This substantially revised seventh edition of a classic text includes a new chapter on globalization and regionalization and broader coverage of democratic politics, interests and movements; of the media; of social and cultural influences on political behavior and of public management. It has been systematically revised and updated throughout in the accessible down-to-earth style that has made it such a popular student choice for over thirty years.

All the episodes from the popular drama series, created by American Beauty writer Alan Ball, that takes a darkly comical look at members of a dysfunctional Pasadena family that runs an independent funeral home. Episodes comprise: Season One - 'Pilot', 'The Will', 'The Foot', 'Familia', 'An Open Book', 'The Room', 'Brotherhood', 'Crossroads', 'Life's Too Short', 'The New Person', 'The Trip', 'A Private Life' and 'Knock Knock'; Season Two - 'In The Game', 'Out, Out, Brief Candle', 'The Plan', 'Driving Mr. Mossback', 'The Invisible Woman', 'In Place of Anger', 'Back To The Garden', 'It's The Most Wonderful...', 'Someone Else's Eyes', 'The Secret', 'The Liar And The Whore', 'I'll Take You' and 'The Last Time'; Season Three - 'Perfect Circles', 'You Never Know', 'The Eye Inside', 'Nobody Sleeps', 'The Trap', 'Making Love Work', 'Timing and Space', 'Tears Bones and Desire', 'The Opening', 'Everyone Leaves', 'Death Works Overtime', 'Twilight' and 'I'm Sorry I'm Lost'; Season Four - 'Falling Into Place', 'In Case Of Rapture', 'Parallel Play', 'Can I Come Up Now', 'That's My Dog', 'Terror Starts At Home', 'The Dare', 'Coming And Going', 'Grinding The Corn', 'The Black Forest', 'The Bomb Shelter' and 'Untitled'; Season Five - 'A Coat of White Primer', 'Dancing For Me', 'Hold My Hand', 'Time Flies', 'Eat a Peach', 'Rainbow of Her Reasons', 'The Silence', 'Singing For Our Lives', 'Ecotone', 'All Alone', 'Static' and 'Everyone's Waiting'.

On a typical suburban street in a typical suburban town, there is an ordinary family living the American dream. But look closer. Lester Burnham's wife, Carolyn, regards him with contempt, his daughter, Jane, thinks he's a loser, and his boss is positioning him for the ax.

Captivated by Jane's sultry high school friend Angela, Lester decides to make a few changes in his mere existence--changes that are less mid-life crisis than a life reclaimed.The freer he gets, the happier he gets, which is even more maddening to his wife and daughter. Complicating matters, Lester finds an unexpected ally in Ricky, the teenage son of the new next-door neighbors, who sees life through a camera lens that has lately focused on Jane Burnham.

In pursuit of his new vision of the American dream, Lester is about to learn that the ultimate freedom comes at the ultimate price.

The 1999 winner of five Academy Awards(R), including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, American Beauty boasts an accomplished cast led by two-time Academy Award(R) Best Actor winner Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects) and Oscar(R) nominee Annette Bening (The Grifters).The ensemble cast also includes Thora Birch (Ghost World), Wes Bentley (The Claim), Mena Suvari (American Pie), Peter Gallagher (Mr. Deeds), Allison Janney (NBC's The West Wing), Scott Bakula (NBC's Quantum Leap), Sam Robards (A.I.: Artificial Intelligence), and Chris Cooper (Adaptation).

American Beauty marks the feature film directorial debut of award-winning theater director Sam Mendes (The Blue Room, Cabaret). The film is produced by Dan Jinks (Nothing to Lose) and Bruce Cohen (The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas) from an original screenplay by Alan Ball (HBO's Six Feet Under). Stan Wlodkowski (One Hour Photo) and Alan Ball are the co-producers.

Every episode from all seven seasons of the offbeat vampire drama adapted from Charlaine Harris's 'The Southern Vampire Mysteries' book series by writer Alan Ball. Anna Paquin stars as Sookie Stackhouse, a Louisiana waitress with telepathic powers whose life changes forever when 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) walks into her place of work. Season 1 episodes are: 'Strange Love', 'The First Taste', 'Mine', 'Escape from Dragon House', 'Sparks Fly Out', 'Cold Ground', 'Burning House of Love', 'The Fourth Man in the Fire', 'Plaisir d'Amour', 'I Don't Wanna Know', 'To Love Is to Bury' and 'You'll Be the Death of Me'. Season 2 episodes are: 'Nothing But the Blood', 'Keep This Party Going', 'Scratches', 'Shake and Fingerpop', 'Never Let Me Go', 'Hard-Hearted Hannah', 'Release Me', 'Timebomb', 'I Will Rise Up', 'New World in My View', 'Frenzy' and 'Beyond Here Lies Nothin''. Season 3 episodes are: 'Bad Blood', 'Beautifully Broken', 'It Hurts Me Too', 'Nine Crimes', 'Trouble', 'I Got a Right to Sing the Blues', 'Hitting the Ground', 'Night On the Sun', 'Everything Is Broken', 'I Smell a Rat', 'Fresh Blood' and 'Evil Is Going On'. Season 4 episodes are: 'She's Not There', 'You Smell Like Dinner', 'If You Love Me, Why Am I Dyin'?', 'I'm Alive and On Fire', 'Me and the Devil', 'I Wish I Was the Moon', 'Cold Grey Light of Dawn', 'Spellbound', 'Let's Get Out of Here', 'Burning Down the House', 'Soul of Fire' and 'And When I Die'. Season 5 episodes are: 'Turn! Turn! Turn!', 'Authority Always Wins', 'Whatever I Am, You Made Me', 'We'll Meet Again', 'Let's Boot and Rally', 'Hopeless', 'In the Beginning', 'Somebody That I Used to Know', 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World', 'Gone, Gone, Gone', 'Sunset' and 'Save Yourself'. Season 6 episodes are: 'Who Are You, Really?', 'The Sun', 'You're No Good', 'At Last', 'F**k the Pain Away', 'Don't You Feel Me', 'In the Evening', 'Dead Meat', 'Life Matters' and 'Radioactive'. Season 7 episodes are: 'Jesus Gonna Be Here', 'I Found You', 'Fire in the Hole', 'Death Is Not the End', 'Lost Cause', 'Karma', 'May Be the Last Time', 'Almost Home', 'Love Is to Die' and 'Thank You'.

Every episode from all seven seasons of the offbeat vampire drama adapted from Charlaine Harris's 'The Southern Vampire Mysteries' book series by writer Alan Ball. Anna Paquin stars as Sookie Stackhouse, a Louisiana waitress with telepathic powers whose life changes forever when 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) walks into her place of work. Season 1 episodes are: 'Strange Love', 'The First Taste', 'Mine', 'Escape from Dragon House', 'Sparks Fly Out', 'Cold Ground', 'Burning House of Love', 'The Fourth Man in the Fire', 'Plaisir d'Amour', 'I Don't Wanna Know', 'To Love Is to Bury' and 'You'll Be the Death of Me'. Season 2 episodes are: 'Nothing But the Blood', 'Keep This Party Going', 'Scratches', 'Shake and Fingerpop', 'Never Let Me Go', 'Hard-Hearted Hannah', 'Release Me', 'Timebomb', 'I Will Rise Up', 'New World in My View', 'Frenzy' and 'Beyond Here Lies Nothin''. Season 3 episodes are: 'Bad Blood', 'Beautifully Broken', 'It Hurts Me Too', 'Nine Crimes', 'Trouble', 'I Got a Right to Sing the Blues', 'Hitting the Ground', 'Night On the Sun', 'Everything Is Broken', 'I Smell a Rat', 'Fresh Blood' and 'Evil Is Going On'. Season 4 episodes are: 'She's Not There', 'You Smell Like Dinner', 'If You Love Me, Why Am I Dyin'?', 'I'm Alive and On Fire', 'Me and the Devil', 'I Wish I Was the Moon', 'Cold Grey Light of Dawn', 'Spellbound', 'Let's Get Out of Here', 'Burning Down the House', 'Soul of Fire' and 'And When I Die'. Season 5 episodes are: 'Turn! Turn! Turn!', 'Authority Always Wins', 'Whatever I Am, You Made Me', 'We'll Meet Again', 'Let's Boot and Rally', 'Hopeless', 'In the Beginning', 'Somebody That I Used to Know', 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World', 'Gone, Gone, Gone', 'Sunset' and 'Save Yourself'. Season 6 episodes are: 'Who Are You, Really?', 'The Sun', 'You're No Good', 'At Last', 'F**k the Pain Away', 'Don't You Feel Me', 'In the Evening', 'Dead Meat', 'Life Matters' and 'Radioactive'. Season 7 episodes are: 'Jesus Gonna Be Here', 'I Found You', 'Fire in the Hole', 'Death Is Not the End', 'Lost Cause', 'Karma', 'May Be the Last Time', 'Almost Home', 'Love Is to Die' and 'Thank You'.

Alan Ball always wanted to be the best. Small in stature, red-haired and fiery, Alan was one of the most recognisable players of his generation. Fans on the terraces and team mates immediately took to his whole-hearted enthusiasm and never-say-die attitude. Alan is a fighter - from overcoming his diminutive size to become a professional player and the youngest member of the 1966 England squad, to the rejection he repeatedly faced as a club manager. In 2004 Alan faced the toughest battle of his life. His wife Lesley lost her fight with cancer. From the moment their daughter was diagnosed, to the shocking realisation that Lesley also had the disease; Alan learnt to cope in the face of insurmountable odds. His hugely successsful playing and managerial career that took him to Everton, Arsenal, Manchester City, and two World Cups with England took a back seat to the real test of character brought about by the illness of his loved ones. Now Alan is learning to live life without his beloved Lesley, while continuing to support his daughter whose cancer is in remission. 'I have never stopped fighting but now I am on a different playing field - this has been the biggest fight of my life.' This is an autobiography that transcends football - a story that is both inspirational and deeply moving.

All 12 episodes from the first season of the offbeat vampire drama series penned by 'American Beauty' and 'Six Feet Under' writer Alan Ball. Anna Paquin stars as Sookie Stackhouse, a Louisiana waitress with telepathic powers whose life changes forever when 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) walks into her place of work. Episodes are: 'Strange Love', 'The First Taste', 'Mine', 'Escape from Dragon House', 'Sparks Fly Out', 'Cold Ground', 'Burning House of Love', 'The Fourth Man in the Fire', 'Plaisir d'Amour', 'I Don't Wanna Know', 'To Love Is to Bury' and 'You'll Be the Death of Me'.