Best Selling Books by Scott Smith

A group of friends'' leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when they, along with a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins.

During the 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt''s New Deal carried out a program of dramatic reform to counter the unprecedented failures of the market economy exposed by the Great Depression. Contrary to the views of today''s conservative critics, this book argues that New Dealers were not ''anticapitalist'' in the ways in which they approached the problems confronting society. Rather, they were reformers who were deeply interested in fixing the problems of capitalism, if at times unsure of the best tools to use for the job. In undertaking their reforms, the New Dealers profoundly changed the United States in ways that still resonate today. Lively and engaging, this narrative history focuses on the impact of political and economic change on social and cultural relations.

“Spectacular. . . . Ten shades blacker and several corpses grimmer than the novels of John Grisham. . . . Do yourself a favor. Read this book.” —Entertainment Weekly Two brothers and their friend stumble upon the wreckage of a plane–the pilot is dead and his duffle bag contains four million dollars in cash. In order to hide, keep, and share the fortune, these ordinary men all agree to a simple plan.

This book contains the results of the first large-scale quantitative investigation of naming practices in early modern England. Scott Smith-Bannister traces the history of the fundamentally significant human act of naming one''s children during a period of great economic, social, and religious upheaval. Using in part the huge pool of names accumulated by the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structures, he sets out to show which names were most commonly used, how children came to be given these names, why they were named after godparents, parents, siblings, or saints, and how social status affected naming patterns. The chief historical significance of this research lies in the discovery of a substantial shift in naming practices in this period: away from medieval patterns of naming a child after a godparent and towards naming them after a parent. In establishing the chronology of how parents came to exercise greater choice in naming their children and over the nature of naming practices, it successfully supersedes previous scholarship on this subject. Resolutely statistical and rich in anecdote, Dr Smith-Bannister''s exploration of this deeply revealing subject will have far-reaching implications for the history of the English family and culture.

Publisher description

We all say that we care about children. We all know that millions of children around the world, including in the United States, are suffering physically, materially, and emotionally and are unable to reach their full potential. Moreover, their material deprivation and physical ills often prevent them from responding to the gospel. Most of us conclude that we cannot do anything significant to help the impoverished children living in our own backyards let alone those living in the slums of Nairobi or the hinterlands of Haiti. We can, however, do much to improve their lives materially and spiritually. Through praying, giving generously, sponsoring children, volunteering with aid organizations, living more simply, investing and shopping more prudently, and advocating more zealously in the political arena, we can make a difference. We can prod politicians, business executives, and church leaders to prioritize aiding destitute children. We can support one of the hundreds of organizations that are working effectively to help indigent children have better lives. Suffer the Children describes the plight of poor children and provides many practical ways we can participate in one of the most important crusades to improve our world. The authors have assigned all their royalties to organizations working to aid children.

Providing the first historical study of New Deal public works programs and their role in transforming the American economy, landscape, and political system during the twentieth century. Reconstructing the story of how reformers used public authority to reshape the nation, Jason Scott Smith argues that the New Deal produced a revolution in state-sponsored economic development. The scale and scope of this dramatic federal investment in infrastructure laid crucial foundations - sometimes literally - for postwar growth, presaging the national highways and the military-industrial complex. This impressive and exhaustively researched analysis underscores the importance of the New Deal in comprehending political and economic change in modern America by placing political economy at the center of the ''new political history''. Drawing on a remarkable range of sources, Smith provides a groundbreaking reinterpretation of the relationship between the New Deal''s welfare state and American liberalism.

It''s hard to know what specific opportunities, technologies or challenges the future will bring. If you want to overcome the uncertainties of tomorrow, it''s essential that you build a future culture. The potential for success is limitless for businesses which develop a culture designed for innovating and adapting to the future. Drawing upon decades of experience as futurists and consultants, Scott Smith and Susan Cox-Smith offer proven strategies that will allow you to fundamentally rewire your culture so that it becomes more fluent, agile and prepared to deal with whatever tomorrow will bring. From futureproofing your brand and manifesto to adapting the experience of your workforce, Future Cultures offers practical tools and techniques that will bring your focus out of the past and into the future. Through first-hand interviews and case studies from multinational companies such as IBM and the UN, this book will show how you can join the world''s most innovative businesses by prioritizing tomorrow today.

"Terrific . . . exactly the sort of collection we have long needed: one offering a wide range of texts, both literary and documentary, and that--with the inclusion of Sulpicia and Perpetua--allows students to hear the voices of actual women from the ancient world. The translations themselves are fluid; the inclusion of long extracts allows students to sink their teeth into material in ways not possible with traditional source books. The anonymous texts, inscriptions, and other non-literary material topically arranged in the ''Documentary'' section will enable students to see how the documentary evidence supplements or undermines the views advanced in the literary texts. This is a book that should be of great use to anyone teaching a survey of the history of Ancient Rome or a Roman Civilization course. I look forward to teaching with this book which is, I think, the best source book I have seen for the way we teach these days." --David Potter, University of Michigan

Whether you''re an adventure junkie, road-tripper, or card shark, Nevada has something for you. Pull off the perfect trip to the Silver State with Moon Nevada. Inside you''ll find: Strategic itineraries for road-trippers, campers, skiers, and more The best road trips through Nevada, from three days on "the loneliest road in America" to a week covering Death Valley and the Extraterrestrial Highway, plus detailed information on travel times, distances, and directions The top sights and unique experiences: Explore caves and glaciers at Great Basin National Park, or go fishing, swimming, or boating on Lake Tahoe or Lake Mead. Marvel at the Hoover Dam, camp at a secluded alpine lake, and experience the authentic Wild West in a ghost town saloon. Try your hand at a slot machine and eat your way through an epic Las Vegas buffet, or visit one of Nevada''s major festivals and shop for local turquoise jewelry in a Gold Rush town Local tips from longtime Nevadan Scott Smith on where to stay, when to go, and how to get around, plus advice for families with children and travelers with disabilities Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout Thorough background information on the landscape, climate, wildlife, and local culture Focused coverage of Reno, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Tahoe, Central Nevada, Elko, the Ruby Mountains, and more With Moon Nevada''s practical tips and local insight, you can plan your trip your way. Spending more time at the lake? Try Moon Tahoe. Headed to the parks? Try Moon Yosemite National Park or Moon Death Valley National Park.

Gary Scott Smith examines how Americans from the Puritans to the present have imagined heaven -- Publisher description.

Boat owners, perhaps more so than other motoring enthusiasts, want to spend their time playing, not maintaining, their toys. Unfortunately, due to their higher exposure to damaging elements, their longer periods of non-use, and the remote locations to which they transport their users, it could be argued that boats also require more care than cars or motorcycles. This guide breaks down by system the routine maintenance procedures every boat owner should know, presenting in more digestible chunks the upkeep of any modern boat, whether it''s 16 or 60 feet, inboard or outboard, open-hulled or cabin-equipped. Much of the information included is even applicable to sailboats, as well as runabouts and cabin cruisers. - A one-stop, all-color resource for owners of a variety of modern fiberglass and metal-hulled boats- All color, unlike most books on subject- Can be published in time for Spring 2004 pre-boating season releaseAbout the AuthorScott Smith is a boating enthusiast, private pilot, and author of MBI''s How to Buy a Single-Engine Airplane. He lives in Ankeny, Iowa.Scott Sky Smith grew up in a family-owned drydock marina that sold and manufactured boats. He has a bachelor of science degree in industrial arts from Iowa State University. Mr. Smith has been educating consumers as a columnist and a public speaker for years and is the author of How to Buy Single Engine Airplane, published by MBI Publishing. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including the Ankeny Press Citizen, Welcome Home Magazine, The Des Moines Register, Private Pilot, Custom Planes, Cessna Owners Magazine, Piper Owners Magazine, US Aviator, Sport Aerobatics, and Aero Trader.

Smith offers an engaging biography of one of the world''s most inspiring, humorous, and provocative authors. He analyzes Mark Twain''s constantly changing views of Christianity, humanity, the afterlife, and other theological topics, thereby providing a window into the spiritual crisis of the Gilded Age.

Continuing the work of Faith and the Presidency (OUP 2006), Gary Scott Smith takes on eleven more US presidents and examines the role religion played in their policies, personal lives, and decisions.

Goppy and Libby are best friends. But when Libby needs money for a new backpack, Goppy decides to teach her a valuable lesson about responsibility and frugality. He shows her how to earn her own money, and together they learn the joy of honest work and financial independence. It is never too early to begin teaching children about self-responsibility and the fundamentals of conservatism, and in this charming and humorous tale, Scott and Andrea Smith prove these lessons can be learned in an enjoyable and entertaining way. Children will identify with Goppy''s prudence and Libby''s tenacity, and together, children and their parents will learn how to Teach a Donkey to Fish. Andrea and Scott Smith are the not-so-normal parents of two young kids living in beautiful upstate South Carolina. Although not farmers by trade, Andrea and Scott wanted to plant the seeds of conservatism in their children at an early age.

For most of the church''s history, people have seen Christian ethics as normative and universally applicable. Recently, however, this view has been lost, thanks to naturalism and relativism. R. Scott Smith argues that Christians need to overcome Kant''s fact-value dichotomy and recover the possibility of genuine moral and theological knowledge.

This book is designed to introduce a theory of ecological psychology into interprofessional health education. The foundations are affordances (features in the environment that afford the opportunity to be recognized and utilized), the life-world (what the meaningful environment contains for the trainee), and behavioral-settings (person-made affordances that are permissive, supportive, or resistive to specific behaviors). Expanding the life-world is the main mechanism of learning in health care. Becoming aware of intentional and unintentional features of the behavioral setting is how we structure the curricular environment to achieve this life-world expansion. The book is structured into four domains: The Natural Domain, The Mental Domain, The Social Domain, and Non-Linearity. The final application section lays out a structure for designing, implementing, and evaluating the educational program in a professional healthcare setting. This book is ideal for clinician managers of interprofessional healthcare clinics, and for the teachers and trainees from each discipline (e.g., medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, social work, etc.).

In their studies of social Christianity, scholars of American religion have devoted critical attention to a group of theologically liberal pastors, primarily in the Northeast. Gary Scott Smith attempts to paint a more complete picture of the movement. Smith''s ambitious and thorough study amply demonstrates how social Christianity--which included blacks, women, Southerners, and Westerners--worked to solve industrial, political, and urban problems; reduce racial discrimination; increase the status of women; curb drunkenness and prostitution; strengthen the family; upgrade public schools; and raise the quality of public health. In his analysis of the available scholarship and case studies of individuals, organizations, and campaigns central to the movement, Smith makes a convincing case that social Christianity was the most widespread, long-lasting, and influential religious social reform movement in American history.

Methodism in the public and private lives of the politician After more than forty contentious years in the public eye, Hillary Rodham Clinton is one of the best-known political figures in the nation. Yet the strong religious faith at the heart of her politics and personal life often remains confounding, if not mysterious, to longtime observers. Even many of her admirers would be surprised to hear Clinton state that her Methodist outlook has “been a huge part of who I am and how I have seen the world, and what I believe in, and what I have tried to do in my life.” Gary Scott Smith’s biography of Clinton’s journey in faith begins with her Methodist upbringing in Park Ridge, Illinois, where she faithfully attended worship services, Sunday school, and youth group meetings. Like many mainline Protestants, Clinton’s spiritual commitment developed gradually throughout childhood, while her combination of missionary zeal and impressive personal talents has informed her career from the time of her pro bono work at Yale on behalf of children to the present. Her Methodist faith has been very important to many of Clinton’s high-profile endeavors and in helping her cope with the prominent travails brought on by two presidential campaigns, never-ending conservative rancor, and her husband’s infidelity. Smith’s account examines Clinton’s faith in the context of work ranging from her 1990s pursuit of healthcare reform to a “Hillary doctrine” of foreign policy focused on her longtime goal of providing basic human rights for children and women--a project she saw as essential to United States security. The result is an enlightening reconsideration of an extraordinary political figure who has defied private doubts and public controversy to live by John Wesley’s dictum: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

This book discusses the application of complex adaptive systems theory to the design and evaluation of patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). The three defining goals of PCMHs are to spread patient-care roles among healthcare team members, focus on disease prevention and include the patient in the healthcare team. It explains why some PCMH pilots are highly successful while others do not show much benefit, covers specific sub-theories that allow for bracketing of different aspects of the clinic system and highlights strategies by which institutions can engage in this process. Inter professional Education in Patient-Centered Medical Homes is a valuable resource for faculty and managers of health professions teaching clinics, deans of medical and health professional schools and medical administrators.

The latest clarion call in the never-ending cavalcade of "what''s new" in the evangelical world is the confident assertion from some quarters that the church needs to embrace "postmodernism" if it is going to engage postmoderns effectively. Pastors trying to break down the often indigestible subject matter of postmodernism into bite-size chunks in order to equip their people to engage it, and teachers who are aiming at giving their students a working knowledge of the way postmodernism is impacting the church will find a good deal of help from Smith. -J. Ligon Duncan III, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi Scott Smith and I agree on a lot. We share a deep commitment to Jesus Christ, a love of the Bible, and a passion for the church. We also agree that we''re currently living in a liminal time, and it''s those "boundary times" when people look most closely at the beliefs that underlie their practices. So, we''ve all got some things to figure out right now, including what we can really know and the certainty with which we can state our claims in a pluralistic society. I appreciate Scott''s voice in this conversation. He is a careful reader of my work, and he writes with a gracious and generous tone. Interlocutors like Scott will be a helpful challenge to all of us in the "emerging church." I consider him a friendly critic and a brother in Christ. -Tony Jones, author of Postmodern Youth Ministry and National Director, Emergent Scott Smith is uniquely suited to enter the Emergent conversation with this helpful volume. Not only is he an analytic philosopher with a razor-sharp mind who has specialized in analyzing postmodernistic views on the relationship between language and the world, but he is also a man who cares for the lost, loves the church, and has an ability to communicate complex truths to people in the pew. -Justin Taylor, Executive Editor, Desiring God Every leader in the new Emergent Movement will want to read this fascinating book. They simply will not find a more engaging, knowledgeable, balanced, and kind treatment of their concerns, ideas, and practices. -Craig J. Hazen, Professor of Comparative Religion, Biola University Scott Smith''s study challenges us to take seriously the truth claim of the gospel both in how we proclaim it in words and in how we manifest it in our personal and community lives. -Gary Inrig, Senior Pastor, Trinity Church, Redlands, California

How faith sustained Jackie Robinson—both as an athlete and as an activist. The integration of Major League Baseball in 1947 was a triumph. But it was also a fight. As the first Black major leaguer since the 1880s, Jackie Robinson knew he was not going to be welcomed into America’s pastime with open arms. Anticipating hostility, he promised Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey that he would “turn the other cheek” during his first years in the league, despite his fiercely competitive disposition. Robinson later said that his faith in God had sustained him—giving him the strength he needed to play the game he loved at the highest level without retaliating against the abuse inflicted upon him by opposing players and fans. Faith was a key component of Robinson’s life, but not in the way we see it with many prominent Christian athletes today. Whereas the Tim Tebows and Clayton Kershaws of the sports world emphasize personal spirituality, Robinson found inspiration in the Bible’s teachings on human dignity and social justice. He grew up a devout Methodist (a heritage he shared with Branch Rickey) and identified with the theological convictions and social concerns of many of his fellow mainline Protestants—especially those of the Black church. While he humbly stated that he could not claim to be a deeply religious man, he spoke frequently in African American congregations and described a special affinity he and other Black Christians felt for the biblical character Job, who had also kept faith despite suffering and injustice. In his eulogy for Robinson, Jesse Jackson described Robinson as a “co-partner of God,” who lived out his faith in his civil rights activism, both during and after his baseball career. Robinson’s faith will resonate with many Christians who believe, as he did, that “a person can be quite religious and at the same time militant in the defense of his ideals.” This religious biography of Robinson chronicles the important role of faith in his life, from his childhood to his groundbreaking baseball career through his transformative civil rights work, and, in the process, helps to humanize the man who has become a mythic figure in both sports history and American culture.

This book trains engineers and students in the practical application of machining dynamics, with a particular focus on milling. The book walks readers through the steps required to improve machining productivity through chatter avoidance and reduced surface location error, and covers in detail topics such as modal analysis (including experimental methods) to obtain the tool point frequency response function, descriptions of turning and milling, force modeling, time domain simulation, stability lobe diagram algorithms, surface location error calculation for milling, beam theory, and more. This new edition includes updates throughout the entire text, new exercises and examples, and a new chapter on machining tribology. It is a valuable resource for practicing manufacturing engineers and graduate students interested in learning how to improve machining productivity through consideration of the process dynamics.

Approach the future as a conversation, not a declaration. How can you be prepared for what''s next when emerging trends constantly threaten to turn your strategic plan on its head? The world of business is experiencing a state of hyperchange influenced by global movements, disruptive technologies, political uprisings and new consumer expectations. If your world is turned upside down, will you know how to pivot and thrive, or will you be roadkill in the ''adapt or die'' business race? Futuring is the art of anticipating and testing the trade-offs of different futures by making sense of key trends, signals and emerging patterns. How to Future is the only book that will teach you how to become a strategy wayfinder, allowing you to evaluate, plan and prepare for better futures for you and your business. How to Future is a guidebook to futuring and arms you with tools, strategies and practices that illuminate new strategic pathways. Renowned futurists Scott Smith and Madeline Ashby teach you how to manage the daily flood of information and signals, and discern emergent patterns that have a direct impact on the direction of your business. How to Future isn''t about the "one future" you expect. Instead, this book equips you with valuable tools and concepts, builds a future-focused mindset and enables you to envision, stress-test and prototype adaptable, informed and agile strategic visioning. These tools will empower you, your team and your organization to anticipate whatever futures emerge.

Now in an updated second edition, this classroom-tested textbook describes essential concepts in vibration analysis of mechanical systems.The second edition includes a new chapter on finite element modeling and an updated section on dynamic vibration absorbers, as well as new student exercises in each chapter. It incorporates the required mathematics, experimental techniques, fundamentals of modal analysis, and beam theory into a unified framework that is written to be accessible to undergraduate students, researchers, and practicing engineers. To unify the various concepts, a single experimental platform is used throughout the text to provide experimental data and evaluation. Engineering drawings for the platform are included in an appendix. Additionally, MATLAB programming solutions are integrated into the content throughout the text.The book is ideal for undergraduate students, researchers, and practicing engineers who are interested in developing a more thorough understanding of essential concepts in vibration analysis of mechanical systems. Presents a clear connection between continuous beam models and finite degree of freedom models; Includes MATLAB code to support numerical examples that are integrated into the text narrative; Uses mathematics to support vibrations theory and emphasizes the practical significance of the results.

“ A Certain Sound is a well-written, carefully crafted, scripturally saturated book that was a joy to read. As one who has many years’ experience with open air preaching, I thank God for this stirring call to the church to fulfill one of her main duties—namely, preaching Jesus ‘to every creature.’ Read this book. Master it. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, let the ‘certain sound’ of the glorious gospel of Christ be heard outdoors once again.” — Rob Ventura, Grace Community Baptist Church, North Providence, Rhode Island, and coauthor of A Portrait of Paul and Spiritual Warfare Table of Contents: PART 1: THEOLOGY OF OPEN AIR PREACHING 1. A History of Open Air Preaching 2. Theology for Open Air Preaching 3. The Local Church and the Open Air Preacher 4. Using the Law in the Open Air 5. Using Apologetics in the Open Air Part 2: THE TASK OF OPEN AIR PREACHING 6. The Open Air Preacher’s Character 7. The Open Air Preacher’s Competence 8. Response to Open Air Preaching 9. The Open Air Preacher’s Response 10. Exhortation to the Church and Seminaries

Are Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, and Rob Bell "yesterday''s news," as many evangelicals seem to think? Truth and the New Kind of Christian (2005) tried to provide a balanced assessment of McLaren''s and Jones''s views. But, they seem to be right about much more that is affecting evangelicals than was realized then. Also, that book misunderstood one of their core claims: everything is interpretation. Moreover, their views have developed over the years, e.g., ethically about colonialism, its influences, and how we should live now. They also have advanced several further claims about the gospel and traditional doctrines. To what extent should Christians embrace their views? Are these the ways to go forward toward a more authentic Christianity, one that is morally better, and a better fit, for our times? Like Truth, this book gives careful attention to their thought. It also offers its own portrait of major shaping influences on Western, Americanized Christianity. But, there remains a root issue that keeps the Western church, whether progressive emergents or evangelicals, in its "Babylonian captivity." It is liberation from that root that will lead to an authentically emergent Christianity.