In this lively collection of essays, 12 leading politicians and commentators debate whether the Australian Labor Party can win the 2007 elections. Though accused of having a "poisonous opportunistic culture," the Labor Party now holds power in eight of Australia's nine governments, lacking a majority only in the all-important Commonwealth government. Assessing this possibly favorable position, some of the contributors predict a permanent political realignment in which incumbent governments face weak oppositions, offering no real alternative at elections; others believe the Labor Party can be...

Probing the psyche of the American people, this extended essay examines how the country’ s mindset has changed during the tumultuous presidency of George W. Bush. The investigation draws on individual experiences as well as factual reporting, melding the personal and the political to capture the real mood of a powerful nation. Full of bold insights and brash honesty, this revealing study presents Americans as worried and disillusioned, artfully illustrating their struggles against a new wave of political pessimism.

A celebration of the love that developed between a dog and his human friend.