"An energizing, mobilizing read!"--Dr. Robert Jeffress Test the Water, Take the Plunge and Turn the Tide of Culture If we were created to make an impact, why do most of us feel like we're drowning in problems and fears? Why does making a living feel like fighting the current? The answer, say pastors and culture-makers Christopher and Laura Harris Smith, is simple: You need to find your river of influence. With fresh revelation and contagious excitement, Chris and Laura introduce the groundbreaking twelve cultural rivers of influence. Full of hands-on assessments, thought-provoking questionnaires and dynamic Scripture teachings, this is your map to a river adventure like no other. Along the way Chris and Laura help you · discover your spiritual personality · discern your natural, acquired and spiritual giftings · channel your personality and giftings into your God-appointed purpose · identify--and jump into!--your river of influence · flow with God toward your future · and more! Don't let fear erode your purpose or ebb your eternal impact. It's time to dive in to all He has for you--and make your splash that turns the tides of culture and ripples into eternity. Features exclusive access to videos and BRAND-NEW spiritual personality and job placement tests.

Reading Lee Smith ranks among the great pleasures of American fiction . . . Gives evidence again of the grace and insight that distinguish her work. Robert Stone, author of Death of the Black-Haired GirlIt s 1936 when orphaned thirteen-year-old Evalina Toussaint is admitted to Highland Hospital, a mental institution in Asheville, North Carolina, known for its innovative treatments for nervous disorders and addictions. Taken under the wing of the hospital s most notable patient, Zelda Fitzgerald, Evalina witnesses cascading events that lead up to the tragic fire of 1948 that killed nine women in a locked ward, Zelda among them. Author Lee Smith has created, through a seamless blending of fiction and fact, a mesmerizing novel about a world apart--in which art and madness are luminously intertwined."

In "The Christmas Letters," three generations of women reveal their stories of love and marriage in the letters they write to family and friends during the holidays. It's a down-home Christmas story about tradition, family, and the shared experiences of women.

Here, in a letter of her own, Lee Smith explains how she was inspired to write this celebrated epistolary novel:

Dear Friends,

Like me, you probably get Christmas letters every year. I read every word and save every letter. Because every Christmas letter is the story of a life, and what story can be more interesting than the story of our lives? Often, it is the story of an entire family. But you also have to read between the lines with Christmas letters. Sometimes, what is not said is even more important than what is on the page.

In "The Christmas Letters," I have used this familiar format to illumine the lives, hopes, dreams, and disappointments of three generations of American women. Much of the story of "The Christmas Letters" is also told through shared recipes. As Mary, my favorite character, says, "I feel as if I have written out my life story in recipes! The Cool Whip and mushroom soup years, the hibachi and fondue period, then the quiche and crepes phase, and now it's these salsa years."

I wrote this little book for the same reason I write to my friends and relatives every holiday--Christmas letters give us a chance to remember and celebrate who we are.

With warmest greetings, Lee Smith

For new graduates, the key challenge remains how to secure that first career-related job. Full of guidance and tips on how to handle the complex field of job hunting, Kick Start Your Career can help navigate an ever-changing job market and secure your chance at your desired career. It is a valuable investment in your future. It advises the reader on how to: stand out in job applications; use social media for job searching; create resumes and cover letters that stand out; succeed at interviews. It provides a practical, hands on, step-by-step approach. With an integrated Personal Plan that helps create key job search documents it directs soon-to-be graduates towards achieving their career aspirations. Accompanying online resources include examples and templates, which can be downloaded in Word format to help you prepare resumes and other job search documents. This book will help graduates progressively build up job-hunting resources - skills, achievements, resume, cover letter and interview responses - and turn this into a practical outcome: a new job. It is a key companion to any student or recent graduate exploring the job market.

Birthplace of jazz, home to the beignet, city of a thousand legends, New Orleans grew out of a unique blend of cultures. Its architecture and cuisine, born of Spanish, French, Caribbean, African, and other influences, created a city unlike any other in America. Its popular saying, laissez les bons temps rouler—"let the good times roll�—reflects the upbeat spirit of its citizens, a spirit that has at times been diminished by tragedy, but that can never be vanquished. Remembering New Orleans celebrates that spirit in more than 100 striking, black-and-white photographs selected from local and national archives. With these fine historic images from her best-selling book, Historic Photos of New Orleans, Melissa Lee Smith provides a valuable and revealing historical retrospective on the growth and development of New Orleans. Here are the grand buildings and the immigrant slums, the cast-iron corn fences and the open-air markets, Mardi Gras parades and scenes of daily life. From the French Quarter and the elegant Garden District to the infamous Storyville, the people and places of New Orleans tell their unique story through these beautiful, rarely seen images.

Birthplace of jazz, home to the beignet, city of a thousand legends, New Orleans grew out of a unique blend of cultures. Its architecture and cuisine, born of Spanish, French, Caribbean, African and other influences, created a city unlike any other in America. Its popular saying, laissez les bons temps rouler—let the good times roll—reflects the upbeat spirit of its citizens, a spirit that has at times been diminished by tragedy, but that can never be vanquished. Historic Photos of New Orleans celebrates that spirit in nearly 200 striking, black-and-white photographs selected from local and national archives. Here are the grand buildings and the immigrant slums, the cast-iron corn fences and the open-air markets, Mardi Gras parades and scenes of daily life. From the French Quarter and the elegant Garden District to the infamous Storyville, the people and places of New Orleans tell their unique story through these beautiful, rarely seen images.

The editors and authors of Professional Teacher Dispositions: Additions to the Mainstream contribute to the long tradition in education of the discussions of teacher dispositions. It is intended for novice and experienced teachers, for those who educate future teachers, and for those who hire teachers. This book includes theoretical aspects of dispositions in education and case vignettes for discussion and reflection. Professional Teacher Dispositions provides a resource for school administrators in the professional selection of teachers, teacher educators in the selection of candidates for teacher education programs, and as a basis for developing professional development or pre-service activities in education. The authors address issues of character and passion that have a profound impact on the decision to be a teacher, the reasons for teaching and effect the day-to-day functioning of teachers in our school classrooms. Chapters address social justice and equity issues, reflection, caring, love, teaching as a calling.

The editors and authors of Professional Teacher Dispositions: Additions to the Mainstream contribute to the long tradition in education of the discussions of teacher dispositions. It is intended for novice and experienced teachers, for those who educate future teachers, and for those who hire teachers. This book includes theoretical aspects of dispositions in education and case vignettes for discussion and reflection. Professional Teacher Dispositions provides a resource for school administrators in the professional selection of teachers, teacher educators in the selection of candidates for teacher education programs, and as a basis for developing professional development or pre-service activities in education. The authors address issues of character and passion that have a profound impact on the decision to be a teacher, the reasons for teaching and effect the day-to-day functioning of teachers in our school classrooms. Chapters address social justice and equity issues, reflection, caring, love, teaching as a calling.

The Appalachian dulcimer is one of America's major contributions to world music and folk art. Homemade and handmade, played by people with no formal knowledge of music, this beautiful instrument entered the post-World-War-II Folk Revival with virtually no written record. Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions tells the fascinating story of the effort to recover the instrument's lost history through fieldwork in the Southern mountains, finding of old instruments, and listening to the tales of old folks. After reviewing the instrument's distinctive musical features, Ralph Lee Smith presents the dulcimer's story chronologically, tracing its roots in a Renaissance German instrument, the scheitholt; describing the early history of the scheitholt and the dulcimer in America; and outlining the development of distinctive dulcimer styles in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky. The story continues into the 20th Century, through the final group of tradition-based Appalachian makers whose work flowed into the national scene of the Folk Revival. This fully revised edition provides expanded information about the history of the scheitholt and the dulcimer before the Civil War and discusses traditions and types that are still being discovered and documented. Smith also adds his personal adventures in searching for the dulcimer's history. A new final chapter describes types and styles that do not fit conveniently into the mainstream development of the instrument. The book concludes with several appendixes, including measurements of representative dulcimers and listings of dulcimer recordings in the Archive of Folk Culture of the Library of Congress.

Here, the authors offer a deeper understanding of the various concepts and relevance of dispositions to teaching and other professions that serve in school settings. This book provides a broad basis for conceptualizing the what and how of dispositions. Features: Historical and definitional perspectives of dispositions as traits and beliefs, Pragmatic application, Contemporary views of dispositions in teaching and teacher education, An overview of the various methods that have been utilized to incorporate dispositions and dispositional concepts in educational curricula, Strategies for identifying features of effective professionals, Discussions on issues in the selection and retention of candidates in professional preparation programs and critical dispositions. A valuable reference given the current emphasis on dispositions as expected components in many state and professional organization standards, it also presents: the legal and political implications and religious traditions of dispositions in teacher education programs, a model for the classification of research related to dispositions. Will be of interest to teacher educators, administrators, teachers, and others in school related professions.

Contents:
1. School Policy Under the Spotlight 2. Testing the Theory in Testing Policy 3. School Choice and the Illusion of Demcracy 4. The Contribution of Mass Media to Desegregation Policy 5. Research and the Illusion of Rationality 6. Education Policy Inc 7. Finale

This timely and important book is both critical and constructive. As educational policy becomes one of our major political backgrounds and the connection between politics and policy is both underscored and criticized, Mary Lee Smith and her associates take their criticism one decisive step further, examining the transitive relation between politics and actual classroom practice. They show that educational policy serves as political propaganda directed at an electorate desperate for change and refocus current educational debates, casting them in their true partisan light while demonstrating how the public can recognise symbolic policies and participate in the creation of policy that truly serves the public good.

Investigative journalist Lee Smith's The Plot Against the President tells the story of how Congressman Devin Nunes uncovered the operation to bring down the commander-in-chief. While popular opinion holds that Russia subverted democratic processes during the 2016 elections, the real damage was done not by Moscow or any other foreign actor. Rather, this was a slow-moving coup engineered by a coterie of the American elite, the "deep state," targeting not only the president, but also the rest of the country.

The plot officially began July 31, 2016 with the counterintelligence investigation that the FBI opened to probe Russian infiltration of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. But the bureau never followed any Russians. In fact, it was an operation to sabotage Trump, the candidate, then president-elect, and finally the presidency. The conspirators included political operatives, law enforcement and intelligence officials, and the press.

The plot was uncovered by Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and his investigative team. They understood that the target of the operation wasn't just Trump, but rather the institutions that sustain our republic. A country where operatives use the intelligence and security services to protect their privileges by spying on Americans, coordinating with the press, and using extra-constitutional means to undermine an election then undo a presidency is more like the third world than the republic envisioned by the founding fathers.

Without Nunes and his team, the plot against the president -- and against the country -- never would have been revealed. Told from the perspective of Nunes and his crack investigators -- men and women who banded together to do the right thing at a crucial moment for our democracy -- the story of the biggest political scandal in a generation reads like a great detective novel, feels like a classic cowboy movie. The congressman from the cattle capital of California really did fight corruption in Washington. Devin Nunes took on the "deep state."

The Appalachian dulcimer is one of America's major contributions to world music and folk art. Homemade and handmade, played by people with no formal knowledge of music, this beautiful instrument arrived in the light of the 20th century with virtually no written record. Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions is a first-hand report to enlarge our knowledge of the dulcimer's history by searching the hills and "hollers" of Appalachia, looking at old instruments, and listening to the tales of old folks. After reviewing the instrument's special musical features, the book describes some related instruments, and reveals little-known facts about the dulcimer's origins on the early Appalachian frontier. The book then describes three major design traditions of the dulcimer, each centered in its own geographical area, and focuses on important makers in each of the three traditions-the Melton family of Galax, Virginia, Charles M. Prichard of Huntington, West Virginia, and "Uncle Ed" Thomas of Kentucky. A final chapter describes four Appalachian makers of the folk revival transition, who began making instruments the old-time way and modernized them to meet the needs of Post-World-War-II urban players. The book concludes with listings of dulcimer recordings in the Archive of Folk Culture of the Library of Congress.

Now in its 8th edition, MATHEMATICS FOR PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS delivers the essential math skills necessary in the plumbing and pipefitting professions. Starting with a thorough math review to ensure a solid foundation, the book progresses into specific on-the-job applications, such as pipe length calculations, sheet metal work, and the builder's level.Broad-based subjects like physics, volume, pressures, and capacities round out your knowledge, while a new chapter on the business of plumbing invites you to consider an exciting entrepreneurial venture. Written by a Master Plumber and experienced vocational educator, MATHEMATICS FOR PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS, 8th Edition includes a multitude of real-world examples, reference tables, and formulas to help you build a rewarding career in the plumbing and pipefitting trade.

Lee Smith brings her masterful storytelling magic to this jewel of a novella that follows Jenny, an adventurous thirteen-year-old, down to Key West for a patched-up family vacation following the discovery of her father's illicit affair. Available for the first time as a stand-alone novella, this book centers on the Blue Marlin Motel in 1959, where Jenny, her beautiful socialite mother, and chastened father share their sunny days with movie stars who are in town to make the movie Operation Petticoat. Jenny is precocious and a bit of a sleuth, so her innocent "observations" to uncover the secrets of movie stars also end up revealing the secrets of her own family. Jenny confronts the frailty of family life while also vying for the attention of actor Tony Curtis and even a role in his movie. Smith delivers humor and honesty to her flawed characters with genuine Southern dignity.

Founded on the work of the renowned Advanced Combustion Engineering Research Center, the authors document and integrate current knowledge of the organic and inorganic structure of coal and its reaction processes. With the urgent need for cleaner, more efficient use of this worldwide fuel, their work will set a clear course for future research.

Like an old-fashioned hymn sung in rounds, Something's Rising gives a stirring voice to the lives, culture, and determination of the people fighting the destructive practice of mountaintop removal in the coalfields of central Appalachia. Each person's story, unique and unfiltered, articulates the hardship of living in these majestic mountains amid the daily desecration of the land by the coal industry because of America's insistence on cheap energy. Developed as an alternative to strip mining, mountaintop removal mining consists of blasting away the tops of mountains, dumping waste into the valleys, and retrieving the exposed coal. This process buries streams, pollutes wells and waterways, and alters fragile ecologies in the region. The people who live, work, and raise families in central Appalachia face not only the physical destruction of their land but also the loss of their culture and health in a society dominated by the consequences of mountaintop removal. Included here are oral histories from Jean Ritchie, "the mother of folk," who doesn't let her eighty-six years slow down her fighting spirit; Judy Bonds, a tough-talking coal-miner's daughter; Kathy Mattea, the beloved country singer who believes cooperation is the key to winning the battle; Jack Spadaro, the heroic whistle-blower who has risked everything to share his insider knowledge of federal mining agencies; Larry Bush, who doesn't back down even when speeding coal trucks are used to intimidate him; Denise Giardina, a celebrated writer who ran for governor to bring attention to the issue; and many more. The book features both well-known activists and people rarely in the media. Each oral history is prefaced with a biographical essay that vividly establishes the interview settings and the subjects' connections to their region. Written and edited by native sons of the mountains, this compelling book captures a fever-pitch moment in the movement against mountaintop removal. Silas House and Jason Howard are experts on the history of resistance in Appalachia, the legacy of exploitation of the region's natural resources, and area's unique culture and landscape. This lyrical and informative text provides a critical perspective on a powerful industry. The cumulative effect of these stories is stunning and powerful. Something's Rising will long stand as a testament to the social and ecological consequences of energy at any cost and will be especially welcomed by readers of Appalachian studies, environmental science, and by all who value the mountain's majesty -- our national heritage.

“A memoir that shines with a bright spirit, a generous heart and an entertaining knack for celebrating absurdity.�—The New York Times Book Review“This is Smith at her finest.�—Library Journal, starred review Set deep in the mountains of Virginia, the Grundy of Lee Smith’s youth was a place of coal miners, tent revivals, mountain music, drive-in theaters, and her daddy’s dimestore. When she was sent off to college to gain some “culture,� she understood that perhaps the richest culture she would ever know was the one she was leaving. Lee Smith’s fiction has always lived and breathed with the rhythms and people of the Appalachian South. But never before has she written her own story. Dimestore’s fifteen essays are crushingly honest, wise and perceptive, and superbly entertaining. Together, they create an inspiring story of the birth of a writer and a poignant look at a way of life that has all but vanished.

Founded on the work of the renowned Advanced Combustion Engineering Research Center, the authors document and integrate current knowledge of the organic and inorganic structure of coal and its reaction processes. With the urgent need for cleaner, more efficient use of this worldwide fuel, their work will set a clear course for future research.

For new graduates, the key challenge remains how to secure that first career-related job. Full of guidance and tips on how to handle the complex field of job hunting, Kick Start Your Career can help navigate an ever-changing job market and secure your chance at your desired career. It is a valuable investment in your future. It advises the reader on how to: stand out in job applications; use social media for job searching; create resumes and cover letters that stand out; succeed at interviews. It provides a practical, hands on, step-by-step approach. With an integrated Personal Plan that helps create key job search documents it directs soon-to-be graduates towards achieving their career aspirations. Accompanying online resources include examples and templates, which can be downloaded in Word format to help you prepare resumes and other job search documents. This book will help graduates progressively build up job-hunting resources - skills, achievements, resume, cover letter and interview responses - and turn this into a practical outcome: a new job. It is a key companion to any student or recent graduate exploring the job market.