent and classic examples from history, he makes a compelling case for a new approach. From Downing Street
to Punjab, Charles I to Churchill, this book shows that the solution is less about ideology and more about clear priorities
and meticulous planning.
Simpler: the Future of Government, by Cass R. Sunstein
For nearly four years, Cass R. Sunstein, bestselling author and President Obama’s “Regulatory Czar,” helped to oversee a
revolution in better government. He explains how and why—and what comes next.
The future of government arrived four years ago. Government became simpler, it became smarter, and Cass Sunstein was
at the center of it all. Drawing on state-of-the-art work in behavioral psychology and economics, Sunstein, as administrator
of the powerful White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), quietly helped save the nation billions of
dollars while preventing thousands of deaths and countless illnesses and accidents. All this was accomplished in part
through the extraordinary power of nudges—low-cost, seemingly modest policies that preserve freedom of choice. In
combination with smart, disciplined cost-benefit analysis, nudges are simplifying government and making it far more
effective.
Twenty-first century insights now inform simplified mortgage and student loan applications, the labeling of food and
energy-efficient cars, financial reform, and health care reform. New principles—democratizing data, presenting individuals
and businesses with the most salient information, ensuring that the better outcome is the automatic outcome—are
transforming government. Countless regulations are being streamlined or eliminated. Transparent review of which rules
are working, and which aren’t, is becoming the norm. Citing numerous examples from his years in the first term of the
Obama Administration, and projecting forward into a data-driven future, Simpler provides a new understanding of how
government can work.