According to the Preface the purpose of this book is to “provide a concise but clear explanation of how the US federal government operates”. Likewise the Preface indicates that this book is intended to provide a holistic view of the governing process, detailed descriptions of government processes, and supporting materials as an aid to increased understanding. The authors are Dr Glenn L. Starks and Dr F. Erik Brooks. Dr Starks holds a doctorate in Public Policy and Administration from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr Starks is currently employed in the area of government procurement. Dr Brooks also holds a doctorate in Public Policy and Administration from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr Brooks is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Georgia Southern University.
How Your Government Really Works is divided into ten chapters covering the following subject areas: the constitution, the structure of the federal government, federal agencies and employees, federal elections, the legislative process, the executive branch, the judicial branch, foreign policy, domestic policy, and the federal budget. The book also contains an extensive section of appendices containing the following topics: a timeline of US federal government history; a glossary; reading legal and statutory citations; lists of relevant websites (all links but one were active); the text of the Declaration of Independence; the text of the Constitution; a list of the Presidents of the United States; an organizational chart of the US Senate for the 110th Congress; a list of independent agencies, commissions, boards, and government corporations; a list of patriotic and charitable non‐profit organizations; a list of US Supreme Court Chief Justices and Associate Justices Since 1900; member states of the United Nations; members of the World Trade Organization; and United States Embassies.
Although this work is subtitled A Topical Encyclopedia of the Federal Government, it could more accurately be described as a handbook or textbook rather than an encyclopaedia. Topics are arranged according to chapter, rather than being in alphabetical order by topic. This work presents a number of strengths along with several noticeable weaknesses. For example chapter 2, which covers the executive branch, provides a good explanation of presidential powers and a detailed analysis of executive agencies. This chapter also explains changes that have occurred in the office of the Vice‐President. However, this chapter could have been improved by providing greater detail on current debates over the limits of presidential power (e.g. the concept of the “unitary executive”). Chapter 2 also displays a serious error when the reader is informed that the Executive Office of the President was established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1939 (p.23). The President at the time was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Most of the obvious errors were found in chapter 8, which covers US foreign policy. For example the Iran‐Contra Affair is referred to as occurring in 1996‐1997 rather than 1986‐1987. (In the following chapter, which covers US Domestic Policy, another reference is made to the Iran‐Contra Affair with the correct dates.) The Soviet Union is referred to as having been an ally in the First World War (p.128). North Korea supposedly tested a nuclear weapon in 1996; this should be 2006 (p.139). The book also states that the USA continues to support both South Korea and South Vietnam (p. 140). On the same page the reader is informed that US troops were stationed in Afghanistan to drive the Soviets out. The context would seem to indicate that the authors intended to refer to the Taliban.
How Your Government Really Works: A Topical Encyclopedia of the Federal Government is user friendly and provides up to date information. This work could be useful to students and others researching the federal government of the USA. However I cannot recommend it at this time as there are too many editing errors that need to be corrected.
