a number of the country's leading figures, as well as many ordinary Russians, Jack describes how the former KGB official emerged from the shadows of the Soviet secret police and lowly government jobs to become the most powerful man in Russia. The author shows how Putin has defied domestic and foreign expectations, presiding over a period of strong economic growth, significant restructuring, and rising international prestige. Yet Putin himself remains a man of mystery and contradictions. Personally, he is the opposite of Boris Yeltsin. A former judo champion, he is abstemious, healthy, and energetic, but also evasive, secretive, and cautious. Politically, he has pursued a predominantly pro-western foreign policy and liberal economic reforms, but has pursued a hardline war in Chechnya and introduced tighter controls over parliament and the media and his opponents, moves which are reminiscent of the Soviet era. Through it all, Putin has united Russian society and maintained extraordinarily high popularity. Jack concludes that Putin's "liberal authoritarianism" may be unpalatable to the West, but is probably the best that Russia can do at this point in her history. Inside Putin's Russia digs behind the rumors and speculation, illuminating Putin's character and the changing nature of the Russia he rules. Andrew Jack sheds light on Putin's thinking, style and effectiveness as president. With Putin's second term just beginning, this invaluable book offers important insights for anyone interested in the past, present, and future of Russia.  (less)

Award in recognition of “scholarship of exceptional originality and influence.”/PP class=p4 style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; tab-stops: 29.75pt 38.55pt /PP class=p4 style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; tab-stops: 29.75pt 38.55ptWith the publication of this long-anticipated book, Bormann offers new insights into the development of Ameri­can thought and the related social pro­cesses of intellectual history and small group communication as well as rheto­rical criticism. To accomplish this he studies religious and reform speaking in the United States from the time of the Puritans to the Civil War./PP class=p4 style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; tab-stops: 29.75pt 38.55pt /PP class=p4 style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0in; tab-stops: 29.75pt 38.55ptNot attempting to survey all of the varied practices of preaching and reform speaking, he isolates, describes, and criti­cizes one rhetorical tradition, starting with the Puritan sermon and moving through the emergence of revivalism to the rise of the antislavery reform efforts and culminating in the speeches of Abra­ham Lincoln. He thereby presents for the first time an integrated and structured account of one rhetorical tradition in this country. Of perhaps equal interest to rhetorical critics are Bormann’s research procedures as he presents the first book-length study to utilize fantasy theme analysis./P/DIV/DIV/DIVDIVDIVP style=MARGIN: 0.75pt 0in“Bormann’s research has been prodigious, and his descriptions are fascinating.  He has located little-known resources and from them is able ?è  (less)

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Dub All Stars with Barrington Levy). Yes, there's jam rock (Gov't Mule). But Hempilation 2 passes the pipe all about. Tracks from funk godfather George Clinton and country patriarch Willie Nelson rub shoulders with contributions from Southern songsmith Vic Chesnutt and folksinger Dar Williams. Revived marijuana faves cast a familiar air to the proceedings, with Spearhead rejuvenating "The Joker," the Freddy Jones Band tackling the old Traffic tune "Light Up or Leave Me Alone," and the Rainmakers tracking down Brewer and Shipley to resurrect their '70s hit "One Toke over the Line." Proceeds from the Hempilation albums go to support the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. --Steven Stolder  (less)