Showing titles in Presidents & Heads of State

The extraordinary life of James Monroe: Soldier, senator, diplomat, and the last Founding Father to hold the presidency, a man who helped transform 13 colonies into a vibrant and mighty republic.

Of the 44 presidents who have led the United States, nine made mistakes that permanently scarred the nation. Which nine? Brion McClanahan, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers and The Founding Fathers' Guide to the Constitution, will surprise listeners with his list, which he supports with exhaustive and entertaining evidence.

This book uses hundreds of hours of newly opened interviews and other sources to illuminate the life and times of the nation's 42nd president, Bill Clinton. Included are path-breaking chapters on the major domestic and foreign policy initiatives of the Clinton years, as well as objective discussions of political success and failures.

Gallup's List of Widely Admired People of the 20th Century places President John F. Kennedy in the third slot, behind Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mother Teresa. Needless to say, President Kennedy's name is one that will not soon be forgotten. Many people will simply recall him as the handsome president who reigned for a short while before his unfortunate death at the hands of an assassin in Dallas, Texas. They may recall he was the youngest president to have been sworn into the presidential office or he dealt with issues such as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Matt Margolis lays out the details of literally dozens of Obama administration scandals that have been ignored, downplayed, or covered-up by the mainstream media. From "Fast and Furious", to the illegal IRS targeting of conservative groups, to the recent NSA spying outrage, Margolis makes a powerful case that the Obama years represented nearly a decade of lawless and abusive governance. While Obama and his allies attempt to spin the narrative that his presidency represented a time of pristine politics, it's critically important that Americans understand the truth.

Here is an intimate and revealing look at one of America's most private public figures. Although former president George Bush has been reticent in public, he has openly shared his private thoughts in correspondence throughout his life. This collection of letters, diary entries, and memos, along with Bush's commentary, provides an insightful portrayal of the forty-first president of the United States.

Covering the development of the atomic bomb during the Second World War, the origins and early course of the Cold War and the advent of the hydrogen bomb in the early 1950s, Churchill and the Bomb in War and Cold War explores a still neglected aspect of Winston Churchill's career: his relationship with and thinking on nuclear weapons.

Between 1796 and 1815, the continent of Europe was held in thrall by one of the most remarkable personalities of modern times, a man whose name was on the lips of every man, woman, and child: Napoleon Bonaparte. Certainly, one would have to go back to the time of Charlemagne to find his equal on the field of battle, in the halls of diplomacy, or in the courts of jurisprudence.

In Mandela, former foreign correspondent Bob Crew demystifies the icon and his legacy. After over a decade of travels in South Africa, Crew seeks truth in the unexpected details of the lives of Mandela and current South African president Jacob Zuma, comparing them to other world icons in order to bring a new understanding of their legacies to Western listeners.

In a new audiobook, the reporters of the Wall Street Journal present a detailed, timely, and original biography of the new Pope Francis, as well as new insight on the bargaining and drama that surrounded his rise. Pope Francis presents the full, in-depth story of the church's change in direction and the man charged with leading it, and consider how Pope Francis might address the years of scandal and shortcomings while leading Catholics worldwide toward a deeper faith.

James Madison was a man of quiet faith who was also intellectually inspired in miraculous ways. Often called the Father of the Constitution, Madison believed rights of conscience were gifts of God, and he was thoroughly committed to establishing a nation conceived in liberty. Throughout his life, thousands of seemingly insignificant events and decisions eventually culminated in the formation of one of the most defining traits of this country: the right to religious freedom.

On June 19, 1953, Harry Truman got up early, packed the trunk of his Chrysler New Yorker, and did something no other former president has done before or since: he hit the road. No Secret Service protection. No traveling press. Just Harry and his childhood sweetheart Bess off to visit old friends, take in a Broadway play, celebrate their wedding anniversary in the Big Apple, and blow a bit of the money he’d just received to write his memoirs. Hopefully incognito. In this lively history, author Matthew Algeo meticulously details how Truman’s plan to blend in went wonderfully awry.

The 30-year regime of Papa and Baby Doc Duvalier, who ruled between 1957 and 1986, was arguably the most repressive in the Western hemisphere. Papa Doc and Baby Doc Duvalier looks at how the father and son duo rose to power, and the results of their tight grip over Haiti. 

Sir Winston Churchill was a British statesman, orator and author who as prime minister rallied the British people during World War II and led Britain to an allied victory. Churchill's "bulldog" spirit seemed to summarize the mood of the British people even during the bad times, such as Dunkirk, and the inspirational victories, such as the Battle of Britain. His was a brilliant mind, full of wit and intelligence; his oratory brilliance and his admirable style led him to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953.

Writer/director Robert Orlando, locked down during the Covid-19 pandemic, learned Citizen Kane was Trump's favorite film, and the parallels were astonishing. Both Kane and Trump are swaggering masters of media, and both claim to stand for the working man. Truth be told, Kane was crushed by scandal; Trump was not. He triumphed above front-page divorces, bankruptcies, unprecedented media attacks, and political chaos. Did his failed attempt at reelection end his star power? Citizen Trump gives us our looking glass.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham offers a collection of inspiring words about how to be a good citizen, from Thomas Jefferson and others, and reminds us why our country’s founding principles are still so important today. 

Cutting through the confusion and the media hype surrounding the infamous Russia-Ukraine conflict, this illuminating collection offers a factual, concise, and up-to-date account of the key events and figures in this rapidly unfolding war. With a play-by-play recap of the long-running tensions between these two countries and their places on the world stage, you’ll also discover how their struggle has spilled out to impact politics across the globe.

Now more than ever it’s easy to focus on the divisions that plague our nation. It may seem as if our best days are behind us, but bestselling author and senator Tim Scott believes we have yet to realize the fullness of our identity. We are in the midst of a story that’s still unfolding. And beautiful opportunities await. In this powerful memoir, Scott recounts formative events of his life alongside the inspiring stories of other Americans who have risen above hardship and embodied the values that make our nation great. 

James Madison: A Biography inspects the life of the fourth president of the United States. This short yet complete biography by author Steven Wallace studies Madison’s 85 years of life from his birth in 1751 to his death in 1836. This biography includes many of James Madison’s ideas and accomplishments. James Madison has long captured the imagination and interest of the American people with both his personal and political history, and this biography showcases the most interesting facts of his life. 

This detailed book delves into the life and legacy of Barack Obama from his childhood and early years to the campaign which took him to the White House. With two terms and a wealth of achievements, this book takes a deeper look at the powerful mind-set that led Obama to the White House. Containing his life lessons, rules for success, and the philosophies which helped him serve eight years as the leader of the free world, this audiobook is a powerful reminder that anybody can achieve great things if they have the right tools and a growth mind-set.