Crazy town
Robyn Doolittle
Chronicles the life and political career of the controversial Toronto mayor, from his early days as a flamboyant city councillor to a mayor embroiled in controversy.
Read Time: ~4.2 hr
Mayor for a new America
by Thomas M. Menino, former five-term mayor of Boston (2014)
About this book
"A revealing memoir by Boston's beloved five-term mayor, explaining the power behind Boston's success and lessons for Washington power brokers After twenty years of service, Mayor Thomas Menino is stepping down from his office as one of the longest-serving major-city mayors in United States history--and one of the most popular politicians in modern memory. His political career has stretched from the busing crisis of the 1970s to the city's extraordinary response to the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013. Menino tells exclusive behind-the-scenes stories of urban politics and provides inspiration for Washington with his proven, people-focused method: "Do the small stuff so you can win the credibility to do the big stuff." He's not known as a fancy talker, but he gets things done. Under his wing, the city has enjoyed unprecedented economic growth while fostering a new attitude of acceptance. Menino shows how a very old city shook off its Puritan roots and racial tensions to become a truly twenty-first-century city"--
Setting / LocationGlobal
Story EraModern Era
Protagonist / CoreMayor for a new America Lead Character
Readers who enjoyed this also loved
Juan Carlos of Spain
Charles Powell
King Juan Carlos of Spain is currently one of the world's most popular and respected statesmen. This largely reflects the interest and admiration he has aroused both at home and abroad on account of his decisive contribution to the establishment and consolidation of democracy in Spain following the death of General Franco in November 1975. While seeking to determine the precise nature of his role in this process, widely publicised as a result of his part in aborting the military coup of February 1981, this political life of Juan Carlos also aims to shed new light on lesser-known episodes of his life, including his childhood and adolescence, the process leading to his proclamation as Franco's successor in 1969 and his performance as Prince of Spain (1969-75). Additionally, it deals in detail with the King's current role as constitutional monarch, his efforts to hold the newly created semi-federal Spanish state together, and his hitherto ignored contribution to foreign policy.
Porfirio Díaz
Paul Garner
"Porfirio Diaz, president of Mexico (1876-1880, 1884-1911), dominated his country during a crucial phase in its development as a modern nation. This profile places the regime in its appropriate nineteenth-century context, highlighting the difficulty of implementing liberal policies in societies with strong colonial traditions, and of balancing material development with order and stability."--BOOK JACKET.
Mao
Jung Chang
A biography of of Mao Zedong taken from the perspective of his relationship to women. The normal biographical elements make up the majority of the text but when there is an interesting aspect regarding Mao's attitude toward women, Jung Chang (a woman) goes for it. For example... any normal biography of Mao, would take account of the movements of Mao's army as he took control of China but it is interesting that his army camped outside the town where his wife and son lived (had been abandoned, frankly) and he made no effort whatsoever to meet them. Little things like that give the reader insight into the character of Mao... along with his mass murders, of course.