Too often, brief texts sacrifice the flavor of the full edition with an outside author condensing material on the altar of fewer pages. Once examples are cut, what s left is a drabber book heavy on concepts and devoid of color. This brief is different. Authors Christine Barbour and Gerald Wright have kept the same strong, cohesive narrative and focus on core concepts that form the basis of Keeping the Republic and do the streamlining and writing themselves. The themes of power and citizenship so crucial to the full text are found here in abundance, along with an array of engaging stories and cases to keep students reading. Reflecting changes through the 2008 elections, thorough and extensive updating and analysis of new scholarship are evident in every chapter. Key features include What s at Stake? chapter-opening vignettes that spotlight the who, what, and how of American politics, Profiles in Citizenship that inspire students with personal interviews with political luminaries such as Sandra Day O Connor and Rahm Emmanuel, and Consider the Source boxes that help students critically read and digest political information. Other study aids include bolded key terms, chapter summaries, suggested resources, and a glossary.