Embassy of the United States Bratislava, Slovakia

The following publications can be ordered through the American Reference Center at the U.S. Embassy in Bratislava, by fax (02/5441 8862) or e-mail arc_brat@state.gov

The publications are free of charge, but quantities are limited. Orders will be processed within Slovakia only. Requesters from Bratislava can arrange an appointment at 02/5922 3123 (Monday through Friday 8:00 - 16:00) to pick up the brochures.

Printed Publications

About America: The Constitution of the United States of America With Explanatory Notes (July 2004)
This illustrated publication includes the complete text of the U.S. Constitution (preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments), as well an updated introduction and explanatory notes by J.W. Peltason, author of Understanding the Constitution and Government by the People. The introduction includes sections explaining how the Constitution set up the U.S. federal system, the background to the Constitutional Convention and how the participants arrived at a final version of the document, its ratification, and sections on the call for a Bill of Rights and the need for additional amendments over the years. Dr. Peltason is currently professor of Political Science Emeritus, University of California, Irvine, as well as President Emeritus, University of California.

About America: How the United States Is Governed (October 2005)
This joint publication of the State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs and Braddock Communications presents a comprehensive yet easy-to-read overview of the various levels of and institutions related to government in the U.S. "How the United States Is Governed" describes how federal, state, and local governments are elected, how they operate, and how the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government relate under the U.S. constitutional system. It also highlights how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other institutions allow Americans to influence and shape government policy. This publication contains a glossary and a list of useful Web sites.

American Life and Institutions (1998)
This introduction to the U.S.A. and its people, at an intermediate to advanced level of language difficulty, consists of ten chapters and presents an integrative view of American society, history, economics, politics, media, and culture. The volume is suitable both as a classroom reader and as a reference work for further study. There are suggested questions for discussion and a glossary of terms.

American Popular Music (August 2008)
American popular music is a kaleidoscopic mélange of styles and dreams. Its vibrancy reflects the mating of cultural diversity to artistic and creative freedom. The stories in this book illustrate how Americans, borrowing from diverse musical traditions, have contributed to humanity’s universal language.

American Teenagers (July 2005)
Available also in Slovak translation
This electronic journal describes how today's challenging, unpredictable, dynamic, resilient American teenagers -- who are tomorrow's adults -- mirror the eclecticism of their society. Through first-person accounts, expert analyses and engaging profiles, this edition of eJournal USA offers insights into this special group of Americans. Introduced by first lady Laura Bush, a former schoolteacher and librarian, American Teenagers includes the reflections of a veteran high school teacher, a younger educator recently named National Teacher of the Year, and a family that home-schools its children. Also featured are compelling portraits of three international exchange students and one extraordinary American teenager: professional football (American soccer) star Freddy Adu, who works hard to balance his athletic career and his educational goals.

Arts in America (2003)
Any generalizations about the arts must be suspect in a country housing some 1,200 symphony orchestras, 117 professional opera companies, more than 400 dance companies, and 425 nonprofit professional theaters. This publication includes a range of views - critics, working professionals in each field, and portraits of the artists themselves. A diversity of opinions seems only fitting in a country where there is no ministry of culture, no official view of the best forms of art.

Barack Obama: 44th President of the United States (November 2008)
Barack Obama, elected the 44th President of the United States, has lived a truly American life, and has opened a new chapter in American politics. This publication tells the story of Obama’s life, describes how he captured the presidency, and portrays his vision for the future. It also introduces readers to the Obama family and to the new Vice President, Joseph Biden.

The Declaration of Independence (1996)

Democracy in Brief (December 2007)
Democracy in Brief gives a concise account of the intellectual origins, history, and basic values of democratic systems of government. The book touches on topics such as rights and responsibilities of citizens, free and fair elections, the rule of law, the role of a written constitution, separation of powers, a free media, the role of parties and interest groups, military-civilian relations and democratic culture.

Focus on: Intellectual Property Rights (January 2006)
Essays by government, academic, and industry experts introduce intellectual property rights issues and key concepts - patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and new forms of IP. Articles also explain why countries need effective intellectual property systems, and what governments in each region are doing to enforce IPR. Includes a glossary of IP terms, a list of print and Internet IP resources, and a separate resource list for children and young adults.

Handbook of Independent Journalism (July 2006)
This handbook covers the ins and outs of what every professional journalist should know — from how to research, write, and edit a story to how to write headlines, choose graphics, and select quotes and sound bites. Print, radio, TV, and Web-based or online journalism forms are discussed in detail, as well as the skills required in beat reporting.

Human Rights and You (October 1999)
The handbook contains basic United Nations, European system, and OSCE human rights documents, plus case law, a "how-to" guide for filing a human rights petition, and a listing of governmental and nongovernmental organizations with human rights concerns. Of special interest to judges, attorneys, human rights specialists, and the media in the Newly Independent States and Central Europe, the book is available in English and in Russian.

Introduction to Human Rights (1998)
Available also in Slovak translation
This publication, first published in September of 1996, was updated and reissued in September of 1998. It traces the development of human rights from their origins as political theory in 17th-century Europe to their present-day acceptance as an international standard; examines the historic contributions of heroic individuals to the course of human rights history.

Living Memories: The Human Toll of Terrorism (September 2002)
Presents stories of individuals and groups of people murdered by terrorists around the world in recent years, and of those who survived to tell us of their lives. The settings vary -- from Kenya to Turkey, Colombia to Pakistan, Japan to the United States -- but the common thread of humanity ties together these accounts of terrorist activities. The publication also includes reports on individuals and organizations who are helping families recover from the trauma of terrorism, build a world free from violence, and preserve the memory of its victims.

Outline of American Geography (2000)
Considers the physical environment of the United States - landforms, climate, soils, and vegetation - in terms of its impact on the country's cultural, regional, and political development.

Outline of American Literature (2006)
Follows the path taken by American literature as it has moved from the pre-colonial days of orally transmitted tales of Native American cultures, through the periods of realism, romanticism, and experimentation, to the prose and poetry of the past 50 years.

Outline of the U.S. Economy (2000)
Examines how the U.S. economy works and how it has evolved over the past 225 years. Considers forms of business enterprise, the role of financial markets, how government shapes the economy and seeks to manage the pace of economic activity, the agricultural sector and U.S. farm policy, the changing role of labor, and current U.S. policies on trade and international economic affairs.

Outline of U.S. History (November 2005)
1996 edition available also in Slovak translation
A chronological look at how the United States took shape -- from its origins as an obscure set of colonies on the Atlantic coast a little more than 200 years ago into what one political analyst today calls "the first universal nation." This fully illustrated edition has been completely revised and updated by Alonzo L. Hamby, Distinguished Professor of History at Ohio University.

Outline of the U.S. Legal System (December 2004)
This Outline covers the history and organization of the federal and state judicial systems; the criminal and civil court processes; the background, qualifications, and selection of federal judges; the role of other participants (lawyers, defendants, interest groups) in the judicial process; and the implementation and impact of judicial policies. It is based on the Congressional Quarterly Press' Judicial Process in America, 5th edition, by political science professors Robert A. Carp and Ronald Stidham.

Portrait of the USA (1997)
Available also in Slovak translation
An introduction, in words and pictures, to the United States - people, geography, history, government, business, education, science and medicine, religion, social services, the arts, sports and entertainment, and the media.

Rights of the People: Individual Freedom and the Bill of Rights (2003)
"Rights of the People" is a history of American law and justice, written by Constitutional historian Melvin Urofsky. By focusing on the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution, and the legal interpretations, many of them written by America's finest jurists, that refined and expanded the Bill of Rights, Urofsky presents a history of the United States from the standpoint of individual liberty.

The United States in 2005: Who We Are Today (2005)
Available also in Slovak translation
This journal discusses the major attributes and values that best define Americans. In the first article, scholar Marc Pachter describes how these attributes and values, although not solely American, come together in the United States to form a uniquely American identity. Then demographer Audrey Singer analyzes the latest facts and figures to give us a demographic snapshot of the United States in 2005. Next we take a look at 13 Americans, some well known, most not. With these short profiles, we give you a glimpse of America's diversity, and of how some Americans live their everyday lives and what is important to them. We then turn to some of the social debates of the day. Such debates have been part and parcel of American society since our country's inception. Ironically, our respect for the individual and his right to express himself freely and passionately on contentious issues is one of the principal reasons our country has remained united for over 200 years. We conclude with two journeys home after many years: For one writer, the place called home is unrecognizable; for the other, little has changed. A number of sidebars illustrate some of the values that have characterized our country throughout its history.

U.S.A. Elections in Brief (January 2008)
A background guide to the entire U.S. electoral system, from federal, state, local, and primary elections to related topics such as polling and the role of the parties and the media.

U.S.A. Economy In Brief (July 2007)
This mini-publication discusses the factors that make the U.S. economy the world's most productive, competitive, and influential. It focuses on workers and productivity, small and large business, the service economy, goods and services, the role of government, and the concept of "creative destruction," the process where jobs, companies, entire industries come and go because of their success or failure in the marketplace. USA Economy in Brief includes colorful charts to illustrate, for instance, U.S. annual exports and imports and the U.S. trade deficit.

U.S.A. History in Brief (March 2007)
The first title in the new "In Brief" series, this publication summarizes in a few thousand words the history of how the United States was founded and the forces and events that shaped the dynamic and varied country that it has become today.

U.S.A. Literature in Brief (May 2007
USA Literature in Brief pinpoints and describes the contributions to American literature of some of the best-recognized American poets, novelists, philosophers and dramatists from pre-Colonial days through the present. Major literary figures are discussed in detail, as are their major works. Brief discussions of cultural periods and movements such as romanticism, modernism, and transcendentalism put individuals in context and lend perspective. This condensed version of Outline of American Literature highlights major achievers and important works in the canon.

U.S.A. Map with Facts in Brief (pdf, 14.5 MB) (October 2007)

Slovak Translations

Americkí tínedžeri (March 2006)
This electronic journal describes how today's challenging, unpredictable, dynamic, resilient American teenagers -- who are tomorrow's adults -- mirror the eclecticism of their society. Through first-person accounts, expert analyses and engaging profiles, this edition of eJournal USA offers insights into this special group of Americans. Introduced by first lady Laura Bush, a former schoolteacher and librarian, American Teenagers includes the reflections of a veteran high school teacher, a younger educator recently named National Teacher of the Year, and a family that home-schools its children. Also featured are compelling portraits of three international exchange students and one extraordinary American teenager: professional football (American soccer) star Freddy Adu, who works hard to balance his athletic career and his educational goals.

Ako pracujú americké súdy - How U.S. Courts Work (November 2000)
This journal focuses on judicial independence and on the role of the judiciary in the U.S. system of government. It is a guide to how the U.S. court system works in practice -- the system's players, its structure, its functions, and its ethical safeguards. But it is important to understand that the U.S. courts exist in an overall constitutional framework that guarantees their independence.

Ako sa pripravujú americké zákony - How our Laws are Made (1997)
This brochure is intended to provide a basic outline of the numerous steps of the federal lawmaking process from the source of an idea for a legislative proposal through its publication as a statute. It provides greater understanding of the federal legislative process and its role as one of the foundations of the U.S. representative system. The fact that a proposal cannot become a law without consideration and approval by both Houses of Congress is an outstanding virtue of our bicameral legislative system. The open and full discussion provided under the Constitution often results in the notable improvement of a bill by amendment before it becomes law or in the eventual defeat of an inadvisable proposal.

Náčrt amerických dejín - Outline of American History (1996)
How the United States has been transformed from its origins as an obscure set of colonies on the Atlantic coast a little more than 200 years ago into what one political analyst terms "the first universal nation."

Portrét USA - Portrait of the USA (1999)
An introduction, in words and pictures, to the United States - people, geography, history, government, business, education, science and medicine, religion, social services, the arts, sports and entertainment, and the media.

Reakcie na obchodovanie s ľuďmi (2003)
Around the world, diverse organizations have joined governments in the campaign to eradicate human trafficking. Whether in the courts, in the media, or in targeted local campaigns, law enforcement officers and human rights activists are finding ways to rescue victims from indentured servitude, forced prostitution, and child labor. At the same time, organizations and governments are conducting broad educational campaigns to prevent other innocents from falling prey to this 21st century form of slavery. This publication highlight what these activists are doing to promote human potential and protect human dignity against the horrifying practice of human trafficking.
English edition available only in electronic version:Responses to Human Trafficking

Prístup k súdom: Rovnaká spravodlivosť pre všetkých. - Access to the Courts: Equal Justice for All (2004)
Efforts to guarantee "equal justice for all" take many forms within the U.S. legal system. This journal describes several aspects of the ongoing process of ensuring legal protections and educating citizens of their rights and responsibilities.
English edition available only in electronic version: Access to the Courts: Equal Justice for All

Spojené štáty v súčasnosti: Kto sme dnes (2005)
The United States in 2005 - who are we? Since there are almost 300 million U.S. citizens, there are millions of answers to this question. We, as editors, have taken on the near impossible with this journal: to describe in less than fifty pages who the people of the United States are today.

Ústava Spojených štátov amerických (pdf, 7.5 MB) - Constitution of the United States of America (1997)

CD ROM - InfoUSA

Information USA
is designed as a CD-ROM that can be used with or without an Internet connection. It brings information about official U.S. policies, American society, culture and political processes.