A fully illustrated art catalogue that exemplifies Charlestonians' fascination with European culture.

This lively and authoritative volume makes clear that the quest for taste and manners in America has been essential to the serious pursuit of a democratic culture. Spanning the material world from mansions and silverware to etiquette books, city planning, and sentimental novels, Richard L. Bushman shows how a set of values originating in aristocratic court culture gradually permeated almost every stratum of American society and served to prevent the hardening of class consciousness. A work of immense and richly nuanced learning, The Refinement of America newly illuminates every facet of both our artifacts and our values.

Keith Thomas's earlier studies in the ethnography of early modern England, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Man and the Natural World, and The Ends of Life, were all attempts to explore beliefs, values, and social practices in the centuries from 1500 to 1800. In Pursuit of Civility continues this quest by examining what English people thought it meant to be "civilized" and how that condition differed from being "barbarous" or "savage." Thomas shows that the upper ranks of society sought to distinguish themselves from their social inferiors by distinctive ways of moving, speaking, and comporting themselves, and that the common people developed their own form of civility. The belief of the English in their superior civility shaped their relations with the Welsh, the Scots, and the Irish, and was fundamental to their dealings with the native peoples of North America, India, and Australia. Yet not everyone shared this belief in the superiority of Western civilization; the book sheds light on the origins of both anticolonialism and cultural relativism. Thomas has written an accessible history based on wide reading, abounding in fresh insights, and illustrated by many striking quotations and anecdotes from contemporary sources.

The unforgettable Margaret of Ashbury returns in the second book of the trilogy that began with A Vision of Light. Margaret, a resourceful midwife, is living with the insufferable relatives of her third husband, Gilbert de Vilers, known as Gregory. She is carving out a life for herself and her daughters despite the hostility and greed of her in-laws. But when Gregory is captured in France and held for ransom, Margaret knows she must take action—her in-laws are too tight with money to be of any use—so she teams up with her old friends Mother Hilde, the herbalist, and Brother Malachi, an alchemist on a quest for the secret of changing base metals into gold. Together, the trio plan to rescue Gregory and bring him back to London, where he and Margaret can start a new life away from his meddling family. And thus begins a wild romp across fourteenth-century Europe. Murderous noblemen, scheming ladies, truculent ghosts, and a steady stream of challenges plague the journey. Margaret will need not only her special gift of healing, her quick mind, and her independent spirit but the loyalty of her friends and the love of her new husband to carry them all safely home.

This Handbook presents original research and theory on executives, top management teams, and boards of directors and illustrates the vital importance of this field of study. Top management teams are responsible for the strategic choices and major decisions in organizations. These organizations are a reflection of the members that make up their strategic management. The roles top management play and the impact they have are clearly visible in firms around the world, both large and small. The international group of authors that comprise this volume address questions central to the field of strategy and strategic leadership. They review the determinants of top management team composition, their social networks, and executive dismissal; the psychological and personality profiles of top executives; the methodologies relevant to the study of top teams; and the roles of top executives in cross business unit collaboration, competitive behavior, and strategic entrepreneurship. Each chapter presents path-breaking research and provides a roadmap for new research avenues and agendas. Professors, students and researchers in the area of strategy, management and strategic leadership will find this book an invaluable resource.

Are you serious about changing your life and present circumstances? Do you want to subdue every opposition and excel to a higher level of achievement? This ground-breaking book will challenge you to enter into a intimate relationship with the Lord and become the powerhouse God has called you to be. It will identify strategic biblical principles that will call you out from the familiar and comfortable zone, to that of having faith, trust, and confidence in His safety and security. You will develop an understanding of the virtue of excellence and how it effects your destiny. You will learn how to confront threats, propaganda and ridicule and use it to your advantage. Finally, you will be prepared to step out into "The Pursuit of Excellence" with the fortitude to push beyond the limits to live a fully engaged life of victory and not defeat. From the hallways of schools to the airways of international travel, Janet's mission is to empower, and motivate people from all walks of life to achieve excellence and to live their God-given destiny. When you recognize that there are no limitations, only the ones you put on yourself, you can pursue your dreams and watch God exceed your expectations. Janet attended Michigan State University and is a former educator and has extensive experience in teaching, world travel and corporate training. Janet is a published author, speaker, and host of "Express Yourself" television show seen in the Michigan area on cable TV in which she is also executive producer. Janet maintains that a Christian should be ingenious, and equipped to take back the wealth the enemy has stolen to fortify the kingdom of God. Janet is married to MacArthur Perkins, and they have four children, Ricky, MacArthur, Dave and Caleb.

Includes section "Book reviews".

These Proceedings represent the metallurgical engineering and materials science research presented at the 61st Annual Conference of Metallurgists. The collection themed ‘The Pathway to Net-Zero’ presents findings on a wide range of topics including: Processing of Critical Materials Towards Sustainable Circularity: Mining to Materials Deep Decarbonization Pathways for Pyrometallurgical Processes: Opportunities & Challenges Energy and Environmental Materials Light Metals for the Transportation Industry Advances in Materials Manufacturing VI – Existing and Emerging Materials Electrochemical Degradation of Multi-component Materials