"A superb analysis of American paranoia . . . a terrific, measured, objective study of one of American culture's most loaded topics." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)Jesse Walker's The United States of Paranoia presents a comprehensive history of conspiracy theories in American culture and politics, from the colonial era to the War on Terror.The fear of intrigue and subversion doesn't exist only on the fringes of society, but has always ...

"A superb analysis of American paranoia . . . a terrific, measured, objective study of one of American culture's most loaded topics." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)Conspiracies have been woven through America's social tapestry since the beginning of its history. The United States of Paranoia is a unique and fascinating look at how these commonly held beliefs—true or not—have helped shape the American cultural imagination. Using examples from ...

Max Strong, a former special forces operator, is a man torn apart by the murder of his wife, a former federal prosecutor, and the framing for the crime that landed him in prison. After newly discovered evidence, and the Pro Bono work of a powerful attorney, leads to his convictions being overturned and his release, his mind is set on seeking justice for his slain wife and getting answers along the way. Taking on a new career as a contractor for Defense Corporation, a provider of private mi...

Explores the alternative radio that refuses to succumb to the big business that monopolizes the airwavesBoring DJs who never shut up, and who don't even pick their own records. The same hits, over and over. A constant stream of annoying commercials. How did radio get so dull?Not by accident, contends journalist and historian Jesse Walker. For decades, government and big business have colluded to monopolize the airwaves, stamping out competition, reducing va...

Increasing population, expanding industry and commerce, and tourism are placing added pressures on an already highly-utilized coastal zone. This book, through a series of case studies, illustrates the variety of changes already made along the coastlines of the world. The examples used are mainly from China, Japan, The Netherlands, and the United States, all countries with extensively engineered shorelines. Modifications emphasized include those associated with protection against coastal er...

This volume is the result of an initiative of the Commission on the Coastal Environment of the International Geographical Union. The initial concept from which the plan has proceeded was presented at the 24th International Geographical Congress in Japan in 1980. AUTHORSHIP AND COVERAGE All of the articles in this volume have been written by specialists familiar with the coastal segment discussed. Nearly all have been prepared by citizens of the country (and, for that matter, even each subr...

This "fantastic revisionist history . . . captures the excitement of the scientific revolution and makes a point of celebrating the advances it ushered in" ( Financial Times).We live in a world transformed by scientific discovery. In The Invention of Science, historian David Wootton reveals why the Scientific Revolution was truly the greatest event in our history. Spanning continents and centuries, Wootton chronicles the factors that led to this cr...

From the author of Boiling Point**,** Overthrow provides a fast-paced narrative history of the coups, revolutions, and invasions by which the United States has toppled fourteen foreign governments —not always to its own benefit"Detailed, passionate and convincing . . . [with] the pace and grip of a good thriller." —Anatol Lieven, The New York Times Book Review"Reg...

"Fascinating and beautiful . . . if only chemistry had been like this at school." —Matt Ridley, New York Times–bestselling author of Genome, in Prospect magazineLike the alphabet, the calendar, or the zodiac, the periodic table of the chemical elements has a permanent place in our imagination. But aside from the handful of common ones (iron, carbon, copper, gold), the elements themselves remain wrapped in mystery. We do not know what most ...

What can we learn about the evolution of jaws from a pair of scissors? How does the flight of a tennis ball help explain how fish overcome drag? What do a spacesuit and a chicken egg have in common? Highlighting the fascinating twists and turns of evolution across more than 540 million years, paleobiologist Matthew Bonnan uses everyday objects to explain the emergence and adaptation of the vertebrate skeleton. What can camera lenses tell us about the eyes of marine reptiles? How does under...

"A delightful exposition of commonly-encountered statistical fallacies and paradoxes and why they matter." —Samuel H. Preston, coauthor of Demography: Measuring and Modeling Population ProcessesAn essential guide to the ways data can improve decision making.Statistics are everywhere: in news reports, at the doctor's office, and in every sort of forecast, from the stock market to the weather. Allen B. Downey knows well that people have an innate abil...

National Book Award Finalist: The "impressive" conclusion to the "magisterial trilogy on the mythology of violence in American history" ( Film Quarterly)."The myth of the Western frontier—which assumes that whites' conquest of Native Americans and the taming of the wilderness were preordained means to a progressive, civilized society—is embedded in our national psyche. U.S. troops called Vietnam 'Indian country.' President John Kennedy invoked 'New Frontier...