The Almanac of American Politics 2000
The Almanac of American Politics 2000, published by the National Journal Group (which also publishes the weekly political newsmagazineNational Journal), is a must-have for every political junkie. Its 1,856 pages are filled with information about the 50 governors of the United States and every member of Congress--including their committee assignments, by what percentage of the vote they won their seats, and how much money they spent doing it. Organized alphabetically by state, the book examines all 435 congressional districts, including their population, racial makeup, median income, and median house value, but one of its most prominent features is its quirky descriptions of each district's history. You'll learn in these pages, for example, that Pez candy is made in Orange, Connecticut, and that one of Wisconsin's districts is inhabited by more cows than people.For this 15th edition, political handicapper Charlie Cook offers assessments of all of the House, Senate, and gubernatorial contests taking place in 2000. The almanac's purchasers also gain free, unlimited access to a proprietary Web site that will provide updates on key congressional votes and primary and special elections.--Linda Killian