Sacred Cows and Hot Potatoes challenges many of the assumptions of current agricultural policies-such as equating "farm" with "rural," high farm prices with high farm incomes, or farm programs with food programs-and examines the agrarian roots of these policies. From the origins of agrarian myths to the latest controversies over farming and the environment, this book provides an overview of the use and abuse of agrarian values in policymaking. Illustrated with pictures, cartoons, and graphs, the book will appeal to a broad audience, including policymakers, rural sociologists, agricultural economists, political scientists, ethicists, and the interested public.

This book contains the Office of Technology Assessment commissioned papers analyzing the Northeast, South, Midwest, the Great Plains and the West of the U.S. The papers indicate that the relationship between the structure of agriculture and characteristics of rural communities vary in the U.S. .

This book contains the Office of Technology Assessment commissioned papers analyzing the Northeast, South, Midwest, the Great Plains and the West of the U.S. The papers indicate that the relationship between the structure of agriculture and characteristics of rural communities vary in the U.S. .

Sacred Cows and Hot Potatoes challenges many of the assumptions of current agricultural policies-such as equating "farm" with "rural," high farm prices with high farm incomes, or farm programs with food programs-and examines the agrarian roots of these policies. From the origins of agrarian myths to the latest controversies over farming and the environment, this book provides an overview of the use and abuse of agrarian values in policymaking. Illustrated with pictures, cartoons, and graphs, the book will appeal to a broad audience, including policymakers, rural sociologists, agricultural economists, political scientists, ethicists, and the interested public.

'Absolutely show-stopping' JANICE HALLETT 'Unputdownable' SOPHIE HANNAH 'So intense! So gripping!' B.P. WALTER 'A tour-de-force' CHRIS WHITAKER 'Wow!' CHRISTINA DALCHER 'Enthralling and incredibly clever' C.J. TUDOR 'Brilliantly terrifying ' B.A. PARIS 'Blew my mind' JANE CORRY 'A drop-the-book twist' TAMMY COHEN 'I adored it' AMANDA PROWSE 'Devastatingly good' CLAIRE ALLAN 'A highlight of the year' CULTUREFLY 'Ingenious' SFX 'Compelling and chilling' HEAT 'Fascinating' BEST YOU MIGHT KNOW HOW THIS STORY BEGINS. BUT YOU WILL NEVER GUESS HOW IT ENDS . . . ___________________ WARNING: READING THIS BOOK HAS BEEN BANNED BY THE GOVERNMENT. Once upon a time, there was a writer named Fern. She was a bestseller. An award-winner. Loved by readers and critics alike. With her words, she changed the world. Until her story took a turn. Now Fern is a cleaner in a hospital. Condemned to anonymity. Because reading books is now a crime. Only, Fern doesn't plan on going down without a fight. She'll keep writing, no matter the consequences. She will make her voice heard. Because Fern's story is only beginning. BUT CAN YOU GUESS HOW IT WILL END? ___________________ READERS LOVE END OF STORY . . . 'End of Story is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked.' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'It's actually hard to find words for how brilliant End of Story is' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'What a fantastic book, I really didn't see the twist coming but oh my gosh!' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'Without question one of my books of the year' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'Louise Swanson is an absolute force to be reckoned with in the world of books. End of Story is one of those novels I will not be forgetting in a hurry.' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'Never mind the fact that I'm usually not that big of a dystopia fan, and never mind the fact that I hardly ever read books set in the future... This book is a true masterpiece' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'I'm a bit flabbergasted after reading this. It wasn't what I was expecting; it was so much more' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'This absolutely amazing book is one of those that I believe everyone needs to read' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'In a word - End of Story is fantastic, and I will be shouting about how good it is to everyone I know. It's my book of the year for 2023 so far and a must-read for all lovers of fiction' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5* 'Wow, what have I just read? I honestly could not put this book down, I read it in one sitting.' NETGALLEY REVIEWER, 5*

'As much a ride as a read . . . Absolutely show-stopping' JANICE HALLETT 'An unforgettable tour de force: imaginative, terrifying, beautiful' CHRIS WHITAKER 'Enthralling . . . Deserves to be the book everyone is talking about in 2023' C.J. TUDOR 'A brilliantly terrifying premise that sent a shiver down my spine' B.A. PARIS 'This beautifully written book blew my mind' JANE CORRY ___________________ Too much imagination can be a dangerous thing It has been five years since writing fiction was banned by the government. Fern Dostoy is a criminal. Officially, she has retrained in a new job outside of the arts but she still scrawls in a secret notepad in an effort to capture what her life has become: her work on a banned phone line, reading bedtime stories to sleep-starved children; Hunter, the young boy who calls her and has captured her heart; and the dreaded visits from government officials. But as Fern begins to learn more about Hunter, doubts begin to surface. What are they both hiding? And who can be trusted? ___________________ More praise for END OF STORY . . . 'A genuinely didn't-see-it-coming twist' ARAMINTA HALL 'Shocking, powerful, topical and utterly compelling' JOHN MARRS 'Inventive, original, moving, with a unique premise and a heart-wrenching drop-the-book twist' TAMMY COHEN 'The ending blew me away' MARK EDWARDS 'Powerful and thought-provoking' LAUREN NORTH 'Haunting, intriguing and dazzlingly original' EMMA HAUGHTON 'A masterpiece . . . breathtaking' PHILIPPA EAST 'Such a brilliant book' SUSI HOLLIDAY 'I loved every minute of it' MATT WESOLOWSKI 'Devastatingly good' CLAIRE ALLAN 'I was hooked . . . a fantastic thriller' HEATHER DARWENT

The twentieth century was one of profound transformation in rural America. Demographic shifts and economic restructuring have conspired to alter dramatically the lives of rural people and their communities. Challenges for Rural America in the Twenty-First Century defines these changes and interprets their implications for the future of rural America. The volume follows in the tradition of "decennial volumes" co-edited by presidents of the Rural Sociological Society and published in the Society's Rural Studies Series. Essays have been specially commissioned to examine key aspects of public policy relevant to rural America in the new century.

Contributors include: Lionel Beaulieu, Alessandro Bonnano, David Brown, Ralph Brown, Frederick Buttel, Ted Bradshaw, Douglas Constance, Steve Daniels, Lynn England, William Falk, Cornelia Flora, Jan Flora, Glenn Fuguitt, Nina Glasgow, Leland Glenna, Angela Gonzales, Gary Green, Rosalind Harris, Tom Hirschl, Douglas Jackson-Smith, Leif Jensen, Ken Johnson, Richard Krannich, Daniel Lichter, Linda Lobao, Al Luloff, Tom Lyson, Kate MacTavish, David McGranahan, Diane McLaughlin, Philip McMichael, Lois Wright Morton, Domenico Parisi, Peggy Petrzelka, Kenneth Pigg, Rogelio Saenz, Sonya Salamon, Jeff Sharp, Curtis Stofferahn, Louis Swanson, Ann Tickameyer, Leanne Tigges, Cruz Torres, Mildred Warner, Ronald Wimberley, Dreamal Worthen, and Julie Zimmerman.