In Interest Groups and Congress, John Wright surveys the history, organization, aims and processes of interest groups to explain how they influence and affect public policy and opinion in the US Congress. Throughout, he hews to a consistent and unifying theme: that interest groups wield influence through “the strategic presentation of specialized information to members of congress.” This “information model” is a refinement of earlier theories, which presumed aggressive — and even unethical — influence strategies. As part of the respected New Topics in Politics series, Interest Groups and Congress presents theoretical models and research paradigms to undergraduates in a fresh, accessible way. Wright skillfully employs real world case studies and examples to bring the theories to life, and avoids the use of specialized or technical jargon. Examples include the efforts of gay rights groups to overturn the ban on gays in the military, the maneuverings of organizations both for and against health reform, and lobbying over the Bork nomination to the Supreme Court. As such, the book provides a bridge between the abstract and technical research in the field, and the intuitive and practical demands of the student, and serves not only as a core text for classes on Interest Groups, but as a welcome supplement for the Congress or American Government course.