In this accessible guide, readers will find unmatched expert analysis of the volatile situation in North Korea, along with answers to frequently asked questions. Covered topics include: ¬ North Korea's geography, people, industry, political systems, and government ¬ The history of the country, from myths to kingdoms, including Japan's colonial rule and its effects ¬ The dictator, Kim Jong Il, and his father, Kim Il Sung ¬ The possibility of reunification with South Korea ¬ Options for international involvement

An objective, comprehensive, and easy-to-read reference to the 50 most significant conflicts around the world. For those who want to learn why there is so much hate in the world, and why much of it seems to be directed at the United States.

This work provides an informative guide to the roots of modern China. It also looks at the key challenges and opportunities that face China in the 21st century.

No country is as misunderstood as North Korea, and no modern tyrant has remained more mysterious than the Dear Leader, Kim Jong Il. Now, celebrity ghostwriter Michael Malice pulls back the curtain to expose the life story of the "Incarnation of Love and Morality." Taken directly from books spirited out of Pyongyang, DEAR READER is a carefully reconstructed first-person account of the man behind the mythology. From his miraculous rainbow-filled birth during the fiery conflict of World War II, Kim Jong Il watched as his beloved Korea finally earned its freedom from the cursed Japanese. Mere years later, the wicked US imperialists took their chance at conquering the liberated nation—with devastating results. But that's only the beginning of the Dear Leader's story. In DEAR READER, Kim Jong Il explains: *How he can shrink time *Why he despises the Mona Lisa *How he recreated the arts in Korea *Why the Juche idea is the greatest concept ever discovered by man *How he handled the crippling famine *Why Kim Jong Un was chosen as successor over his elder brothers With nothing left uncovered, drawing straight from dozens of books, hundreds of articles and thousands of years of Korean history, DEAR READER is both the definitive account of Kim Jong Il's life and the complete stranger-than-fiction history of the world's most unique country.

Reviews the history of Iraq since biblical times, recounts the rise of Saddam Hussein, and discusses the Gulf War, its aftermath, and possible future developments.

Dollars and sense. For both general readers and students, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Economics, Second Edition, clearly explains macroeconomics and microeconomics, covering the dynamics of the markets, consumer behavior, business, budgets and taxation, recession and expansion, unemployment and inflation, fiscal policy, and international trade. This user-friendly second edition also discusses depression, wartime economics, and situational economics such as healthcare and energy. ? With the economy topping the headlines every day, the timing is right for a second edition ? Will appeal to anyone getting an MBA or taking economics courses, as well as general readers who want to learn about economics in terms they can understand