Category Archives: Books

A Look at “He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860” by Jonathan Earle.

Posted on September 6, 2026 by billmanzi

He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860 by Jonathan Earle My rating: 4 of 5 stars There are few American presidents about whom more has been written than Abraham Lincoln, which raises an obvious question whenever … Continue reading →

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A Look at Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan

Posted on August 24, 2026 by billmanzi

Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump by Maggie Haberman My rating: 4 of 5 stars Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, was not a book I could resist. … Continue reading →

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A Look at Cobra II The Invasion of Iraq

Posted on May 3, 2026 by billmanzi

Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq by Michael R. Gordon My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book, due to its length and extraordinary level of operational and strategic detail, will not be for … Continue reading →

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A Look at President Carter: The White House Years by Stuart Eizenstat

Posted on February 7, 2026 by billmanzi

President Carter: The White House Years by Stuart E. Eizenstat My rating: 4 of 5 stars Stuart Eizenstat’s President Carter: The White House Years offers a detailed and reflective insider account of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, written by one of the … Continue reading →

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A Look at “King of Kings” by Scott Anderson

Posted on December 27, 2025 by billmanzi

King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution—A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation by Scott Anderson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Anderson has provided a very important history of the run-up to the fall of the Shah and the … Continue reading →

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A Look at “Stuck” by Yoni Appelbaum

Posted on August 10, 2025 by billmanzi

Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity by Yoni Appelbaum My rating: 5 of 5 stars The third book in what I would characterize as the “Abundance” trilogy. Author Yoni Appelbaum unlike the other … Continue reading →

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A Look at Apple in China by Patrick McGee

Posted on June 22, 2025 by billmanzi

Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company by Patrick McGee My rating: 5 of 5 stars A fairly timely book as well as a very important one as trade and U.S. manufacturing come front and center with … Continue reading →

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A Look at Presidential Command by Peter Rodman

Posted on May 31, 2025 by billmanzi

Presidential Command: Power, Leadership, and the Making of Foreign Policy from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush by Peter W. Rodman My rating: 4 of 5 stars A bit of an older one but a very good read anyway. Rodman, … Continue reading →

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Tony Blair On Leadership

Posted on May 17, 2025 by billmanzi

On Leadership: Lessons for the 21st Century by Tony Blair My rating: 5 of 5 stars Former British Prime Minister, and now man of the world, through the Blair Institute, Tony Blair, has written a book on leadership that is … Continue reading →

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A Look at “Why Nothing Works” by Marc Dunkelman

Posted on May 5, 2025 by billmanzi

Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back by Marc J. Dunkelman My rating: 5 of 5 stars Having just reviewed the Klein/Thompson ”Abundance” time to look at “Why Nothing Works” by Marc Dunkelman, a book that … Continue reading →

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