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Honor: A Phenomenology (Routledge Innovations in Political Theory)
by Robert L. OpriskoHonor is misunderstood in the social sciences. The literature lacks both accuracy and precision in its conceptual development such that we no longer say what we mean because we have no idea what we’re saying. We use many terms to mean honor and mean many different ideas when we refer to honor. Honor: A Phenomenology is designed to fix all of these problems. A ground-breaking examination of honor as a metaphenomenon, this book incorporates various structures of social control including prestige, face, shame and affiliated honor and the rejection of said structures by dignified individuals and groups. It shows honor to be a concept that encompasses a number of processes that operate together in order to structure society. Honor is how we are inscribed with social value by others and the means by which we inscribe others with social honor. Because it is the means by which individuals fit in and function with society, the main divisions internal (within the psyche of the individual and external (within the norms and institutions of society). Honor is the glue that holds groups together and the wedge that forces them apart; it defines who is us and who them. It accounts for the continuity and change in socio-political systems.
Honor Above All
by J. Bard-CollinsPinkerton agent Garrett Lyons arrives in Chicago in 1882, close on the trail of the person who murdered his partner. He encounters a vibrant city that is striving ever upwards, full of plans to construct new buildings that will "scrape the sky." In his quest for the truth Garrett stumbles across a complex plot involving counterfeit government bonds, fierce architectural competition, and painful reminders of his military past. Along the way he seeks the support and companionship of his friends--elegant Charlotte, who runs an upscale poker game for the city's elite, and up-and-coming architect Louis Sullivan. Rich with historical details that bring early 1880s Chicago to life, this novel will appeal equally to mystery fans, history buffs, and architecture enthusiasts. Silver Award winner, IBPA Ben Franklin Award in the Mystery/Suspense category; finalist for the ForeWord Reviews IndieFab Awards in the Mystery category. "Bard-Collins' detailed knowledge of building, architecture and Chicago history forms a solid base for a debut showcasing a hero reminiscent of Sam Spade." -- Kirkus Reviews ; "An historical novel embedded throughout with meticulously accurate details that bring early 1880s Chicago to life as a backdrop to a fascinating and engaging mystery/suspense story. Exceptionally entertaining from beginning to end...very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections. -- Midwest Book Review
Honor Among Outcasts (DarkHorse Trilogy)
by Ed ProtzelAs the Civil War rages, a man and his regiment of former slaves risk their lives for freedom in the second novel from the author of The Lies That Bind. 2017 Missouri Writers Guild Historical Fiction Award Winner After fleeing Mississippi and the destruction of DarkHorse plantation, Durksen Hurst, his fiancée, Antoinette, and a band of freed slaves have reached the north, where they are plunged into a gale-force storm of violence and retribution. On the Missouri-Kansas border, neighbor has turned against neighbor as bushwhackers wreak havoc across the land. Desperately wanting to fight to free their people, Durk&’s Black comrades urge him to try to form a cavalry regiment. Never one to back down from a challenge—and always one to skirt the law—Durk succeeds. Following their every move is Devereau French, thirsting for revenge after what happened in Mississippi. Meeting up with Confederate guerilla leader William Quantrill, French convinces him to raid Lawrence, Kansas, where Durk and his men are training. The plan works better than expected: After the bloody massacre, Durk and Antoinette are arrested as suspected spies. To save themselves from the hangman&’s noose, Durk must pull every trick he can think of—and some he could never have imagined . . . &“A pulse-pounding journey of desperate men and women caught up in the merciless forces of hatred and fear that tear worlds apart, and the healing power of friendship to bring them together.&” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch &“A simply riveting read . . . will leave enthralled readers looking eagerly toward the concluding volume Something in Madness.&” —Midwest Book Review
Honor Among Thieves (The Honorables #1)
by Elizabeth BoyceDon’t miss this compelling first novel in a dark and dazzling new Regency series by bestselling author Elizabeth Boyce. Grave robbing ain't no job for a lady . . . To pay off her recently deceased brother’s debts, however, Lorna Robbins must take drastic measures. When she happens upon a resurrectionist gang stealing his corpse, she does the unthinkable and joins the criminal outfit to save her family estate and her younger sibling. For the first time in her lonely, duty-driven life, Lorna finds herself leading a treacherous and exciting double existence. By day, she becomes a popular lady of the town, relying on society gossip to help her body-snatching gang. By night, she becomes the grave robber known only as the Blackbird. Surgeon and anatomy teacher Brandon Dewhurst relies on resurrectionists to bring him the specimens he needs to further his research on pregnancy. When his usual suppliers become unreliable, and then downright sinister, he's reluctantly drawn further into the black market. As Lorna and Brandon both target the same body - a pregnant woman who is still very much alive - they find themselves powerfully drawn together time and again while trying to maintain their own respectable facades. But this daring duo is courting danger, and romance is a complication neither can afford. Sensuality Level: Sensual
Honor Among Thieves: Craftsmen, Merchants, and Associations in Roman and Late Roman Egypt
by Philip VenticinqueHonor Among Thieves examines associations of craftsmen in the framework of ancient economics and transaction costs. Scholars have long viewed such associations primarily as social or religious groups that provided mutual support, proper burial, and sociability, and spaces where nonelite individuals could seek status supposedly denied them in their contemporary society. However, the analysis presented here concentrates on how craftsmen, merchants, and associations interacted with each other and with elite and nonelite constituencies; managed economic, political, social, and legal activities; represented their concerns to the authorities; and acquired and used social capital--a new and important view of these economic engines. Philip F. Venticinque offers a study of associations from a social, economic, and legal point of view, and in the process examines how they helped their members overcome high transaction costs--the "costs of doing business"--through the development of social capital. He explores associations from the "bottom up," in order to see how their members create status and reputation outside of an elite framework. He thus explores how occupations regarded as thieves in elite ideology create their own systems of honor. Honor Among Thieves will be of interest to scholars of the ancient economy, of social groups, and Roman Egypt in all periods.
Honor and Betrayal: The Untold Story of the Navy SEALs Who Captured the "Butcher of Fallujah" -- and the Shameful Ordeal They Later Endured
by Patrick RobinsonTHEY JUST CAPTURED IRAQ'S MOST WANTED TERRORIST. NOW THEY HAD TO DEFEND THEIR HONOR. On a daring nighttime raid in September 2009, a team of Navy SEALs grabbed the notorious terrorist Ahmad Hashim Abd al-Isawi, the villainous "Butcher of Fallujah," mastermind behind the 2004 murder and mutilation of four American contractors. Within hours of his capture, al-Isawi, with his lip bleeding, claimed he had been beaten in his holding cell. Three Navy SEALs-members of the same team that had just captured the notorious terrorist-were charged with prisoner abuse, dereliction of duty, and lying. On the word of a terrorist! The three Navy SEALs were placed under house arrest and forbidden contact with their comrades. Despite enormous pressure from their commanders to sign confessions to "lesser charges," the three resolute and fearless SEALs each demanded a court-martial. They were determined to prove their innocence. When Fox News broke the story about the accusations, Americans were outraged. Over 300,000 people signed petitions demanding the SEALs be exonerated. Their SEAL teammates were furious; but nothing could stop the cold determination of the military's top brass to hang these guys out to dry-not even U.S. congressmen who petitioned the Pentagon to drop the charges. Honor and Betrayal is a no-holds-barred account by bestselling author Patrick Robinson. It reveals for the first time the entire story, from the night the SEALs stormed the al-Qaeda desert stronghold, the accusations and legal twists and turns that followed, to the cut-and-thrust drama in the courtroom where the fate of three American heroes hung in the balance.
Honor and Shame in Early China
by Mark Edward LewisIn this major new study, Mark Edward Lewis traces how the changing language of honor and shame helped to articulate and justify transformations in Chinese society between the Warring States and the end of the Han dynasty. Through careful examination of a wide variety of texts, he demonstrates how honor-shame discourse justified the actions of diverse and potentially rival groups. Over centuries, the formally recognized political order came to be intertwined with groups articulating alternative models of honor. These groups both participated in the existing order and, through their own visions of what was truly honourable, paved the way for subsequent political structures. Filling a major lacuna in the study of early China, Lewis presents ways in which the early Chinese empires can be fruitfully considered in comparative context and develops a more systematic understanding of the fundamental role of honor/shame in shaping states and societies.
Honor and Shame in Western History (Routledge Studies in Cultural History)
by Jörg Wettlaufer David Nash Jan Frode HatlenThis book covers a wide range of topics related to honor and shame in European historical societies: history of law and literature, social and ancient history, as well as theoretical contributions on the state of research and the importance of honor and shame in traditional societies. Honor and shame in Western History brings together 14 texts of interdisciplinary scholars from Europe and North America. It covers a wide range of topics related to honor and shame in historical societies. The contributions cover periods of Western history from Greek and Roman times to the nineteenth century and many of them integrate the concept of a "deep history" of honor and shame in social interaction. The book is essential for a broad audience interested in social history and the history of emotions.
Honor and Slavery: Lies, Duels, Noses, Masks, Dressing as a Woman, Gifts, Strangers, Humanitarianism, Death, Slave Rebellions, the Proslavery Argument, Baseball, Hunting, and Gambling in the Old South
by Kenneth S. GreenbergThe "honorable men" who ruled the Old South had a language all their own, one comprised of many apparently outlandish features yet revealing much about the lives of masters and the nature of slavery. When we examine Jefferson Davis's explanation as to why he was wearing women's clothing when caught by Union soldiers, or when we consider the story of Virginian statesman John Randolph, who stood on his doorstep declaring to an unwanted dinner guest that he was "not at home," we see that conveying empirical truths was not the goal of their speech. Kenneth Greenberg so skillfully demonstrates, the language of honor embraced a complex system of phrases, gestures, and behaviors that centered on deep-rooted values: asserting authority and maintaining respect. How these values were encoded in such acts as nose-pulling, outright lying, dueling, and gift-giving is a matter that Greenberg takes up in a fascinating and original way. The author looks at a range of situations when the words and gestures of honor came into play, and he re-creates the contexts and associations that once made them comprehensible. We understand, for example, the insult a navy lieutenant leveled at President Andrew Jackson when he pulls his nose, once we understand how a gentleman valued his face, especially his nose, as the symbol of his public image. Greenberg probes the lieutenant's motivations by explaining what it meant to perceive oneself as dishonored and how such a perception seemed comparable to being treated as a slave. When John Randolph lavished gifts on his friends and enemies as he calmly faced the prospect of death in a duel with Secretary of State Henry Clay, his generosity had a paternalistic meaning echoed by the master-slave relationship and reflected in the pro-slavery argument. These acts, together with the way a gentleman chose to lend money, drink with strangers, go hunting, and die, all formed a language of control, a vision of what it meant to live as a courageous free man. In reconstructing the language of honor in the Old South, Greenberg reconstructs the world.
Honor Before Glory: The Epic World War II Story of the Japanese American GIs Who Rescued the Lost Battalion
by Scott McgaughOn October 24, 1944, more than two hundred American soldiers realized they were surrounded by German infantry deep in the mountain forest of eastern France. As their dwindling food, ammunition, and medical supplies ran out, the American commanding officer turned to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to achieve what other units had failed to do.Honor Before Glory is the story of the 442nd, a segregated unit of Japanese American citizens, commanded by white officers, that finally rescued the "lost battalion." Their unmatched courage and sacrifice under fire became legend-all the more remarkable because many of the soldiers had volunteered from prison-like "internment" camps where sentries watched their mothers and fathers from the barbed-wire perimeter.In seven campaigns, these young Japanese American men earned more than 9,000 Purple Hearts, 6,000 Bronze and Silver Stars, and nearly two dozen Medals of Honor. The 442nd became the most decorated unit of its size in World War II: its soldiers earned 18,100 awards and decorations, more than one for every man.Honor Before Glory is their story-a story of a young generation's fight against both the enemy and American prejudice-a story of heroism, sacrifice, and the best America has to offer.
Honor before Heart (Emerald Belles #1)
by Heather MccorkleRisking it all for love and valor . . .When Corporal Sean MacBranian awakens after being injured in battle, he is sure the luck o’ the Irish has run out on him. Or that he’s died and gone to Heaven. There can be no other explanation for the blond-haired, blue-eyed angel standing before him. But his “angel” is a truehearted lass named Ashlinn, and she wears a nurse’s uniform. Her tender ministrations have brought him back from the brink of death—and have given him a new reason for living.Ashlinn knows their parting is inevitable; her handsome hero must return to the 69th infantry of the Union army, and there are no guarantees of his safe return. With most of her family already destroyed by the war ravaging America, she is sure she cannot survive another loss. Yet she feels powerless against the draw of Sean’s strong and steady heart. Neither time nor distance nor the danger of battle seems to lessen their bond. But when their secret letters are intercepted, the devoted nurse’s love will face the ultimate test . . .“McCorkle knows how to tug at a reader’s heartstrings . . . readers fascinated by the Civil War and Irish-American history will be satisfied with this refreshing historical romance.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
Honor Bound: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia 1961-1973
by Stuart I. Rochester Frederick KileyHonor Bound, a collaborative effort researched and written over the course of more than a decade by historian Stuart Rochester and Air Force Academy professor and POW specialist Frederick Kiley, combines rigorous scholarly analysis with a moving narrative to record in unprecedented detail the triumphs and tragedies of the several hundred servicemen (and civilians) who fought their own special war in North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia between 1961 and 1973. <p><p> The authors address a gamut of subjects from the physical ordeal of torture and deprivation that required clarification of the Code of Conduct to the sometimes more onerous psychological challenges of indoctrination, adjustments to new routines and relationships, and mere coping and passing time under the most monotonous, inhospitable conditions. The volume weaves a winding trail through scores of prison camps, from large concrete compounds in the North to isolated jungle stockades in the South to mountain caves in Laos, while tracing political developments in Hanoi and Washington and the evolution of the “psywar” that placed the prisoners at the center of the conflict even as they were removed from the battlefield. <p><p> From courageous resistance and ingenious methods of organization and communication to failed escapes and questionable conduct —“warts and all”— Honor Bound examines in depth the longest and perhaps most remarkable prisoner-of-war captivity in U.S. history.
The Honor-Bound Gambler
by Lisa PlumleyTempting the Preacher's DaughterPlain preacher's daughter Violet Benson is always the wallflower-until charismatic gambler Cade Foster takes her under his wing. Suddenly the men of Morrow Creek start looking at her with new eyes-and the women with envy-but Violet is interested in only one man: Cade.Agreeing to be his "lucky charm," Violet becomes embroiled in the gambler's thrilling world. With her newfound confidence, Violet is determined to uncover the secret sorrow behind the eyes that smolder beneath Cade's Stetson, and prove to this fascinating man that he can take the biggest gamble of all...with his heart.
Honor-Bound Lawman
by Danica FavoriteAn endangered woman finds safety and a second chance at love at an ex-lawman’s ranch in this inspirational historical romance.When Laura Booth’s dangerous ex-husband escapes from prison, she turns to the one man who can protect her: Owen Hamilton. Living with the widowed former lawman—who once helped put her ex in jail—and his adorable twin daughters on their Colorado ranch is a welcome respite. For the first time, Laura feels safe—but after her troubled past, she’ll never trust her heart again.Owen would like to say only obligation draws him to Laura’s side. But in his gut he knows his feelings for the gentle beauty run deeper than duty—and it stops him cold. After guarding their wary hearts for years, can Owen and Laura give love a second chance?
The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen
by Kwame Anthony Appiah"[Appiah's] work reveals the heart and sensitivity of a novelist. . . .Fascinating, erudite and beautifully written."--The New York Times Book Review In this groundbreaking work, Kwame Anthony Appiah, hailed as "one of the most relevant philosophers today" (New York Times Book Review), changes the way we understand human behavior and the way social reform is brought about. In brilliantly arguing that new democratic movements over the last century have not been driven by legislation from above, Appiah explores the end of the duel in aristocratic England, the tumultuous struggles over footbinding in nineteenth-century China, the uprising of ordinary people against Atlantic slavery, and the horrors of "honor killing" in contemporary Pakistan. Intertwining philosophy and historical narrative, he has created "a fascinating study of moral evolution" (Philadelphia Inquirer) that demonstrates the critical role honor plays a in the struggle against man's inhumanity to man.
Honor, Courage, Commitment
by John F. LeahyJ. F. Leahy chronicles the transition of eighty-one men and women from civilians to sailors at the U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. Granted unlimited and unprecedented access to the recruits during the fall of 2000, his examination of the unique American institution - popularly known as boot camp - offers a look into the hearts and minds of a group of young people who are a cross section of the nation. The work offers a unique view into the training experience of all recruits and sheds light on the differences between those entering the military services and the society they serve.
Honor de Charlotte (Gran Guerra, Gran Amor #2)
by Ellen GableDespués de recibir una notificación de que su hermano, y único pariente, murió en acción durante la Gran Guerra, Charlotte Zielinski, de 21 años, se alista como voluntaria médica. Eventualmente comienza a trabajar en el pabellón de la muerte del hospital de campaña cerca de Soissons, Francia, cogidos de la mano de hombres moribundos y cantándolos para la eternidad. El Dr. Paul Kilgallen es un cirujano canadiense que trabaja en el hospital de campaña. Durante un asedio del enemigo, todos evacuan a excepción de Paul y Charlotte, quienes se ofrecen como voluntarios para permanecer en el sótano del castillo para cuidar a los soldados en estado crítico. Durante esos tres días, Charlotte ve un lado de Paul que muy pocos han visto y se enamora de él. Antes de que Paul se vaya al frente, abruptamente le dice que no puede amarla, y que sería mejor "olvidarlo". Justo cuando la guerra está llegando a su fin, Charlotte está sorprendida por dos eventos que están destinados a cambiar su vida para siempre.
Honor Edgeworth
by Douglas Lochhead Kate Madeleine BottomleyIn Honor Edgeworth the sole and sincere motive of the authoress has been to hold up to the mass the little picture of society, in one of its most marked phases, that she has sketched, as she watched its freaks and caprices from behind the scenes.Ottawa, in this work, is taken merely as a representative of all other fashionable cities, for the simple reason that it is better known to the writer than any other city of social repute. Her object in publishing the volume at all, if not clearly defined throughout the work, may be discovered here: it is primarily, to attract the attention of those who, if they wished, could exercise a beneficial influence over the sphere in which they live, to the moral depravities that at present are allowed so passively to float on the surface of the social tide. It would with the same word appeal to the minds and hearts of those women who are satisfied to remain slaves to the exactions of an unscrupulous society, at the sacrifice of their most womanly impulses, and their noblest energies; and would also remind some reckless sons of Ottawa, of how miserably they are contributing towards the future prosperity of their country, by adopting, as the only aim of their lives, the paltry ambition of an unworthy self-indulgence.The predominant feeling throughout the entire composition has been one of pure philanthropy, as the authoress desires to benefit her fellow-creatures, in as far as it lies in her very limited power.
Honor in the Dust: Theodore Roosevelt, War in the Philippines, and the Rise and Fall of America's Imperial Dream
by Gregg JonesOn the eve of a new century, an up-and-coming Theodore Roosevelt set out to transform the U. S. into a major world power. The Spanish-American War would forever change America's standing in global affairs, and drive the young nation into its own imperial showdown in the Philippines. From Admiral George Dewey's legendary naval victory in Manila Bay to the Rough Riders' heroic charge up San Juan Hill, from Roosevelt's rise to the presidency to charges of U. S. military misconduct in the Philippines, Honor in the Dust brilliantly captures an era brimming with American optimism and confidence as the nation expanded its influence abroad. .
Honor in the Dust (Winslow Breed #1)
by Gilbert MorrisThe grandfather of Christian fiction returns with the story of what happened to the winslow family during an earlier era when the Tudors reigned--tracing the doomed rise of Stuart Winslow within the salacious court of King Henry VIII.The determined Stuart Winslow will go to any lengths to lift himself and his widowed mother out of poverty. After a distant relative manages to secure a place for Stuart in the court of King Henry VIII, Stuart quickly learns that the court is really a wicked cauldron of vices, power plays, and temptation. As Stuart rises at court, he is asked to find and deliver for execution an enemy of the king--William Tyndale, an acquaintance of Stuart's whose sole ambition is to translate the Bible into the language of the common man. Does Stuart fall prey to his dangerous ambition and accept the assignment? Or is he willing to face death at the stake for the sake of Christ?In Honor in the Dust, bestselling author Gilbert Morris captures the tone of the Tudor period beautifully, chronicling the period's excesses with skill and prudence. But like Morris's other novels, it also contrasts those excesses with the godly behavior of real-life characters like William Tyndale. In this captivating historical drama, Stuart Winslow is caught between two worlds: one that promises material and worldly success, and one that promises salvation. Is his faith strong enough to withstand such a challenge?
Honor in the Dust (The Winslow Breed Novels)
by Gilbert MorrisThe author of the House of Winslow series offers a thrilling prequel following the ascent of Stuart Winslow in the salacious court of King Henry VIII. Determined to lift himself out of poverty, Stuart Winslow finds his prayers answered when he&’s offered a position in the court of King Henry VIII. A skilled falconer and weapon designer, Stuart quickly proves his merits. But beneath the pomp and luxury of court, he discovers a cauldron of vices, power plays, and temptation. When William Tyndale announces his intention to translate the Bible into the language of the common man, the king sentences him to death—and charges Stuart with retrieving him. Though Stuart knows Tyndale, and believes his work to be righteous, defying the king would risk his own death. At the crossroads of faith and ambition, he must make an impossible choice.
Honor Killing
by Stannard David E.In the fall of 1931, Thalia Massie, the bored, aristocratic wife of a young naval officer stationed in Honolulu, accused six nonwhite islanders of gang rape. The ensuing trial let loose a storm of racial and sexual hysteria, but the case against the suspects was scant and the trial ended in a hung jury. Outraged, Thalia’s socialite mother arranged the kidnapping and murder of one of the suspects. In the spectacularly publicized trial that followed, Clarence Darrow came to Hawai’i to defend Thalia’s mother, a sorry epitaph to a noble career. It is one of the most sensational criminal cases in American History, Stannard has rendered more than a lurid tale. One hundred and fifty years of oppression came to a head in those sweltering courtrooms. In the face of overwhelming intimidation from a cabal of corrupt military leaders and businessmen, various people involved with the case—the judge, the defense team, the jurors, a newspaper editor, and the accused themselves—refused to be cowed. Their moral courage united the disparate elements of the non-white community and galvanized Hawai’i’s rapid transformation from an oppressive white-run oligarchy to the harmonic, multicultural American state it became. Honor Killing is a great true crime story worthy of Dominick Dunne—both a sensational read and an important work of social history .
The Honor of Spies (Honor Bound #5)
by W.E.B. GriffinAugust 6, 1943: In his brief career in the Office of Strategic Services, twenty-four-year-old Cletus Frade has already been involved in a lot of unusual situations, but nothing like the one he's in now, standing with a German lieutenant colonel named Wilhelm Frogger in a Mississippi prisoner-of-war detention facility. Frade's job? To help Frogger escape. <P><P> Frogger's parents are in Frade's custody in Argentina, because of their involvement in a secret German plan to establish safe havens for senior Nazi officials in South America, and the younger Frogger has agreed to help find out what they know. Even more important, however, is the secret within the secret. Before he was captured in Africa, Frogger was part of a conspiracy; its goal: to assassinate Adolf Hitler. <P>If the OSS can use his knowledge and connections to nudge that plot along, even just a little bit - they may be able to end this war right now. But Frade is not the only one who knows about the Froggers. Even as he stands there in Mississippi, a troop of Germans and Argentinians, led by a Colonel Juan Perón, is on its way to kill the parents and, after them, Frade himself. His career in the OSS may have been brief - but it may just be about to be over.
Honor, Patronage, Kinship, & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture
by David A. deSilvaFor contemporary Western readers, it can be easy to miss or misread cultural nuances in the New Testament.Through our understanding of honor and shame in the Mediterranean world, we gain new appreciation for how early Christians sustained commitment to a distinctive Christian identity and practice. By examining the protocols of patronage and reciprocity, we grasp more firmly the connections between God’s grace and our response. In exploring kinship and household relations, we grasp more fully the ethos of the early Christian communities as a new family brought together by God. And by investigating the notions of purity and pollution along with their associated practices, we realize how the ancient map of society and the world was revised by the power of the gospel.Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity
Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture
by David A. DeSilvaContemporary Western readers may find it surprising that honor and shame, patronage and reciprocity, kinship and family, and purity and pollution offer us keys to interpreting the New Testament. But as recent scholarship has proposed and as David deSilva demonstrates, paying attention to these cultural themes opens our eyes and ears to new discoveries and deeper understanding. Through our understanding of honor and shame in the Mediterranean world, we gain new appreciation of the way in which the personhood of early Christians connected with group values. By examining the protocols of patronage and reciprocity, we more firmly grasp the meaning of God's grace--and our response has fresh meaning. In exploring the ethos of kinship and household relations, we enlarge our perspective on the early Christian communities that met in houses and functioned as a new family or "household" of God. And by investigating the notions of purity and pollution along with their associated practices, we come to realize how the ancient "map" of society and the world was revised by the power of the gospel. DeSilva's work will reward you with a deeper appreciation of the New Testament, the gospel and Christian discipleship. More than that, it will also inform your participation in contemporary Christian community.