Join the conversation about America's RETURN TO ORDERAmerica is at a crossroads. Historically, we are a nation of fair, hard working achievers. But since the mid 1960's our country has experienced a gradual demise. Economically, we're bogged down in multi-trillion dollar deficits, economic crises and financial crashes. Politically, we're stuck in polarization and social strife that makes it hard to get anything done. Morally, we've hit rock bottom with the breakdown of our moral codes. Fueled by distrust and egoism we are at a point in our history where we lack faith in government, leaders, institutions, corporations, even fellow citizens.There's a growing sense of alarm, confusion and frustration at seeing our beloved nation, the greatest temporal power ever, spin out of control. That's why we have started a serious conversation about a RETURN TO ORDER. We need to study and discuss the deepest root causes of our crisis. We need to make changes that will improve our lives and save our nation. Please join the conversation.

A fresh, new translation of Augustine's third work as a Christian convert The first four works written by St. Augustine of Hippo after his conversion to Christianity are dialogues that have influenced prominent thinkers from Boethius to Bernard Lonergan. Usually called the "Cassiciacum dialogues," these four works are of a high literary and intellectual quality, combining Ciceronian and neo-Platonic philosophy, Roman comedy and Vergilian poetry, and early Christian theology. They are also, arguably, Augustine's most charming works, exhibiting his whimsical levity and ironic wryness. On Order is the third work in this tetralogy, and it is Augustine's only work explicitly devoted to theodicy, the reconciliation of Almighty God's goodness with evil's existence. In this dialogue, Augustine argues that a certain kind of self-knowledge is the key to unlocking the answers to theodicy's vexing questions, and he devotes the latter half of the dialogue to an excursus on the liberal arts as disciplines that will help strengthen the mind to know itself and God.

A fresh, new translation of Augustine’s inaugural work as a Christian convert The first four works written by St. Augustine of Hippo after his conversion to Christianity are the “Cassiciacum dialogues,” which have influenced prominent thinkers from Boethius to Bernard Lonergan. In this second, brief dialogue, expertly translated by Michael Foley, Augustine and his mother, brother, son, and friends celebrate his thirty-second birthday by having a “feast of words” on the nature of happiness. They conclude that the truly happy life consists of “having God” through faith, hope, and charity.

Standout Baked Goods that Prove Variety Is the Spice of Life It’s never been easier to find the perfect recipe for every mood than with this outstanding collection of sweet and savory treats. Ruth Mar Tam shares 60 of her favorite recipes—each with a number of variations and flavor combinations, so you can tweak them to suit any craving. While each of her recipes is delicious in its original form, the variations she offers make it easy to mix up a recipe based on ingredients you happen to have on hand or simply cater to your own personal preferences. Once you’ve mastered Ruth’s mouthwatering Spiced Coffee Crumb Cake, give it a fruity twist with her Apple-Rye variation, or make it nutty with the addition of a Nut Streusel. Or maybe you love the Tomato and Ricotta Galette as a light lunch, but you need something a little sweeter to serve at the end of a meal—in that case, try out the Plum and Honey Frangipane variation for a crowd-pleasing dessert. With sweet treats like Rhubarb and Walnut Linzer Cookies, Earl Grey Bundt Cake and Strawberry Palmiers, and savory options like Smoked Paprika and Cheddar Gougères, Nearly Naked Sourdough Focaccia and Mushroom Diamond Pastries, Ruth’s recipes offer you all the options you need for unique, creative, and—most importantly—delicious baking.

An argument that operational urban planning can be improved by the application of the tools of urban economics to the design of regulations and infrastructure. Urban planning is a craft learned through practice. Planners make rapid decisions that have an immediate impact on the ground—the width of streets, the minimum size of land parcels, the heights of buildings. The language they use to describe their objectives is qualitative—“sustainable,” “livable,” “resilient”—often with no link to measurable outcomes. Urban economics, on the other hand, is a quantitative science, based on theories, models, and empirical evidence largely developed in academic settings. In this book, the eminent urban planner Alain Bertaud argues that applying the theories of urban economics to the practice of urban planning would greatly improve both the productivity of cities and the welfare of urban citizens. Bertaud explains that markets provide the indispensable mechanism for cities’ development. He cites the experience of cities without markets for land or labor in pre-reform China and Russia; this “urban planners’ dream” created inefficiencies and waste. Drawing on five decades of urban planning experience in forty cities around the world, Bertaud links cities’ productivity to the size of their labor markets; argues that the design of infrastructure and markets can complement each other; examines the spatial distribution of land prices and densities; stresses the importance of mobility and affordability; and critiques the land use regulations in a number of cities that aim at redesigning existing cities instead of just trying to alleviate clear negative externalities. Bertaud concludes by describing the new role that joint teams of urban planners and economists could play to improve the way cities are managed.

In There Used to Be Order, Patience Mususa considers social change in the Copperbelt region of Zambia following the re-privatization of the large state mining conglomerate, the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM), in the mid-1990s. As the copper mines were Zambia’s most important economic asset, the sale of ZCCM was considered a major loss to the country. More crucially, privatization marked the end of a way of life for mine employees and mining communities. Based on three years of ethnographic field research, this book examines life for those living in difficult economic circumstances, and considers the tension between the life they live and the nature of an “extractive area.” This account, unusual in its examination of middle-income decline in Africa, directs us to think of the Copperbelt not only as an extractive locale for copper whose activities are affected by the market, but also as a place where the residents’ engagement with the harsh reality of losing jobs and struggling to earn a living after the withdrawal of welfare is simultaneously changing both the material and social character of the place. Drawing on phenomenological approaches, the book develops a theoretical model of “trying,” which accounts for both Copperbelt residents’ aspirations and efforts.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK AMAZON EDITORS' 20 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR PICK "With its countless epiphanies and surprises, Oona proves difficult to put down." —USA Today "By turns tragic and triumphant, heartbreakingly poignant and joyful, this is ultimately an uplifting and redemptive read." —The Guardian A remarkably inventive novel that explores what it means to live a life fully in the moment, even if those moments are out of order. It’s New Year’s Eve 1982, and Oona Lockhart has her whole life before her. At the stroke of midnight she will turn nineteen, and the year ahead promises to be one of consequence. Should she go to London to study economics, or remain at home in Brooklyn to pursue her passion for music and be with her boyfriend? As the countdown to the New Year begins, Oona faints and awakens thirty-two years in the future in her fifty-one-year-old body. Greeted by a friendly stranger in a beautiful house she’s told is her own, Oona learns that with each passing year she will leap to another age at random. And so begins Oona Out of Order... Hopping through decades, pop culture fads, and much-needed stock tips, Oona is still a young woman on the inside but ever changing on the outside. Who will she be next year? Philanthropist? Club Kid? World traveler? Wife to a man she’s never met? Surprising, magical, and heart-wrenching, Margarita Montimore has crafted an unforgettable story about the burdens of time, the endurance of love, and the power of family.

Put your kitchen registry items to good use with this happily-ever-after cookbook for two that contains 130 recipes to celebrate a new marriage. Whether it’s experimenting in the kitchen or perfecting the classics, newlyweds can create cherished traditions around the table. Filled with recipes perfect for spending leisurely days cooking with your loved one, entertaining ideas for family and friends, and plenty of options for quick and satisfying weeknight dinners, this book is a sweet and practical resource for modern couples. Author Caroline Chambers shares stories from her first years of marriage and tips on weekly meal planning, pantry staples, and handy kitchen tools, everything needed to build a new kitchen together. This heartfelt collection of recipes and advice fosters everyday romance and inspires traditions, making this a joyfully welcome wedding or engagement present for the happy couple.