My favourite books on history and politics

A Listmania! list by Mike "Mike7077" (Lancaster, UK)
 
The Presidents: The Transformation of the American Presidency from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush
1.  The Presidents: The Transformation of the American Presidency from Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush by Stephen Graubard
The list author says:
  "A seminal work. This historical account will help any reader better understand the influences and motivations of Presidents in both the domestic and foreign fields."
Used & New from: £0.01
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Al-Qaeda: The True Story of Radical Islam
2.  Al-Qaeda: The True Story of Radical Islam by Jason Burke
The list author says:
  "The one book that anybody seeking to better understand Islamic militancy should read."
Used & New from: £0.01
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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Candide (Penguin Popular Classics)
3.  Candide (Penguin Popular Classics) by Voltaire
The list author says:
  "Forget the context and the intentions of this story and its a ripping read. Leave them in and its an incredible social and political commentary."
Used & New from: £1.49
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

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A History of the Middle East
4.  A History of the Middle East by Peter Mansfield
The list author says:
  "So much history crammed into this book. Mansfield is a rare breed, he can write on the Middle East and stay largely objective and dispassionate."
Used & New from: £0.01
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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On the Road to Kandahar
5.  On the Road to Kandahar by Jason Burke
The list author says:
  "Part travel-guide, part political and historical analysis. A vivid recanting of experience of conflict throughout the Islamic World."
Used & New from: £0.01
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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House of Bush House of Saud: The Secret Relationship Between the World's Two Most Powerful Dynasties
6.  House of Bush House of Saud: The Secret Relationship Between the World's Two Most Powerful Dynasties by Craig Unger
The list author says:
  "Investigative journalism rarely gets better than this."
£7.59   Used & New from: £0.31
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

The Prince (Oxford World's Classics)
7.  The Prince (Oxford World's Classics) by Niccolò Machiavelli
The list author says:
  "Possibly the most misunderstood and misinterpreted work ever. May well still explain why our leaders do what they do."
Used & New from: £0.01
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Desert Shield to Desert Storm: The Second Gulf War
8.  Desert Shield to Desert Storm: The Second Gulf War by Dilip Hiro
The list author says:
  "Well worth a read if the Gulf Crisis of 1990/91 is of interest. Extremely well-written with in-depth analysis and understanding."
£17.81   Used & New from: £14.99

Pilgrimage for Peace: A Secretary General's Memoir
9.  Pilgrimage for Peace: A Secretary General's Memoir by Javier Perez De Cuellar
The list author says:
  "A fascinating insight into the work of the UN Secretary General at a time of great change and new challenges. The one set of memoirs from a Secretary General that wasn't disappointingly tame."
Used & New from: £9.50

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Sleepwalking Through History: America in the Reagan Years
10.  Sleepwalking Through History: America in the Reagan Years by Haynes Johnson
The list author says:
  "A brilliant critique of Reagan, his administration and the land he led at the time."
£11.99   Used & New from: £0.54

Why Do People Hate America?
11.  Why Do People Hate America? by Ziauddin Sardar
The list author says:
  "An interesting and impressively objective effort to answer a difficult question."
£5.99   Used & New from: £0.01
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)

Why Peacekeeping Fails
12.  Why Peacekeeping Fails by Dennis C. Jett
The list author says:
  "Deftly sheds light on the problems of UN peacekeeping, and for wider conflict resolution."
£22.09   Used & New from: £6.99

The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East
13.  The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East by Robert Fisk
The list author says:
  "Love him or hate him, Fisk makes for excellent and vivid reading. Anyone who cares about the Middle East will take pleasure in this extensive history."
£9.74   Used & New from: £2.03
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)

Saudi Arabia in the Balance: Political Economy,Society,Foreign Affairs
14.  Saudi Arabia in the Balance: Political Economy,Society,Foreign Affairs by Paul Aarts
The list author says:
  "Not for the inexperienced, this is a very deep and rigid account of Saudi Arabia, its past, present and future. An important work."
£17.60   Used & New from: £11.45
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Hug Them Close: Blair, Clinton, Bush and the 'special Relationship'
15.  Hug Them Close: Blair, Clinton, Bush and the 'special Relationship' by Peter Riddell
The list author says:
  "A telling account of the 'Special Relationship' since the late 1990s. A very intelligent analysis and explanation of the Blair government's relationship with Clinton and Bush."
Used & New from: £0.01

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Strategies of Containment
16.  Strategies of Containment by John Lewis Gaddis
The list author says:
  "A book that seems to account convincingly for most aspects of US foreign policy during the Cold War."
£17.28   Used & New from: £6.27
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Rise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938
17.  Rise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy Since 1938 by Stephen Ambrose
The list author says:
  "Reads almost like a soap opera. There's cliff hangers and this is one book that is hard to put down!"
£7.69   Used & New from: £0.01
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

Pity the Nation: Lebanon at War
18.  Pity the Nation: Lebanon at War by Robert Fisk
The list author says:
  "From an author who has lived there for many years, this book lays bare the pain and strife of life in Lebanon."
£8.99   Used & New from: £4.94
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)

The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity
19.  The Clash of Fundamentalisms: Crusades, Jihads and Modernity by Tariq Ali
The list author says:
  "An angry, ultra-leftist interpretation of the apparent clash between the West and the Islamic world that is nevertheless entertaining and intriguing."
£8.35   Used & New from: £0.01
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Afghanistan: A Short History of Its People and Politics
20.  Afghanistan: A Short History of Its People and Politics by Martin Ewans
The list author says:
  "Brings to life the history of a mysterious and misunderstood land."
Used & New from: £3.59
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Dude, Where's My Country?
21.  Dude, Where's My Country? by Michael Moore
The list author says:
  "Moore cannot be relied upon for an objective reading of US politics and society. But his humorous anti-Bush, anti-Republican rants are wonderful entertainment, from both left and right perspectives."
£5.99   Used & New from: £0.01
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)

The Cold War
22.  The Cold War by John Lewis Gaddis
The list author says:
  "At times a strange read, Gaddis remains ever thorough in his analysis of the Cold War."
Used & New from: £4.18
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

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The Taliban: War, Religion and the New Order in Afghanistan (Politics of Contemporary Asia)
23.  The Taliban: War, Religion and the New Order in Afghanistan (Politics of Contemporary Asia) by Peter Marsden
The list author says:
  "The Taliban may have been removed, but this in-depth account explains their rise to power and sheds light on Pashtun culture."
Used & New from: £0.01

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The Arabs (Penguin History)
24.  The Arabs (Penguin History) by Peter Mansfield
The list author says:
  "Fed up with the stereotypical image of Arabs found in most Western media? Want to understand the real Arab world? This is a great place to start."
Used & New from: £0.01
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man
25.  Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man by David Hardy
The list author says:
  "How amusing it is to see the American right try to beat Moore at his own game. It's all very childish, but its great fun."
£7.99   Used & New from: £0.01
3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

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Author

Mike "Mike7077" (Lancaster, UK)
Qualifications: Graduate Student in Conflict Resolution
Last updated: 19/12/2006
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