The Complete Idiot's Guide to American Government, Second Edition

Book Description

The most up-to-date general reference book on the history and structure of U.S. government.

This overview of all the governmentÂ's major institutions and agencies, the election process, and the creation and passing of laws and taxes has been updated with the latest information on such important issues as campaign finance reform, fundraising, and homeland security.

Â• Completely updated resource section includes the latest government websites
Â• The only American government book to include the results of the 2004 presidential election
Â• Re-structured to complement high school and college political science/civics courses

Customer Reviews:

It makes watching CNN more interesting now........2007-01-23

I've never had any interest in politics and government. But now, as an adult it is virtually impossible to escape it. Whether it means holding an intelligent conversation or stepping into the voting booth I've realized that it is so important to understand how our system works in order to understand the information thrown at us and make informed decisions.
This book really helped me get there. Now, when I watch CNN I actually understand what I'm hearing. I'm also more comfortable with my political affiliation. A friend of mine is very informed on the subject and I have always admired his level of intelligence. Part of my reason for buying this book was to increase my ability to have an informed and unbiased discussion on today's most important topics.
I would recommend this book to any high-school student studying American government or any adult feeling they want to understand our system better. The amount of information in the book is huge!! Don't try to memorize anything but the fundamentals. Other than that, either read through it, retain what you can, and keep it around as reference.

Excellent.......2007-01-09

The book was a little more worn that I expected, but still in good condition, especially for the price I paid for it. Very quick shipping, thanks a bunch!

What's the next step down from idiot?.......2006-12-27

If an idiot's guide is hard to follow, what's the next step down? I found the format to be too 'busy' to follow easily, lots of information and small print. I'm not sure what could make it better, so I'm putting the blame on myself rather than the author or publisher.

Great overview, quick read.......2005-09-06

Easy reading on the plane to immediately get smart on how the American government and the different branches work.

A reader.......2004-05-27

I used it as a secondary source in preparing for the CLEP in American Government. I found Cliffs QuickReview of American Government to contain the same information but much more concisely. If you want additional interesting tidbits concerning government then the Idiot's book is for you. However, if you are looking for a prep book for the CLEP exam then get the Cliffs book.

Book Description

While there arey a number of overviews of the 41 Presidents of the United States published for the juvenile market, few adult books provide a basic look at each man and his presidency, the context of his time and the major events that shaped him. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to American Presidents" does just that. You'll learn about each president with the aid of timelines, photographs, trivia and other details.

Customer Reviews:

Good material.......2006-01-12

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because the presidents are not listed chronilogically. They are grouped together as "Legends" or "Heavyweights" etc. It was sometimes difficult to remember what tariff did what or what law hurt who's presidency if it's not listed in order and you keep having to go back and check. If you can get around that timeline thing than this book is very good for giving great info.

Fun and Informative.......2005-09-21

This is an excellent source for information about the men who have served as Chief-Executive. Some of it is obscure, hence, it makes the subject matter entertaining.

Minimalist account of each president.......2003-02-18

The problem with this book is that if one is not somewhat familiar with U.S. history, there will no framework on which to hang the few actions and events that occurred on each president's watch. And the organization of the book contributes to that problem, because the presidents are not presented chronologically. The continuity of events across presidencies gets lost in this book.

The presidents are discussed in five tiers, from the "undisputed champions" to the "tomoto cans." In other words, they are ranked from the best to the worst. After the top tier, there is definitely room to quibble with the ratings. The author is rather vague as to the selection process. As a side note, for this reader what is especially noticeable in this journey through the presidents is the remarkably few really top notch presidents we have had. Most have been rather mediocre.

Contributing to the narrative disorganization of the book is the author's scattering of snippets of presidential facts in boxes on each page that are not necessarily connected to the main text. In addition, despite the modest amount of information that is actually presented in the book, there are several errors in facts and dates and in some cases there is an absence of dates.

For a quick read that will yield a few basic facts, this book will serve that purpose. Beyond that, the book's utility is doubtful.

Interesting synopsis of Presidents' lives.......2002-06-02

This is a very interesting book if you're wanting an overview of Presidential History. It covers the highlights of each president, but of course in about 400 pages, it's simply impossible to go very deep.

The book is arranged, not in chronological order, but in descending order of each president's success in office, as judged by the author, of course. I probably would have preferred a chronological discussion, for the simple reason that it would be easier to view each biographical sketch in it's larger context.

But again, overall it's a good read. I'd suggest it for anyone who is interested in American Presidential History but doesn't want to read multiple books to get the overview he wants.

Great for adults and kids!.......2000-07-24

I bought this for my son's school report on presidents and got hooked myself. This is a fantastic book. Filled with all the facts and information you need to know, but fun to read. Don't take the Idiot's title literally. This is for anyone who wants or needs to know anything there is to know about our greatest, worst, and most mediocre presidents.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Confederacy

Average customer rating:

One Of The Best
Hey, How 'Bout Them Rebs?
Made History as Painless as Possible
A Pleasure to Read
The Best Book on the Subject

The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Confederacy
Stephen J. Lang , and J. Stephen Lang
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Renaissance | World | History | Subjects | Books

Constitutions | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Civil War, 2nd Edition (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

ASIN: 0028643836

Customer Reviews:

One Of The Best.......2006-04-02

This book not only dispels most of the myths surrounding The War for Southern Independence (Civil War is actually incorrect) but is also an entertaining read. I highly recommend that those who know nothing but the propaganda put out by the North after the War and what is being taught today as the "truth" is only the victor's side of the story. This book provides an excellent balance for the reader to make up his or her mind and paves the way for more serious reading, such as the books by the Kennedy brothers (no, not John and Robert!).

Learn the truth about slavery, the plight of the middle and lower class Southern farmer and how Sherman (who exhibited sociopathic and sadist personality traits) devastated innocent people and their land so harshly that many areas have still not recovered.

If you want to be a fair-minded person, give this book a go and then question what you have been taught. There is a reason why Southern Generals, especially Lee, are still revered to this day even by their opponents and get a glimpse of the true love of family and soil that Southerners, black and white, possess to this day.

Another rebel yell.....

Hey, How 'Bout Them Rebs?.......2003-01-20

It's about time someone gave us a really good look at Southern civilians during the Civil War, and this book does a better job than anything else I've read. It does look at the battles and the famous leaders, but even better it shows how the war years and afterward affected the common folk. There's also a really good chapter on the life of the average Southern soldier, the thousands of nameless Johnny Rebs. The chapter on the Confederate navy was welcome, and so was a chapter on Southern politics during the war. As a South Carolina boy, I give this a thumbs up and a good hearty Rebel yell too.

Made History as Painless as Possible.......2002-12-30

I am a Civil War re-enactor but admit I don't really like to READ history that much. But I did enjoy this a lot (got it as a Christmas gift) and recommend it. The background about all the politics and social issues leading up to the war was very helpful, gave me a new perspective on the roots of the war and secession. I knew a fair amount about some of the Confederate generals but wasn't too well versed in the politicians, so this book was an education. While I found a few minor errors in the index (not a big deal), the book was overall very thorough and well researched. The little boxed items scattered through the book (the "RebeLingo" items) were amusing and helpful. The author even had a section on us re-enactors, so I give him an extra star just for that!

A Pleasure to Read.......2002-12-09

I admit I only read books for pleasure. If a book bores me, I put it down. This was a pleasure to read, because I think the author knows what holds a reader's interest. Things that could have been really boring, like politics and the slavery issue and international relations, were made to hold my interest. I think this was a case where the material must have been close to the author's heart. I've enjoyed all the books in The Complete Idiots series, all are easy to understand. I hope they will do more historical books like this one on the Confederacy.

The Best Book on the Subject.......2002-11-13

I can't imagine a more pleasant way to learn about the Confederacy, and the Civil War, than this book. The book begins with a section on all the issues leading up to the war, and he gives a broad and fascinating picture of Southern society. In later chapters he presents that society suffering through the privation of the war years. I liked the fact that he concentrates on the civilians just as much as the great military leaders like Lee and Jackson. He also gives some needed attention to the politicians, especially the president Jefferson Davis and the obstructionist vice-president Alex Stephens. The book could use a few more illustrations, but the text is nicely broken up with a lot of "boxed items," like the "RebeLingo" boxes that define terms, and the "Did Y'all Know?" boxes with their trivia tidbits. I guess my favorite chapter was the end, which looks at the "neo-Confederates" of today and why the old South still fascinates people.

Average customer rating:

Informative
Informative
Pretty good book

Complete Idiot's Guide to the Kennedys
Strauss
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0028638816

Customer Reviews:

Informative.......2006-08-30

On the whole I found this book to be a very informative guide to the Kennedy family.

Cronologically it details the major events and people that helped shape the Kennedy family from Bridget and Patrick Kennedy in the mid 1850's to the current generation of Kennedys as well as some of the people that married into the family such as Jackie Kennedy and Rose Kennedy's father John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald.

If you don't know too much about the Kennedy Family I would recommend this book, but if you are like me and know somewhat about the family the things in the book are nothing knew. Also a word to the wise the family tree in the back is wrong. They list Patrick and Bridget Kennedy as Joseph P. Kennedy's parents which is not true (they were his grandparents)

Informative.......2002-03-08

I bought this book for my interest in the Kennedy family. I really didn't understand why they were so popular and what made the Kennedy name so famous. I learned about JFK in history and knew the faces but not the real stories behind this famous family. I bought this out of curiousity and I can frankly say that it has enlightened me. I now know "who is who" and "who married who" and why JFK was the one "picked" to run for president. I wish the book would have delve into Jackie's life a bit more, but overall you get a very good picture of the men and women of the Kennedy name. And I guess I knew JFK was a player, but, oh my! I didn't realize the list was so long. I would recommend it if you are on the same level as I am about this subject. I had heard the rumors, the stories...this book just puts it all in order to make sense of it.

Pretty good book.......2000-01-15

Aside from a few mistakes in the research for this book, it is a pretty solid look at this interesting family. I wish there had been a more substantial bibliography and a film listing, such as is found in the British Royalty book in this series. If you are interested in the Kennedys, buy this book.

The Complete Idiot's Guide To American Government

Average customer rating:

The Complete Idiot's Guide To American Government
Mary & Melanie Fonder Shaffrey
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8R4Y8

Average customer rating:

How Dinosaurs Took Flight

Radical, but Rare

How Dinosaurs Took Flight: The Fossils, the Science, What We Think We Know, and Mysteries Yet Unsolved (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))
Christopher Sloan
Manufacturer: National Geographic Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Nonfiction | Dinosaurs | Animals | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Fossils | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Science & Technology | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

World History Biographies: Galileo: The Genius Who Faced the Inquisition (NG World History Biographies)

Outside and Inside Mummies (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))

Guinea Pig Scientists: Bold Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))

Bone Detective: The Story of Forensic Anthropologist Diane France (Women's Adventures in Science)

The Elements

ASIN: 0792272986
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Book Description

How did dinosaurs get feathers? How did they start flying? What use were feathers to dinosaurs that didn't fly? Chris Sloan's 2000 book Feathered Dinosaurs introduced kids to the radical idea that some dinosaurs had feathers and that birds are, in fact, a subset of dinosaurs. In How Dinosaurs Took Flight, Sloan returns to these ancient feathered creatures to introduce kids to the fascinating new finds—including a Tyrannosaur with feathers and a dinosaur with not just two but four wings. The author focuses on the tough new questions scientists are asking right now, the evidence they've gathered, the hypotheses that are developing from the evidence, and the unknowns that remain. This book will be the most up-to-date children's book on this topic on the market.

Customer Reviews:

How Dinosaurs Took Flight.......2007-03-29

This book is filled with great pictures and it is very informative. The author did a wonderful job explaining the differences between avian and nonavian dinosaurs. The hypotheses throughout the book are followed by the evidence that has been found on that topic. It's great reading for aboout 4th grade through adult, and nice for reading with your child also.

Radical, but Rare.......2006-02-22

This slim (64 pages) volume carries a hefty price tag, but at this point it's worth it, because there isn't a lot on the market covering the dinosaurs-with-feathers subject (so far as I know). Dr. Xu Xing, who wrote the foreward, is a notable character in the unfolding drama of feathered fossils being found in China.

I consider this book a bit radical in that it runs with the theory of dinosaurs being birds (or was it vice versa?), calling them all dinosaurs: nonavian dinosaurs for the "dinosaurs" and avian dinosaurs for the "birds." It is written in a fairly simple and straightforward manner; I think it is a YA title although I mostly bought it for myself (as a parent having just taken the kids to see the James Gurney's Dinotopia exhibit and activites at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA). I think one might want to read it with a child, so that, for example, a younger reader might not end up being teased for insisting that birds are dinosaurs. The theory is out there, it's current, but it's not completely validated yet. I would like to see more well illustrated books on the subject, but this one is a great start.

The Bird Flu Handbook: What Is Avian Influenza, And What Do We Need To Know To Be Prepared For A Pandemic?

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The Bird Flu Handbook: What Is Avian Influenza, And What Do We Need To Know To Be Prepared For A Pandemic?
Manoj Kunda
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 141165899X

Book Description

Written in a convenient, concise, and easy to read format, The Bird Flu Handbook is an excellent resource guide that provides extremely valuable and up to date information concerning one of the most serious issues in the global news today.Avian Influenza, or Bird Flu, and the impending threat of a worldwide pandemic that could cost millions of lives and cripple the global economy. The Bird Flu Handbook was compiled using extensive current information and research obtained from many of the U.S. Government Agencies that have had significant experience in dealing with viruses, pandemics, and similar crisis issues and, therefore, are able to inform us of what we need to know to prepare ourselves. Anyone who has read the newspapers, or watches the news, and wants to learn more about this potential crisis will find The Bird Flu Handbook to be an extremely valuable resource.

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The true book of birds we know
Margaret Friskey
Manufacturer: American Printing House for the Blind
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007HSKL2

Average customer rating:

Birds We Know (A New True Book)
Margaret Friskey
Manufacturer: Childrens Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

Zoology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0516016091

Animal Story Book, Comprised of Animal Story Book, Birds We Know, Our Pets, and Little Wild Animals

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Animal Story Book, Comprised of Animal Story Book, Birds We Know, Our Pets, and Little Wild Animals
Diana Thorne, Fern Bisel Peat and Others Illustrated By Victor G. Becker
Manufacturer: Saalfield Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QXJX2C

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Bird Flu: What We Need to Know
A. A. Avlicino
Manufacturer: Heritage House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Disorders & Diseases | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Already available in Turkey, China, France, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Great Britain and around the globe, Bird Flu: What We Need to Know is a must-read for:

• anyone who has had any kind of flu and doesn't want to get sick again
• anyone who is worried about ongoing reports of avian flu
• anyone who wants to be prepared, just in case.

Bird flu. It's in the news every day, and whenever it's mentioned, so is the word "deadly." Experts say it's only a matter of time before the virus mutates so that it can spread from person to person. Some 50 million people died of the Spanish flu in 1918; in this age of global travel, the next pandemic could be far worse.

In Bird Flu: What We Need to Know, science writer A.A. Avlicino looks not only at the virus and how it spreads, but also at the preventive measures you can take to avoid getting it—or any virus. For example:

• Wash your hands frequently and well
• Install a shoe dip on your doorstep
• Use UV light to disinfect rooms and surfaces
• Don't share dishes, cutlery, towels or bedding

Average customer rating:
The Bird Watcher's Guide to Telephone Characters We All Know...
Copyright Enterprise Publications
Manufacturer: Enterprise Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Pamphlet

Nonfiction | Subjects | Books | Audiobooks | Automotive | Books on CD | Books on Cassette | Crime & Criminals | Current Events | Economics | Education | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Government | Holidays | Law | Philosophy | Politics | Social Sciences | Transportation | True Accounts | Urban Planning & Development | Women's Studies
ASIN: B000MW20TA

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Birds We Know
Friskey
Manufacturer: Childrens Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JE0Q0Q

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Birds We Know
Ray Gleason
Manufacturer: Whitman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1KU1S

Average customer rating:
BIRDS WE KNOW
Various
Manufacturer: Ohio: Saalfield Pub. Co. 1943
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000V19X1K

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