Saddam Hussein (Major World Leaders) - Softcover

Shields, Charles J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0791075265 ISBN 13: 9780791075265

Publisher: Chelsea House Pub, 2003

Synopsis

Describes the life of the leader of Iraq, from his childhood, through his rise to power, the Iran-Iraq War, the Persian Gulf War, to his presidency.

About this title

About the Author:

A former English teacher who taught Harper Lee's novel for years, Charles J. Shields has a BA in English and an MA in American history from the University of Illinois, where he was a James Scholar. The author of many widely praised books for young people, he spent four years researching "Mockingbird" in Alabama, New York, and Kansas, speaking to hundreds of Lee's neighbors, friends, classmates, and culling facts from the archives of Truman Capote and other collections, as well as papers from the Monroe County (Alabama) courthouse and historical museum. He lives in central Virginia with his wife.
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (October 15, 1917-February 28, 2007) was a renowned American historian, social critic, and the prolific author of numerous books including, most recently, "War and the American Presidency," He twice won both the Pulitzer Prize, for "The Age of Jackson" and "A Thousand Days," and the National Book Award, also for "A Thousand Days" as well as "Robert Kennedy and his Times," In 1998 he was awarded the prestigious National Humanities Medal.

From Booklist:

Reviewed with Charles J. Shields' Vladimir Putin.

Gr. 5-8. These entries in the Major World Leaders series introduce two names constantly in the news. Hussein is somewhat disappointing as a biography, focusing mostly on Iraq and Hussein's 30 years in power. There's little about Hussein's personal life, or about his relationship with his oldest son (and possible successor), and there's only passing reference to the horrible things Hussein has done and may do. As history, however, this is a solid choice, with extensive, informative chapters on the consequences of colonialism, the Iran-Iraq and Persian Gulf wars, weapons inspection, and, bringing the chronology up to the present, regime change in Baghdad. The final chapter considers the challenges of a war against Iraq. Putin covers events that led to the leader's coming to power: the cold war, glastnost, the fall of the Soviet Union, and the resignation of Putin's predecessor, Boris Yeltsin. Shields writes interestingly about the leader, his lifelong desire to be a spy, his family life, and how he rather surprisingly got to where he is today. Each book features well-chosen photos, a chronology, and a short bibliography. Fine additions to the biography or history shelf. Ilene Cooper
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About this edition

• Publisher: Chelsea House Pub
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0791075265
• ISBN 13: 9780791075265
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112