Where the Evidence Leads: An Autobiography

Book Description

Perhaps best known as the attorney general who returned respectability to the office in the late 1980s, Dick Thornburgh has been a key participant in and observer of American political and legal life for more than three decades. In Where the Evidence Leads he candidly reveals the joys, frustrations, mistakes, and accomplishments of his career in public service.

In 1964, frustrated that the radical right threatened to take over the Republican Party-to its detriment-Thornburgh, then a lawyer in downtown Pittsburgh, began complaining to anyone who would listen about the problems with the GOP. When finally challenged to do something about it, he set out on a course that would ultimately take him to the highest corridors of power in the United States.

As a federal prosecutor, Thornburgh quickly became known as a racket-buster, diligently fighting organized crime and official corruption. Using the same no-nonsense approach, he describes, in direct, honest prose, his own rise through the Republican ranks. The only member of his party to have been elected to two successive terms as governor of Pennsylvania, he reveals the details of a political campaign that few expected him to win. After leaving that office in 1987, his sterling reputation led to the directorship of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Shortly thereafter President Reagan asked him to join his cabinet, replacing outgoing Attorney General Ed Meese.

Thornburgh's calm, cool-headed response to the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, occurring mere weeks after his gubernatorial inauguration, is still held up as a model of emergency management. His ability to objectively analyze situations pervades Where the Evidence Leads, whether describing his early missteps in helping to fill positions in the Justice Department under President Bush, or the grudging admiration he exhibits toward his opponent's campaign managers James Carville and Paul Begala during his failed bid for the late H. John Heinz III's seat in the U.S. Senate.

In these pages he also reveals the playful side of his personality, long known to friends and colleagues, but often hidden from the public: his raucous, Louis Armstrong-like rendition of "Mack the Knife" at a retreat for members of his law firm; his delight in the humor (and hard work) of his first campaign, where he taught voters how to remember his name in a region rife with alternate spellings with the slogan "Thornburgh as in Pittsburgh;" the simply joys received from his lifelong love of baseball.

In fact, the Pittsburgh Pirates' dramatic pennant race and 1960 World Series win would prove to be a sustaining force during the darkest moment of Thornburgh's life, for it was in that summer that his first wife was killed and his then-infant son, Peter, was grievously injured in an automobile accident. He never shies away from revealing the painful details of this ordeal, nor the religious and familial sources of his strength during those days. Nor does he fail to recount the personal struggles he and his present wife faced in fighting for equal rights and opportunities for Peter, culminating in his effective advocacy to help enact the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A strong proponent of civil rights and racial equality; a tireless spokesman for the GOP tenets of the individual, the free-enterprise system, fiscal responsibility, strong state and local governments, and a combination of toughness and compassion at home and abroad; a strict adherent to the overriding importance of the rule of law; these are but some of the ways Dick Thornburgh defines himself and his life in Where the Evidence Leads.

Customer Reviews:

Autobiography of a Leading Legal and Political Leader.......2003-12-06

As the title of this autobiography suggests, and the pages that follow confirm, this is the story of Dick Thornburgh, who has a strong and lengthy legal career. That this legal career was interrupted by eight years of service as Governor almost would appear a diversion from someone who rose from the Board of Directors of his local ACLU to be a United States Attorney and ultimately U.S. Attorney General. Yet, as the book informs, Dick Thornburgh was definitely a politician who successfully balanced switching between political and legal careers.
It was Dick Thornburgh's poltical work that caught the attention of Republican Party leader Elsie Hillman that led her to successfully push the political buttons to get Thornbugh the position of U.S. Attorney. Thornburgh had earlier worked in a Senate campaign and run a losing race for Congress. Although his preparation for the job was lacking, as Thornburgh admits his initial reaction was "What does a U.S. Attorney do?", Thornburgh had a distinguished career as a federal prosecutor. He went after organized crime figures and public corruption, although his zeal fadedat times, as when he refused a request by Arlen Specter to investigate some fellow Republicans on allegal illegal campaign payments.
A weakness of the book is it lacks depth of analysis in explaining how he chose many of his policies as Governor. The book excels in describing the Three Mile Island crisis. Here, the book is descriptive and reflective and leaves readers with useful advice on crisis management. Readers of legal history and Pennsylvania politics will find this an important book to examine.

An outstanding public servant.......2003-09-24

This book describes in fascinating detail the political life and governmental experience of a man who has held numerous offices. Dick's life has included tragedy and triumph, and Dick holds no punches in describing all significant events. The book is well written, candid, insightful, honest and interesting. Regardless of your political party or your politics, it is must reading.

Book Description

With No Man's River, Farley Mowat has penned his best Arctic tale in years. This book chronicles his life among Metis trappers and native people as they struggle to eke out a living in a brutal environment.

In the spring of 1947, putting the death and devastation of WWII behind him, Mowat joined a scientific expedition. In the remote reaches of Manitoba, he witnessed an Eskimo population ravaged by starvation and disease brought about by the white man. In his efforts to provide the natives with some of the assistance that the government failed to provide, Mowat set out on an arduous journey that collided with one of nature's most arresting phenomena—the migration of the Arctic's caribou herds. Mowat was based at Windy Post with a Metis trapper and two Ihalmiut children. A young girl, known as Rita, is painted with special vividness—checking the trap lines with the men, riding atop a sled, smoking a tiny pipe. Farley returns to the North two decades later and discovers the tragic fate that befell her. Combining his exquisite portraits with awe-inspiring passages on the power of nature, No Man's River is another riveting memoir from one of North America's most beloved writers.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing, as always.......2005-09-16

No matter how many books he writes, Farley Mowat continues to amaze his fans. His non-fiction is never dry or uninspiring, though he's a talented fiction writer as well, and this faithful reader of his work is certainly not disappointed. Thank you again, Mr. Mowat for your great writing. It is truly appreciated!
Chrissy K. McVay

A priceless look into a word that is probably gone forever........2005-08-23

A book I could not put down. It is a well written insight into a world that none of us will ever experience. Mr. Mowat is a great story teller and a national treasure. Anyone who is interested in the least about people and lands of the north must read this book.

Another outstanding book by Farley Mowat.......2005-01-28

Farley Mowat has been one of my favorite authors since I was in 6th grade in the early 1960s. I ordered a copy of "Two Against the North" from the Arrow Book Club and read it over and over. The story of two boys from different cultures trying to survive winter in the barrens was riveting to me, a gal firmly stuck in the suburbs. Mowat's descriptions of glacial landforms in that book remained with me and were recalled with every earth science and geology lesson I ever took. (The book can be found in some libraries under the title "Lost in the Barrens"--a great read for a middle schooler curious about the world outside familiar places.) Part of what I loved about No Man's River was that the journeys described were clearly the basis for many aspects of "Lost in the Barrens"--kind of like an echo of an old favorite. Mowat is the consummate story teller--reading his books makes you want to sit around a campfire with him for several hours hearing spin his yarns. One of my favorite quotes comes from him--"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story." No Man's River has jaw-dropping adventure as well as thought provoking commentary on the clash of vastly different cultures. Enjoy!

Tough Guy in a Tough Land.......2004-09-03

Readers can count this book as one more captivating true tale of Canada's far north, told by its best-read authority. The young Farley Mowat, returning disillusioned from the War in 1947 and thinking to become a biologist, joined with a taxonomist on a collecting "scientific" expedition into the Barren Lands of Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The headstrong 26 year old was improbably paired up with a disciplined naturalist of the old school, who killed and skinned every animal he could shoot, poison or trap. After a while, Farley, having seen enough killing in the war, became disillusioned with this approach to appreciating the wonders of nature, and deserted his post in favor of exploring the largely uninhabited territory in the company of an Indian half-breed, Charles Schweder. His real desire was to contact the "People of the Deer," the Imhalmiut. These people came to be idealized in Farley's mind as a people "uncontaminated with the murderous aberrations of civilized man."

Mowat gives a clear picture of the hardships encountered by the few inhabitants of this harsh landscape. By the time of the expedition, the Imhalmiut had dwindled to only a few scattered bands, having been nearly wiped out in a succession of epidemics. Farley tells of the well-intended but sporadic and largely ineffectual aid given to them by the Canadian government and its minions, and how Schweder had been traumatized by his experience in a partially successful rescue attempt he had made the year previous. His rescue of a six year old replacement for his child bride, dead of starvation, presents the reader (and Mowat) with a thought- provoking moral dilemma. So much for the myth of the noble savage...

For me, though, the message of the book was how uncaring and ruthless "Mother Nature" really is, and how down and dirty a bare-handed struggle it is. He, Thoreau-like, at one point meticulously gives a complete list of the things they chose to carry on their epic trip down an unmapped river system: guns and ammo, flour, sugar, baking soda, canned food, gasoline and oil for their outboard motor, tarps and tents. Even with all these products of Western technology, their trip was hair-raising and nearly disastrous. And the bugs!

For such a rough subject, this turns out to be an engrossing tale and hard to put down. On the other hand, the map requires a magnifying glass to read and there are no illustrations. I really appreciated, though, the last chapter, in which he follows up on the fate of the characters he encountered, giving the reader some "closure" as it is disgustingly called these days.

I found it a little curious, though, that Mowat felt the need to apologize in a postscript for his use of some now politically incorrect words, such as Indian, half-breed, and Eskimo. This is largely a story of the encounters of people with different cultures, of different races, viewed through eyes that are quite a bit more honest than is usually tolerated by the demagogues and girly-men of our sensitive time.

Caetana Says No: Women's Stories from a Brazilian Slave Society (New Approaches to the Americas)

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Caetana Says No: Women's Stories from a Brazilian Slave Society (New Approaches to the Americas)
Sandra Lauderdale Graham
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Renaissance | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0521815320

Book Description

These true and dramatic stories of two nineteenth-century Brazilian women; one young and born a slave, the other old and from an illustrious planter family; show how each in her own way sought to exercise control over her life. The slave woman struggled to avoid an unwanted husband and the woman of privilege assumed a patriarch's role to endow a family of her former slaves with the means for a free life. Sandra Lauderdale Graham casts new light on larger meanings of slave and free, female and male, through these compact histories.

Home on the Ranch Series (Harlequin SuperRomance Series, No. 689, 700 and 743): The Man from Blue River; She Caught the Sheriff; The Truth About Cowboys

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Home on the Ranch Series (Harlequin SuperRomance Series, No. 689, 700 and 743): The Man from Blue River; She Caught the Sheriff; The Truth About Cowboys
Judith; Duquette, Anne Marie; Early, Margot Bowen
Manufacturer: Harlequin Enterprises, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000WWA1DW

The Man from Blue River : Home on the Ranch (Harlequin Superromance No. 689)

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The Man from Blue River : Home on the Ranch (Harlequin Superromance No. 689)
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The man from Curdie's River: Or, Where men are made (Historical reprints series ; no. 5)

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The man from Curdie's River: Or, Where men are made (Historical reprints series ; no. 5)
Donald Findlay MacLean
Manufacturer: Lowden Publishing
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No Man Is an Island (A selection from the prose of John Donne)

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No Man Is an Island (A selection from the prose of John Donne)

Manufacturer: Folio Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SDZ3I8

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No Man is an Island : A Selection from the prose of John Donne
Rivers (Editor) Scott
Manufacturer: The Folio Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MZ1P16

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NO MAN IS AN ISLAND.
Rivers. (Editor). Scott
Manufacturer: The Folio Society
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OHS: The Ohio River Fever: No Cure, Few Answers, and Only Hope: One Man's Battle with the Incurable Disease

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OHS: The Ohio River Fever: No Cure, Few Answers, and Only Hope: One Man's Battle with the Incurable Disease
Terrence E. Gaylor
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
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ASIN: 1424155037
Release Date: 2007-01-08

Book Description

OHS, ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, has no cure, very few answers, and only hope. Dubbed the Ohio River Fever, it is known as the number-one cause in blindness in young people in America. This is the story of a native Ohioan, his life, how he was stricken in the prime of his life by OHS, how he deals with it, and where he turns for answers for the many questions one has when facing an incurable eye disease. This is a story about OHS and one man's battle with the disease. Many young people are finding themselves victims of this terrible eye disease, and histoplasmosis can also affect other organs in the body. A foundation to try to help those diagnosed with OHS, those who cannot afford emergency surgery, and those who need counseling will be formed with proceeds of this book. There are many who need special help and counseling.

Snowy River Man (Harlequin Romance, No 2944)

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Adventure and romance in the outback

Snowy River Man (Harlequin Romance, No 2944)
Valerie Parv
Manufacturer: harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0373029349

Customer Reviews:

Adventure and romance in the outback.......1999-05-22

Great adventure in Australia's outback. Gemma is looking for her father who disappeared five years ago in Australia's unexplored outback. Not only does she find him, she also finds a different way of life and she meets the man of her life.

Book Description

"Colonialism is out of favor now, but I believe the ultimate verdict of history will be that this was one of the greatest British contributions to the world." This was John Martin's faith. A Scot of strong Christian belief and complete integrity, he was present and played an active role in the analysis, the decision-making and diplomacy involved in the maintenance and, after the war, the ending of British colonial rule. From the Colonial Office to 10 Downing Street to the UN, his tools were his keen intelligence and his capacity for friendship with people of any race or creed.

Customer Reviews:

pretty cool.......1999-09-19

I like both Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson.The book is cute,When I first saw it,I have loved it. So it is a good book for you to know Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson.

Ten Million Steps: The Incredible Journey of Paul Reese, Who Ran Across America-A Marathon a Day for 124 Days-At Age 73
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Wonderful Book...

Great book for Ultra runners!

Ten Million Steps: The Incredible Journey of Paul Reese, Who Ran Across America-A Marathon a Day for 124 Days-At Age 73
Paul Reese , and Joe Henderson
Manufacturer: Wrs Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Book..........2003-04-17

Paul Reese was a miracle. I had read a number of books about people that walked across America, but a marathon a day?!?! You will be inspired. Written in a very straight forward manner, it won't be the poetry of the words that get you, it will be the poetry of this man's amazing spirit that will make you a fan. I highly recomend this book.

Great book for Ultra runners!.......2002-05-01

I found this book totally addictive. It was a day-to-day journal of Paul Reece's Run X USA and the things he saw and did with his wife! This book sucked me right in and I wasn't able to put it down!! Lots of tips for wana-be runners and those who are veterans! Great tips for getting on the open road and what to watch out for! Fantastic book! Made me want to RUN!!

Ten Million Steps: Nimblewill Nomad's Epic 10-Month Trek from the Florida Keys to Quebec

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Great read-10 stars
Wow!

Ten Million Steps: Nimblewill Nomad's Epic 10-Month Trek from the Florida Keys to Quebec
M. J. Eberhart
Manufacturer: Menasha Ridge Press
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Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

M. J. Eberhart, aka the Nimblewill Nomad, was a 60-year-old retired doctor in January 1998 when he set off on a foot journey that carried him 4,400 miles (twice the length of the Appalachian Trail) from the Florida Keys to the far north of Quebec. Written in a vivid journal style, the author unabashedly recounts the good (friendships with other hikers he met), the bad (sore legs, cutting winds and rain), and the godawful (those dispiriting doubts) aspects of his days of walking along what has since become known as the Eastern Continental Trail (ECT). An amazing tale of self-discovery and insight into the magic that reverberates from intense physical exertion and a high goal, Eberhart’s is the only written account of a thru-hike along the ECT. Covering 16 states and 2 Canadian provinces, Ten Million Steps deftly mixes practical considerations of an almost unimaginable undertaking with the author’s trademark humor and philosophical musings.

Customer Reviews:

Great read-10 stars.......2007-06-21

I received my copy today and I'm up to page 100. It is a blend of humor, a man's journey, and numerous inspiring quotes...that makes me want to hit Eastern Mountain Sports and start the hike. Someday I plan to hike the Triple Crown, etc. Cheers to this man who has had the desire, dream and drive to complete an epic journey and share it with the world. Thanks for a great read and giving me another glimpse into long-distance hiking.

Wow!.......2007-05-26

Wow! That's really "Hit the road Jack". I live near the Florida Trail but swamp wading with the snakes and the gators? No way Jose! But I am totally enjoying it from my armchair. Go get them. You are a better man than me Charlie Brown!

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Ten million steps
M. J Eberhart
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Ten Million Steps: Nimblewill Nomads Epic 10month Walk from th

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Ten Million Steps: Nimblewill Nomads Epic 10month Walk from th
M.J. Eberhart
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Ten Million Steps: The Incredible Journey of Paul Reese, Who Ran Across America - A Marathon a Day for 124 Days - at Age 73

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Ten Million Steps: The Incredible Journey of Paul Reese, Who Ran Across America - A Marathon a Day for 124 Days - at Age 73
Paul Reese
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Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

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The Changing Face of the Earth: The Break-up of Pangaea And Continental Drift over the Past 250 Million Years in Ten Steps (Earth Sciences)

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The Changing Face of the Earth: The Break-up of Pangaea And Continental Drift over the Past 250 Million Years in Ten Steps (Earth Sciences)
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Ten million tragedies, one step at a time. (victims of land mines) (includes related articles) (Cover Story): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

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Ten million tragedies, one step at a time. (victims of land mines) (includes related articles) (Cover Story): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Jim Wurst
Manufacturer: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc. on July 1, 1993. The length of the article is 2905 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Land mines left in the ground long after a war is finished often are set off by local residents, who then are wounded or killed. The countries that planted the land mines should be responsible for removing them, but few are ever removed or marked. Manufacture and trade should be greatly regulated.

Citation Details
Title: Ten million tragedies, one step at a time. (victims of land mines) (includes related articles) (Cover Story)
Author: Jim Wurst
Publication: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 1993
Publisher: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
Volume: v49 Issue: n6 Page: p14(8)

Article Type: Cover Story

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Steps which should be taken by boards of trustees or boards of directors of public libraries in developing a ten-year program for the public library systems ... population of one million or more;: A survey

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Steps which should be taken by boards of trustees or boards of directors of public libraries in developing a ten-year program for the public library systems ... population of one million or more;: A survey
Frederick Rex
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Binding: Unknown Binding

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