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The Dark Arena by Mario Puzo (1985) Softcover, Mystery, Thriller Synopsis: Mario Puzo won international acclaim for The Godfather and his other Mafia novels. But before creating those masterpieces, Puzo wrote his first acclaimed novel The Dark Arena–an astounding story of a war-scarred young American in a battle against corruption and betrayal. . . . After coming home at the end of World War II, Walter Mosca finds himself too restless for his civilian role in America. So he returns to Germany to find the woman he had once loved–and to start some kind of life in a vanquished country. But ahead of Walter stretches a dark landscape of defeat and intrigue, as he succumbs to the corrupting influences of a malevolent time. Now he enters a different kind of war, one in which he must make a fateful decision–between love and ambition, passion and greed, life and death. . . .
It is a pretty old book, the outside of the pages is yellowing a little, but otherwise, in good condition.
Dragon Fire by William S. Cohen (2007) Softcover, Action, Adventure, Like New Synopsis :The former Secretary of Defense gives listeners an inside look at the trials and tribulations of running the Pentagon and his vision of the future of terrorism in this fast-paced, edge-of-your seat thriller Publishers Weekly Rich in both action and detail, former secretary of defense Cohen's solid debut chronicles several weeks in the life of Michael Santini, who surprise! serves as secretary of defense in an administration battling world crises on many fronts. Terrorists are attacking American interests both at home and abroad; Russia, Germany and China appear to be forming a global alliance; and right-wing militias are causing trouble in the U.S. heartland. Santini, besides trying to find a common thread in the chaos, also has to fight his own turf wars inside the Beltway. After a ponderous start, the plot rapidly gathers momentum, zigzagging along in the tradition of the best international thrillers, if at times hitting bumps of superfluous descriptions of military maneuvers and D.C. politics. While Cohen isn't always in control of the large cast and Santini rarely develops beyond an action figure, fans of espionage and intrigue will surely appreciate this political thriller for its authentic glimpse behind the doors of power. (Aug.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. More Reviews and Recommendations Biography William S. Cohen served as Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton from 1997-2001. It was the first time in recent American history that a president had elected a member of the opposing party to his cabinet. Born in 1940 in Bangor, Maine, Cohen, a lawyer, was a member of the U.S. Senate and Congress for 24 years. He lives with his wife in the Washington, D.C. area.
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