Rosenthal (Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers) examines how state legislatures work, how they govern, and the different problems they confront. The textbook explores the motives for becoming a legislator, the responsibilities of being a legislative leader, the role of interest groups and the governor, the process of passing a bill into law, and standards for assessing legislative performance. Recommended for public libraries. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)