Oscar Arias Sanchez was awarded the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the civil unrest raging in several Central American countries at that time. Then the president of Costa Rica, Sanchez was the main architect of the Esquipulas II Accords, a plan to promote democracy and peace in the region during a time of great turmoil and outside influence in the midst of the cold war. This in-depth biography, which traces Oscar Arias Sanchez's lifetime, his path to the prize, and his continuing efforts to promote progress in his homeland, is an inspirational tale that shows how hope and...

Third parties exist on the very edge of mainstream politics. They enter candidates in elections they cannot hope to win. They champion issues the major parties are sometimes reluctant to touch. But third parties serve America well, for they are often the voice of change and the front-runners of progress. Beginning with the Tertium Quids in 1806 and continuing to today's Green Party, this book chronicles third parties and their increasing visibility in the American political system.

The second black man to be appointed to the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas has achieved what few people - no matter their race - can aspire to. To get there, Thomas had to endure years of struggle, starting with his upbringing in rural Georgia. Though he faced racial discrimination and poverty, his demanding grandfather taught him that hard work, self-discipline, and self-reliance could help him survive. Indeed, Thomas went on to seminary school and then to Yale School of Law, where he was one of only a few black students. While working at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment...