United States Research Guide  Tags: united_states statistics government_documents history law_government_documents political_science_public_admin mathematics_statistics  

This detailed study encomopasses the period from the creation of the agency in 1946 until 2004, when the director of Central Intelligence ceased being the head of the U.S. intelligence community. The aim was to offer an understanding of the agency’s relationship with Congress, analyze the past, and provide a guide to the future. Published by the Central Intelligence Agency, Center for the Study of Intelligence. 2008.

This large, colorful book is filled with moving photos showing the human side of the Iraq War. Taken in spring 2005, in the al Anbar province in Iraq, the images capture the day-to-day efforts of the marines’ civil affairs work with the Iraqi people. Published by the Defence Department, Navy, Marine Corps, Marine Corps University Press. 2008.

Documenting the contributions and accomplishments of U.S. Army Nurse Corps nurses in World War I, this book gathers here for the first time rare and carefully chosen monochromatic photographs and quotations from personal accounts and official sources that depict these nurses' rich and varied experiences. Published by the Defense Department, Army, Office of the Surgeon General, Office of Medical History. 2008.

Written for a general audience, these profiles of each of the 121 African American members of Congress outline their history and career. Divided into four time periods, contextual essays help explain major events in congressional and U.S. history. With extensive appendixes, a comprehensive index, and statistical graphs and charts. Published by House, Office of the Clerk, Office of History and Preservation. 2008.

This large, oversized atlas contains maps with county-level detail, illustrating the wide range of data collected by the decennial censuses, grouped into three general themes: who we are, where we come from, what we do. These colorful maps reveal the fascinating relationships among people and the states, cities, and counties in which they have chosen to live. Published by the Commerce Department, Census Bureau. 2007.

Developed by the Task Force on New Americans, this kit was designed to ‘help immigrants learn English, embrace the common core of American civic culture, and fully become American.’ Each of its educational products – booklets, CDs, DVDs, and flash cards – is designed to serve as a self-study resource. Published by the Homeland Security Department, Citizenship and Immigration Services. 2007.

It all started with a short memo, dated July 26, 1908, describing a ‘regular force of special agents’ available to investigate certain cases of the Department of Justice. Includes overviews of more than 40 FBI cases and an extensive collection of never-before-seen photos. Published by the Justice Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2008.

Though originally published in 1900 and 1903 as a two-volume set, this edition on the building of the Capitol features an updated bibliography and annotations. Bushong’s introductory essay on Brown provides historical perspective. The original black-and-white plates have been replaced with high-quality color and black-and-white photos. The historical drawings and color prints of artwork are exquisite. Published by the United States Capitol Preservation Commission. 1998.

Intending to give straightforward information on things women can do to stay healthy, this book is filled with easy-to-read, understandable explanations to everyday health problems. Handy charts and eye-catching illustrations, too. Also, personal health stories. Published by the Health and Human Services Department, Office on Women’s Health. 2008.

This labor of love by USDA staff members conveys the seasonal cycle of tree growth, the importance of trees in soil conservation, water purification, and benefits to wildlife, as seen by one of the forest’s inhabitants. It is suitable for preschool and early elementary school students. Published by the Agriculture Department, Natural Resource Conservation Service. 2008.

The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, located in southeastern Oregon, is home to a multitude of birds and other wildlife. This book, richly illustrated with colorful pictures, both historical and current, outlines the history of the development of the refuge and documents the efforts by many groups to conserve its natural resources. The photographic quality is exceptional. Published by the Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. 2008.

Picturing America is a new initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities that brings masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. The book includes artwork used in the first year of the program, along with essays that provide historical context and background. Printed on high-quality paper; a great companion to the teacher’s resource guide. 2008.

This one-volume publication is a joint presentation of the formerly secret record of how the United States and the Soviet Union moved from Cold War to détente in 1969-72. Published side by side are U.S. and Soviet accounts of meetings between Henry Kissinger and Soviet Ambassador Anatoliy Dobrynin, the so-called Kissinger-Dobrynin confidential channel, related documents, and the full Soviet and U.S. account of the first Moscow Summit between Richard Nixon and Leonid Brezhnev. The Soviet documents are released here for the first time anywhere. Published by the State Department, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of the Historian. 2007.

This latest volume in the ‘Textbooks of Military Medicine’ series is not for the faint of heart, with its photos illustrating the grim nature of today’s military conflicts. Prepared especially for emergency medical personnel, the book provides the principles and priorities critical to managing the trauma of modern warfare. Published by the Defense Department, Office of the Surgeon General, Bordon Institute. 2008.

Back in 1907, as a result of a U.S.-Japanese diplomatic crisis, Theodore Roosevelt made the fateful decision to take the U.S. Navy ‘global’ by having the fleet circumnavigate the world. Richly illustrated with monochrome photos, this attractive scrapbook of the cruise includes colored maps, diagrams, and reproductions of paintings and cards published at the time. A complement to naval history texts and a fascinating insight into an earlier era when the United States was emerging as a world power. Published by the Defense Department, Navy, Naval Historical Center. 2008.