Though a minority religion in Vietnam, Christianity has been a significant presence in the country since its arrival in the sixteenth-century. Anh Q. Tran offers the first English translation of the recently discovered 1752 manuscript Tam Giao Ch(u V.ong (The Errors of the Three Religions). Structured as a dialogue between a Christian priest and a Confucian scholar, this anonymously authored manuscript paints a rich picture of the three traditional Vietnamese religions: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. The work explains and evaluates several religious beliefs, customs, and rituals of eighteenth-century Vietnam, many of which are still in practice today. In addition, it contains a trove of information on the challenges and struggles that Vietnamese Christian converts had to face in following the new faith. Besides its great historical value for studies in Vietnamese religion, language, and culture, Gods, Heroes, and Ancestors raises complex issues concerning the encounter between Christianity and other religions: Christian missions, religious pluralism, and interreligious dialogue.

Crime in the United States has fluctuated considerably over the past thirty years, as have the policy approaches to deal with it. During this time criminologists and other scholars have helped to shed light on the role of incarceration, prevention, drugs, guns, policing, and numerous other aspects to crime control. Yet the latest research is rarely heard in public discussions and is often missing from the desks of policymakers. This book accessibly summarizes the latest scientific information on the causes of crime and evidence about what does and does not work to control it.
Thoroughly revised and updated, this new version of Crime and Public Policy will include twenty chapters and five new substantial entries. As with previous editions, each essay reviews the existing literature, discusses the methodological rigor of the studies, identifies what policies and programs the studies suggest, and then points to policies now implemented that fail to reflect the evidence. The chapters cover the principle institutions of the criminal justice system (juvenile justice, police, prisons, probation and parole, sentencing), how broader aspects of social life inhibit or encourage crime (biology, schools, families, communities), and topics currently generating a great deal of attention (criminal activities of gangs, sex offenders, prisoner reentry, changing crime rates).
With contributions from trusted, leading scholars, Crime and Public Policy offers the most comprehensive and balanced guide to how the latest and best social science research informs the understanding of crime and its control for policymakers, community leaders, and students of crime and criminal justice.

There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it.

He's eight years old (just like me), but he's very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn't like sweets - not even lemon sherbets, which are my favourite!

But the truth is, Ahmet really isn't very strange at all. He's a refugee who's run away from a War. A real one. With bombs and fires and bullies that hurt people. And the more I find out about him, the more I want to be his friend.

That's where my best friends Josie, Michael and Tom come in. Because you see, together we've come up with a plan.

In the years since 1945, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown rapidly in terms of both numbers and public prominence. Mormonism is no longer merely a home-grown American religion, confined to the Intermountain West; instead, it has captured the attention of political pundits, Broadway audiences, and prospective converts around the world. While most scholarship on Mormonism concerns its colorful but now well-known early history, the essays in this collection assess recent developments, such as the LDS Church's international growth and acculturation; its intersection with conservative politics in recent decades; its stances on same-sex marriage and the role of women; and its ongoing struggle to interpret its own tumultuous history. The scholars draw on a wide variety of Mormon voices as well as those of outsiders, from Latter-day Saints in Hyderabad, India, to "Mormon Mommy blogs," to evangelical "countercult" ministries. Out of Obscurity brings the story of Mormonism since the Second World War into sharp relief, explaining the ways in which a church very much rooted in its nineteenth-century prophetic and pioneering past achieved unprecedented influence in the realms of American politics and international business.

This is a stunning selection of 16 quilt projects inspired by the natural world. You can join adventurous quilter John Q. Adams on a bold exploration of quilting colour palettes. In these striking graphic designs, he draws inspiration from nature - wind, water, earth, leaf, sky, grass, lava, coral, and stone - to open up exciting new combinations of colour and fabric. You can find 16 fabulous projects suitable for all skill levels; create beautiful effects by moving beyond neutral-coloured background fabrics; and enjoy clear illustrations and gorgeous photographs taken in outdoor settings.

The day after his tenth birthday, the last thing Zak expects - or wants - is to have to give up his room for an ageing old grandmother! With a face like an extra wrinkly raisin, hands as cold as an iceberg and always smelling of smoked fish and custard creams, there's nothing she gives Zak but the chills. With the help of his friends and a series of tactics inspired by his school's chess club, Zak is convinced it'll be no time before he can reclaim his rightful territory! But Zak soon discovers that his nani is no ordinary old grandma but a former chess prodigy, able to outwit and outdo him - and his friends - at every turn. Just as both players begin to forge a mutual respect and a friendship that might finally overcome all obstacles, Zak begins to notice things. Like how Nani sometimes forgets where she is, or who she is... Or how she keeps asking for people who are no longer by her side... Once he learns the real reason she has been brought to live with them is because she is struggling with Dementia, Zak launches a desperate bid to ensure Nani never forgets who she is ever again. He enters her into the chess competition of a lifetime. But will Zak's nani remember long enough to play?

Triple bill of police thrillers. 'Big Bang' (2011) stars Antonio Banderas as a Los Angeles private detective handed an unusual assignment. When Ned Cruz (Banderas) is approached by a Russian boxer (Robert Maillet) to find his missing girlfriend (Sienna Guillory) and the $30 million worth of diamonds in her possession, it is clear that this will not be an everyday job. Can Cruz make sense of the bizarre circumstances and track down the missing girl? 'Bad Cop' (2010) is an action thriller set in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. Johnny Strong stars as Sean Riley, a beleaguered police detective struggling to cope with the recent death of his young son and the subsequent breakdown of his marriage. After a call goes horribly wrong, Riley looks set to lose his job - unless he can solve a series of brutal murders that have sent the city spiralling into gang warfare. In 'Operation Endgame' (2010) a top-secret facility underneath Washington D.C. finds two competing teams of assassins - code-named according to a deck of Tarot cards - at work. When a new employee known only as The Fool (Joe Anderson) arrives for his first day of work, he is alarmed to find his new boss murdered and the entire building rigged with explosives. The Fool must race against the clock to identify the killer and make his escape. Zach Galifianakis, Brandon T. Jackson and Maggie Q co-star.

Taylor County became the 100th county in the commonwealth of Kentucky when it was created on March 1, 1848. The county was named after Zachary Taylor, who gained fame as a general in the Mexican War and eventually became president of the United States. The town of Campbellsville, founded in 1817, was selected to serve as the county's seat of government. Throughout its history, the growth of Campbellsville and Taylor County has been marked by both boom periods and years of severe trials and tribulations. Despite the difficulties faced by the residents of Taylor County, its citizens have always shown admirable grit and determination in improving the circumstances of their families and community. Today the county features a diversified economic base that serves a population of 24,069. Of that number, 11,010 reside within Campbellsville's borders.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

From Onjali Q. Rauf, the award-winning and best-selling author of The Boy at the Back of the Class, comes another incredible story, told with humour and heart.

'The boy's an absolute menace.'
'He's a bully. A lost cause!'
'Why can't he be more like his sister?'

I've been getting into trouble for as long I can remember. Usually I don't mind 'cos some of my best, most brilliant ideas have come from sitting in detention.

But recently it feels like no one believes me about anything - even when I'm telling the truth! And it's only gotten worse since I played a prank on the old man who lives in the park.

Everyone thinks I'm just a bully. They don't believe I could be a hero.

But I'm going to prove them all wrong...

Told from the perspective of a bully, this book explores themes of bullying and homelessness, while celebrating kindness, friendship and the potential everyone has to change for the good.