Most Popular Books by J. Williams

The Emancipation Proclamation is the most important document of arguably the greatest president in U.S. history. Now, Edna Greene Medford, Frank J. Williams, and Harold Holzer -- eminent experts in their fields -- remember, analyze, and interpret the Emancipation Proclamation in three distinct respects: the influence of and impact upon African Americans; the legal, political, and military exigencies; and the role pictorial images played in establishing the document in public memory. The result is a carefully balanced yet provocative study that views the proclamation and its author from the perspective of fellow Republicans, antiwar Democrats, the press, the military, the enslaved, free blacks, and the antislavery white establishment, as well as the artists, publishers, sculptors, and their patrons who sought to enshrine Abraham Lincoln and his decree of freedom in iconography.Medford places African Americans, the people most affected by Lincoln''s edict, at the center of the drama rather than at the periphery, as previous studies have done. She argues that blacks interpreted the proclamation much more broadly than Lincoln intended it, and during the postwar years and into the twentieth century they became disillusioned by the broken promise of equality and the realities of discrimination, violence, and economic dependence. Williams points out the obstacles Lincoln overcame in finding a way to confiscate property -- enslaved humans -- without violating the Constitution. He suggests that the president solidified his reputation as a legal and political genius by issuing the proclamation as Commander-in-Chief, thus taking the property under the pretext of military necessity. Holzer explores how it was only after Lincoln''s assassination that the Emancipation Proclamation became an acceptable subject for pictorial celebration. Even then, it was the image of the martyr-president as the great emancipator that resonated in public memory, while any reference to those African Americans most affected by the proclamation was stripped away.This multilayered treatment reveals that the proclamation remains a singularly brave and bold act -- brilliantly calculated to maintain the viability of the Union during wartime, deeply dependent on the enlightened voices of Lincoln''s contemporaries, and owing a major debt in history to the image-makers who quickly and indelibly preserved it.

Located between the Blue Ridge and the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Smyth County has had a profound effect on many aspects of local, state, American, and world history. In Images of America: Smyth County, take a journey back through time and visit the town recently named the "Most Historical Spot in America." Travel across the homestead of the first Virginians, who fought the first recorded battle of the new land, and find out how Smyth County is rewriting the history books. See the racetrack in Smyth County where the "Babe Ruth of NASCAR" took the checkered flag. Tour Civil War sites and homes where Stoneman''s Raiders took refuge during battles for the most valuable site of the Confederacy.

"Jamaica is the land where the rooster lays an egg...When a Jamaican is born of a black woman and some English or Scotsman, the black mother is literally and figuratively kept out of sight as far as possible, but no one is allowed to forget that white father, however questionable the circumstances of birth...You get the impression that these virile Englishmen do not require women to reproduce. They just come out to Jamaica, scratch out a nest and lay eggs that hatch out into ''pink'' Jamaicans." --Zora Neale Hurston We may no longer issue scarlet letters, but from the way we talk, we might as well: W for welfare, S for single, B for black, CC for children having children, WT for white trash. To a culture speaking with barely masked hysteria, in which branding is done with words and those branded are outcasts, this book brings a voice of reason and a warm reminder of the decency and mutual respect that are missing from so much of our public debate. Patricia J. Williams, whose acclaimed book The Alchemy of Race and Rights offered a vision for healing the ailing spirit of the law, here broadens her focus to address the wounds in America''s public soul, the sense of community that rhetoric so subtly but surely makes and unmakes. In these pages we encounter figures and images plucked from headlines--from Tonya Harding to Lani Guinier, Rush Limbaugh to Hillary Clinton, Clarence Thomas to Dan Quayle--and see how their portrayal, encoding certain stereotypes, often reveals more about us than about them. What are we really talking about when we talk about welfare mothers, for instance? Why is calling someone a "redneck" okay, and what does that say about our society? When young women appear on Phil Donahue to represent themselves as Jewish American Princesses, what else are they doing? These are among the questions Williams considers as she uncovers the shifting, often covert rules of conversation that determine who "we" are as a nation.

Strengthen family and community engagement to promote equity and increase student success! When schools, families, and communities collaborate and share responsibility for students'' education, more students succeed in school. Based on 30 years of research and fieldwork, this fourth edition of a bestseller provides tools and guidelines to use to develop more effective and equitable programs of family and community engagement. Written by a team of well-known experts, this foundational text demonstrates a proven approach to implement and sustain inclusive, goal-oriented programs. Readers will find: Many examples and vignettes Rubrics and checklists for implementation of plans CD-ROM complete with slides and notes for workshop presentations

In this book, leading scholar Andrew J. Williams examines contemporary liberal thinking on the ending of wars and puts it into its historical context. Using a vast range of archival material, he examines the main strategies used by liberal states to consolidate their gains in the aftermath of war and prevent conflict re-occurring. Considering historical wars from the nineteenth century to the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the war in Ukraine since 2022, Williams explores the continuities and changes within western liberalism in response to war and the encouragement of peace. These include, in recent times, the emergence of ‘neoliberalism’, a growing revulsion against ‘humanitarian intervention’ and the evolution of legal attempts to control illiberal regimes. He shows how liberalism and the articulation of international norms and institutions sprang out of historical traditions linked to colonialism but also out of a desire to promote liberty and justice. He examines the attitudes and practices that have distorted liberalism’s essentially emancipatory nature into one that has encouraged hubris in foreign policy and an increasingly divisive set of economic, political and social policies. He suggests that a new liberal impulse to encourage the spread of democracy and international justice is possible, one that returns to a more realistic approach to intervention in international conflicts. The book will appeal to scholars and students of war, conflict and political theory interested in the historical perceptions at the heart of many of the mistakes made by liberalism in the ending of wars. It will also give hope to those who still believe that liberalism can be the organising feature of a just and equitable world order.

Diary of a law professor.

The Lived Body takes a fresh look at the notion of human embodiment and provides an ideal textbook for undergraduates on the growing number of courses on the sociology of the body. The authors propose a new approach - an ''Embodied Sociology'' - one which makes embodiment central rather than peripheral. They critically examine the dualist legacies of the past, assessing the ideas of a range of key thinkers, from Marx to Freud, Foucault to Giddens, Deleuze to Guattari and Irigary to Grosz, in terms of the bodily themes and issues they address. They also explore new areas of research, including the ''fate'' of embodiment in late modernity, sex, gender, medical technology and the body, the sociology of emotions, pain, sleep and artistic representations of the body. The Lived Body will provide students and researchers in medical sociology, health sciences, cultural studies and philosophy with clear, accessible coverage of the major theories and debates in the sociology of the body and a challenging new way of thinking.

In these 16 essays, Lincoln scholars offer fresh perspectives and revealing new research on the life and times of America’s greatest president. Ubiquitous and enigmatic, the historical Lincoln, the literary Lincoln, even the cinematic Lincoln have all proved both fascinating and irresistible. Though some 16,000 books have been written about him, there is always more to say, new aspects of his life to consider, new facets of his persona to explore. Exploring Lincoln offers a selection of sixteen enlightening and entertaining papers presented at the Lincoln Forum symposia over the past three years. Shining new light on particular aspects of Lincoln’s life and his tragically abbreviated presidency—from his work on the campaign trail to his fraught relationship with General McClellan to Mary Lincoln’s mental health—Exploring Lincoln presents a compelling snapshot of current Lincoln scholarship and a fascinating window into understanding America’s greatest president.

In an age in which scholars continue to produce books on the nature and significance of Jesus''s death, books that often assume the Old Testament cult was the New Testament authors'' primary background for their conception of Jesus''s death, Jarvis J. Williams offers a fresh and novel contribution regarding both the nature of and background influences behind Paul''s conception of Jesus''s death. He argues that Paul''s conception of Jesus''s death both as an atoning sacrifice and as a saving event for Jews and Gentiles was significantly influenced by Maccabean Martyr Theology. To argue his thesis, Williams engages in an intense exegesis of 2 and 4 Maccabees while also interacting with other Second Temple Jewish texts that are relevant to his thesis. Williams further interacts with relevant Old Testament texts and the key texts in the Pauline corpus. He argues that the authors of 2 and 4 Maccabees present the deaths of the Jewish martyrs during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes IV as atoning sacrifices and as a saving event for Israel. He further argues that, although the Old Testament''s cultic language certainly influenced Paul''s understanding of Jesus''s death at certain junctures in his letters, the Old Testament cult alone-which emphasized animal sacrifices-cannot fully explain why or even how Paul could conceive of Jesus''s death, a human sacrifice, as both an atoning sacrifice and a saving event for Jews and Gentiles. Finally, Williams highlights the lexical, theological, and conceptual parallels between Martyr Theology and Paul''s conception of Jesus''s death. Even if scholars disagree with Williams''s thesis or methodology, serious Pauline scholars interested in the background influences behind and the nature and significance of Jesus''s death in Paul''s theology will want to interact with this work.

Diverse perspectives on Lincoln’s assassination, its aftermath, and its place in national memory from some of today’s leading Lincoln scholars. The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most significant events in US history. It continues to attract the interest of scholars, writers, and armchair historians, ranging from painstaking new research to wild-eyed speculation. Now leading scholars of Lincoln and his murder offer in one volume their most salient studies and arguments about the assassination, its aftermath, the extraordinary—and complicated—public reaction, and the iconography that Lincoln’s murder and deification inspired. Contributors also offer the latest accounts of the pursuit, prosecution, and punishment of the conspirators. Everything from graphic tributes to religious sermons, to spontaneous outbursts on the nation’s city streets, to emotional mass-mourning at carefully organized funerals, as well as the imposition of military jurisprudence to try the conspirators, is examined in the light of fresh evidence and insightful analysis. Contributing to this volume are some of the finest scholars specializing in Lincoln’s assassination. All have earned well-deserved reputations for the quality of their research, their originality, and their writing. In addition to the editors, contributors include Thomas R. Turner, Edward Steers Jr., Michael W. Kauffman, Thomas P. Lowry, Richard E. Sloan, Elizabeth D. Leonard, and Richard Nelson Current.

Is there evidence to believe the Gospels? The Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, John—are four accounts of Jesus''s life and teachings while on earth. But should we accept them as historically accurate? What evidence is there that the recorded events actually happened? Presenting a case for the historical reliability of the Gospels, New Testament scholar Peter Williams examines evidence from non-Christian sources, assesses how accurately the four biblical accounts reflect the cultural context of their day, compares different accounts of the same events, and looks at how these texts were handed down throughout the centuries. Everyone from the skeptic to the scholar will find powerful arguments in favor of trusting the Gospels as trustworthy accounts of Jesus''s earthly life.

The purpose of these publications is to be instrumental in sharing the pure Dharma and to inspire people of all age and backgrounds to shine their inner light for the benefit of all. It is not for mere trading purposes or profit. It is my hope that this book can be both a precious gift as well as a life-coaching guidebook. May this and future publications further open the door to the timeless treasury of the living and vibrant Dharma, and shine a light that helps you to unveil your true enlightened nature. May it promote and advance virtue and purity, and act as a source of hope, strength and blessings in these often turbulent and complicated times.

Located in South Carolina''s Lowcountry, Clarendon County exists as a paradigm of Southern communities. Lake Marion rests against the county''s southern border, while cypress trees, whose limbs are decorated with Spanish Moss, flourish in the swampy lowlands. Wildlife abounds, making this a paradise for hunters and fishermen.Clarendon County''s history is as rich as its Southern flavor, and many know that while furthering America''s cause for independence, Francis Marion fought in the area now called Clarendon and earned his nickname "Swamp Fox." Five Palmetto State governors, all members of Richardson and Manning families, came from the county, and the first South Carolinian crowned Miss America was a Clarendon native. Still, Clarendon residents have shared in America''s hardships, too; for within the confines of this small, rural community, they have found themselves time and again confronted with America''s battles. Not only did residents fight in the Revolutionary War and the War between the States, but they also fought an important portion of the Civil Rights Movement here. Clarendon County pays tribute to this singular history, as well as to the residents who defined and developed this agrarian community.

For the past two generations, extensive research has been conducted on the determinants of homosexuality. But, until now, scant attention has been paid to what is perhaps the most mysterious--and potentially illuminating--variation of human sexual expression, bisexuality. Today, as ignorance and fear of AIDS makes greater awareness of all forms of sexual behavior an urgent matter of private and public consequence, leading sex researchers Martin Weinberg, Colin Williams, and Douglas Pryor provide us with the first major study of bisexuality. Weinberg, Williams, and Pryor explore the riddle of dual attraction in their study of 800 residents of San Francisco. Fieldwork, intensive interviews, and surveys provided a wealth of data about the nature of bisexual attraction, the steps that lead people to become bisexual, and how sexual preference can change over time. They found that heterosexuals, more often than homosexuals, become bisexual; that bisexual men and women differ markedly in their sexual behavior and romantic feelings; that most bisexuals ultimately settle into long-term relationships while continuing sexual activity outside those relationships; and they also explain why transsexuals often become bisexual. Moreover, the authors discovered that as the AIDS crisis unfolded, many bisexual men entered into monogamous relationships with women, and bisexual women into more lesbian relationships. Recent media accounts attest that a growing number of researchers and writers are narrowing the fundamental cause of sexual preference to a single factor, biology. But if, as this study shows, learning plays a significant part in helping people traverse the boundaries of gender, if past and present intimate relationships influence their changing preferences, and if bisexual activity is inseparable from a social environment which provides distinctive sexual opportunities, then a mosaic of factors far more complex than those previously considered must be entertained in explaining the fuller spectrum of sexual preferences. Dual Attraction is one of the most significant contributions to our understanding of sexuality since the original Kinsey reports and Bell and Weinberg''s 1978 international bestseller, Homosexualities. It is must reading for all those interested in the study of sexual behavior--especially now, since the onset of AIDS.

This technical note and manual (TNM) addresses the following main issues: Interaction between treasury cash management and monetary policy operations within the wider context of the respective economic responsibilities of the ministry of finance and the central bank; Institutional arrangements for an effective relationship between the treasury and the central bank; Contractual arrangements between the treasury and the central bank for the provision of banking and other services. This document will be particularly relevant to developing countries that are reforming cash management operations or contemplating more active cash management; or where there are operational policy differences between the treasury and the central bank.

Enacting social justice is essential to the Christian faith. But the Bible''s call to seek justice is not a call to superficial activism. True justice requires biblical wisdom and communal discernment. Maybe you''re frustrated with a version of Christianity that doesn''t seem to take justice seriously. Perhaps you''ve witnessed the rise of ideologies that brand themselves as ''social justice,'' but you have a sense that something is off about them. Maybe you have a hunch that God offers a better way to do justice than what''s offered by the snarky memes on our news feeds. In this 14-session, video-based study guide, teacher and lecturer Thaddeus Williams furthers the case he made in his book, taking study groups and individuals deeper into complex question of how to pursue a path of justice without compromising the truth of the gospel. Participants will watch video segments (DVD/streaming video sold separately), hear from a diverse range of experts, interact in group discussions, and answer personal reflection questions to discover what the Bible and the example of Jesus have to teach us about justice. Williams confronts religious and political tribalism and challenges participants to discover a compelling vision of justice for all God''s image-bearers that offers hopeful answers to life''s biggest questions and a way forward. Sessions Include: What is Social Justice The God Question The Imago Question The Idolatry Question The Collective Question The Splintering Question The Fruit Question The Disparity Question The Color Question The Gospel Question The Tunnel Vision Question The Suffering Question The Standpoint Question Conclusion

The Essentials of Data Science: Knowledge Discovery Using R presents the concepts of data science through a hands-on approach using free and open source software. It systematically drives an accessible journey through data analysis and machine learning to discover and share knowledge from data. Building on over thirty years’ experience in teaching and practising data science, the author encourages a programming-by-example approach to ensure students and practitioners attune to the practise of data science while building their data skills. Proven frameworks are provided as reusable templates. Real world case studies then provide insight for the data scientist to swiftly adapt the templates to new tasks and datasets. The book begins by introducing data science. It then reviews R’s capabilities for analysing data by writing computer programs. These programs are developed and explained step by step. From analysing and visualising data, the framework moves on to tried and tested machine learning techniques for predictive modelling and knowledge discovery. Literate programming and a consistent style are a focus throughout the book.

In this thought-provoking reexamination of the history of "racial science" Vernon J. Williams argues that all current theories of race and race relations can be understood as extensions of or reactions to the theories formulated during the first half of the twentieth century. Williams explores these theories in a carefully crafted analysis of Franz Boas and his influence upon his contemporaries, especially W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, George W. Ellis, and Robert E. Park. Historians have long recognized the monumental role Franz Boas played in eviscerating the racist worldview that prevailed in the American social sciences. Williams reconsiders the standard portrait of Boas and offers a new understanding of a man who never fully escaped the racist assumptions of 19th-century anthropology but nevertheless successfully argued that African Americans could assimiliate into American society and that the chief obstacle facing them was not heredity but the prejudice of white America.

In these five eloquent and passionate pieces (which she gave as the prestigious Reith Lectures for the BBC) Patricia J. Williams asks how we might achieve a world where "color doesn''t matter"--where whiteness is not equated with normalcy and blackness with exoticism and danger. Drawing on her own experience, Williams delineates the great divide between "the poles of other people''s imagination and the nice calm center of oneself where dignity resides," and discusses how it might be bridged as a first step toward resolving racism. Williams offers us a new starting point--"a sensible and sustained consideration"--from which we might begin to deal honestly with the legacy and current realities of our prejudices.

This book describes methods for designing and analyzing experiments that are conducted using a computer code, a computer experiment, and, when possible, a physical experiment. Computer experiments continue to increase in popularity as surrogates for and adjuncts to physical experiments. Since the publication of the first edition, there have been many methodological advances and software developments to implement these new methodologies. The computer experiments literature has emphasized the construction of algorithms for various data analysis tasks (design construction, prediction, sensitivity analysis, calibration among others), and the development of web-based repositories of designs for immediate application. While it is written at a level that is accessible to readers with Masters-level training in Statistics, the book is written in sufficient detail to be useful for practitioners and researchers. New to this revised and expanded edition: • An expanded presentation of basic material on computer experiments and Gaussian processes with additional simulations and examples • A new comparison of plug-in prediction methodologies for real-valued simulator output • An enlarged discussion of space-filling designs including Latin Hypercube designs (LHDs), near-orthogonal designs, and nonrectangular regions • A chapter length description of process-based designs for optimization, to improve good overall fit, quantile estimation, and Pareto optimization • A new chapter describing graphical and numerical sensitivity analysis tools • Substantial new material on calibration-based prediction and inference for calibration parameters • Lists of software that can be used to fit models discussed in the book to aid practitioners

Far too long women have been the proverbial question mark when it came to ministry and how far they can go in it. I had the calling from God for at least ten years before I accepted it. Reason being, I had seen the way women were disrespected by male pastors/ministers, not recognizing there capabilities, and even not "permitting" women in "their" pulpit. No thank you, to a thankless job. However, a few things have changed today in some areas, but a lot has not changed at all in others. In my over thirty years in ministry, I finally realized something. Women, all roads to kingdom building do NOT lead to the pulpit!! WOMEN, read my book and get a head start on finding what God has called YOU to do. Stop guessing! MEN, read my book and get a new insight about women''s role in kingdom building. While you''re at it, read the bible about Deborah, Anna, Rahab to name a few women who were intelligent, courageous, and strong in the work of the ministry.

The gripping story of a dramatic eighteenth-century voyage of discovery from Naomi J. Williams In her wildly inventive debut novel, Naomi J. Williams reimagines the historical La Pérouse expedition, a voyage of exploration that left Brest in 1785 with two frigates, two hundred men, and overblown Enlightenment ideals and expectations, in a brave attempt to circumnavigate the globe for science and the glory of France. Deeply grounded in historical fact but refracted through a powerful imagination, Landfalls follows the exploits and heartbreaks not only of the men on the ships but also of the people affected by the voyage-natives and other Europeans the explorers encountered, loved ones left waiting at home, and those who survived and remembered the expedition later. Each chapter is told from a different point of view and is set in a different part of the world-ranging from London to Tenerife, Alaska to remote South Pacific islands and Siberia, and eventually back to France. The result is a beautifully written and absorbing tale of the high seas, scientific exploration, human tragedy, and the world on the cusp of the modern era. By turns elegiac, profound, and comic, Landfalls reinvents the maritime adventure novel for the twenty-first century.

A Physician''s Handbook on Orthomolecular Medicine is a collection of articles that covers the advancement in the field of orthomolecular medicine. The title presents papers that discuss the methodology and technology involved in the adjustment of the natural chemical constituents of our bodies, along with related concerns. The book aims to further promote orthomolecular medicine by discussing its effectiveness and efficiency as a form of medical treatment. The coverage of the text includes orthomolecular medicine''s application in treating mental disorders and regulating disease. The book will be of great use to students, researchers, and practitioners of health sciences.

John James Ingalls, who served Kansas as a U.S. senator from 1873 to 1891, was one of the most picturesque and striking figures the country has ever known.

How the Story of the Prodigal Son Illuminates Jesus''s Genius When someone thinks of Jesus, "genius" is not likely the first word that comes to mind. But when studied in detail, Jesus''s teachings and interactions with others combined high levels of knowledge and insight, verbal skill, and simplicity—showing his genius. In The Surprising Genius of Jesus, Peter J. Williams examines the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 to show the genius, creativity, and wisdom of Jesus''s teachings. He used simple but powerful stories to confront the Pharisees and scribes of the day, drawing on his knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures to teach his audience through complex layers and themes. Williams challenges those who question whether Jesus really was the source of the parables recorded in the Gospels, pointing readers to the truth of who Jesus is and why that matters for them today. Clear and Insightful: Accessible for general readers with in-depth footnotes for those wanting to learn more Biblical: Comprehensive, interscriptural analysis of the story of the prodigal son Written by Peter J. Williams: Author of Can We Trust the Gospels? and principal of Tyndale House, Cambridge

Judging Lincoln collects nine of the most insightful essays on the topic of the sixteenth president written by Frank J. Williams, chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and one of the nation’s leading authorities on Abraham Lincoln. For Judge Williams, Lincoln remains the central figure of the American experience—past, present, and future. Williams begins with a survey of the interest in—and influence of—Lincoln both at home and abroad and then moves into an analysis of Lincoln’s personal character with respect to his ability to foster relationships of equality among his intimates. Williams then addresses Lincoln’s leadership abilities during the span of his career, with particular emphasis on the Civil War. Next, he compares the qualities of Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill. The final essay, cowritten with Mark E. Neely Jr., concerns collecting Lincoln artifacts as a means of preserving and fostering the Lincoln legacy.

The public holds many misconceptions about criminal justice and prison life. Prisons do not resemble country clubs, even though the material amenities have improved over the years. Incarceration is not a deterrent to crime, but instead often reinforces a criminal lifestyle. The deprivation of liberty is basically counterproductive, as it is an impediment to the reintegration of the offender into society, a prerequisite to sound crime prevention. In Criminal Justice: Pros and Cons, author Paul Williams seeks to dispel these common myths about the criminal justice system. Relying on five decades of experience as a penitentiary psychologist and parole board member, he explores some of the problems and challenges of the current system as it stands now. He includes personal anecdotes from his many years dealing with the system firsthand. Williams examines the parole process, which is contingent upon an institutional experience directed toward future, crime-free living in the community rather than directed at suppression and control. He also states that the predominant bureaucratic approach, bolstered by technological advance, must be constrained so as not to supplant the personal element in this complex people business. A vibrant, autonomous, community-based sector is essential to the development and maintenance of a healthy criminal justice system. Learn the ins and outs of the criminal justice system from an insiders personal experiences in Criminal Justice: Pros and Cons.

Located between the Blue Ridge and the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Smyth County has had a profound effect on many aspects of local, state, American, and world history. In Images of America: Smyth County, take a journey back through time and visit the town recently named the "Most Historical Spot in America." Travel across the homestead of the first Virginians, who fought the first recorded battle of the new land, and find out how Smyth County is rewriting the history books. See the racetrack in Smyth County where the "Babe Ruth of NASCAR" took the checkered flag. Tour Civil War sites and homes where Stoneman''s Raiders took refuge during battles for the most valuable site of the Confederacy.

This work is an in-depth, on-the-ground examination of how prisons impact rural communities, including a revealing study of two rural communities that have chosen prisons as an economic development strategy. A recent study by the Urban Institute estimates that one-third of all counties in the United States house a prison, and that our prison and jail population is now over 2.1 million. Another report indicates that more than 97 percent of all U.S. prisoners are eventually released, and communities are absorbing nearly 650,000 formerly incarcerated individuals each year. These figures are particularly alarming considering the fact that rural communities are using prisons as economic development vehicles without fully understanding the effects of these jails on the area. This book is the result of author Eric J. Williams'' ground-level research about the effects of prisons upon two rural American communities that lobbied to host maximum security prisons. Through hundreds of interviews conducted while living in Florence, Colorado, and Beeville, Texas, Williams offers the perspective of local residents on all sides of the issue, as well as a social history told mainly from the standpoint of those who lobbied for the prisons.