Edward H. Faulkner startled the agricultural world--all of it, on six continents--when he published Plowman's Folly in 1943. As almost everyone knows, he launched a vigorous attack on the plow and dseveloped in a masterful way the advantages of surface incorporation of organic material. The Readers Digest summed up American interest at the time in the statement, "Probably no book on an agricultural subject has ever prompted so much discussion in this country." A Second Look is a sequel to Plowman's Folly. In it Mr. Faulkner answers his critics and re-examines the theories expressed earlier, in the light of extensive investigations he subsequently made in visiting experiment stations, soil scientists, and farmers in many parts of the country. Finally, in simple, straightforward language, he gives the lie to "soil impoverishment." Highly condensed, here is his thought: The soil which the gardener or farmer works is made up of tiny crystalline fragments. The action of soil acids, principally those released through the decay of organic matter, unlocks the minerals required for healthy plant growth. If this is true, then the indiscriminate and continuous use of commercial fertilizer is a mistake. In fact, says Mr. Faulkner, the "bank account" theory of soil is bankrupt. It holds that whatever we take from the soil in the growing of crops must be put back--usually in the form of prepared fertilizers. What the soil needs, on the contrary, is the gentle chemistry described above. If a man cannot learn this, he will pay and pay, ultimately to his ruin. If Plowman's Folly dealt a body blow to deep plowing, then A Second Look sets in revolutionary perspective the whole problem of soil impoverishment. Whether you cultivate a backyard garden or a thousand acres of wheat, this is a book you can hardly afford to miss.

Since its first appearance fifteen years ago, Why Parties? has become essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the nature of American political parties. In the interim, the party system has undergone some radical changes. In this landmark book, now rewritten for the new millennium, John H. Aldrich goes beyond the clamor of arguments over whether American political parties are in resurgence or decline and undertakes a wholesale reexamination of the foundations of the American party system. Surveying critical episodes in the development of American political parties—from their formation in the 1790s to the Civil War—Aldrich shows how they serve to combat three fundamental problems of democracy: how to regulate the number of people seeking public office, how to mobilize voters, and how to achieve and maintain the majorities needed to accomplish goals once in office. Aldrich brings this innovative account up to the present by looking at the profound changes in the character of political parties since World War II, especially in light of ongoing contemporary transformations, including the rise of the Republican Party in the South, and what those changes accomplish, such as the Obama Health Care plan. Finally, Why Parties? A Second Look offers a fuller consideration of party systems in general, especially the two-party system in the United States, and explains why this system is necessary for effective democracy.

"Fifteen years ago, when I was only seventy-five years old, I wrote my autobiography prematurely. . . ". So begins the second autobiography of Mortimer Adler, the Chairman of the Board of Editors of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Among other things, he discusses the enormously controversial second edition of Great Books of the Western World and his involvement with the Aspen Institute.

Mr. Faulkner’s masterpiece is recognized as the most important challenge to agricultural orthodoxy that has been advanced in this century. Its new philosophy of the soil, based on proven principles and completely opposed to age-old concepts, has had a strong impact upon theories of cultivation around the world. It was on July 5, 1943, when Plowman’s Folly was first issued, that the author startled a lethargic public, long bemused by the apparently insoluble problem of soil depletion, by saying, simply, “The fact is that no one has ever advanced a scientific reason for plowing.” With the key sentence, he opened a new era.For generations, our reasoning about the management of the soil has rested upon the use of the moldboard plow. Mr. Faulkner proved rather conclusively that soil impoverishment, erosion, decreasing crop yields, and many of the adverse effects following droughts or periods of excessive rainfall could be traced directly to the practice of plowing natural fertilizers deep into the soil. Through his own test-plot and field-scale experiments, in which he prepared the soil with a disk harrow, in emulation of nature’s way on the forest floor and in the natural meadow, by incorporating green manures into its surface, he transformed ordinary, even inferior, soils into extremely productive, high-yield croplands.Time magazine called this concept “one of the most revolutionary ideas in agriculture history.” The volume is being made available again not only because farmers, ranchers, gardeners, and agriculturists demanded it, but also because it details the kind of “revolution” which will aid those searching for the fruits of the earth in the emerging nations.

"I'm always impressed by pioneering efforts. This anthology represents a noteworthy beginning for this group of writers. From the triumphs over adversity dramatized in the first section, to the heartwarming and heartbreaking stories and poems of the final grouping, they show us sensitivity and inspire strength. They show us disability as it is lived honestly. Fables, fantasies, and tips about writing add something new, making this publication a unique contribution to disability literature."-Erik Weihenmayer, author of Touch the Top of the World and The Adversity Advantage Disabled people, in most ways, are just like everyone else. So it should come as no surprise that the stories, essays, and poems in Behind Our Eyes deal with situations and emotions that confront all of us: family and marriage, love and heartbreak, discord, appreciation of nature, and the desire to engage in the world more fully. In this uplifting collection, we read about the dedication of a guide dog who protects a blind woman and her young children from a burglar until police arrive; the inner struggle for a stroke victim whose world is rearranged overnight; the challenges faced by disabled children, spouses, and seniors when their families see their limitations instead of their abilities; the difficulty faced by a blind man coping with a team of insensitive doctors and nurses who seem to keep forgetting he can't see; and much more. A real and candid portrait of life with disability as well as an entertaining foray into the minds and hearts of a beautifully diverse group of people, Behind Our Eyes urges and inspires us to meet even our loftiest goals, embrace our individual vulnerabilities, and let our own imaginations soar.

Read a balanced, well-researched treatment of the end times, interpreted from the Christian East by faithful Orthodox saints, martyrs, and Spirit-filled Fathers of the Faith. Historic Christian teaching on the rapture, the millennium, the state of Israel, and the role of the Church in the last days.

Picoult's eeriest and most engrossing work yet delves into a virtually unknown chapter of American history--Vermont's eugenics project of the 1920s and 30s--to provide a compelling study of the things that come back to haunt those in the present, both literally and figuratively.

ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WRITERS TO HAVE EVER LIVED 'Endlessly surprising and inventive' FRANK COTTRELL-BOYCE 'My all-time favourite classic children's author' JACQUELINE WILSON 'She speaks to the reader, and it's almost as though you can hear her voice' QUENTIN BLAKE No matter how hard the Bastable children try to be good, they almost always fail spectacularly. Whether making a disastrous Christmas pudding for charity, spending a dark night in an empty windmill or fortune-telling at a fete, the Bastable children cannot help getting into all sorts of mischief. A collection that will be coveted by children and adults alike, this list is the best in children's literature, curated by Virago. These are timeless tales with beautiful covers, that will be treasured and shared across the generations. Some titles you will already know; some will be new to you, but there are stories for everyone to love, whatever your age. Our list includes Nina Bawden (Carrie's War, The Peppermint Pig), Rumer Godden (The Dark Horse, An Episode of Sparrows), Joan Aiken (The Serial Garden, The Gift Giving), E. Nesbit (The Psammead Trilogy, The Bastable Trilogy, The Railway Children), L. M. Montgomery (The Anne of Green Gables series) and Susan Coolidge (The What Katy Did Trilogy). Discover Virago Children's Classics.

"Psychologists are increasingly sought by the media for insights into national events and social issues and for guidance in dealing with psychological disorders and common interpersonal problems. This opportunity offers psychologists a credible, far-reaching, and inexpensive way to educate millions of Americans about psychological findings and knowledge. The challenge is to do this in an ethically and professionally responsible manner while still being responsive to unique pressures under which the media representatives operate. This volume provides practical guidance in doing just that in working with print, radio, and television media."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved