Annie Jacobsen is an acute observer of the absurdities of the defence industry. In this timely and very lively book, she turns her attention to the issue of nuclear catastrophe. Like movies such as 'Fail Safe', she narrates 'A Scenario', which, while at times stretching credulity, is highly readable. Her writing style is spare and precise, creating a fast-paced narrative that is difficult to put down. The terrible scenes of destruction, and the decisions and reactions that are put in motion by the various 'programs' and 'operational plans' are horribly vivid, and difficult to purge from memory. While I'm sure many experts in nuclear operations and strategy will deny that such a 'Scenario' could ever develop (could a diesel-powered North Korean sub really get to within striking range of the West Coast of the U.S.?), the book is a great contribution to literature on the horrific prospect of nuclear war and the limitations of 'deterrence' in theory and practice.
This is a great new biography of a powerful but terribly flawed figure from 20th century America.
The Taubman brothers (an academic and a journalist) have together produced a compelling picture of Robert S. McNamara, former Harvard Business School academic, Ford Motor Company executive, U.S. Secretary of Defense, and President of the World Bank. McNamara's epic career is narrated in detail in a highly readable, extensive book that is partially based on new sources that have come to light only recently. The Taubmans had access to reams of private correspondence that previous researchers and biographers haven't seen, including, for example, letters from McNamara's mother to his son at college, and Jackie Kennedy's letters to McNamara during his time at the Pentagon. Like a lot of other scholarship, journalism (or indeed documentary film) about McNamara, what emerges is a complex figure, portrayed here as haunted and broken by his moral and practical failures over the Vietnam War. The book tends toward personal and psychological explanations rather than structural; there is a lot here on McNamara's personality and character, and other figures also emerge in fine detail, such as LBJ (who we already know quite a lot) and McNamara's father (about whom we know basically nothing). This is essential reading for those interested in U.S. history, the Vietnam War, or political biographies in general.
Robert S. McNamara was widely considered to be one of the most brilliant men of his generation. While he could be cold and arrogant, he was an invaluable friend to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson and had a deeply moving relationship with Jackie Kennedy. McNamara was the leading advocate for American escalation in Vietnam, even after he concluded that the war was unwinnable.
In McNamara at War, Philip and William Taubman trace McNamara's career from a young faculty member at Harvard Business School and his Second World War service to his leadership of the Ford Motor Company and…
This is a wonderful book about a subject that seems difficult to make interesting; the working lives of people employed by U.S. Government bodies. Michael Lewis, most famous for his exposes of Wall Street, has curated a collection of excellent essays from numerous authors who all write carefully and respectfully about the unknown people who quietly go about the business of running the country. When I say 'running the country', I don't mean Presidents, Governors, or Congressmen. Instead I refer to people like the boss of the National Cemetery Association, or senior archivists protecting historical documents for generations to come. At at time when government and public service is under assault from right-wing 'culture warriors', here we have a really powerful set of essays that portray public sector work as vital in importance and fascinating and unique in nature. A lovely read.
"Perhaps never before has there been a book better timed or more urgent." --Washington PostOne of President Obama's 2025 Summer ReadsAs seen on CBS Mornings, CNN Anderson Cooper, ABC News Live, MSNBC Morning Joe, and many more Who works for the government and why does their work matter? An urgent and absorbing civics lesson from an all-star team of writers and storytellers.The government is a vast, complex system that Americans pay for, rebel against, rely upon, dismiss, and celebrate. It's also our shared resource for addressing the biggest problems of society. And it's made up of people, mostly unrecognized and…
Ambulance services and paramedics perform critical roles in contemporary healthcare economies. Trained to work in the field and respond rapidly to emergencies, societies have come to increasingly rely on ambulance services to deliver urgent care. Never has this need been more acute than in recent years given intense social inequality, overstretched and underfunded health systems, and deadly pandemics.
Leo McCann offers the first book-length study of the paramedic profession in England. Based on in-depth interviews and ethnographic observation, The Paramedic at Work provides a detailed account of the complex realities of work in this fascinating occupation. Chapters explore the nature of work 'out on the road', the peculiarities of ambulance organizational culture, the intensity of workplace stress and burnout, and the current and future trajectory of paramedic professionalism. The book documents the unique paradoxes experienced by those employed in this line of work. Ambulance staff are trained to handle life-threatening trauma and disease, but most callouts consist of unplanned primary care. Paramedic work features wide autonomy but is also bound into an array of micromanaging performance indicators. Paramedics are trusted and respected in society but the profession is poorly understood and employers can be unsupportive. However, no matter how intense the personal struggles can be, paramedic work also offers rare opportunities for meaningful and socially valued work. This book shows that the role and status of the paramedic is rapidly moving from a manual occupation rooted in first aid and transportation, to a clinical profession of increasing scope, versatility, and social respect.
