The World's Best Book Summaries
What shook Jimmy Carter’s faith early in his political career? What did he do in response? For Jimmy Carter, religion is a guiding light in life. In his biography of Jimmy Carter, Jonathan Alter describes the former president as a devout Christian with a complicated history regarding civil rights and a legacy of selfless humanitarian work. Continue reading to learn about the role of faith at various points in Carter’s life and career.
What was Jimmy Carter’s campaign strategy when he ran for president? Why was it effective? In His Very Best, biographer Jonathan Alter presents a fresh perspective on Jimmy Carter’s life and career. One major chapter in Carter’s story is his successful run for president in 1976. Keep reading to learn about Jimmy Carter’s campaign strategy and how it succeeded.
Why did Iran take American hostages in 1979? Why did it take so long to free them? What should President Carter have done differently? Biographer Jonathan Alter can’t ignore the crisis that defined much of the presidency of Jimmy Carter—the Iran hostage crisis. Alter details the road to the crisis, Carter’s resistance to using military force, and the final push to free the hostages just as Carter’s presidency came to its end. Read on to learn about this dark chapter in American history.
What were Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy successes? What personal principles undergirded his global approach? On the global stage, Jimmy Carter distinguished himself as a president who would eschew the use of military strength except as a last resort. Instead, he prioritized maintaining and promoting peace at any cost, including political damage to himself. Read more to learn about the key successes and failures of Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy.
How did Jimmy Carter’s political career start? What are some of the defining moments that shaped his career and formed his legacy? Biographer Jonathan Alter takes us on a journey through Jimmy Carter’s political career that starts well before his presidency. Alter discusses what drew Carter to politics in the first place, and he describes the various stops on the winding road that ended at the White House. Read more to learn about Carter’s career from the Georgia State Senate to the US presidency.
Do you think of Jimmy Carter more as a president or as a humanitarian? What does he believe is the first step to improving human rights? Why was the Carter Center downgraded from its status as a charity recipient? Jimmy Carter isn’t remembered as a great president, but he’s come to be revered for his work as a humanitarian. Biographer Jonathan Alter writes about this man who, for decades, refused to let his advancing years slow him down. Keep reading to learn about Jimmy Carter’s humanitarian work that has made him a beloved figure all over the world.
How did Jimmy Carter reshape the role of the vice president? Why was the Department of Energy created? What are the highs and lows of Carter’s foreign policy? Supporters of Jimmy Carter would probably rather talk about his post-presidential years than his time in the White House. However, biographer Jonathan Alter thinks the Carter Administration deserves another look. While mistakes were made, Alter believes Carter’s achievements should be acknowledged. Continue reading for Alter’s assessment of Jimmy Carter’s presidency.
How did China’s policies change when Xi Jinping came to power? What’s Xi’s vision for China? According to Australian diplomat Kevin Rudd, Xi Jinping has serious goals in mind for China. They include maintaining the power of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), unifying what they perceive as their territory, and increasing their global influence. Keep reading to learn about each of these priorities and the strategies that Xi is using to achieve them.
How did Shelly Knotek abuse her daughters? How did the young victims escape the horrific abuse? If You Tell by Gregg Olsen explores the various ways in which Shelly Knotek abused her victims along with her husband Dave’s help. Her first victims were her three daughters—Nikki, Sami, and Tori—and it took them years to finally get the help they needed to escape. Keep reading to learn what Shelly Knotek’s daughters had to endure during their childhood.
What happened to Shelly Knotek’s friend Ron Woodworth? What injuries led to his death? As a friend of Shelly Knotek, Ron Woodworth came to live with her and her family in 2001. But, problems arose when he started to fall into the same cycle of abuse as Shelly’s former victims did. Keep reading to learn how Ron became a victim of Shelly’s abuse.