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An Adventure In Moral Philosophy
by Warner FiteOriginally published in 1926, this book develops the Socratic thesis that morality is intelligence, that morality is not a matter of standards, laws and principles but in knowing what we do – in living self-consciously. The book develops this central theme in its bearings upon logic and science, art and religion and suggests that both intelligence and morality stand for much more than appears first obvious.
An Adventure in Service-Learning: Developing Knowledge, Values and Responsibility
by Anto T. KerinsAn Adventure in Service-Learning argues that education can provide not just knowledge and skills but it can also encourage the development of values and responsibility Service-Learning is a teaching method unlike any other. It allows students to use their classroom theory to help others through relevant service or volunteering activity. In so doing, it gives students the opportunity to use the experiences of helping others to strengthen their understanding of subject material. Service-learning is like a bridge that connects education with the outside world. It breathes life and clarity into any subject and better prepares students for life after college. An Adventure in Service-Learning is a well written and easy to read book. It introduces the newcomer to service-learning and provides the seasoned practitioner with an important analysis of this most interesting of teaching methods. Its discussion of learning and the role of higher education will interest educationalists and its consideration of service will be important to those who are concerned about community. A passionate belief in education and its possibilities permeates An Adventure in Service-Learning. The book examines service-learning in project management, leadership and management consultancy and provides readers with an understanding of how the method can work in any subject or discipline. It clarifies the need for community and discusses the nature and possibilities of what it means to be human. The book will help to renew and reinvigorate practitioners, policy makers and the education system as a whole.
An Adventure in Statistics: The Reality Enigma
by Andy FieldAPEX Award 2023 for Publication Excellence: Print Media - Education & Training Shortlisted for the British Psychological Society Book Award 2017 Shortlisted for the British Book Design and Production Awards 2016 Shortlisted for the Association of Learned & Professional Society Publishers Award for Innovation in Publishing 2016 Now in its second edition, An Adventure in Statistics: The Reality Enigma by best-selling author and award-winning teacher Andy Field offers a better way to learn statistics. It combines rock-solid statistics coverage with compelling visual storytelling to address the conceptual difficulties that students learning statistics for the first time often encounter in introductory courses. Students are guided away from rote memorization towards independent, critical thinking and problem solving. This essential foundation to understanding statistics is woven into the unique action-packed story of Zach, who thinks, processes information and faces challenges to his understanding in the same way as a statistics novice. Illustrated with stunning, graphic novel-style art and featuring Socratic dialogue, the story captivates readers as it introduces them to concepts, eliminating potential statistics anxiety. No previous statistics knowledge is presumed, and no use of data analysis software is required – everything you would expect for an introductory course is covered but with a contemporary twist, arming students with a strong grounding in understanding classical and Bayesian approaches to data analysis. With its unique combination of story, concepts and terminology, this complete introduction to statistics from bestselling author Andy Field breaks the mould to present a statistical tale like no other. Stay connected Join us on Facebook and share your experiences with Andy’s texts, check out news, access free stuff, see photos, watch videos, learn about competitions, and much more.
An Adventure in Statistics: The Reality Enigma
by Andy FieldAPEX Award 2023 for Publication Excellence: Print Media - Education & Training Shortlisted for the British Psychological Society Book Award 2017 Shortlisted for the British Book Design and Production Awards 2016 Shortlisted for the Association of Learned & Professional Society Publishers Award for Innovation in Publishing 2016 Now in its second edition, An Adventure in Statistics: The Reality Enigma by best-selling author and award-winning teacher Andy Field offers a better way to learn statistics. It combines rock-solid statistics coverage with compelling visual storytelling to address the conceptual difficulties that students learning statistics for the first time often encounter in introductory courses. Students are guided away from rote memorization towards independent, critical thinking and problem solving. This essential foundation to understanding statistics is woven into the unique action-packed story of Zach, who thinks, processes information and faces challenges to his understanding in the same way as a statistics novice. Illustrated with stunning, graphic novel-style art and featuring Socratic dialogue, the story captivates readers as it introduces them to concepts, eliminating potential statistics anxiety. No previous statistics knowledge is presumed, and no use of data analysis software is required – everything you would expect for an introductory course is covered but with a contemporary twist, arming students with a strong grounding in understanding classical and Bayesian approaches to data analysis. With its unique combination of story, concepts and terminology, this complete introduction to statistics from bestselling author Andy Field breaks the mould to present a statistical tale like no other. Stay connected Join us on Facebook and share your experiences with Andy’s texts, check out news, access free stuff, see photos, watch videos, learn about competitions, and much more.
An Adventure in Statistics: The Reality Enigma
by Professor Andy FieldShortlisted for the British Psychological Society Book Award 2017 Shortlisted for the British Book Design and Production Awards 2016 Shortlisted for the Association of Learned & Professional Society Publishers Award for Innovation in Publishing 2016 An Adventure in Statistics: The Reality Enigma by best-selling author and award-winning teacher Andy Field offers a better way to learn statistics. It combines rock-solid statistics coverage with compelling visual story-telling to address the conceptual difficulties that students learning statistics for the first time often encounter in introductory courses - guiding students away from rote memorization and toward critical thinking and problem solving. Field masterfully weaves in a unique, action-packed story starring Zach, a character who thinks like a student, processing information, and the challenges of understanding it, in the same way a statistics novice would. Illustrated with stunning graphic novel-style art and featuring Socratic dialogue, the story captivates readers as it introduces them to concepts, eliminating potential statistics anxiety. The book assumes no previous statistics knowledge nor does it require the use of data analysis software. It covers the material you would expect for an introductory level statistics course that Field’s other books (Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics and Discovering Statistics Using R) only touch on, but with a contemporary twist, laying down strong foundations for understanding classical and Bayesian approaches to data analysis. In doing so, it provides an unrivalled launch pad to further study, research, and inquisitiveness about the real world, equipping students with the skills to succeed in their chosen degree and which they can go on to apply in the workplace. The Story and Main Characters The Reality Revolution In the City of Elpis, in the year 2100, there has been a reality revolution. Prior to the revolution, Elpis citizens were unable to see their flaws and limitations, believing themselves talented and special. This led to a self-absorbed society in which hard work and the collective good were undervalued and eroded. To combat this, Professor Milton Grey invented the reality prism, a hat that allowed its wearers to see themselves as they really were - flaws and all. Faced with the truth, Elpis citizens revolted and destroyed and banned all reality prisms. The Mysterious Disappearance Zach and Alice are born soon after all the prisms have been destroyed. Zach, a musician who doesn’t understand science, and Alice, a geneticist who is also a whiz at statistics, are in love. One night, after making a world-changing discovery, Alice suddenly disappears, leaving behind a song playing on a loop and a file with her research on it. Statistics to the Rescue! Sensing that she might be in danger, Zach follows the clues to find her, as he realizes that the key to discovering why Alice has vanished is in her research. Alas! He must learn statistics and apply what he learns in order to overcome a number of deadly challenges and find the love of his life. As Zach and his pocket watch, The Head, embark on their quest to find Alice, they meet Professor Milton Grey and Celia, battle zombies, cross a probability bridge, and encounter Jig:Saw, a mysterious corporation that might have something to do with Alice’s disappearance… Author News "Eight years ago I had the idea to write a fictional story through which the student learns statistics via a shared adventure with the main character..." Read the complete article from Andy Field on writing his new book Times Higher Education article: “Andy Field takes statistics adventure to a new level” Stay Connected Connect with us on Facebook and share your experiences with Andy’s texts, check out news, access free stuff, see photos, watch videos, learn about competitions, and much more. Video Links Go behind the scenes and learn more about the man behind the book: Watch Andy talk about why he created a statistics book using the framework of a novel and illustratio
An Adventure: Weightlessness Phenomena And Life On Space Station
by Chengmin ZhangThis is a popular science book surrounding astronauts’ life on the space station. The book not only highlights the weightlessness experience of astronauts and the extraordinary phenomena they witness, but also illustrates the physics behind these events, which opens a new window for readers to explore the outer space. This book is especially fun for those who are curious about the life details of astronauts on the space station. The book is based on real events, and features images and cartoons that vividly depict unusual scenes between the outer space and the earth. Physical principles become easier to understand with these visual aids. During the reading, readers can immerse themselves in the enjoyable adventure of space travel and the strange feeling of weightlessness while having their doubts of every oddity solved. The book elaborates on the interesting contrast between the space and the earth, and provides readers with a stunning new perspective with easily comprehensible language and examples.
An Adventurer's Guide to Number Theory (Dover Books On Mathematics Ser.)
by Richard FriedbergIn this delightful guide, a noted mathematician and teacher offers a witty, historically oriented introduction to number theory, dealing with properties of numbers and with numbers as abstract concepts. Written for readers with an understanding of arithmetic and beginning algebra, the book presents the classical discoveries of number theory, including the work of Pythagoras, Euclid, Diophantus, Fermat, Euler, Lagrange and Gauss.Unlike many authors, however, Mr. Friedberg encourages students to think about the imaginative, playful qualities of numbers as they consider such subjects as primes and divisibility, quadratic forms and residue arithmetic and quadratic reciprocity and related theorems. Moreover, the author has included a number of unusual features to challenge and stimulate students: some of the original problems in Diophantus' Arithmetica, proofs of Fermat's Last Theorem for the exponents 3and 4, and two proofs of Wilson's Theorem.Readers with a mathematical bent will enjoy and benefit from these entertaining and thought-provoking adventures in the fascinating realm of number theory. Mr. Friedberg is currently Professor of Physics at Barnard College, where he is Chairman of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
An Advocate Persuades
by Christine Coughlin Joan Rocklin Sandy Patrick Robert RocklinAn Advocate Persuades introduces its reader to the role of the advocate and the tools of persuasion. This book, like its predecessor A Lawyer Writes, places the reader in the role of a first-year attorney. Now, that first-year attorney must draft a motion or appellate brief and then present an oral argument. With step-by-step explanations and numerous examples, An Advocate Persuades explains how to develop and refine trial-level and appellate arguments and then how to present those arguments orally. Speaking to its readers in a straightforward manner, An Advocate Persuades communicates both the theories and foundational skills of persuasion so that they will be retained for a lifetime of legal practice.
An Advocate Persuades
by Christine Coughlin Joan Rocklin Sandy Patrick Robert RocklinThe second edition of An Advocate Persuades is reorganized into four parts: (1) Introduction to Advocacy; (2) Developing Arguments from a Persuasive Perspective; (3) Constructing Persuasive Court Documents (both at the trial and appellate level); and (4) Oral Argument (both at the trial and appellate level). The book also has an expanded appendix, which provides an overview of trial and appellate litigation in both civil and criminal cases, annotated trial and appellate briefs, and advice about moot court competitions.
An Aegean April (Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mysteries #9)
by Jeffrey SigerThe beautiful Greek island of Lesvos, birthplace of the poet Sappho, and for centuries an agrarian paradise famed for anise-flavored ouzo and tasty sardines, sees its serenity turn into chaos as the world watches boatloads of refugees daily flee onto its shores from Turkey across the narrow Mytilini Strait. Mihalis Volandes is one of Lesvos' elite, the patriarch of a storied shipping clan. He's weathered many changes in his long life, and when a government policy accelerates the surge of refugees onto his island, he rises to prominence in relief efforts he sees as growing increasingly ineffectual. One evening, after working to stir up support for his breakthrough plan to strike at the heart of the lucrative refugee trafficking trade, he returns to his mansion in darkness - only to fall victim in his own garden to a swishing sword. A refugee-turned-local-aid-worker is found at the scene, splattered with Volandes' blood, and swiftly arrested by island police. Case closed - or would be, if young Ali Sera were not working with SafePassage, an NGO (non-government organization), headed on Lesvos by American Dana McLaughlin. McLaughlin is having none of Ali's arrest. Within hours the phone rings in the Athens office of Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis, and she's requesting that Kaldis take over the investigation. Volandes was a prominent citizen and the crime particularly gruesome. Could it be terrorism or something else? But whether Ali is guilty or framed, Andreas can't ignore a powerful motive for the murder. Volandes' daring plan, if implemented, would soon shut down the cash-generating refugee-trafficking pipeline between Turkey and Lesvos. And so, we're off on a nail-biting ride with Kaldis and his team through Byzantine island politics, deteriorating diplomatic relations, and a world on fire with intrigues and more brutal deaths. This ninth Andreas Kaldis thriller once again links modern Greece to its ancient past, the powerful grip of myths upon its people, and cutting edge issues of societal change affecting our world at large.
An Aegean Prophecy: Number 3 in series (Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mystery #3)
by Jeffrey SigerSt John wrote the apocalyptic Book of Revelation over 1900 years ago in a cave on Greece's eastern Aegean island of Patmos. When a revered monk from that holy island's thousand-year-old monastery is murdered in Patmos's town square during Easter Week, Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis is called upon to find the killer.Andreas's impolitic search for answers brings him face-to-face with a scandal haunting the world's oldest surviving monastic community. On the pristine Aegean peninsula of Mount Athos, isolated from the rest of humanity, twenty monasteries sit protecting the secrets of Byzantium amid a way of life virtually unchanged for more than 1500 years. But today this sacred refuge harbours modern international intrigues that threaten to destroy the very heart of the Church . . . in a matter of days.
An Aesthesia of Networks
by Anna MunsterToday almost every aspect of life for which data exists can be rendered as a network. Financial data, social networks, biological ecologies: all are visualized in links and nodes, linesconnecting dots. A network visualization of a corporate infrastructure could look remarkably similarto that of a terrorist organization. In An Aesthesia of Networks, Anna Munsterargues that this uniformity has flattened our experience of networks as active and relationalprocesses and assemblages. She counters the "network anaesthesia" that results from thispervasive mimesis by reinserting the question of experience, or aesthesia, into networked cultureand aesthetics. Rather than asking how humans experience computers and networks, Munster asks hownetworks experience -- what operations they perform and undergo to change andproduce new forms of experience. Drawing on William James's radical empiricism, she asserts thatnetworked experience is assembled first and foremost through relations, which make up its mostimmediately sensed and perceived aspect. Munster critically considers a range of contemporaryartistic and cultural practices that engage with network technologies and techniques, includingdatabases and data mining, the domination of search in online activity, and the proliferation ofviral media through YouTube. These practices -- from artists who "undermine" data tomusicians and VJs who use intranetworked audio and video software environments -- are concerned withthe relationality at the core of today's network experience.
An Aesthesia of Networks: Conjunctive Experience in Art and Technology (Technologies of Lived Abstraction)
by Anna MunsterThe experience of networks as the immediate sensing of relations between humans and nonhuman technical elements in assemblages such as viral media and databases.Today almost every aspect of life for which data exists can be rendered as a network. Financial data, social networks, biological ecologies: all are visualized in links and nodes, lines connecting dots. A network visualization of a corporate infrastructure could look remarkably similar to that of a terrorist organization. In An Aesthesia of Networks, Anna Munster argues that this uniformity has flattened our experience of networks as active and relational processes and assemblages. She counters the “network anaesthesia” that results from this pervasive mimesis by reinserting the question of experience, or aesthesia, into networked culture and aesthetics.Rather than asking how humans experience computers and networks, Munster asks how networks experience—what operations they perform and undergo to change and produce new forms of experience. Drawing on William James's radical empiricism, she asserts that networked experience is assembled first and foremost through relations, which make up its most immediately sensed and perceived aspect. Munster critically considers a range of contemporary artistic and cultural practices that engage with network technologies and techniques, including databases and data mining, the domination of search in online activity, and the proliferation of viral media through YouTube. These practices—from artists who “undermine” data to musicians and VJs who use intranetworked audio and video software environments—are concerned with the relationality at the core of today's network experience.
An Aesthetic Education in the Era of Globalization
by Gayatri Chakravorty SpivakDuring the past twenty years, the world s most renowned critical theorist the scholar who defined the field of postcolonial studies has experienced a radical reorientation in her thinking. Finding the neat polarities of tradition and modernity, colonial and postcolonial, no longer sufficient for interpreting the globalized present, she turns elsewhere to make her central argument: that aesthetic education is the last available instrument for implementing global justice and democracy. Spivak s unwillingness to sacrifice the ethical in the name of the aesthetic, or to sacrifice the aesthetic in grappling with the political, makes her task formidable. As she wrestles with these fraught relationships, she rewrites Friedrich Schiller s concept of play as double bind, reading Gregory Bateson with Gramsci as she negotiates Immanuel Kant, while in dialogue with her teacher Paul de Man. Among the concerns Spivak addresses is this: Are we ready to forfeit the wealth of the world s languages in the name of global communication? Even a good globalization (the failed dream of socialism) requires the uniformity which the diversity of mother-tongues must challenge, Spivak writes. The tower of Babel is our refuge. In essays on theory, translation, Marxism, gender, and world literature, and on writers such as Assia Djebar, J. M. Coetzee, and Rabindranath Tagore, Spivak argues for the social urgency of the humanities and renews the case for literary studies, imprisoned in the corporate university. Perhaps, she writes, the literary can still do something. "
An Aesthetic Occupation
by Daniel Bertrand MonkIn An Aesthetic Occupation Daniel Bertrand Monk unearths the history of the unquestioned political immediacy of "sacred" architecture in the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Monk combines groundbreaking archival research with theoretical insights to examine in particular the Mandate era--the period in the first half of the twentieth century when Britain held sovereignty over Palestine. While examining the relation between monuments and mass violence in this context, he documents Palestinian, Zionist, and British attempts to advance competing arguments concerning architecture's utility to politics. Succumbing neither to the view that monuments are autonomous figures onto which political meaning has been projected, nor to the obverse claim that in Jerusalem shrines are immediate manifestations of the political, Monk traces the reciprocal history of both these positions as well as describes how opponents in the conflict debated and theorized their own participation in its self-representation. Analyzing controversies over the authenticity of holy sites, the restorations of the Dome of the Rock, and the discourse of accusation following the Buraq, or Wailing Wall, riots of 1929, Monk discloses for the first time that, as combatants looked to architecture and invoked the transparency of their own historical situation, they simultaneously advanced--and normalized--the conflict's inability to account for itself. This balanced and unique study will appeal to anyone interested in Israel or Zionism, the Palestinians, the Middle East conflict, Jerusalem, or its monuments. Scholars of architecture, political theory, and religion, as well as cultural and critical studies will also be informed by its arguments.
An Aesthetic Underground
by John Metcalf"John Metcalf has written some of the very best stories ever published in this country."--Alice MunroThe Argus-eyed editor; the magisterial prose stylist; the waggish, inflammatory cultural critic; the mentor and iconoclast. John Metcalf is a literary legend whose memoir maps the underground he labored tirelessly to establish.
An Affair Before Christmas (Desperate Duchesses #2)
by Eloisa JamesMagic under the mistletoe . . . One spectacular Christmas, Lady Perdita Selby, known to her friends and family as Poppy, met the man she thought she would love forever. The devilishly attractive Duke of Fletcher was the perfect match for the innocent, breathtakingly beautiful young Englishwoman, and theirs was the most romantic wedding she had ever seen. Four years later, Poppy and the duke have become the toast of the ton . . . but behind closed doors the spark of their love affair has burned out. Unwilling to lose the woman he still lusts after, the duke is determined to win back his beguiling bride's delectable affections . . . and surpass the heady days of first love with a truly sinful seduction.
An Affair Before Christmas: A Sexy and Unputdownable Regency Romance Book
by Eloisa Jamesfont size="+1">'Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than Eloisa James' Julia Quinn, bestselling author of Bridgertons The second book in the New York Times bestselling Desperate Duchesses series, perfect for fans of Julia Quinn's Bridgertons and Eloisa's Wildes of Lindow Castle'Choc-full of romantic heroes romantic heroes that would give Darcy a run for his money.' Carole MatthewsOne spectacular Christmas, Miss Perdita 'Poppy' Selby met the man she thought she would love forever. The devilishly attractive Duke of Fletcher was everything a convent-educated girl wished for in a suitor, and their wedding day was perfect. Unfortunately, no one had quite prepared Poppy for what would happen next. Four years later, Poppy and the duke have become the toast of London society, but behind closed doors the spark of their love affair has burned out. Fortunately, Poppy has a friend in Jemma, the Duchess of Beaumont. Jemma, who is toying with another man herself, reveals to Poppy a world of strategy and desire that will change Poppy's whole outlook on love forever.
An Affair Downstairs
by Sherri BrowningThe attraction of the forbidden cannot be suppressed...Lady Alice Emerson is entirely unsatisfied with the endless stream of boring suitors her family finds appropriate. She wants something more. Something daring. Something real. Each tiresome new suitor only serves to further inflame Lady Alice's combustible attraction to Thornbrook Park's rugged, manly estate manager, Logan Winthrop. Despite Logan's stubborn attempts to avoid her, Lady Alice is irresistible, and so is the forbidden desire exploding between them...If you're a fan of Downton Abbey, don't miss the fascinating Edwardian world of Thornbrook Park.
An Affair Most Wicked
by Julianne MacleanClara Wilson has come all the way to London to clear her name (after her wilfulness has left her quite unweddable across the ocean). But before she even has a chance to practise her curtsey, she stumbles into the arms of Seger Wolfe, Marquess of Rawdon. Clara has never felt love before, but she has no doubt when she meets the Marquess that this is what it feels like. Too bad love is the last thing on her mind-she's here to find a husband, not a rake. Every good gossip knows that the notoriously wealthy Marquess loved and lost years ago, and few have missed the way his broken heart drove him from society ballrooms into society ladies' bedrooms. But when he meets the misplaced Clara Wilson at one of the town's ever-so-scandalous secret balls, the desire he feels for her is too strong, and it pulls him back into the swirl of aristocratic London. Now he finds himself competing for the heart of the inappropriate beauty, and risking his own heart in the game.
An Affair Without End (Willowmere #3)
by Candace CampIf a sophisticated beauty proposes a clandestine affair, could even the most proper gentleman resist? New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp concludes her scintillating Willowmere series with a seductive tale of an alluring lady who dares to break the rules. . . . When Oliver, Earl of Stewkesbury, asks the dashing Lady Vivian Carlyle to ensure that his American cousins meet the cream of London society, he doesn’t anticipate the danger she will pose to his own self-control. Thrown into intimate contact with the lovely lady, Oliver finds he cannot stop thinking of Vivian—of her wit, of her smile . . . of her lips. And when Vivian, who has sworn never to subject herself to the bonds of matrimony, boldly suggests that she and Oliver become lovers instead, her scandalous proposal is temptation indeed! But with an alarming series of jewel thefts rocking London, the ever-outrageous Vivian insists on trying to discover the perpetrator despite Oliver’s admonitions. And when a bold lady steps into danger, it is a gentleman’s duty to protect her at all costs. What neither Oliver nor Vivian can anticipate, however, is that the ultimate cost may be both their hearts. . . .
An Affair at Stonecliffe (A Stonecliffe Novel #1)
by Candace CampIn this delightful new Regency romance from New York Times bestseller Candace Camp, a feisty commoner and a ruthless aristocrat spar in all the right ways. Noelle Rutherford would do anything for her young son, Gil. A fiercely independent woman recently widowed, Noelle is determined to raise Gil alone. After all, her late husband Adam Rutherford married her for love, which infuriated his aristocratic family. Gil is Noelle&’s whole world, and she will not have him wrested from her by haughty nobles. But she may not have a choice unless she&’s prepared to run. One awful night, Noelle is confronted by Carlisle Thorne, a handsome yet severe, irascible man sent by the Rutherfords. Noelle is horrified when Carlisle offers her money in exchange for taking Gil to be raised at the Rutherford estate, Stonecliffe. Knowing that Carlisle will use any means necessary to take her son from her, Noelle flees, Gil at her side. Thus begins an epic rivalry that spans five years—a battle of wits between two unforgettable characters bound together by fate and fortune. However, when danger threatens, these enemies must come together to protect what matters most… even if it means losing their hearts.
An Affair of Honor
by Amanda ScottUSA Today–bestselling author: Their reckless love would scandalize society—but they may not be able to resist . . . A series of disasters in Eleanor Lindale&’s well-to-do family kept her out of the social whirl where she might have attracted suitors. Now, at age twenty-five, she believes she is irretrievably on the shelf. But her quiet life in Brighton abruptly changes when she&’s asked to chaperone her beautiful seventeen-year-old niece, Lady Aurora Crossways, for a brief season before Aurora&’s wedding to Philip Radford, Earl of Huntley. Aurora&’s flirtatious and boisterous behavior is difficult for Eleanor to manage. More trying still are Eleanor&’s growing feelings for Philip, and his for her. But will Philip&’s strong sense of honor prevent him from following his heart?
An Affair of Honor
by Richard MariusIn this powerful novel--the capstone to Richard Marius's illustrious career--a gripping double murder propels the small, Bible-obsessed town of Bourbonville, Tennessee, into connection with the wider society opening up in the years following World War II.At the center: Charles Alexander, twenty, groomed from birth by his mother to be a Baptist minister, teetering on the edge of his faith. In his last year of college, working late one night at the newspaper office, he accidentally witnesses the murders. The killer is Hope Kirby, World War II hero, member of a large mountain clan of farmers, who has discovered his wife's infidelity. Although Kirby's code of honor requires that he exact vengeance, it won't allow him to kill an innocent bystander, and Charles goes free, promising not to tell what he's seen.But Charles does tell, and we watch, fascinated, as a trial, an appeal, and a new terror unleashed on the countryside draw the entire county into the action. Among the people most closely involved: the skillful, overweight, hard-drinking lawyer for the defense; two Baptist preachers--one liberal, one a strict constructionist--each with a secret to hide; a lady banker determinedly headed for trouble; a big-hearted good- old-boy sheriff; Charles's disturbingly freewheeling, freethinking sometime college girlfriend. Most importantly, we see the Kirby clan: Pappy, whose extraordinary patience, hard work, and self-reliance cause his hardscrabble farm to prosper until he's turned out by the coming of a national park; and the five Kirby sons, who are trying hard to make a new place for themselves in the town.As these and others play their parts in the affair of honor, we see Charles and the Kirbys begin to reexamine their dramatically opposing but equally encapsulated ways of viewing life--fundamentalist Christian and ancient "code of the hills." And as the novel draws to its climactic and satisfying close, we see them--and finally the entire town--profoundly, permanently changed.
An Affair of Sorcerers (Mongo #3)
by George C. ChesbroThree apparently separate investigations involving the New York City occult underground of covens, warlocks, tarot readers, faith healers, and palm readers dovetail into a single, explosive climax.