The Book Page: 2008
GENERAL    BY OR ABOUT DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES   |   BY OR ABOUT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES   |   POST-ELECTION
2004
2000

Mark Halperin and John F. Harris.  Oct. 2006.  THE WAY TO WIN: Taking the White House in 2008.  New York: Random House.
"Mark Halperin, political director of ABC News, and John F. Harris, the national politics editor of The Washington Post, tell the story of how two families–the Bushes and the Clintons–have held the White House for nearly a generation and examine Hillary Clinton's prospects for extending this record in 2008."

William G. Mayer, ed.  Aug. 2007.  The Making of the Presidential Candidates 2008.  Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc..
"Every four years since 1996, William G. Mayer edits a book of essays on the presidential nomination process. The book consists of 8 chapters, all on various aspects of that process, including the invisible primary, the Iowa caucuses, media coverage, television advertising, campaign finance, voting behavior, and the historical origins of the process. The book has two major objectives: to present a broad overview of the presidential nomination process through a detailed examination of some of its most significant components; and to showcase some of the most interesting work now being done on the politics of presidential selection."

Mark Halperin.  Oct. 2007.  THE UNDECIDED VOTER'S GUIDE TO THE NEXT PRESIDENT: Who the Candidates Are, Where They Come From, and How You Can Choose.  New York: Harper Perennial.
"Mark Halperin, veteran reporter and political analyst, sizes up the White House hopefuls with intelligence, insight, and his trademark wit, offering engaging, in-depth examinations of the histories, qualifications, agendas, and personal beliefs of the major candidates—including Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson, as well as some "dark horse" contenders."

Franklin Foer and the Editors of The New Republic   Nov. 26, 2007.  ELECTION 2008: A Voter's Guide.  New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
"Featuring the writers and editors of The New Republic, this handbook for the 2008 election contains essential information every citizen needs as we go into the primaries. It includes deeply reported, psychologically rich profiles of the candidates, original essays on the major issues, and a compendium of facts and figures about the hopefuls. Marked throughout by the irreverent wit, style, and intelligence of The New Republic, this will be the indispensable guide to the 2008 election season."

Bill Sammon.  Dec. 11, 2007.  MEET THE NEXT PRESIDENT.  New York: Threshold Editions [Simon & Schuster imprint].
"Bestselling author Bill Sammon, senior White House correspondent for the Washington Examiner, has conducted hours of exclusive interviews with the candidates and their most trusted advisers. Sammon, a political analyst for Fox News Channel, goes behind the scenes to answer the crucial questions: Who are these candidates? What do they stand for? How are they running their campaigns?"
 

BY OR ABOUT DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
in alphabetical order












































Joe Biden
Joe Biden.  July 31, 2007.  PROMISES TO KEEP: On Life and Politics.  New York: Random House.
Random House Publishing Group announced on July 28, 2005 it had acquired an untitled memoir by Senator Joseph Biden.  "Biden, in writing his first book, will tell the story of his remarkable thirty-year career in the United States Senate -- from journeyman days as a 29-year old Senator too young to be sworn in, to his rise to become one of the most powerful democrats, and one of the most dynamic,  respected, and outspoken politicians,  in Washington.  Biden will write of the remarkable figures he's known (from Brezhnev to Rabin to the Pope), and of the many historic events he witnessed up close (and often played a role in).  He will write of the devastating personal tragedies and setbacks he has faced -- and overcome.   And he will tackle head-on, with his characteristic directness and honesty, the challenges that face the world's greatest deliberative body, and the nation, today; explore America's role in the world going forward; and assess America's current domestic and international quagmires -- and how to move beyond them."  (Initial title: A Better Place)
 

Hillary Rodham Clinton
see the Clinton book page
 

Chris Dodd
Christopher Dodd and Larry Bloom.  September 11, 2007.  LETTERS FROM NUREMBURG: My Father's Narrative of a Quest for Justice.  New York: Crown Publishing [Random House].
"Along with Christopher Dodd’s reflections on his father’s life and career, and on the inspiration that good people across the world have long taken from the event that unfolded in the courtroom at Nuremberg, where justice proved to be stronger than the most unspeakable evil, these letters give us a fresh, personal, and often unique perspective on a true turning point in the history of our time."
 

John Edwards
John Edwards, Marion Crain and Arne L. Kalleberg, eds.  April 2007.  ENDING POVERTY IN AMERICA: How to Restore the American Dream.  New York: The New Press.
"Published in conjunction with one of the country’s leading anti-poverty centers, Ending Poverty in America brings together some of America’s most respected social scientists, including William Julius Wilson, Katherine S. Newman, and Richard B. Freeman, alongside journalists, neighborhood organizers, and business leaders. The voices heard here are both liberal and conservative, and tackle hot-button issues such as job creation, schools, housing, and family-friendly social policy."

John Edwards, ed.  Nov. 2006.  HOME: The Blueprints of Our Lives.  New York: Collins [part of HarperCollins Publishers].
"Most of us can trace the shape of our lives back to a physical place—a childhood home that played an enormous role in defining how we see ourselves and how we choose to make our way in the world.  In HOME, John Edwards has collected nearly sixty moving stories that reflect how these places, in many ways, are the blueprints of our lives.  HOME features uplifting, touching, and engaging narratives from all kinds of people across the country—everyday Americans with deeply inspiring stories share the pages with well-known figures from entertainment and religion, from politics and sports."

Elizabeth Edwards.  Sept. 2006.  SAVING GRACES.  New York: Broadway Books [Random House].
"During the 2004 presidential campaign, Elizabeth Edwards gained attention and admiration for her smart, likable, and down-to-earth personality. These qualities shine forth in SAVING GRACES, a memoir of the trials, triumphs, and tragedies Edwards experienced, and the various communities that celebrated her joys and lent her steady strength and quiet hope in darker times."
 

Dennis Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich.  Nov. 2007.  THE COURAGE TO SURVIVE.  Beverly Hills, CA: Phoenix Books.
"In this captivating autobiography, Dennis Kucinich reveals the remarkable odyssey of his childhood.  Crossing color and ethnic divides, Kucinich paints a richly textured portrait of the inner city life of the working poor in Cleveland in the 1950s and 1960s, laced heavily with dark humor.  Kucinich’s remarkable youth was wracked by poverty, cruelty and insanity until he was rescued by the love and encouragement of nuns, teachers and his football coach, when at age 13, weighing in at just 97 pounds, Kucinich was a 4'9" third-string varsity quarterback...  To know Kucinich’s chaotic upbringing and to see where he is today, a United States Presidential candidate fighting for healthcare for all and the rights of workers, an international leader for peace, the environment and equality, is to know that anything is possible when you have the courage to survive."


Bill Richardson
Bill Richardson.  Oct. 2007. LEADING BY EXAMPLE: How We Can Inspire an Energy and Security Revolution.  Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
"In Leading By Example, Richardson argues that the U.S. must act boldly and it must act now – and then he provides the detailed program needed to achieve energy security and climate protection, as well as to restore America’s international leadership.  Richardson issues a call to action for Congress, the energy industry, and the public.  He calls for a new American revolution – an energy and climate revolution."

Bill Richardson.  Nov. 2005. BETWEEN WORLDS: The Making of a Political Life.  New York: Putnam Publishing Group.
"A rising star of the Democratic Party tells the fascinating story of the ways his multicultural heritage and political education have shaped his dreams for America and given him vital lessons in the art of successful negotiating."
 

Mike Gravel
Mike Gravel and David Eisenbach, PhD. 
THE KINGMAKERS: How the Media Threatens Our Security and Democracy.  Beverly Hills, CA: Phoenix Books.
"Senator Mike Gravel and Dr. David Eisenbach argue that the media’s failure to present the public with an accurate view of the world poses a greater threat to American lives than terrorism.  They also show how the greatest threat to our democracy is not money.  It’s the media.  Long before the majority of voters pay attention to presidential elections, the media Kingmakers filter the presidential field and anoint the 'leading candidates.' Gravel and Eisenbach propose a powerful antidote to the Kingmakers’ poisonous influence on American politics: participatory journalism.  Blogs, chat rooms, virtual worlds and Internet contributions have empowered ordinary citizens to change the course of American history and inaugurate a new wave of democratization that America hasn’t seen since the Jacksonian era."


The Democratic Field

James Ridgeway, Laura Flanders, Richard Goldstein, Dean Kuipers, Eli Sanders, Dan Savage.  Nov. 2007.  THE CONTENDERS: Hillary, John, Al, Dennis, Barack, et al..  New York: Seven Stories Press.
The alternative guide to the Democratic presidential candidates of 2008.  "When you get beyond the spin, the campaign spending, the YouTube spots, and the paid advertisements, what do the Democratic contenders stand for, really? What did Hillary Clinton learn from Nixon? What does Barack Obama have in common with Justin Timberlake? Who are the two John Edwardses? Is America ready for the vegan presidency of Dennis Kucinich? What makes Al Gore rock and roll? Why do Joe Biden, Christopher Dodd, Bill Richardson, and Mike Gravel bother? Find out in this irreverent guide to the 2008 presidential candidates."

Eric M. Appleman, ed.  July 15, 2008.  THE RACE FOR THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION: A Book of Editorial Cartoons.  Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co.
This collection, produced in collaboration with the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, offers more than 250 cartoons on the campaign for the 2008 Democratic nomination. 
Cartoons by over seventy-five artists illustrate aspects of the campaign from the early stages to Obama's ultimate triumph.  Included are the cartoonists' views on presidential prospects who did not enter the race, second-tier candidates, and the superstar candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.  The cartoons offer insights the early fundraising and debates, the first contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, and subsequent primaries and caucuses over the next five months as Clinton and Obama battled for every last delegate.  more


Barack Obama
Deborah Willis and Kevin Merida.  Oct. 28, 2008.  OBAMA: The Historic Campaign in Photographs.  New York: HarperCollins.
"Through 150 striking color photographs, Obama: The Historic Campaign in Photographs charts the road to Barack Obama's nomination as the first African American to lead the presidential ticket of a major party...  This amazing collection of photographs captures the public and private moments of his journey, and offers a unique window into one of the great triumphs in American politics."  A photo historian, curator, and photographer, Deborah Willis is chair and professor of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Department of Photography and Imaging.  Kevin Merida is an associate editor at the Washington Post.


Editors of Life Magazine.  Oct. 7, 2008.  THE AMERICAN JOURNEY OF BARACK OBAMA.  New York: Little, Brown and Company.
[Hachette Book Group USA]
"...Just as LIFE once opened up the glittering Kennedy White House, LIFE now focuses its lens on Barack Obama. The American Journey of Barack Obama covers the candidate from his childhood and adolescence to his time as editor of The Harvard Law Review and his Chicago activist years, culminating with the excitement and fervor of the historic 2008 Democratic National Convention....  In addition to a powerful array of photographs that were taken by many of the country's greatest photographers (and some that were snapped, in the quiet moments, by Obama family members themselves), this book also includes a Foreword by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, an incisive narrative biography and original essays by some of our finest writers, including Gay Talese, Charles Johnson, Melissa Fay Greene, Andrei Codrescu, Fay Weldon, Richard Norton Smith, Bob Greene and several others."

Liz Mundy.  Oct. 7, 2008.  MICHELLE: A Biography.  New York: Simon & Schuster.
"In Michelle, Washington Post writer Liza Mundy paints a revealing and intimate portrait, taking us inside the marriage of the most dynamic couple in politics today. She shows how well they complement each other: Michelle, the highly organized, sometimes intimidating, list-making pragmatist; Barack, the introspective political charmer who won't pick up his socks but shoots for the stars.  ...In this carefully reported biography, drawing upon interviews with more than one hundred people, including one with Michelle herself, Mundy captures the complexity of this remarkable woman and the remarkable life she has lived."

Paul Street.  October 2008.  BARACK OBAMA AND THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN POLITICS.  Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.
"Paul Street was on the ground throughout the Iowa campaign, and his stories of the rising Obama phenomenon are poignant. Yet the author’s background in American political history allows him to explore the deeper meanings of Obama’s remarkable political career
He looks at Obama in relation to contemporary issues of class, race, war, and empire.  He considers Obama in the context of our nation’s political history, with comparisons to FDR, JFK, Bill Clinton, and other leaders.  Street finds that the Obama persona, crafted by campaign consultants and filtered through dominant media trends, masks the 'change' candidate’s adherence to long-prevailing power structures and party doctrines. He shows how American political culture has produced misperceptions by the electorate of Obama’s positions and values.  Obama is no magical exception to the narrow-spectrum electoral system and ideological culture that have done so much to define and limit the American political tradition. Yet the author suggests key ways in which Obama potentially advances democratic transformation..."

Stu Glauberman and Jerry Burris.  September 2008.  THE DREAM BEGINS: How Hawaii Shaped Barack Obama.  Honolulu, HI: Watermark Publishing.
"Authors Glauberman and Burris offer concise lessons in Hawai‘i history to help the reader understand its racial and social climate, and how such an environment could impact a young man like Obama. For, as his wife, Michelle Obama, has said, “You can’t really understand Barack until you understand Hawai‘i.” Interviews with Obama’s Punahou School classmates and teachers, as well as others who knew the Senator in his youth, add a personal dimension to the narrative. Obama’s paternal and maternal family history and his years in Indonesia are also thoroughly covered."


Brad O'Leary.  Sept. 9, 2008.  THE AUDACITY OF DECEIT: Barack Obama's War on American ValuesWND Books.
"You will be shocked to learn what lies beneath the well-polished rhetoric of this slick orator. Obama speaks vaguely about 'change,' but as this book reveals, Obama's brand of change is a hostile attack on the Judeo-Christian values and freedoms most Americans hold dear.  This isn't 'change you can believe in'—it is change designed to uproot American culture and replace it with the failed, secular, socialist policies of the past."

Staff of Obama for America.  Sept. 9, 2008.  CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN: Barack Obama's Plan to Renew America's Promise.  New York: Three Rivers Press [Crown Publishing imprint; division of Random House].
"In his foreword, Barack Obama will discuss his agenda for change and his views on the importance of this election. Part One of the book will offer bold and specific ideas about how to fix our ailing economy and strengthen the middle class, make healthcare affordable for all, achieve energy independence, and keep America safe in a dangerous world. Part Two of the book will include seven of the key speeches delivered by Obama in the course of this historic campaign..."  more

David Freddoso.  Aug. 4, 2008.  THE CASE AGAINST BARACK OBAMA: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate.  Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing.
"In The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media's Favorite Candidate, investigative reporter David Freddoso removes the gilt from the golden candidate, exposing Obama for who he really is: the #1 most liberal U.S. senator whose policies and inexperience could put our country in serious jeopardy...  David Freddoso covers Capitol Hill for National Review Online, and was previously a political reporter for the Evans-Novak Political Report and Human Events. A graduate of Notre Dame and the Columbia School of Journalism, he lives in Washington, D.C."


Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D..  Aug. 1, 2008.  THE OBAMA NATION: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality.  New York: Threshold Editions [Simon & Schuster imprint].
"In this thoroughly researched and documented book, the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry explains why the extreme leftism of an Obama presidency would leave the United States weakened, diminished and divided, why Obama must be defeated -- and how he can be."  Obama campaign response

Stephen Mansfield.  Aug. 2008.  THE FAITH OF BARACK OBAMA.  Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc..
"In The Faith of Barack Obama, Stephen Mansfield explores Obama's religious faith without political or ideological bias. His basic premise is this: If a man's faith is sincere, then it is the most important thing about him. As a result, it is impossible to understand how Barack Obama will lead without first understanding the religious vision that informs his life."

Pete Souza.  July 2008.  THE RISE OF BARACK OBAMA.  Chicago, IL: Triumph Books.
"Award-winning photojournalist, Pete Souza, documents the meteoric rise of the charismatic Barack Obama from his first day in the U.S. Senate right up to the Pennsylvania presidential primary. More than 80% of these candid and stunning photographs capturing private and political moments have not been seen before. Souza provides extended commentary about each photo to place it in context, and describe the scene and participants. Photo-by-photo the viewer is allowed to examine the senator and candidate’s path to the very cusp of history."

Shelby Steele.  Dec. 4, 2007.  A BOUND MAN: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win.  New York: Free Press [Simon & Schuster imprint].
"In Shelby Steele's beautifully wrought and thoughtprovoking new book, A Bound Man, the award-winning and bestselling author of The Content of Our Character attests that Senator Barack Obama's groundbreaking quest for the highest office in the land is fast becoming a galvanizing occasion beyond mere presidential politics, one that is forcing a national dialogue on the current state of race relations in America...  Steele maintains that Senator Obama is too constrained by these elaborate politics to find his own true political voice. Obama has the temperament, intelligence, and background -- an interracial family, a sterling education -- to guide America beyond the exhausted racial politics that now prevail. And yet he is a Promethean figure, a bound man."

David Mendell.  Aug. 14, 2007.  OBAMA: From Promise to Power.  New York: Amistad [HarperCollins imprint].
"In this first-of-a-kind, groundbreaking biography, veteran journalist and Obama chronicler David Mendell gives an in-depth, comprehensive portrait of the boy named Barry who took inspiration from his hardworking parents and became the eloquent, suave Obama—a man whose last name has become a catchphrase for hope in a politically jaded society desperate for a new star...   Mendell has covered Obama since the beginning of Obama's campaign for the Senate and as a result enjoys far-reaching access to the new senator. His research includes exclusive interviews with Obama's closest aides, mentors, political adversaries, and family—most notably his extremely charismatic wife, Michelle."

Steve Dougherty.  Feb. 2007.  HOPES AND DREAMS: The Story of Barack Obama.  New York: Black Dog & Leventhal [Workman Publishing Company imprint].
"Written by a leading journalist and filled with more than 100 color photographs, this authoritative and up-to-the-moment new biography provides much-needed perspective on one of the most important figures on the national political stage."

Barack Obama.  Oct. 17, 2006.  THE AUDACITY OF HOPE: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.  New York: Crown Publishing, 2 [Random House].
"...in THE AUDACITY OF HOPE, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the 'endless clash of armies' we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of 'our improbable experiment in democracy.'  He explores those forces–from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media–that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician.  He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment."  

Barack Obama.  July 18, 1995; reissued in Aug. 2004.  DREAMS FROM MY FATHER.  New York: Crown Publishing [Random House].
"Nine years before the Senate campaign that made him one of the most influential and compelling voices in American politics, Barack Obama published this lyrical, unsentimental, and powerfully affecting memoir, which became a #1 New York Times bestseller when it was reissued in 2004. Dreams from My Father tells the story of Obama’s struggle to understand the forces that shaped him as the son of a black African father and white American mother—a struggle that takes him from the American heartland to the ancestral home of his great-aunt in the tiny African village of Alego."



BY OR ABOUT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
















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Sam Brownback
Sen. Sam Brownback with Jim Nelson Black.  Mid-2007. FROM POWER TO PURPOSE: A Remarkable Journey of Faith and Compassion.  Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group [Thomas Nelson].
"...From Power to Purpose is the firsthand account of is remarkable journey: from farm boy to U.S. Senator--and now, 2008 Republican candidate for the White House.  In honest, straightforward prose, he recounts his trials, struggles, and lessons learned on the way to becoming one of our leading voices for bleeding-heart conservatism.  It's a proactive response to some of our country's most vexing problems.  It's a message of hope and fresh ideas for a world that needs both."
 

Rudy Giuliani
Robert Polner, ed.  May 2007 (revised edition).  AMERICA'S MAYOR, AMERICA'S PRESIDENT?: The Strange Career of Rudy Giuliani.  Brooklyn, NY: Soft Skull Press, Inc..
"This book collects the original essays and reporting of some of New York’s most perceptive authors and reporters on leading Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani.  The writers have few illusions about Rudy’s turbulent reign, offering an informative and entertaining corrective to today’s simplistic celebration of 'America’s Mayor.'"

Deborah H. Strober and Gerald S. Strober.  Jan. 2007.  GUILIANI: FLAWED OR FLAWLESS?  The Oral Biography.  Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
"Giuliani presents a living portrait of one of the most prominent and controversial politicians of our era in the words of those who know him best. Featuring more than forty interviews with longtime political associates, teachers, protégées, and friends, as well as his opponents, critics, and other astute political observers, it offers deep and revealing insights into the political and personal evolution of America's most famous ex-mayor."

Wayne Barrett and Dan Collins.  Aug. 22, 2006.  GRAND ILLUSION: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11.  New York: HarperCollins.
"GRAND ILLUSION is the definitive report on Rudy Giuliani's role in 9/11—the true story of what happened that day and the first clear-eyed evaluation of Giuliani's role before, during, and after the disaster."  Barrett is a senior editor at the Village Voice.  He has covered city and state government and politics at the Voice for 28 years, and has written three books: City for Sale (1988); Trump: the Deals and the Downfall (1991); and Rudy! An Investigative Biography (2000).  Collins is a senior producer for CBSNews.com.

Kevin Keating, producer/director. GIULIANI TIME [film].  Opened in New York on May 12, 2006.  Cinema Libre Studio.
"Kevin Keating’s chilling documentary examines Giuliani’s rise to power, his policies and his so-called turnaround of New York City. Interviewing journalists, activists, legal experts, and many of the city’s poor, 'Giuliani Time' reveals that while the Mayor touted his Broken Windows, Quality of Life and Zero Tolerance policies, the reality on the streets was police brutality, violations of the First Amendment and racist actions."
 

Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee.  June 2007 (reissue of 1997 book). CHARACTER IS THE ISSUE.  Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group.
"As lieutenant governor of Arkansas in 1996, he was publicly cast between the ultimate rock and hard place when his boss, governor Jim Guy Tucker, refused to resign despite his felony convictions in the Whitewater scandal.  Holding fast to the tenets of honor and faith, and his concern over what was best for the state's people, Huckabee led the impeachment charge against his superior before a televised audience.  That same day, Tucker resigned, and Huckabee would serve as governor of Arkansas until 2007, winning many national honors along the way...  Character Makes a Difference is Mike Huckabee's biographical account of how he handled that potentially major constitutional crisis and why he believes character is the key issue in everyone's life..."

Mike Huckabee.  Jan. 4, 2007. FROM HOPE TO HIGHER GROUND: 12 Stops to Restoring America's Greatness. Center Street [Time Warner imprint].
"...Governor Huckabee presents his prescription for America in the form of the twelve key things we need to STOP doing in order to become a stronger nation. Covering a range of controversial issues, Huckabee speaks out on: immigration and the shifts in America's job market; the rising financial (and personal) costs of health care issues; the need for music and the arts as part of our children's core education; and the mishandling of taxes."

Mike Huckabee.  May 2005. QUIT DIGGING YOUR GRAVE WITH A KNIFE AND FORKCenter Street [Time Warner imprint].
"Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has walked the long and difficult road from an unhealthy lifestyle to forever fitness, and in QUIT DIGGING YOUR GRAVE WITH A KNIFE AND FORK he will share with you the twelve things he learned to stop doing in order to lose the weight that was severely affecting his health."
 

Mitt Romney
Hugh Hewitt.  March 12, 2007.  A MORMAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE? 10 Things Every American Should Know about Mitt Romney.  Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, Inc..
"The 2008 presidential campaign is under way and Mitt Romney’s star is rising—he’s a Harvard grad, entrepreneur, and conservative family man with a resume that’s political gold.  But there's a fly in the ointment for Mitt Romney: He's Mormon. Will Romney’s religion keep him from becoming our next president?  In his new book, A Mormon in the White House?, renowned radio host and blogger Hugh Hewitt dives deep into Romney’s record, his strengths, his weaknesses—and of course the 'Mormon Problem.'  Hewitt provides an unprecedented window into the extraordinary life of this man who could be our president—and into his devout faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

Mitt Romney.  2007 paperback reissue (originally published Aug. 2004).  TURNAROUND.  Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, Inc..
"In Turnaround, Romney reveals how he tackled the seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing the Salt Lake Winter Games. In Turnaround, you’ll learn how Romney and his management team: eliminated a financial crisis and delivered a profitable Olympic Games;  built a culture of excellence that inspired gold medal performances from the employees; skillfully won the support of government officials, corporate sponsors, local residents, athletes and the international Olympic movement."
 

Tom Tancredo
Tom Tancredo.  June 2006.  IN MORTAL DANGER: The Battle for America's Border and Security.  Medford, OR: WND Books.
"In Mortal Danger" is authored by outspoken Congressman Tom Tancredo, famous for his efforts to reform our immigration policies and secure our borders. He lives up to his reputation of never being afraid to speak his mind in this sure-to-be controversial book...  Without strong, moral leadership, without a renewed sense of purpose, without a rededication to family and community, without shunning the race hustlers and pop-culture sham artists, without protecting our borders, language, and culture, the nation that once was the land of the free and home of the brave" and the "one last hope of mankind will repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the past.  "In Mortal Danger" is his prescription for repairing the damage."
 

Fred Thompson
Steve Gill.  May 2007. THE FRED FACTOR...How Fred Thompson May Change The Face of The '08 Campaign.  Brentwood, TN: Music City News Publishing, Inc.
"In less than 2 months time Fred Thompson exploded onto the scene of the 2008 Presidential Race.  THE FRED FACTOR...How Fred Thompson May Change The Face of The '08 Campaign tracks this amazing political phenonomen in real time and lays out 'what happens next' in dramatic fashion.  Fred Thompson spends time in millions of American homes each week as a star of television's Law & Order.  THE FRED FACTOR...How Fred Thompson May Change The Face of The '08 Campaign reveals the man behind the role, a man who could very well be the next President of the United States."

The Republican Field
Eric M. Appleman, ed.  July 15, 2008.  THE RACE FOR THE 2008 REPUBLICAN NOMINATION: A Book of Editorial Cartoons.  Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co.
This collection, produced in collaboration with the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, offers more than 250 cartoons on the campaign for the 2008 Republican nomination. 
Cartoons by over seventy-five artists illustrate their views on presidential prospects who did not enter the race, second-tier candidates, and the shrinking field and John McCain's surprising rebound from his campaign's July 2007 implosion.  The cartoonists offer insights the early fundraising, debates and the Iowa Straw Poll, the primaries, and McCain's early activities as the presumptive nominee.  more


John McCain
Paul Begala.  Sept. 2008.  THIRD TERM: Why George W. Bush (Hearts) John McCain.  New York: Simon & Schuster.
"In details that will surprise even close followers of the political scene, veteran political strategist Paul Begala thoroughly makes the case that John McCain would be a third term for George W. Bush.  He explodes the myth that John McCain is a maverick, and proves powerfully that he's just four more years of the same old thing."

David Foster Wallace.  June 2008.  McCAIN'S PROMISE: Aboard the Straight Talk Express with John McCain and a Whole Bunch of Actual Reporters, Thinking About HopeNew York: Back Bay Books. [Hachette Book Group USA imprint].
"'Is John McCain "For Real?'  That's the question David Foster Wallace set out to explore when he first climbed aboard Senator McCain's campaign caravan in February 2000...  To get at 'something riveting and unspinnable and true' about John Mccain, Wallace finds he must pierce the smoke screen of spin doctors and media manipulators. And he succeeds-in a characteristically potent blast of journalistic brio that not only captures the lunatic rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign but also delivers a compelling inquiry into John McCain himself: the senator, the POW, the campaign finance reformer, the candidate, the man."

Cliff Schecter.  May 1, 2008.  THE REAL McCAIN: Why Conservatives Don't Trust Him and Why Independents Shouldn'tSausalito, CA: PoliPoint Press.
"Cliff Schecter’s hard-hitting profile explores the gap between the public record of Senator John McCain and his media image. Drawing on a range of sources and adding his unique perspective and humor, Schecter guides the reader though McCain’s long history of expedient flip-flops—especially on his signature issues of national security and campaign finance reform.  Far from a straight-talking maverick, McCain emerges as a temperamental political chameleon who will do or say virtually anything to become president of the United States...Cliff Schecter is a Knight-Ridder columnist, a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, and a frequent guest on PRI, CNN, MSNBC, and many other national media outlets that cover politics."

David Brock and Paul Waldman.  March 25, 2008.  FREE RIDE: John McCain and the Media.  New York: Anchor Books. [Random House imprint].

"David Brock and Paul Waldman show how the media has enabled McCain's rise from the Keating Five scandal to the underdog hero of the 2000 primaries to his roller-coaster run for the 2008 nomination. They illuminate how the press falls for McCain's “straight talk” and how the Arizona senator gets away with inconsistencies and misrepresentations for which the media skewers other politicians. This is a fascinating study of how the media shape the political debate, and an essential book for every political junkie."

Matt Welch.  Oct. 2007. MCCAIN: The Myth of a Maverick.  New York: Palgrave McMillan Ltd..

"As McCain wrenches himself inside-out in pursuit of the prize that eluded him in 2000, McCain will look behind the war hero, behind the maverick reformer. Journalist and pundit Matt Welch brings to this project an investigative eye and a coolly analytical mindset to provide Republicans, Democrats and Independents a picture of the man in full before they enter the voting booth in 2008."  Welch is assistant editorial pages editor of the Los Angeles Times; from 2002-05 he was an associate editor at Reason magazine.  (Initial author was Ryan Sager, New York Post and RealClearPolitics.com columnist and author of The Elephant in the Room).

John McCain with Mark Salter.  Aug. 2007.  HARD CALL: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made ThemTwelve Publishers [Hachette Book Group USA imprint].
"Senator John McCain, one of America’s most inspiring politicians, pays tribute to men and women who have exemplified composure, wisdom, and intellect in the face of life’s toughest decisions...  At some point in our lives, we all face tough decisions and have to make that hard call. In this remarkable book, Senator McCain and Mark Salter use experiences of both extraordinary people and people in extraordinary circumstances to dramatically describe the anatomy of a great decision."

John McCain with Mark Salter.  Oct. 2005.  CHARACTER IS DESTINY: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember.  New York: Random House.
"McCain has been called 'one of the most inspiring public figures of his generation' by The Washington Post. In CHARACTER IS DESTINY, he shows us why, by telling the stories of celebrated historical figures and lesser-known heroes whose values exemplify the best of the human spirit.  He illustrates these qualities with moving stories of triumph against the odds, righteousness in the face of iniquity, hope in adversity, and sacrifices for a cause greater than self-interest."
 
...Sarah Palin
Kaylene Johnson.  Sept. 2, 2008 (reissue).  SARAH: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down.  Kenmore, WA: Epicenter Press.
"Sarah Palin, 42, a hockey mom and former small-town mayor, thought her dream of making a difference in the male-dominated realm of Alaska politics was over when she went head to head with the powerful Republican governor over issues having to do with ethics and openness in government.  Yet, the former prep basketball star could not shake a feeling that she was destined for something bigger.  This is the story about how the biggest political upset in Alaska history propelled Sarah Palin into the governor's office where shed was the youngest and first women to serve in the state's highest office."


Children's Corner

Meghan McCain (author) and Dan Andreasen (illustrator).  Sept. 2, 2008.  MY DAD, JOHN McCAIN.  New York: Aladdin. [Simon & Schuster imprint].
"This picture book biography, written with great love and insight by his oldest daughter, writer Meghan McCain, shows us the public John McCain and the personal John McCain in a way we've never seen before -- making this American hero come to life before young eyes."  Ages 5-10.  (32 pages)


Nikki Grimes (author) and Bryan Collier (illustrator).  Aug. 26, 2008.  BARACK OBAMA: Son of Promise, Child of Hope.  New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

"This is the moving story of an exceptional man, as told by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Bryan Collier, both winners of the Coretta Scott King Award. Barack Obama has motivated Americans to believe with him, to believe that every one of us has the power to change ourselves and change our world."  Ages 5-10.  (48 pages)



FORMER POTENTIAL CANDIDATES

Al Gore
Al Gore.  May 22, 2007. THE ASSAULT ON REASON: How the Politics of Fear, Secrecy, and Blind Faith Subvert Wise Decision Making, Degrade Our Democracy, and Put Our Country and Our World in Peril.  New York: Penguin Press.
"Gore's larger goal in this book is to explain how the public sphere itself has evolved into a place hospitable to reason's enemies, to make us more aware of the forces at work on our own minds, and to lead us to an understanding of what we can do, individually and collectively, to restore the rule of reason and safeguard our future. Drawing on a life's work in politics as well as on the work of experts across a broad range of disciplines, Al Gore has written a farsighted and powerful manifesto for clear thinking."

Davis Guggenheim, director. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH [documentary film].  Paramount Classics.  Released in Los Angeles and New York on May 24, 2006.
"From director Davis Guggenheim comes the Sundance Film Festival hit, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, which offers a passionate and inspirational look at one man's fervent crusade to halt global warming's deadly progress in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it."  Featuring Al Gore, the film is produced by Laurie David, Lawrence Bender and Scott Z. Burns. Jeff Skoll, Davis Guggenheim, Diane Weyermann, Ricky Strauss and Jeff Ivers are the executive producers and the co-producer is Lesley Chilcott.

Al Gore.  May 26, 2006. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH.  Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books.
"Our climate crisis may at times appear to be happening slowly, but in fact it is happening very quickly - and has become a true planetary emergency."



Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich and Terry Maple.  Oct. 2007.  A CONTRACT WITH THE EARTH.  Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
"...Gingrich and Maple argue successfully that environmental stewardship is a mainstream value that transcends partisan politics.  Their thoughtful approaches to our environmental challenges are based on three main premises: environmental leadership is integral to America's role in the world, technologically savvy environmental entrepreneurs can and should be the cornerstone of environmental solutions, and cooperation and incentives must be dramatically increased to achieve workable and broadly supported environmental solutions.  Gingrich and Maple believe that most people—regardless of how they categorize themselves politically—are weary of the legal and political conflicts that prevent individuals and communities from realizing the benefits of environmental conservation.  The foundation of the book—a ten-point Contract with the Earth—promotes ingenuity over rhetoric as the way forward."

Newt Gingrich and Nancy Desmond.  Nov. 2006.  THE ART OF TRANSFORMATION.  Washington, DC: Center for Health Transformation.
"A guide to planning and leading large-scale change, based on the authors’ years of experience in politics, government and business.  Business guru Tom Peters called the book “a masterful text…an original yet pragmatic guide to transformation.”  And Oprah’s Dr. Oz called it 'a brilliant blueprint' and 'a must-read for any leader.'”

Newt Gingrich.  Oct. 2006. REDISCOVERING GOD IN AMERICA.  Franklin, TN: Integrity Publishers.
"What started as a simple walk through Washington, D.C., to view the significant monuments, memorials, and artifacts found in our Nation's capital, began a profound journey of personal discovery and renewal for Newt Gingrich...  Gingrich sounds a clarion call for us to recognize that the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that we hold so dear are inseparable from a sincere and humble acknowledgement that these gifts are only the Creator's to give."

A significantly revised version of WINNING THE FUTURE with four new chapters (July 17, 2006).

Newt Gingrich.  Jan. 2005. WINNING THE FUTURE: A 21st Century Contract with America.  Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, Inc..
"We can create a safer, more prosperous, and healthier America for our children and grandchildren.  How?  By enacting a 21st Century Contract with America."

Gingrich is co-authoring three fiction works set around Pearl Harbor, similar to his Civil War series.
Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen.  May 15, 2007.  PEARL HARBOR: A Novel of December 8th.  New York.  Thomas Dunne Books [St. Martin's Press].






..
Wesley Clark
Wesley K. Clark with Tom Carhart.  September 2007.  A TIME TO LEAD: For Duty, Honor and Country.  New York: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd..
Here, for the first time, General Clark uses his unique life experience—from his difficult youth in segregated Arkansas where he was raised by his poor, widowed mother; through the horror of Vietnam where he was wounded; the post-war rebuilding of national security  and the struggles surrounding the new world order after the Cold War—as a springboard to reveal his vision for America, at home and in the world. General Clark will address issues such as foreign policy, the economy, the environment, education and health care, family, faith, and the American dream.
.
Chuck Hagel
Charlyne Berens.  July 2006.  CHUCK HAGEL: Moving Forward.  Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
"Berens charts Hagel’s quick rise to national recognition and influence and examines the background that has led Hagel to an outspoken internationalism that often puts him at odds with his own party and president.  This complex, plain-spoken Nebraskan may be on his way to the White House. Charlyne Berens explains why and how...  Charlyne Berens is a Professor of Journalism at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln."
.
John Kerry
Sen. John F. Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry.  March 2007.  THIS MOMENT ON EARTH: The New Pioneers on the Environmental Frontier.  New York: PublicAffairs.
"Teresa Heinz Kerry and Senator John Kerry traveled across the country in a national campaign to see at first hand how these issues unite people across party and ideological lines.  From the San Juan Basin to the Gulf of Mexico to the South Bronx, from mothers on Cape Cod to Colorado ranchers, they found a vibrant coalition of people and communities deploying ingenuity, technology, and sheer will power to save the world they know and love."
.
George Pataki
George J. Marlin.  Oct. 2006.  SQUANDERED OPPORTUNITIES: New York's Pataki Years.  South Bend, IN: St. Augustine's Press.
"In this first commentary on the Pataki administration, George Marlin, former Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and New York Conservative Party activist, traces how fiscally, economically, and culturally Governor Pataki sold out to leftist interests.  In SQUANDERED OPPORTUNITIES, Marlin contends that the Pataki Administration did not possess a philosophical compass.  Political expediency overwhelmed any political philosophy, and 'political conscience' and 'political ideals' were mere slogans used to patronize conservatives."
.
Russ Feingold
Sanford Horwitt.  July 2007.  FEINGOLD: A New Democratic Party.  New York: Simon & Schuster.
"Sanford D. Horwitt writes in this timely, compelling independent biography that Russ Feingold "represents the progressive side of the Democratic divide more clearly and authentically than any successful politician on the national stage." ...  Drawing on scores of interviews and historical documents, Horwitt shows that Feingold's authenticity is deeply rooted in the old progressive tradition personified by one of his heroes, Robert M. La Follette, the legendary Wisconsin governor and U.S. senator. "Fighting Bob" and the other great reformers of the Progressive Era placed a high value on honest, efficient government, investment in public education, health and infrastructure, and curbs on corporate power and other wealthy interests in the political process." 
.
Bill Frist
Karyn Frist, ed.  October 2006.  LOVE YOU, DADDY BOY: Daughters Honor the Fathers They Love. Taylor Trade Publishing
"This book honors fathers around the world. From the countryside of Romania, to the fashion industry of New York and Italy, to the farm fields in rural Tennessee and Kentucky, fathers are instrumental in the shaping of our morals and values."   All proceeds will go to Operation Eagle Nest, Childhelp, and Autism Speaks.


 
Condoleezza Rice
Marcus Mabry.  May 2007.  TWICE AS GOOD: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power.  Emmaus, PA: Rodale.
"Who is Condoleezza Rice? In this multilayered portrait, Marcus Mabry penetrates the mysteries surrounding one of the most controversial and fascinating women of our time and explores what price she has paid for her success. While researching this biography, Mabry interviewed her family, friends, and neighbors from her childhood in Birmingham; peers from her years at the University of Denver and Notre Dame; colleagues, allies, and adversaries from Stanford and Washington-and Condoleezza Rice herself."  Rodale, which bills itself as "the largest independent book publisher in the U.S.," announced on February 25, 2005 that it had acquired North American rights to an biography of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by Newsweek Senior Editor and Chief of Correspondents Marcus Mabry. 

from 2005-06...not clear if these projects are proceeding:
-Kathleen Antrim (more), a columnist for the San Francisco and Washington, DC Examiner newspapers, author of the political thriller CAPITAL OFFENSE, a contributor to NewsMax Magazine, and a political commentator, was reported by several source to be working on a biography of Sen. George Allen.

-Sen. Bill Frist was reported to be working on a memoir with Ken Abraham due out in 2007 or early 2008, publisher tbd.
See Bonna de la Cruz.  "Frist plans memoir by '08"  The Tennessean.  June 7, 2006.

-Paul D. Colford reported that Giuliani was working on memoir about his time as a New York prosecutor, scheduled to be published by Miramax Books in Oct. 2007.
See Paul D. Colford.  "Rudy Book on Miramax Slate."  Daily News.  April 6, 2005.
 
 
Copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action