Power History

In this compelling account, Ian Fitzgerald tells the complete story of oil, from its formation over millions of years to its first discovery and use by humankind to its role as a crucial energy source and the conflicts that have since revolved around it.

This historic mission of this remarkable but little-known organization, the US National Intelligence Council (NIC), now 40 years old, is strategic intelligence assessment in service of senior American foreign policymakers. Its signature inside products, National Intelligence Estimates, are now accompanied by the NIC's every-four-years Global Trends. Unclassified, Global Trends has become a noted NIC brand, its release awaited by officials, academics, and private sector managers around the world.

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film. A vanished star. A haunted film. A mystery only love can unravel… 1968: Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Now the actress is on the cusp of obscurity. When...

Was Hitler an atheist? The answer is sometimes ambiguous. Some political pundits claim Hitler was an atheist, and others claim he was Christian. In the turbulent years of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler cynically used both the Protestant and Catholic churches to strengthen his grip on power.

When you take the most absurd parts of history, science, economics, and geography, you end up with a pretty confusing picture of humanity. Why do we have borders? What's the furthest you can get from the ocean? And why did Vikings wear those silly helmets? These are just a few of the strange questions that bounce around the head of Joseph Pisenti. In his YouTube channel, Pisenti presents illogical truths in a logical manner. Here, he builds on this nonsensical humor of the universe with in-depth analysis of empires, economies, and ecosystems as he helps answer the ridiculous.

In Putinomics, Chris Miller examines the making of Russian economic policy since Vladimir Putin took power in 1999. Miller argues that Putin's economic strategy has functioned far more effectively than most Westerners realize. While acknowledging that part of Putin's successes - above all, quadrupling per capita GDP in just a decade and a half - can be attributed to cashing in on high oil prices, Miller details the government policies that have also been fundamental to Russia's growth.

This audiobook examines the meteoric rise of Sweden as the pre-eminent military power in Europe during the Thirty Years War during the 1600s, and then follows its line of warrior kings into the next century until the Swedes finally meet their demise, in an overreach into the vastness of Russia. A small Scandinavian nation, with at most one and a half million people and scant internal resources of its own, there was small logic to how Sweden could become the dominant power on the Continent.

This is a very timely study of Russia's development into a global energy power from the Russian Revolution to the present day. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, Russia emerged not only as a key producer but also as one of the world's leading exporters of oil. Russia's transformation into a modern global power was connected to its ability to make use of its vast natural resources and produce energy in increasing quantities.

The second of a two-volume biography of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter by historian E. Stanly Godbold, Jr., this book offers a comprehensive account of the professional and personal lives of the powerful couple who have worked together as reformers in Georgia, President and First Lady of the United States, and founders of the Carter Center to promote international health, conflict resolution, and democracy.

Immerse yourself in an epic narrative where every struggle, every victory, and every act of valor is a brushstroke on the canvas of history. This diligently researched and vividly recounted account is perfect for those who thirst for a story that echoes through the ages, illuminating the ideals that have shaped our own foundations of governance and justice.

In this brilliantly analytical yet personal book, nondemocratic societies are put under a microscope to reveal the mechanics of tyranny that sustain them. In exposing the inner workings of a "fear society", the authors explain why democracy is not beyond any nation's reach, why it is essential for our security, and why there is much that can be done to promote it around the world.

The intensified globalization that ensued after the end of the Cold War has resulted in an unprecedented level of interconnectedness between the economies of all rising and established powers. Economic interdependence makes today's world a much more complex place than when balance of power theory was initially developed. International relations literature has overlooked the fact that great powers have been using institutions to soft balance each other's power and aggressive behavior. Restraining Great Powers places the evolution of balancing behavior in historical perspective.

Drawing on information sequestered until recently in FBI records, Theoharis shows how these secret activities in the World War II and Cold War eras expanded FBI surveillance powers and, in the process, eroded civil liberties without substantially advancing legitimate security interests.

Do you love the fantasy genre and are interested in learning more about the reading of the runes? Would you like to have a more profound knowledge of Nordic mythology and its characters? Are you curious to discover more about European Nordic people's beliefs and traditions? In ancient times, among the majestic scenery of the Scandinavian lands, the feats of heroes and warriors forged the tradition of the Nordic peoples. The original myths and tales, initially transmitted only orally from generation to generation, were transcribed and brought today.

How remarkable that an Italian living in the 15th and 16th centuries should lend his name to a word still in common usage in the English language today. Nicolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote only one major work as a gift for his ruling Prince, Lorenzo de Medici. Machiavelli held office as a senior civil servant for 14 years until the downfall of the Republic in 1512. No longer officially employed to impart advice, instead Machiavelli poured out his ideas and resentment in his writings.

How the world broke—and how we can still save it The liberal world order that emerged after World War II—and expanded triumphantly following the Cold War—is unraveling. Multilateral cooperation is giving way to multipolar rivalry and conflict. Global norms are eroding. What comes next will...

For those in search of a new direction in the new economy, after a year without using money, Steve McAllister provides the basics for the new revolution and hope for a new renaissance. At a time when financial systems are falling apart, economic and gender inequality abound, trust in government is at an all time low, people are losing faith in their religion, and the world faces possible cataclysmic climate change, Money, Sex, Power & Faith offers a glimpse at how we got to this point and where we go from here.

From Donald Bogle, the award-winning author of Hollywood Black and leading authority on Black cinema history, this is a first-of-its-kind comprehensive and lavish biography of Hollywood’s first African American movie goddess. Lena Horne’s life and career are truly remarkable in American film...

If you feel like you’ve “missed the boat” on the wonders of this healing and teaching plant medicine, think again. Now more than ever, people are taking self-development seriously and want to dive deeper into discovering who they truly are. This audiobook will give you plenty of information you can use immediately to begin your pursuit of this ancient medicine. So even if you’ve been unable to get your hands on information thus far, this book will give you the straight facts on ayahuasca without any of the hype or noise.

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers First Women and The Residence, an intimate, news-making look at the men who are next in line to the most powerful office in the world—the vice presidents of the modern era—from Richard Nixon to Joe Biden to Mike Pence. Vice presidents occupy...