The Communist Manifesto Review - A Short, Concise Summary

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Now largely discredited after it inspired - or some say was manipulated by - the murderous, brutal regime of Leninist/Stalinist Soviet Russia, The Communist Manifesto contains great insight into the limitations and superficiality of a Capitalist society; both the instability of the economic structure, and the shallow philosophical implications of consumerism inherent in a capitalist system. It predicts the overthrow of the elites in society by the workers, known as the bourgeois and the proletariat respectively, and the eventual abolition of all social, economic classes.

Marx saw a consistent pattern in history; that there has always been one minority ruling class exploiting the larger, workers class; his view of history is summarized in his assertion that 'All history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. He implored all the various communist groups scattered around Europe to incite revolution, in order to overthrow the self-interested, apathetic ruling classes and establish a society where class did not exist: where material would be evenly distributed to prevent inequality.

"A spectre is haunting Europe--the spectre of Communism"

Published in 1848, The Communist Manifesto was penned mostly by Marx at the request of various communist groups in Europe. The stated aim of this enterprise was to create a document that clarified and illuminated the beliefs and doctrines of communism in the face of a concerted campaign from opposing political parties who were sabotaging communism by spreading a wave of malicious falsities. The book contains a highly moralistic message of despair at the exploitation of the many by the few; the large disproportionate between the value of an individuals work, and the amount of wage they receive for it. Marx witnessed in his day the consequences of the Industrial Revolution: the squalor, the poverty and the unrest, and felt indignation at such blatant exploitation.

Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution

What shrouds this work in infamy is the application of it's principles and repute in subsequent years. Lenin, and then Stalin, ran an increasingly violent and cruel state under the guise of communist principles. Collectivization was utilized, as well as centralizing the means of production, yet Stalin embarked on genocidal campaigns, and brutally neglected a criminal amount of Russian people. It is not right to associate Stalinist Russia with The Communist Manifesto. The manifesto challenges both previous and current economic, and the consequent social, systems; and it further encourages us to review and reconsider our conceptions about the world. It is by no means the manual to violent dictatorships that it is often misconceived as, and even if you strongly believe in capitalism, it remains an interesting discourse on economics and human nature.

The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world, unite!

Luke Bodell is a freelance author living in Bath, England. He runs a book review website that provides brief, concise reviews on books in Top 10 Lists, to help people decide new books to read.

Read many more at http://www.top10books.org/

Game Change - The Audio Drama of a Presidential Campaign - Audiobook Review

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Game Change, by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin and narrated By Dennis Boutsikaris, had Washington shaking even before it went on sale. It reveals some shocking information about the 2008 presidential campaign. The authors went out of their way to find out the back story and gossip from numerous angles on the candidates and on others around them. Senator Harry Reid, leader of the Senate, was singled out for racially insensitive words about then Senator Barrack Obama.

The authors leave no one out. They have written about Elizabeth Edwards, John Edwards's wife, going into tantrums and swearing like crazy about him and his antics. The authors expose more about the Sarah Palin selection and how rushed the process was. Not only was no one in the Republican leadership consulted, but little thought and consideration appears to be given to the choice. The choice was a tactic to knock the Obama campaign off guard and that part worked until Palin self destructed in numerous interviews.

Then Senator Barrack Obama is shown to be heavily staged throughout the campaign. They show the two sides of the man, calm cool and collected when on the stump, profane with flashes of anger off the stump. "This #@!% would be really interesting if we weren't in the middle of it."--Barack Obama, September 2008

Hillary and Bill Clinton take their lumps too. President Clinton's inappropriate comments and Obama's observation that Hillary could not control her husband. The book also covers Obama's hard sell to get Clinton on board for Secretary of State. The book opens doors into other mysteries from the campaign like Giuliani's Florida gamble and why he left the race.

When listen to the book it's like living through the campaign once again, but you get to be the fly on the wall with inside view of what really goes on. You will get insights that will inform you, but also make you angry. This should have come out during the campaign, but the press was not doing its job well. Maybe that's the most damning insight of all. If you're a political junkie like me, get the audio book and enjoy the drama.

Listen to the audio sample of the Game Change Audiobook.

Do you have a long commute? Need to make that wasted time more productive. Audio books are the answer. Find 60,000 great downloadable audiobooks, that you can listen to on your iPod, iPhone, MP3 player, PC or burn to a CD.

Alex Nesbitt provides audio book reviews from CastLibrary.com Audiobook Store.

A Review of Barack Obama's the Audacity of Hope

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In his book, The Audacity of Hope, President Barak Obama addresses issues that catapulted him to fame and brought the hope that he would be a prominent presidential election candidate. The book is originally his speech in Illinois state elections for senate chamber which has been delivered in 2004 in only 20 minutes. Later in 2006 he published that speech under the title "Audacity of Hope" that has the same themes he touched upon in the campaign speech in 2004.

Chapter one

The first chapter of the book is dedicated to two American parties, Democrats and Republicans. In this chapter, Obama contents that the congress is now more partisan than other times and that these two parties should overlook the differences and show collegiality and fellow feeling. He is not a supporter of mere partisan stance by the democrats against Republicans, nor does he agree with the old and worn out partisan poses or the Republicans. He hopes that Democrats show a sense of cooperation, while adhering to the central trends of the party.

Chapter two

He then in chapter two has recourse to politician behavior in the American political and social scene, asserting that in the age of information, not any of the politicians can remain exempt from the public scrutiny in the case of blunder. He calls for more adherences to political values in the face of conflict for sheer power. He also objects that the Democrat loss of offices comes from the internal factions and also from a more divisiveness with the Republicans. He admits that political scene dose not permit politician to remain true to their values. He finally hopes that the leaders of the two parties converge in the direction that its outcome be the nation's profit.

Chapter three

Then in chapter 3 Obama gives an account of legislation debate in which the law makers are actually reluctant to amendments necessary to make the law up-to-date according to the needs and requirements of the day. Personally, Obama is in the front who support the idea that, though the constitution is the historical phenomenon, we can have special cased that according to which this constitutions shows flexibility of interpretation. He generally supports this flexibility, when facing the needs of an ever-growing world.

Chapter four

Obama in chapter 4 goes back to previous discussion of politics and politicians, saying that special interest groups have an influence on them, who seek out their special interest during any political event. Obama declares that in order to tackle the problem of being at service of special interest groups and increase the efficacy of any political system, politicians should be true to the morality and values of the party. He, then, calls for democrats' appeasing the power-seeking parties and attitudes, so that they are able to serve their constituency better.

Chapter five

Obama, in chapter 5, this time targets economy and US economy in particular and considers its impact in social, cultural and political domains. According to him economic inefficiency is to the loss of the poor and marginalized people, but his own meetings with the prominent and wealthy people attests that his view is ironically also true.

Chapter six

He then, touches upon school reform, which has been implemented through empirical research. Religion and religious faith is Obama's next resort in his book, by which he contends republican show- off of the religious faith. He gives an account of his journey from atheism to faith and that religious faith has strengthened his personal and moral convictions. Obama objects that since Americans are deeply religious, the only by which democrats can win this people's consent is remaining in a sense of ease to religious faith. He concludes that religious tolerance is the best way to, for the two parties to have common grounds for ideas, not a hotspot in which they lead full-fledged war.

Chapter seven

Race is dominant theme in chapter 7. In this Obama admits that, although the institutionalized form of racial discrimination has been ended, but with a look at American social scene, one can notice subtle form of discrimination is still present, however this prejudice dose not stem from fundamentally race-based attitudes, but from sheer ignorance of its perpetrators. Obama wants all Americans to disagree with any cases of discrimination in order to uproot this filthy phenomenon from Black experience of life.

Chapter eight

Chapter 8 of the book is a scene in which Obama arranges American role in international politics and relations. He asserts that US defense budget is not in accord with the new patterns and needs of international relations and that American must attempt to assume more responsibility in facing the new paradigms emerging after 9 September 2001. In Iraq war issue, he believes that unilateralism was misguided and it has been poorly handled by Republican administration. He admits more multilateral efforts in solving world problems and that the Americans needlessly have been complacent about their role and function regarding the world affairs.

Chapter nine

The last chapter is family in which Obama gives his own childhood accounts. Obama here contends that Republican's stance over the family in posing personal dogmas in the frame of the law is not true to the private aspects of personal life. He finally asserts that in order to provide a center for children to thrive in, the families should have an unshakeable foundation and for that, supportive policies and personal responsibility must be dominant among the collective attitudes toward family.

Liberal Media and Political Realities - Book Review

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We've often heard conservatives and Republicans claim that the media is completely "Liberally Biased" and the reality is that although the numbers do not lie, there are conservative venues that also dominate, such as conservative radio and the Fox News Channel. All this political banter causes a great deal of unrest and a lot of sound and fury. Admit it, we all enjoy a little bit of chaos and controversy. But has it gone too far and have the Hollywood Celebrities jeopardized their stardom on a political agenda?

Rather than sit and debate what is right, who is left, and why, let me instead introduce you to a politically charged book, which speaks from the right, and from that point of view. Much of what is written is hard to debate, although one who is left leaning might find fault with it, and the author's references and cites. The book is:

"Hollywood Nation; Left Coast Lies, Old Media Spin and New Media Revolution" by James Hirsen (newsmax dot com). He also wrote; "Tales from the Left Coast" and both books are published by Random House, New York, NY; 2005 (this book).

This book goes through what the author calls "self-proclaimed and appointed Hollywood Experts on all political affairs." People like Barbara Streisand, Sean Penn, Michael Moore and countless others, as the writer addresses issues of misrepresentation, mixing up of facts, and actual intent to deceive in order to convince the audience of a political viewpoint.

Mr. Hirsen holds nothing back as he speaks of the New York or East Coast newsrooms and the Left Coast Studios. You will learn of their tactics, distortions, and how the celebrities use sex to promote their political agendas. There is also a very interesting chapter on Mel Gibson's movie; "The Passion of Christ" and the hypocrisy of Michael Moore's films. You will find this an interesting book; if you lean left you will be appalled, and if you lean right, it will preach to the choir. But, I guarantee you'll find it interesting.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. Lance Winslow is also Founder of the Car Wash Guys, a cool little Franchise Company; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html.

What is Libertarianism? A Book Review

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All of us in the United States have friends that are libertarians. After all, it appears that nearly 10 to 20% of our population during any given election call themselves libertarians. And this group of individuals often is the deciding factor in elections because they become the swing voters. But, if you are wondering what it is to be a libertarian, then I have a very good book that I like to recommend to you. The name of the book is;

"Libertarianism in One Lesson" by David Berglund, 1977

There was a book on Libertarianism which was translated in Polish and it caused a revolution in 1988 and 1989. 1990 communism was ousted in socialist nations collapsed due to the thought that "you own yourself." Libertarians believe; "No one has the right to force you to do what is not in your best interests," each person owns themselves - you cannot force others to do what is against their best interests. However, you must take responsibility for yourself.

There is a chapter on cooperation versus force in the book that is quite good. The book made me think about the possibility that perhaps, government could work as conglomerate franchised module in the service business for things like trash, power, enforcement, military, and dog catchers. I definitely enjoyed this quote; "If people are inherently good, you don't need a government and if the people are evil you don't dare have one," and "Government is us and they are no more noble than the bureaucrats in it," and since everyone in government comes from the population, if there are any problems, it's already our fault.

In fact, the book was full of great quotes, here's another one; "A government agency which falsely justifies actions against a citizen is not an acceptable government" in some ways one could say that Government is not real, it's a lie we all agree to live by, a fictitious entity, worth nothing without our consent. How can you have a social contract when government legislators and regulators make onerous and restricting laws against freedom and liberty? We must respect the rights of all; there is no superior human being in our government. Anyway, I think you would enjoy the discussion that went on throughout this book, it will really make you think.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes in fairness.

Yale Professor on Politics in Defense of Government - Book Review

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Ever wonder why folks do not trust our government, politicians, or politics in general in the US? If so, I'd really like to recommend a very good book to you. I think you will find the arguments interesting, and it will make you think about why things are the way they are;

"In Defense of Government; The Rise and Fall of Public Trust" by Jacob Weisberg (very well-educated and studied Political Theory at Yale); Scribner Publishers; 1ST Edition, (1996); ISBN-13: 978-0684816043.

This is a book packed with figures, facts, past period politics, and information. You have to read it slow as there are so many interesting things discussed. This book comes from a very liberal skew, but the author attempts to back up his points of contention and does a decent job arguing his belief system. Mr. Weisberg, although had never run a business, or run for public office himself, has a tremendous amount of opinions on the politics of the 1990's and how we got to that place in time.

Many of his arguments may disgust those with opposing views, but no one can deny these arguments, or their place in our nation's political discussion. The author is "heavy handed" with his critique of Ronald Reagan Republicans, and calls the freshmen Congressmen, and Senators that rode in on Reagan's Wave as Radicals. The author's views are what a hardliner republican might call; "bleeding heart liberal" and the book, even offers a relatively short introduction which is a story of such hardship.

This is a wonderful book that I'd recommend to my ultra-liberal family members, and the far left socialists in our society, they will just love it and be shaking their heads "yes, yes" the entire way. This book is a one-night read, but should be read slow to soak in all the information. The author appears to be a great conversationalist, and I'd like to buy him a cup of coffee sometime and set him straight on many of his views. Please buy this book and you will learn a lot.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. Lance Winslow is also Founder of the Car Wash Guys, a cool little Franchise Company; http://www.carwashguys.com/history/founder.html.

On Liberty - A Book Review and Summary

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On Liberty is often said to be one of, if not the most significant influences on the individualistic, tolerant culture of today. Its author, John Stuart Mill, was inspired to write this work after having his own liberty restricted all throughout his childhood by his demanding father. His father imposed a strict educational regime upon his son: Mill had read all the major Ancient Greek philosophical works by age 9 - in Ancient Greek! So he was groomed by his father, molded into a figure not of his own choosing, and he realized this at age 20, when he thought that everything about him was not a result of his own freedom, but he was almost a creation of someone else; this caused him to have a serious mental breakdown, and it took him a few years to recover from this catastrophic realization, now knowing the importance of individual liberty for our happiness.

"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant"

The fundamental underlying principle of Mill's whole philosophy is described as thus: 'Over one's mind and over one's body, the individual is sovereign', and that the only instance that this can be broken is if the sovereign will of an individual leads to the harm of another. So, for example, it has been used to try and legitimize all drugs, as an individual should be able to choose what they do to themselves, arguing it only affects themselves; but there are problems when others rely on you: a mother for instance, would not be justified in claiming her drug-use was only affecting herself, as the effects of the drugs would impair her ability to take care of her children; so there are great difficulties in defining exactly what constitutes sovereignty.

"The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it"

This really only constitutes physical/material harm however; Mill was also gravely concerned about social stagnation, brought about by widespread and sheep like adherence to societal norms and beliefs, that created a world of uniformity. So he felt that invasion of personal sovereignty extended to a cultural level, where people were made to feel alienated and ridiculous for holding unorthodox beliefs, and that this certain societal coercion and pressure restricted the spiritual freedom of all of society. This concept has been reproduced in pretty much every century ever since in one form or another, most recently the 'Beat Generation' of the 1950's and 60's. On Liberty is a book outlining the benefits of being highly tolerant of differences in society, and as such is a great read when keeping in mind the tolerance of many societies today.

"No one can be a great thinker who does not recognize that as a thinker it is his first duty to follow his intellect to whatever conclusions it may lead"

Luke Bodell is a university student and freelance author living in Bath, England. He runs a book review website that provides brief, concise reviews on books in Top 10 Lists, to help people decide new books to read.

Read many more at http://www.top10books.org/

Think Tank in America - The Beginning of US Superiority and Dominance - Book Review

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Over the years I've been quite fascinated by the RAND Think Tank, and always wondered what RAND stood for. I come to find that it stood for R and D - and later folks called said it stood for R-A-N-D = Research And No Development, in other words, just thinking, not a lot of doing - the brain behind the US industrial base's brawn if you will. Later, after retirement I formed a Think Tank which operates online and today, I completely understand what it is all about.

Now then, along the way in my observational and educational fact finding and gathering, I've come across a number of books on the topic. One of the books which sits on the top book shelf in front of my desk describes the rise of US dominance and the brains behind much of strategy - it was not by accident as you may have been led to believe. It was deliberate and there was a plan. This book I'd like to recommend to you if indeed, you are interested. The name of the book is: "Soldiers of Reason - The RAND Corporation and the Rise of the American Empire," (uncorrected version) by Alex Abello, published by Harcourt, New York, NY, (2008), 362 pages, ISBN: 978-15-10181-3.

The entire history of RAND is here in this work, and if you want to know about the Cold War, International Relations, Military Strength, Gulf War I or II, Vietnam Era, Global Trade, or any of the other strategies the US has employed over the years, you will find the hand of RAND involved. Are these Whiz Kids perfect, oh for Heaven's Sake no, but often their ideas became created realities and thus became the new norm, and the game changers, that historians later report on.

If you are wondering how it all came to be, or how these strategies shaped the way things are in the USA, then you'd be wise to read this book and then think on it. Please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 21,600 articles was a lot of work - because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off..

State Succession and Historical Challenges Considered - Book Review

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Nearly a decade ago, I entered a used book store in Calgary and found it most intriguing, it was an old two-story house, and every room was filled with used books for sale. I bought too many books, and since I was on vacation, I had them sent slow boat to China "no hurry" UPS, figuring by the time my vacation was over the books would arrive. Yes, I am kind of a bookworm amongst other things.

In any case one book I bought had intrigued me and it was on the dollar table there. I stuck it in one of my book shelves thinking that some day, I might need that information, and sure enough that someday appears to be upon me.

You see, today I run a Think Tank which operates online and we talk a lot about geo-politics. This book is about succession and it is well worth reading. No you cannot have my copy, as I have to keep this one for a reference - it is a topic that is re-occurring. Nevertheless, below is some information on the book in case you want to find an old copy somewhere - perhaps on eBay? The name of the book is:

"Succession - The Morality of Political Divorce from Fort Sumter to Lithuania and Quebec," By Allen Buchanan, Westview Press, San Francisco, CA, (1991), pages 174; ISBN: 0-8133-1132-2.

Although this book is almost 20-years old, it hardly matters, the implications of succession are all too common whether we are talking about former Soviet nations, European Union Nations, or even a US State such as Texas getting fed up with Washington DC's overbearing wielding of power. Texans don't seem to like that much.

It is eerily similar the historical accounts of succession and what brings men to devolve their former agreements to share synergies in a larger union. As a former franchisor, I understand the need to keep the union together, along with Abraham Lincoln's dilemma as the Civil War approached. After reading this book recently, I completely understand why the EU asked the IMF, and even the US to intervene with resources to assist in bailing out Greece to preserve the EU, as that would have far reaching implications world-wide.

This book is a great piece of research, and I'd put it up near some of wisdom I've found over the years reading Henry Kissinger's Essays, Winston Churchill's insight, or Allan Greenspan's memoir. If you are involved in a potential succession, I think you need to own your own copy of this book as well. So, please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.worldthinktank.net/ - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

A Review of "A Journey" by Tony Blair

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If you're interested in the premiership of Tony Blair, Amazon is as good a place as any to seek out the recently published, must read book, entitled "A Journey" by Tony Blair. If you've read "The Third Man: Life at the Heart of New Labour" by Peter Mandelson you will have noticed that Blair's account follows a very similar path.

Tony Blair seems to be public enemy number one at the moment, but I find it hard to agree that his ten years in charge of Britain were as bad as is being made out. After all, Labour's historic election victory in 1997, where they defeated the Conservatives by the largest election swing in political history, couldn't have been a fluke could it? I am in no way saying that Blair was blameless in the futile war with Iraq, but don't forget that the vast majority of the House of Commons actually voted to take us into war. Ask yourself why it is that Thatcher was claimed to be a hero for defeating an already demoralised Argentinian army in a pointless conflict, thousands of miles away and completely unrelated to the interest of our country?

There have been a lot of enquiries post Iraq and all of the evidence seems to suggest that his judgement, however deluded, was based on professional evidence. To say that Blair deliberately deceived the house of commons is basically untrue. It was Blair who was deceived, not Parliament. It is also worth pointing out that Blair is actually a lot more like Clinton then he is Bush and his friendship with Clinton was a lot more natural.

I have read this book (unlike, I'm sure most of the authors of the negative reviews which I have read) and can honestly say that it seems to be an honest description of proceedings, written in a fluent and stylish manner. Blair makes the reader seem that you are in a one on one exchange with him, not an easy feat! The entire book is written in such a way so as to be easily understood without losing any of its intellectual "meat".

It is true that Blair's ego sometimes got in his way, but show me a successful leader who didn't have an inflated ego. In my book, it is imperative that a leader should have a big ego, which is simply another way of saying that they should be super-confident.

So Blair was a confident and extraordinary leader and I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that Britain misses him. Obama, Cameron and Brown have all had the opportunity to put right the west's activities in the Middle East but none have been brave enough to do anything about it. It seems to me that Blair has been made a scapegoat by many deluded persons who should probably look elsewhere for one. Tony Blair is fundamentally a decent, honest family man, which is plain to see when reading this book.

Visit [http://www.tonyblairamazon.com] to read more impartial reviews of Tony Blair's controversial new book, "A Journey". When you get there, subscribe to the RSS feed to enable you to keep updated with any reviews that get added about Tony Blair and Amazon [http://www.tonyblairamazon.com].

Political Book Review - The US Transfer of Top Secret Military Technology by Bill Clinton

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Every once in a while you find out that what you think you know about politics and current events of the time, turn out to be a complete 180 of the reality. Then sometimes you suspect foul play but cannot put your finger on it. Well, what if I recommend a very good book to you that will get you much closer to the truth than you probably wanted to get? Please read:

"Betrayal - How the Clinton Administration Undermined American Security" by Bill Gertz (also a reporter for the Washington Post specializing in defense and national security issues); Regency Publishing, Inc, an Eagle Publishing Company, Washington, DC. 1999. ISBN 0-89526-317-3

In case you've wondered exactly what all the fuss was over the Chinese and Clinton Administration and the transfer of top secret technology, but never thought to ask. Well, this is the book for you. And it is well documented, footnoted and enough to scare the hell out of you, and wonder why treason hearings were not conducted. Apparently, there is so much executive power in America that you can cover up just about anything as Gertz demonstrates in the first two chapters.

But is it really all politics and will we ever know you'll ask yourself? Well, keep reading, as it gets better, or worse, as he goes into the implications of nuclear technology, stress on the Korean Pennisula, missile and satellite technology. And how the Russians play a part and how the US is played off against the game.

Indeed from a political perspective one could say, as Bill Gertz does, what will become of the Clinton Legacy, and how will history portray the betrayl? I recommend this book to anyone that studies history, the flow of nuclear arms knowledge or the rapid advancement of the Chinese Military war machine. Please consider this.

Lance Winslow enjoys community philanthropy - Lance Winslow likes small business. Lance Winslow has also been involved in the Oil Industry; http://www.oilchangeguys.com/aboutus.shtml.

A Review of Mark Levin's "Liberty and Tyranny"

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The number one best-selling non-fiction hard-back book in the United States at the time of this review is Mark Levin's 'Liberty and Tyranny' (Threshold Editions/Simon and Schuster). Its subtitle says it all: 'A Conservative Manifesto'. This book consists of just 245 pages including its 38 pages of notes--yet, it contains more knowledge of current politics and the relevant economic and historical knowledge than any other book one is likely to find out there in the waste land of American popular non-fiction today. It is also a philosophical work--and probably the most important American philosophical work to be published since Ayn Rand's philosophical novel 'Atlas Shrugged' (1957).

Mark Levin is "huge fan" of Ayn Rand, and so it is fitting that sales of 'Atlas Shrugged' have also dramatically surged upward since our current Presidential Administration got elected into office in November of 2008. 'Liberty and Tyranny' was begun, and most of it written, at least 18 months before it was released for mass consumption on March 23rd, 2009. So, much of this book proves prescient. The Conservative manifesto of 'Liberty and Tyranny' must be scaring the hell out of the Liberals, the Democrats, and the RINOs--those who seek to give us Hell on Earth for our lives (but not for theirs). These are times which try people's souls; this book is a bright and burning lantern in the darkness, which explains its huge sales. If enough people read and understand this book, the mad Libs will be in more trouble than they have been since 1980.

The great power of 'Liberty and Tyranny' lies in the fact that it centers entirely around ageless, timeless principles--the principles which manifest Conservative thought and deed. No Liberal has any principles; all that citizen Liberals want is for the government to guarantee that nobody can be "better" than they are, and all that Liberal politicians want is power, as much power as they can possibly have over everyone else's lives. There are no principles in their views--only fear and power-lust, nothing more.

Mark Levin lays out in exquisite detail and clear, concise, consistent prose precisely where Conservative principles have their origins, the objective evidence for why they work, and their historical precedents. He actually does not call the Liberals by that name throughout most of the book, as that label has historically been applied in different ways and could cause some confusion; instead, he calls them "Statists": those who worship government and/or work in the government who want to expand its power relentlessly and, in truth, infinitely.

Conservatism is what gives us liberty; Statism is what puts us under the iron fist of tyranny. Conservatism has precious little to do with what the Statist makes so many gullible Americans of all classes believe it does. Levin proves this premise true over and over and over again, whether writing about the need to read the Constitution as it was written and derive its original meanings and intents from historical context and extratextual letters, journals, and notes written by the Founders; or the insipid evil of mad Liberal science on issues like the spurious grounds for banning of DDT and the massive man-made global warming fraud; or the evil of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; or the need for the federal government to do just the one thing that it was ever supposed to do: preserve the American civil society.

'Liberty and 'Tyranny' tells us that "so distant is America today from its founding principles that it is difficult to precisely describe the nature of American government." Levin also reminds us that President Ronald Reagan said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction". The book ends with the epilogue of "A Conservative Manifesto" and lays out a 10-point call-to-action plan that all need to hear in these dark days.

Read Mark Levin's 'Liberty and Tyranny'. Meaningfully mark it up. Read it over again. Read it slowly. Give it to your children and grandchildren as presents--and when you do, put a little sticky note on the cover saying, "I'm sorry for what I've done to you."

You can find Mark Levin's "Liberty and Tyranny" at the conservative books [http://www.american-conservativevalues.com/books/conservative-books.html] section at American Conservative Values [http://www.american-conservativevalues.com/].

She is Now the World's Leading Diplomat - A Book Review

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All too often the citizens of the United States get into a huff over politics. They refuse to read the books of politicians which don't agree with them. They call their works "trash" without ever reading a single chapter. Personally, I cannot do that, I want to know what the opposition party has to say, I'd like to listen to their arguments, and I like to, or rather enjoy finding flaws in their logic.

Interestingly enough, often they make very good points. As a conservative, you might find it odd that I'd recommend that you read Hillary Rodham Clinton's book; It Takes a Village. Nevertheless, I'm going to recommend that you read this book because she does bring up some very good points, and although most of them have probably crossed your mind, or you've heard the political argument, it's best to hear it in her own words.

After all, this woman is now the top diplomat of the world. The full title of the book is;

"It Takes a Village - and Other Lessons Children Teach Us," by Hilary Rodham Clinton

There were some things that I enjoyed in the book and a few quotes that I like to share with you, two things that caught my eye, and reminded me that in reality there is a baseline of knowledge, and common sense that we all share. The first quote was; "Kids do not come with instruction manuals," which is absolutely true, and it's not that we wish to take away parenting, or tell others how to raise their children, but it's definitely something to think about along her lines of the debate and argument.

The next quote that I thought was pretty interesting was; "The best tool you can give a child is a shovel," and I think you'll enjoy that chapter. Even if you do not like Hillary Clinton politically, I'm going to hereby recommend that you read this book, and no, as a conservative I didn't agree with all of it, but there were parts of it that were interesting. And it was a decent philosophical dialogue of a left-leaning politician. Please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes in a full understanding of the issues.

Decision Points - A Review

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Acquiring all the books written by U.S. presidents would result in a surprisingly small collection. Though there are some anthologies of presidential papers and speeches from the 19th century, true autobiographies are rare, the most notable being that of Ulysses S. Grant. That all changed beginning with Harry S. Truman. In fact, since Truman, every president with the obvious exception of John F. Kennedy, has written some sort of post-presidential memoir. Their writings provide an interesting look behind the fence of the White House and into the rarefied atmosphere that is the U.S. presidency.

Of course, past presidents seem quite interested in their legacy and might be accused of writing memoirs to burnish their image as they fade into history. As an amateur student of history, I enjoy reading these books; but, to me their real value is the portrayal of what is certainly one of the most difficult and unique leadership challenges any person can shoulder.

The reader of an autobiography must always keep in mind that the work is written by the subject, and therefore must be more critically analyzed. Presidential autobiographies have an additional problem in that the author knows details about the events they relate that must be forever withheld from the general public. With these cautions in mind, I read Decision Points by George W. Bush.

President Bush took office under a cloud. The election of 2000 was a trying experience for the candidates in particular and the country as a whole. Though this cloud would stay with his presidency for the entire eight years, to his credit Bush did not let it sway his agenda. The keystone of that agenda was the push for education reform - until September 11, 2001.

As Bush details the events that followed that historic day the heavy weight of leadership clearly emerges. He explains his thoughts immediately following the attack and why he took the actions he did. He demonstrated that a leader is most effective when able to remain outwardly calm and remember that people are relying on him or her for thoughtful leadership.

Many other events happened during the Bush years and he is refreshingly honest about what he feels he didn't do well. In discussing Hurricane Katrina and the devastation the Gulf Coast, he clearly lays out the mistakes that were made, including his decision to fly over New Orleans, instead of landing. Again, his explanation provides a good lesson for leaders.

Knowing that any presidential visit is very disruptive, and stopping at that time would pull people away from the important task of trying to save lives, it seemed like a good decision. However, leaders must always remember that the perception of their action may have more impact than the action itself. Bush's decision was based on his desire to not exacerbate the situation. His action was seen as the exact opposite; as lack of concern for suffering people.

In the 222 years since George Washington was inaugurated as the first President in 1789 there have been only 44 presidents making that office one of the world's most exclusive leadership clubs. The U.S. president accepts a leadership role more difficult, more wide ranging, and more publicly scrutinized than any other. How he performed in that role provides a treasure trove from which the rest of us can glean lessons to become better leaders.

For those who were paying attention during the Bush presidency, Decision Points provides no real historical revelations, though Bush does discuss some very effective policy to help African nations fight AIDs which didn't get a lot of notice in the American press. There does seem to be a "set the record straight" agenda and maybe even a little legacy management, but I would expect that and it certainly doesn't take away from the value of the book. Whether you thought George W. Bush was a great president, a terrible president, or somewhere in-between, if you have leadership responsibilities, you need to read this book. Its significance is the view of rare leadership challenges.

Bob Mason is a speaker, trainer, and author of "Planning to Excel: Strategic Planning That Works." After 30 years of leadership experience he founded RLM Planning and Leadership to transform leadership by developing great leaders. Bob works with organizations that want to excel by training managers to lead and creating great strategic plans to keep leaders focused. See what he can do for you at http://www.planleadexcel.com/.

It is Politics As Usual - A Book Review on Taking Sides

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How much do you know about world politics? Geopolitics can be one of the most interesting subjects, and if you'd like to learn more, perhaps you need to dive into the challenges of our time, and understand all sides of the debate. I believe that's the best way to approach it, and if you agree, there's a very good book I'd like to recommend to you, the name of the book is;

"Taking Sides - Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in World Politics" by John T. Rourke.

In this book the author asks some pretty tough questions, about some of the most challenging and problematic issues of our time. Each chapter adds to the chaos and controversy of world events in our present period. And there are many questions, which perhaps have no answer, however are debated by scholars and academics alike. In fact, one of the tough questions is frequented by those that write articles in foreign affairs, the economist, and in letters to the Washington Post and New York Times.

"Is the Capitalist model for Third World development destructive?"

This is a very tough question, and one that is always discussed at the Davos World Economic Conference. But there are more comments, questions, and concerns in this book for instance;

"Is economic globalism a positive trend?"

The international monetary fund or IMF suggests that globalism should serve all, but countries and corporations often exploit the labor. Everyone benefits if we are all on the same page, even if it undermines their national sovereignty temporarily. The debaters also discuss international cooperation and choice in trade. And they discuss issues of global governance, and if it is right if it is forced? One debater suggests that the European Union is in danger of a revolution of culture and economics, however the academics of Europe have an answer for that as well.

If you want to get at the heart of the debate of the new world order, how to run the United Nations, a global currency, or a global trade free market place, there is probably no better book to start out with to hear all the different sides of the chaos and controversy surrounding these topics. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes in smart dialogue.

Review: No One Would Listen

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Author: Harry Markopolos

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

ISBN: 978-0-470-55373-2

After reading Harry Markopolos's No One Would Listen, I had to shake my head in disbelief and mutter the old adage. "there's none so blind as those who will not see." Markopolos is a Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Fraud Examiner and No One Would Listen is the complete story of how the SEC would not listen to him and his team. As result and unfortunately, they failed to stop the greatest financial crime in history, the Bernard Madoff catastrophe.

Over a nine year period Markopolos and three colleagues tried to get the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate Madoff, the mastermind behind this unbelievable Ponzi scheme. Unfortunately, due to incompetency, stupidity, and laziness, and even after Markopolos presented five separate submissions to the SEC with dozens of pages of incriminating evidence showing Madoff to be a fraud, nothing was done. You are probably asking how is this possible where a government agency is set up to protect investors and it turns out to be a complete sham and joke, costing thousands of investors their life savings to the tune of approximately five-five billion dollars? Moreover, what about the feeder funds that fed Madoff`s Ponzi scheme? Why didn't they conduct due diligence? Did they know it was a fraud and swept it under the rug in exchange for the huge commissions they were earning from Madoff as well as from their clients?

Markopolos first encountered Bernie Madoff when he and his team tried to emulate Madoff's phenomenal rate of return- a product that was producing one percent per month. After taking apart and analyzing Madoff's strategy, they concluded that it was impossible and that in reality it had to be a fraud. As he states: "We weren't looking for a crime; we simply wanted to see how he made his numbers dance." When Markopolos investigated further with interviews he conducted with various fund managers and others, his initial assessment and feeling was confirmed.

A startling and unbelievable discovery was when investment manager, Thierry de la Villehuchet, (who had later committed suicide), told Markopolos that Madoff could never be a fraud and to prove his point he alluded that he used a handwriting analyst as part of his company's due diligence procedures. We are not quite sure if in fact he did analyze Madoff's signature. However, the underlying theme was the common consensus among all of these mavens that after all Madoff was among the most powerful and respected men on Wall Street. He was the founder and operator of an extremely successful broker-dealer firm. How could it be possible that he was perpetuating such a blatant scam involving billions of dollars he took in from investors living all over the world? What is really amazing is that everyone wanted to do business with Madoff but nobody would own up that they were doing business with him. As Markopolos states: "It was as if he had walked through Times Square naked in the middle of a summer afternoon and no one admitted seeing him." Even more disturbing was that Markopolos and his team were not the only ones who discovered the fraud but they and perhaps one or two others were the only ones who reported it to the SEC. Even after articles about Madoff appeared in some reputable financial publications, nothing was done.

The subtitle of No One Would Listen is appropriately called A True Financial Thriller, and as you can see from the above, it certainly is, only it is a very sad story when you consider the billions of dollars that were not only lost by individuals that trusted their financial advisers to perform due diligence and the SEC to protect them, but also the dozens of charitable organizations, where millions of dollars vanished. However, one positive outcome of the Madoff debacle was that Markopolos was influential in having legislators listen to his advice concerning a complete overhauling of the SEC and we only hope that they will adopt many of his ideas that he lists at the end of the book.

No One Would Listen should be required reading for anyone who is directly or indirectly connected to the financial industry and this includes individual investors that invest in all kinds of financial products without really understanding what they are all about. This is not to say that every financial adviser is corrupt or doesn't care about his or her clients, however, to keep them on their toes, there is no harm in thoroughly questioning them when they try to sell you a particular financial product. And if you don't understand the product, don't invest in it.

To read Norm's Interview with Harry Markopolos click the following link: http://goo.gl/2z7l9

Norm Goldman is the Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com and a top 500 Amazon reviewer. Bookpleasures has been in existence since 2002 and has posted over 5000 reviews and over 650 author interviews. In addition to the complimentary reviews offered by bookpleasures' reviewers, Norm also offers his own personalized Priority, Fast Track Quick Review that you can find out more about by clicking on:

http://goo.gl/wPki

Politics and People - A Book Review

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Often politicians running for office will write books, and many of them will use these books to rally their base of supporters. It's always been an excellent tool for high-power politicians in the House and Senate or perhaps even running for president. Often governors of states will also write books and they use these books to propel their notoriety, and help establish themselves as experts of integrity and credibility.

Not long ago, I pulled an old book off my bookshelf by a politician that later became president. You will know his name he was once governor of Arkansas and his running mate at the time was a Senator from Tennessee just like his father, a man who would later also run for president and lose. Of course, you already know who I'm talking about, but the book that I like to recommend is;

"Putting People First; How We Can Change America," by Gov. Bill Clinton and Senator Al Gore, 1992

Now before I explain this book, I'd like you know that I am conservative, and I doubt I would have ever voted for the gentleman. Although history has done Bill Clinton well except for his little escapade with that intern. In this book he talks about agriculture, arms control, the degradation of our cities, civil rights, the ADA, healthcare, immigration and all the problems and challenges in the Middle East. Yes, they're still going on.

In hindsight, much of what he wrote in the book didn't turn out all that well with him as president. His Agriculture initiatives turned into corporate welfare. His arms control ideas only caused North Korea to lie about its missiles and when it was his turn to catch Osama bin Laden; he missed. His civil rights initiatives turned into just more political correctness. And his healthcare concepts merely subsidized HMOs and created many billionaires.

As far as the American disabilities act, it's been used all over the country by lawyers to sue small businesses. When it came to immigration he didn't do anything, not that any other president did either, but it is interesting. He also was unable to solve the problem between Israel and Palestin, as if that was ever solvable or if there will ever be peace there.

He did indicate in the book that we need a civilian advanced technology agency, and I believe he was right about that. Anyway, it's fun to read these old political books, because you can look at the history behind the words and see if they mean anything. Please consider all this.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes in fact checking.

Book Review - General James Longstreet - The Confederacy's Most Modern General by Lieutenant Colonel

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I'm a novice when it comes to Civil War history. I get lost in the details of the major military campaigns of the war, much less the smaller skirmishes, and even the geography at times. My interest in the Confederacy relates to my ancestry and my interest in Confederate currency. I had three great grandfathers and three great uncles who served in the war. During a recent meeting of our Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Harold Knudsen of the US Army was our guest speaker. LTC Knudsen is the author of the book, "General James Longstreet: The Confederacy's Most Modern General." I had no idea of who General Longstreet was and, at the time, really didn't care all that much. After all, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were my heroes. However, Knudsen quickly captured my attention as it became apparent that the legacy of James Longstreet had been swept under the rug by the philosophy of political correctness. I was so enthralled by Knudsen lecture; I was the first person at his book table to purchase a hardbound copy of his book.

LTC Knudsen's book is small and is less than one hundred pages. It is tiny in comparison to the monolithic volumes that exist on Lee and Jackson and other figures. I have in times past started to read some of those exhaustive works on the Civil War and its heroes, but have rarely completed any. It seems I would get bogged down in what would seem to be the endless battles and forever lost in the explanations of force movements, placement of batteries, flanking maneuvers and all the minutiae of military speak. Even though Knudsen is militaryesque in his writing, he is succinct and keeps the reader's attention. At one point I asked myself, where are the maps? However, I soon realized his descriptions do not require maps. Actually, I believe maps would have been a distraction.

Knudsen makes the case that General Longstreet has not only been misjudged by history, but actually was one of the most successful generals of the war. He subtitles his book "The Confederacy's Most Modern General" and indeed it appeared Longstreet was. Longstreet broke with the Napoleonic practices of warfare and introduced innovations that not been seen in nineteenth century warfare. Not until recently has Longstreet's reputation begun a slow re-examination. In fact, it wasn't until 1998 that the first monument to honor him was erected at Gettysburg.

James Longstreet was a South Carolina born West Point graduate who was raised on a Georgia plantation. He received his first combat experience at age twenty four as the US began its war with Mexico. At age forty, he accepted a commission as a Confederate colonel with the Army of Northern Virginia at the start of the Civil War in 1861. Biographers of the post war era stated Longstreet was smart and ambitious but also a "know it all." They turned against him for rejecting the ideology of the "Lost Cause." Indeed, Longstreet was not a politically correct person, and according to the author, considered political correctness a form of dishonesty. Longstreet wasn't interested in political debate and didn't engage on the causes of the war, but instead excelled in the art of war. His view was simple: once war was decided to be the course of action; his goal was to win it.

It was at the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862 that Longstreet carried out an effective and deadly approach to stopping a Union frontal assault. He merged firearm advancements with field modifications that Knudsen claims was fifty years ahead of its time. Longstreet combined discipline, low aiming, and clear lanes of fire, with one to two rifle loaders for each shooter. This produced an increase rate of fire equivalent to a machine gun in World War I.

Knudsen offers a chapter on the "defensive offense" and a chapter on the vindication of Longstreet's strategic vision. It was at the Battle of Chickamauga that gave Longstreet the opportunity to attack and set conditions for decisive victories. It was here that Knudsen believes Longstreet introduced a tactic similar to that of the Germans used in their tank warfare in World War II, i.e., the Blitzkrieg theory. Knudsen leaves the reader with the notion that if Longstreet had been in charge of the forces at the Battle of Chickamauga instead of General Braxton Bragg, the Union Army would have soundly defeated.

Knudsen does not discuss Longstreet's post military career, other than mentioning his involvement with the passage of military reconstruction bills in Congress. However, that only fueled my curiosity in wanting to do more research on the general. My research uncovered that Longstreet enjoyed a career working for the U.S. Government and he was a convert to the Republican Party. Combining this with his support for reconstruction and some critical comments he wrote about General Robert E. Lee, inflamed his detractors and this distanced himself from his Confederate colleagues.

Portions of Knudsen's conclusion were steeped with a good bit of military strategic lingo which required me to read it twice to obtain a good comprehension. Knudsen background in military command structure and control is very evident as he knows his stuff. However, parts of the final chapter sometimes leave the reader with a feeling he is at a military academy receiving a briefing on military policy and doctrine. All in all, I believe his book is long overdue and it deserves a place on your bookshelf. You won't be disappointed.

Johnny Kicklighter is a member of the local Sons of Confederate Veterans, George E. Dixon Camp 1962, Belleville, Illinois. The Sons of Confederate Veterans honor ancestry through the preservation of history and heritage. Johnny is a collector of Confederate currency.

Guilty - Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America by Ann Coulter - A Book Review

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In Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America by Ann Coulter, the author once again gives us a piece of her mind. Fearless as ever, Coulter points out things that we would rather turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to. While most of the people who have picked up her book have hated her for it, I have found her rather refreshing and honest. Well, as they say, the Truth always hurts.

I was eating my lunch one day when I heard a group of officemates-mine, I am sad to admit-talking about another officemate of mine. He was almost thirty years old and his girl friend of five years, who worked on the next floor, weren't even in the process of tying the knot. Had they presented the fact that his girl friend's biological clock was ticking, I would've just agreed that they should get married because they do seem to be a perfect fit. But then one of my officemates said that he probably should just make a "deposit" so they would know if they were sexually compatible before getting married. I was appalled. I wasn't na?ve but there are some changes you shouldn't adopt, even if it meant convenience. This was one of them.

It made me think of the hundreds of single mothers out there who say they are saying that they are raising their child alone by choice. I agree; it was their choice that made them single mothers-women who have shrugged off their morality for what they think would make them happy for that moment. I'm not saying that they should be condemned because of these wrong choices (I'm not even saying that being happy is wrong) but I agree with Coulter that these women are guilty for presenting themselves as the victims. If we want a better society, we should stop saying it and do what's best for us and for our neighbors. Everything starts with a decision and sticking with that decision. Don't go plunging into a pool when you can't swim. Make sure you can pay for what you're buying and all that stuff that goes along those lines.

I agree with Coulter when she said that these people who call themselves the victims of society's "modernity" and loss of morality-slaves of the moment and all that-are the ones who actually launch an attack on America. I'm not saying we should go all St. Francis of Assisi and give our life's savings to the poor. What I'm saying-and what Coulter points out in Guilty-is that we should be living within our means. By doing so, we are not only helping ourselves but also those around us who cannot afford to live so lavishly. Also, don't go around preaching what you can't do. We already have a lot of that in the media. Sadly, it is the bravery in Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America by Ann Coulter that could make you hate it when you should be taking a seat and listening to what it's saying.

For more information, check other Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America by Ann Coulter book reviews.

Erika Ayala works part time for a consumer review company.