The Assault on Reason

The first question many people ask when hearing of a new book from Al Gore is, “Is it about the environment?” The answer is yes, but it’s not (or, rather, not only) the kind of environment he wrote about in Earth in the Balance and of course painted such a vivid picture of in his Oscar-winning documentary (and companion book), An Inconvenient Truth. It’s the political environment he’s concerned about in The Assault on Reason: the way we debate and decide on the critical issues of the day. In an account that balances theoretical discussion of the foundations of democracy with a lacerating critique of the Bush administration, Gore argues that the marketplace of reasoned debate our country was founded on is being endangered by a variety of allied forces: the use of fear and the misuse of faith, the distractions of our entertainment culture, and the concentrations of power in the national media and the executive branch.

The Age of Turbulence

In the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001, in his fourteenth year as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan took part in a very quiet collective effort to ensure that America didn’t experience an economic meltdown, taking the rest of the world with it. There was good reason to fear the worst. But the most remarkable thing that happened to the economy after 9/11 was... nothing. After 9/11 Alan Greenspan knew, if he needed any further reinforcement, that we’re living in a new world — the world of a global capitalist economy that is vastly more flexible, resilient, open, self-directing, and fast-changing than it was even 20 years ago. The Age of Turbulence is Greenspan’s incomparable reckoning with the nature of this new world.

The Godfather’s Revenge

It is 1963 in New York, and things have never been better for the Corleones. They’ve taken out their Mafia rivals, and legitimised the Family. Outside the fortified building owned by Michael Corleone a parade of people — among them former mob rivals and an emissary from the Mayor of New York — wait to ask the great man for favours. Only one thing remains to be done. Traitorous former Corleone capo Nick Geraci has powerful friends and too much to say, and needs to be brought in. But everything changes. As fireworks explode over First Avenue, news arrives that Jimmy Shea, President of the United States and an old friend of the Corleone’s, has been assassinated...

Playing for Pizza

Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the deciding game at the climax of the season, Rick actually got into the game. With a 17-point lead and just minutes to go, Rick provided what was arguably the worst single performance in the history of the NFL. Overnight, he became a national laughing stock and was immediately dropped by the Browns and shunned by other teams. But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent, Arnie, find a team that needs him. Arnie locates just such a team and informs Rick that he can now be a starting quarterback for the Panthers of Parma, Italy. Rick reluctantly agrees to play for the Panthers — at least until a better offer comes along — and heads off to Italy. He knows nothing about Parma, has never been to Europe, and doesn’t speak or understand a word of Italian.

The Pocket Dangerous ...

If ever there was a book to make you switch off your television set, The Dangerous Book for Boys was it. And now, from the same authors, comes The Pocket Book of Things to Do — packed with exciting and fun things to keep you entertained all summer. The Dangerous Book for Boys was the book of the year in 2006, inspiring a newfound passion for adventure, fun and all things ‘dangerous’. Now, the authors have expanded their knowledge of all things fun to do and have come up with the fantastic Pocket Book of Things to Do. With everything from how to win at poker, how to make a paper hat and how to skim stones to how to tie a knot to how to write a note in secret ink, the Pocket Book will appeal to men and boys alike, not forgetting the women in their lives!