The book, which has drawn praise for its inviting and accessible style, thoroughly examines the lobbying scene: the settings in which lobbying takes place, the types and styles of lobbyists, the broad range of approaches and techniques used by lobbyists, and the role and influence of lobbying in our system of representative democracy. A favorite among professors and students alike, The Third House is a great choice as a supplement for courses on state politics or interest groups.

The book, which has drawn praise for its inviting and accessible style, thoroughly examines the lobbying scene: the settings in which lobbying takes place, the types and styles of lobbyists, the broad range of approaches and techniques used by lobbyists, and the role and influence of lobbying in our system of representative democracy. A favorite among professors and students alike, The Third House is a great choice as a supplement for courses on state politics or interest groups.

CQ Press is pleased to comply with the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Please email heoacompliance@cqpress.com for additional information that may be available. Be sure to include your name, contact information, academic affiliation, and the title, author, and edition of the book in question.

Contact us at collegesales@cqpress.com if we may assist you in your book selection or if you have feedback to share. Thank you for your consideration of CQ Press books.

“Alan Rosenthal knows the workaday world of our state legislators as well as anyone in the USA; and he has now written the authoritative book about the people who lobby them--how, what, and why. The Third House is comprehensive, insightful, fair-minded, and comparative.”

"I don't know of anyone who has done a better job of getting inside the heads of lobbyists, detailing how they make their decisions in the rough-and-tumble of state politics....Those who write and teach about state government will find The Third House to be an especially helpful guide to the operations of state legislatures. This is a highly readable book and students will enjoy it."

Alan Rosenthal is professor of public policy and political science at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. He has written extensively on state legislatures and state politics. His books include: The Third House--Lobbyists and Lobbying in the States (Revised ed. 2001); The Decline of Representative Democracy (1998); Heavy Lifting--The Job of the American Legislature (2004); and Engines of Democracy--Politics and Policymaking in State Legislatures(2009). In recognition of the contribution his published work and career has made to "the art of government through the application of social science research" he was given a lifetime achievement award by the American Political Science Association.

Rosenthal has worked with legislatures across the country. In 2006 he was given an award for lifetime achievement from NCSL and SLLF. In his home state, New Jersey, he chaired the Ad Hoc Commission on Legislative Ethics and Campaign Finance. In 1992 and 2001 he was selected to chair the New Jersey Congressional Redistricting Commission and in 2011 he was chosen to serve as the eleventh member of the State Legislative Apportionment Commission. He also has chaired the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, a committee of the New Jersey Legislature. In 1993 he received the Governor's award for Public Service in New Jersey.