Best Selling Books by Michael Brown

Now available in paperback, this provocative study examines the street-level decisions made by police, caught between a sometimes hostile community and a maze of departmental regulations. Probing the dynamics of three sample police departments, Brown reveals the factors that shape how officers wield their powers of discretion. Chief among these factors, he contends, is the highly bureaucratic organization of the modern police department. A new epilogue, prepared for this edition, focuses on the structure and operation of urban police forces in the 1980s. "Add this book to the short list of important analyses of the police at work....Places the difficult job of policing firmly within its political, organizational, and professional constraints...Worth reading and thinking about." —Crime & Delinquency "An excellent contribution...Adds significantly to our understanding of contemporary police." —Sociology "A critical analysis of policing as a social and political phenomenon....A major contribution." —Choice

“Readers who enjoy plants and offbeat tales will find Brown’s book a happy mix” (Publishers Weekly). Mankind has always had a morbid fascination with poisonous plants. Over the centuries, poisonous plants have been used to remove garden pests—as well as unwanted rivals and deceitful partners. They have also been used for their medicinal qualities, as rather dangerous cosmetics, and even to help seduce a lover when perceived as an aphrodisiac. Some of these and other uses originate in a medieval book that has not yet been translated into English. This book delves into the history of these plants, covering such topics as: How shamans and priests used these plants for their magical attributes, as a means to foretell the future or to commune with the gods How a pot of basil helped to conceal a savage murder The truth about the mysterious mandrake A conundrum written by Jane Austen to entertain her family—the answer to which is one of the plants in this book These stories and many more will enlighten you on these treacherous and peculiar plants, their defensive and deadly traits, the facts behind them, and the folklore that has grown around them.

Up for an atomic saga? But first, if little atoms could only talk, just think of the stories they could tell us about our planet and universe. This is a voyage of discovery on a celestial and planetary scale. Seven lovely little atoms are born in the Oort Cloud. They are thrown into a beautiful blue-water planet and are split up. They soon find that this water planet is the best atomic amusement park ever. They will meet and be hosted by many simple and complex life forms. They will suffer through earthquakes, asteroid strikes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions. They will see the best and worst of an emerging mankind. None of them will suffer, and all will have the fun of many lifetimes.

Santa’s littlest helper helps bring a lost kitten home on Christmas Eve in this newly discovered holiday picture book from Michael Brown. In this delightful Christmas Mouse story, Santa Claus and his trusty companion are on a mission to deliver toys to children all around the world. But as they fly through the winter night, they hear a small cry from a tiny kitten who is all alone. Will Santa Claus and Santa Mouse have enough time to save the Christmas kitten and deliver the toys to the children of the world?

During the century and a half of their power the Black Douglases earned fame as Scotland''s champions in the front line of war against England. On their shields they bore the bloody heart of Robert Bruce, the symbol of their claim to be the physical protectors of the hero-king''s legacy. But others saw the power of these lords and earls of Douglas in a different light. To their critics the Douglases were a force for disorder in the kingdom, lawless, arrogant and violent, whose power rested on coercion and whose defiance of kings and guardians ultimately provoked James II into slaying the Douglas earl with his own hand. Michael Brown analyses the rise and fall of this family as the dominant magnates of the south, from the deeds of the Good Sir James Douglas in the service of Bruce to the violent destruction of the Douglas earls in the 1450s. Alongside this study of the accumulation and loss of power by one of the great noble houses, The Black Douglases includes a series of thematic examinations of the nature of aristocratic power. In particular these emphasise the link between warfare and political power in southern Scotland during the fourteenth century. For the Black Douglases, war was not just a patriotic duty but the means to power and fame in Scotland and across Europe.

Santa Mouse, Santa’s littlest helper, prepares the reindeer for their big Christmas Eve flight in this charming holiday storybook! With all the snow that has fallen this winter, the reindeers haven’t been able to practice flying. Will they be ready to pull Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve? They will with the help of Coach Santa Mouse, who trains the crew with a few reindeer games!

Santa Mouse searches for his true Christmas talent in Santa’s workshop in this magical 8x8 storybook about finding your own special way to celebrate the holiday. Life at the North Pole is exciting and different for Santa Mouse, who has become Santa’s littlest helper. Santa Mouse is full of Christmas joy, so he can’t wait to find out the best way to help the others at Santa’s workshop. First, he tries his paws at toy making with the elves, but it’s not quite right. Then he joins the present wrapping station, but it’s still not a good fit. Can Santa Mouse find his true calling?

A photographic history of Colorado''s Alpine Tunnel of the Denver South Park & Pacific railroad. The book includes many photographs and maps of the highest narrow gauge railroad tunnel built in the United States.

A history of the Denver & Rio Grande''s Silverton Branch. Also includes a history of the Mears Short-lines. Discover the history of the line and how it went from a working railroad to the successful tourist line. Including many photographs and maps.

A comprehensive history of the Death Valley Region. Beginning with the native people who inhabited the area and the eventual discovery of the area by Europeans. The book details the history of the area from its initial development of mining and transportation to its eventual development into tourism and becoming a National Park. The book includes many maps and vintage photographs of the region.

Western history buffs and rail fans will find a rich and interesting history of the mining town of Austin, Nevada and the narrow gauge railroad that served the town for almost 60 years, the Nevada Central Railroad. Several photographs and maps show the town and the railroad as it was.

"The Georgetown Loop became a major railroad landmark in the 19th-century. It was one of the most popular tourist attractions in Colorado and remained so well into the twentieth century. Silver Plume could be reached by rail on a day trip from Denver via the Georgetown Loop. A thrilling ride into the Colorado Rockies thru Clear Creek Canyon and over the loop could be done for a modest fee. ... Eventually automotive travel after WWI brought an end to passenger service over the line in 1928. ... Freight traffic continued until 1939 when the line was abandoned."--Page 1

Whether viewed as a lawgiver, tyrant or martyr, James I has cast a long shadow over the history of Scotland. Michael Brown''s biography, the first full-length study in over fifty years, concludes that despite its apparent glamour and power, James I''s `golden age'' had shallow roots: after a life of drastically swinging fortunes, he met his end in a violent coup, a victim of his own methods.

A detailed introduction to the most important skill in electronics for students & beginning hobbyists. Now updated to include the latest information on computer symbols & circuit diagrams, digital electronics, Boolean algebra, logic gates, & truth tables.

The battle of Bannockburn, fought on the fields south of Stirling at midsummer 1314, is the best known event in the history of Medieval Scotland. It was a unique event. The clash of two armies, each led by a king, followed a clear challenge to a battle to determine the status of Scotland and its survival as a separate realm. As a key point in the Anglo-Scottish wars of the fourteenth century, the battle has been extensively discussed, but Bannockburn was also a pivotal event in the history of the British Isles. This book analyses the road to Bannockburn, the campaign of 1314 and the aftermath of the fight. It demonstrates that in both its context and legacy the battle had a central significance in the shaping of nations and identities in the late Medieval British Isles.

Santa Mouse becomes Santa’s littlest helper…in the kitchen! Join Santa Mouse and the elves at the North Pole as they bake Christmas cookies in a sweet holiday tale. When Santa Mouse wakes to the delicious aroma of cookies on Christmas Eve, he finds the elves busy baking for Santa’s big day. Always ready to lend a helping paw, Santa Mouse joins in to bake and decorate a surprising plate of cookies for everyone at the North Pole, including Santa’s hardworking reindeer. This board book is the perfect celebration of the classic Christmas cookie tradition.

Since the publication of Carr and Brown''s biomedical equipment text more than ten years ago, it has become the industry standard. Now, this completely revised second edition promises to set the pace for modern biomedical equipment technology.