Social Sciences Books

I am one of the lucky ones that stumbled onto vol I and vol II of After The Fact. In these books the authors look at history as a detective story. They take the facts and then read between the lines to try and figure it all out. Their technique is basically how I always looked at history. Every historian has a point of view. The true story is rarely right there in any book in black and white - it is between the lines. And often between the lines of several different books. The truth must be hunted out. And you hunt it out by asking objective, rational questions. It is a great and refreshing approach to learning history.

For those lucky enough to stumble upon this volume on historical methods, an exciting array of stories awaits you. This book was supplemental reading in my introduction to history class. I've always enjoyed history but never more so than when I scanned the chapters of "After the Fact". Each story brings the past to life and calls into question the nature of historical interpretation and analysis. Far from a dry text book, "After the Fact" will leave the lay historian wanting more, which can be found in Volume II. For those that enjoy this book, also check out "In Small Things Forgotten: An Archaeology of Early American Life" by James Deetz. I highly recommend both but the $63.00 price tag is rediculous.

Davidson and Lytle's book is a study in historiography dealing with the interpretation and analysis of the sources used to report history. The authors concentrate on the several types of sources and the drawbacks of each, specifically biases. Examples include written, oral, video, psycho, cultural, economic and political history. This version includes an investigative CD which enhances the lessons in the book. After the Fact is a good companion to Richard Evans' In Defense of History, David Fischer's Historians' Fallacies, and Mark Gilderhus' History and Historians.

The author of this book missed a golden opportunity to create a viable work about the vast changes happening to the baby boomer population just now beginning retirement. Instead, he chose to concentrate on such silly things as how "age restricted" developments are, in his sad little mind, a "vast discriminatory action". Obviously he is upset because he is too young to move to the Villages. He also has an ax to grind with anyone who became very rich by hard work, and/or is a Republican. He claims he prefers his broken down hometown with derelicts living above stores, crumbling infrastructure, and smelly dumpsters to the beautiful, clean, well managed towns available to the residents of The Villages. The fact that he openly admits to driving a car that left a puddle of oil everywhere he went in The Villages, and that he didn't care about it is a sign of his lack of character. He spent a very small amount of time actually at The Villages, and didn't even interview some of the people he chose to demonize. This is just another sign of his lack of character. I also have a problem with his assumption that any woman who plays softball must be a lesbian.

Anyway, being a resident of The Villages maybe I am a bit protective of our wonderful life here. I do think the author was able to accurately portray our daily life, and the love we all have for this place. He is correct when he says all we do is play all day and drive around in golf carts. We worked all of our lives, scrimped and saved to be able to earn enough money so that we can live like this. Maybe he will understand when he grows up, but with his major character flaws I doubt it.

Great book. We live in a community on the outskirts of The Villages. We're so glad we decided NOT to buy in the Villages 5 years ago. This book just reiterated what we thought at the time. Was great to read about all the places we're familiar with, but the behind the scenes info was an eye-opener.

Those looking to move into a "retirement" community should read this book before making any decisions.

This book is very funny in some parts
and very enlightning in others.
This tells it like it is and has a history lesson to boot.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first picked up this book. However once I started reading I couldn't stop. Blechman's perspective and quirky humor made me laugh out loud. This book is funny and also sad but true. The premise of this book is that a large block our our aging population has opted to spend their remaing years in a high school version of Utopia. If you think spending the rest of your life on a golf course is a good idea, then you will hate this book! But if you care about other people and want to make a contribution to life and actually develop a conscience, then you will be appalled at what the "Leisurevillers" have chosen. I think this is an important book and would not be surprised if it becomes required reading at the college sociology level. This is a GOOD BOOK. I highly recommend it!

I am seriously thinking about retirement in the villages, this book was THE BEST ! If you are thinking of retiring to ANY adult (over-55) community, this book is a great primer. It talks about the social atmosphere, the politics, the government and the finances. It's NEVER boring and always insightful. I DID disagree with the authors conclusion, but thats probably because I am at least a generation and a half older and I can appreciate the laid back aspects of the other retirees that he profiled in the book. This was worth every penny and I couldn't put it down...now I am lending it to many of my friends.

I bought this book and the two others in the series because it was in the Young Adult section and usually that means that the books are good and mostly clean (no overt sex or foul language). These books are YUCKY!!!!! I could not read them! The "F" word was used constantly. The mother had sex with her teen daughter's boyfriend. It went on and on! What good is a faery-tale if you can't get past the filth?! Don't waste money on these books. I wouldn't read them if they were free.

As good as this book was, it wasn't actually necessary to the series. 'Valiant' was entertaining, but not what I expected when someone told me it was the next part in the series after 'Tithe'. While it does relate it still is sort of its own story withing the full story. Great on its own, it didn't need to sneak into the middle.

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure I would like it as much as I liked Tithe. My advice is to stick with it! It ended up being a good read. Although it doesn't seem to have connections to Tithe other than the fact that it deals with Faerie, characters from this book show up in Ironside, the actual sequel to Tithe. If you have already read Ironside, I don't think that there is information that will ruin Valiant for you, and I would still read it. I would recommend this book to teens who liked Tithe, enjoy fantasy and even those who like books that are more realistic and are looking for something a little out of their comfort zone because of the very real and 'human' conflicts that plague the main characters.

An amazing and unique modern day fairy tale. For anyone who loves fantasy or fairy stories, or books about strong women, i would suggest. Think "the weetzie bat books" and make it more "today" (the main girl is prone to think of video games often, etc), sexier, more raw, more dangerous, and add some serious girl toughness. think tank girl living underground in the tunnels in nyc and battling fairies (and they aren't typical tooth-fairy demure types) and being a hero. Think strange drugs and romance. this book literally took me to a world i have never heard another author describe.

I found this in the young adults section, but if you are buying for your a younger kid, i would read it first and decide. There is a lot of drug-type use and bondage sex and regular sex, lids living underground and running away, and other things that some kids might not be ready for. To put it a different way, it is very RAW. While i am all for kids reading mature books, this one gets pretty intense in a way that i think could be inappropriate. In my opinion the "mature" aspects are what makes the story really amazing, but i think this is definitely not for the younger or more immature reader. I am certainly not a prude, but i really would not want my 12 year old reading this. But i would totally buy it for her when she was a bit older!

but that is just me.

YA fantasy seems to be more popular than ever, and Holly Black's right in the middle of it.

As another reviewer mentioned, this is better than Tithe, though the world of teenagers that Black serves up is a bit raw and sensationalist. In Valiant, the magic drug use keeps it honest, and not edgy for edgy's sake. (Still a few too many unnecessarily "brutal" elements make it a bit callow.)

Definitely a fast paced book that'll hold your interest.

The Book is in almost brand new condition just like the seller said. The only complaint is that the book took 4 weeks to get here. But the book is in great condition and it was a great price as well. I wolud buy from this seller again.

Clear, Cole, & Reisig present a thorough overview of classic and historical correctional philosophy that is strongly tied to their discussion of more contemporary issues. Each revision includes the most up to date, critically acclaimed research from top criminology journals. Additionally, they regularly cite the best government sources (such as the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Federal Bureau of Prisons) to support various claims. In sum, this is a fair and balanced approach to all of the important issues facing corrections. I have taught Corrections for many years, and would not consider using a book other than American Corrections.

Excellent shipping, Book in Great Condtion, would definately do buisness with again A++++++++

I've taught college-level corrections courses for quite a few years now and have kicked around a number of different corrections texts. This new edition is definitely an improvement over previous ones--it's much heavier on the recent empirical research, which helps me to keep my students "on track" with what the actual research indicates regarding a number of correctional topics.

I do have some students who may take issue with the authors' discussion on certain subjects (much like one of the reviewers here), yet much of their dissatisfaction is likely to arise out of their disappointment that the reality of corrections is different from their preconceived ideas of what corrections "should" be about (in general, such dissatisfaction is expressed by my younger, more close-minded, right-wing zealot students who have a long way to go before they're capable of thinking critically).

In short, it's a great corrections text. It might be a bit lengthy for a single course on a quarter system, but if you're teaching on a semester system it's great because you won't need to hoist a bunch of supplementary materials/books onto your students (this edition is more than enough to last you a full semester).

The name of this book should be 'The Overly-Liberal, Bleeding-Heart View of Corrections'. This was by far the worst criminal justice textbook that I have ever read. I expect textbooks for classes to give the facts and be somewhat unbiased. This book gave a VERY one-sided view which portrayed anyone that is convicted of a crime to be the actual victim; all the way from investigation to parole. This view would have been fine if it had been countered with the other side as well. I was very disappointed. I read it from from front to cover, and it was brutal. This should be a book on opinion, instead of a textbook.

This is a very good undergraduate research text. I use it in a Human Services class with criminal justice majors as well as Human Services majors and have had good results. I teach from this book in regular land based classes and online. It is a book that I reccomend students keep on their shelf - particularly if they are going to graduate school. The examples in the text are clear and the organization is easy to work with.

THE BOOK IS A GREAT TOOL FOR LATINOS WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE OF WHY THE COUNTRY'S OF THEIR FATHERS ARE IN THE STATE THEY ARE TODAY. I HAVE ENJOYED THIS BOOK A GREAT DEAL AND WILL PASS IT ALONG TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

I have to read this book because of my class. However I really enjoyed to read this book. It was pretty interesting and making me to think about Latinos.

Harvest of Empire, a book by Juan Gonzalez, gives a history of Latinos in the United States. The book is divided into three sections entitled "Roots," "Branches," and "Harvest." The first section contains three chapters that provide a brief history of the relationship between Latin America and the United States. The second section is composed of six chapters, each one devoted to one of the major groups of Latinos living in the United States. Each of the following groups are described in this section: Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Cubans, Dominicans, Central Americans, and Columbians and Panamanians share a chapter. Within the six chapters, Gonzalez writes about individuals or families in order to reflect the general migration story of the larger groups. Thus, these individual portrayals serve as representations of the larger collection of immigrants. In the third section Gonzalez discusses several topics relating to Hispanics living in the United States. The topics include politics, immigration, language and culture, free trade, and the state of Puerto Rico.
This book has several strengths. In the first section, Juan Gonzalez provides an informative summary of the history of colonization and expansion in the Americas. The summary is well-researched and easy to read. The main strength of section one is Gonzalez's explanation for why different societies exist today in the United States and Latin America. His theory is that different societies exist as a result of the historical antecedents to our modern society. In section two, the immigrant descriptions help to personalize each of the different groups and allow the reader to identify with their stories. Also, Gonzalez stresses the important differences between each of the various Latino immigrant groups in the United States. Gonzalez combines much historical research with personal interviews he has conducted of various immigrant families. In section three, Gonzalez raises several issues concerning Hispanics living in the United States that are timely. He also asserts six changes he believes are essential to ensure Latino prosperity and assimilation in the United States. The six changes he suggests are thought provoking and stimulating.
Although the book has many strengths, it also has limitations. The most obvious limitation of the first section is its brevity. Gonzalez attempts to summarize more than 500 years of history in less than eighty pages. As a result, much of the history described is generalized and collapsed into short, summary statements. Also, Gonzalez could have better organized sources for further reading and study. He does provide an extensive bibliography, but it is not organized according to subject matter. A better organization of the bibliography would have been more helpful. For example, a list of further readings at the end of each chapter would have been beneficial.
This book is well suited for those wishing to learn more about Hispanics in the United States. It would be ideal for use in a class on Hispanic culture. Also, it would be beneficial for those wishing to learn more about Hispanic immigration to the United States.

I am the Americanized Puerto Rican born in Brooklyn whose parents traded cultural awareness by restricting use of the Spanish language at home for assimilation and greater opportunity educationally. The trade off worked, I earned my BS in Management from Pepperdine University. The trade off didn't work, it is difficult for me to associate in any meaningful manner with fellow Puerto Ricans or Latin Americans in general. My African-American friends consider me white, my Anglo-American friends consider me black, and I am quickly shunned at times by Puerto Ricans just because I don't speak Spanish. Juan Gonzalez with great research and detail identified my subtle undefined (at the time) schizophrenic social engagements. Therapeutically, through historical narrative of US policy towards Puerto Rico, cause and affect of PR vs NYC migratory action from the 1940's through today, viewing the current environment of Puerto Ricans in the South Bronx or East Harlem, I've come to know myself better, appreciate those of my race with greater gravity, and understand that none of these actions are by chance. Macroeconomically, the environmental and immigration impact of US policy regarding the Caribean Basin Initiative or NAFTA that are extensively noted and bibliographed, quite simply created a different perspective on my training in business and foreign investment. Mr. Gonzalez does not stop there. He tackles bilingualism, revisits and reexamines American History in a manner not expressed to me in any classroom...ever...then through citings of other works, backs it up. It is the most refreshing book I've read since the Autobiography of Malcolm X with Alex Haley, due to it's clarity and insight for the human quest for internal and external truths.

It's so ironic to hear US citizens talk about an "invasion" of immigrants, while ignoring the way in which the US has been invading other countries for generations - either militarily or economically. It's great to see Juan Gonzalez analyze this elephant in the empire's living room.
With all of our technology, one would hope that people in the US would learn that there are other people in the world that are being harmed by the tax dollars they invest in militarism - a system of force that includes over 700 military installations in 132 countries, the funding and training of proxy armies, harmful behavior by CIA agents and "economic hit men" and other policies that create misery and refugees.
As Christians, or simply moral human beings, US citizens should welcome our Latino brothers and sisters, and maybe even offer an apology for the policies of this country's masters of war and corporate crime. Thankfully, countries like Venezuela and Bolivia are starting to resist the dictates of the World Bank and other institutions of neoliberalism.
For those who appreciate the views of Juan Gonzalez, you can hear him every day as the co-host of the award-winning "Democracy Now!" radio program.

I would also recommend the DVDs "When the Mountains Tremble" and Eugene Jarecki's "Why We Fight" for an understanding of our militarism and the way it causes suffering in Latin America.

"There is at the head of this great continent a very powerful country, very rich, very war-like, and capable of anything. . . The United States seems destined to plague and torment the continent in the name of freedom." -Simon Bolivar

I own the original French version of this book: "Peau noire masques blancs"! Franz Fanon addressed very well the racial issues encounted by previously colonized civilizations like the French island of Martinique. But Martinique is just an example. The truth is raw, but it's the truth, and there is still a long way for the freedom of the mind.

Frantz Fanon was a contemporary writer of the 1950's. Born in Martinique, he studied psychiatry and medicine in France as a young man after volunteering his services in World War II. He had an educational background in post colonial studies including racism and colonization. At the age of 27 he published "Black Skin, White Masks" which played a vital role in civil rights and Black consciousness movements throughout its time. Fanon's analysis of the Black psyche, "Black Skin, White Masks", was amazingly interesting and educational. It gave me a fresh perspective to what it means to live as the minority, as a person of color in a White world. This is a wonderful review of how the French of different backgrounds interacted with each other. There are also a few downfalls in understanding "Black Skin, White Masks". This book is hard to follow because it jumps around quite a bit, making various points throughout the same train of thought. There are many topics covered, one of the most thoroughly explored being romantic love between interracial couples. It also explores the use of language and the importance of knowing one's familial, racial, and cultural history.
One of the topics Fanon concentrates on is the Black man and his goals in life. To understand what Black men go through, one has to first understand the history of the particular Black man he is talking about which is born in an island off of France then moves to France and faces the culture shock of entering a country where the language and customs are different. Here the Black man goes from being comfortable and part of a larger entity to being the minority. At this stage the Black man feels he is worthless because of the history of the relationship of Blacks and Whites, where the Black man has led a forced life of servitude and abuse which has caused him to believe that he is inferior to the White man. The White man's racism has created the White man's feeling of superiority which correlates with the Black man's feeling of inferiority. Because of this inferiority complex the Black man has an overpowering need to prove himself equal to the White man. Fanon goes on to argue that the Black man's goal is to prove to Whites, Blacks and himself that he is an intelligent, good, and worthy of pursuing happiness individual. One of the most detailed examples was how the Black man attempts to get closer to being White by having any relationship, be it friendship or romantic (preferably sexual), with a White person other than a master/slave association. As an example Fanon tells a story of a young mulatto woman who marries a White man and in a split second goes from being the slave to being the master. Yet there are other cases when the Black man succeeds and he is not only rejected by Whites, he is repudiated by Blacks.
Another theme was that of language and what happens to a Black person when he arrives to France. The Black man has to learn how to speak French as it is spoken in France in order to become "whiter", for example, an educated Black man is no longer seen as Black because Blacks are savages while the intellectual is civilized. Yet there have been many cases where despite the success of the Black man, Whites refuse to accept them as equals and show it by speaking to them in pidgin or as children. There is also the struggle of remaining part of the Black community after assimilating into the White world. After learning to speak French, he returns home as white in the eyes of other Black people. The Black man must be able to code change in order to survive in both worlds.
Antillean education is looked at carefully in this book. Fanon compares the children of France with those of Martinique. As French children learn about their culture and their ancestors, Martinique children learn of the ancestors of others. Fanon proposes that the Black Martinique children should learn about Black history as a separate section in order to build self esteem and confidence. Children need to learn that there have been others in similar situations that have pulled through and made it despite discrimination and hate. If the educational system increases the Martinique children's knowledge and understanding of their own heritage and history, they will be able to make connections with their own ancestors and their amazing accomplishments. This would thus curb ideas of inferiority.
There was a contrast between Blacks and Whites that kept the world as it was. In order for there to be white, there has to be black. In order for there to be a slave there has to be a master. In order for one group of peoples to be superior another group has to be inferior, and this is the case with Whites and Blacks. As a result, whatever one group is the other is the opposite. Here arise a series of stereotypes that support how people think of these two groups. Whites are intelligent, progressive, civil people while Blacks are primitive savages in need of taming. Since Blacks are savages they cannot control their emotional and sexual needs hence in contrast Whites are not sexual and have the ability to suppress their emotions. From this Fanon argues that a subtle jealousy was born; the White man envied the Black man's sexual freedom.
As I read this book I could not help but think of my students and how they embody many of the same believes as Black men in the 1950's. The children I teach Mathematics to are people of color, either Latino or Black. I spend much of my day listening to them speak among themselves about various topics and have picked up on certain ideas that reflect that of past colonized populations. Although there is this total rejection of anything and everything that is White, there is also an underlining want to be White (perhaps mainstream is a better word). For example, I have heard my students discuss accents and the implication that those who have one are in some way less intelligent than those who speak like Americans. Students have also expressed in happiness that they do not speak their parent's native tongue, typically Spanish, which is an indication that they are closer to being white than those who's first language is not English. Another disturbing behavior I have noticed is the animosity towards Whites. It seems my students have been programmed to be hostile towards White people, especially peers. They constantly refer to Whites in derogatory terms; for example, when one of my mentors (an older White woman) spend a period in my classroom the students were flustered and after she left referred to her as "the white b*$^%" as opposed to "the lady who was just here". At the same time they insult each other by using terms that are associated with being Black such as insulting the wideness of their nose and/or thickness of their lips. I find this to be an interesting contradiction and would like to explore it further in hopes of understanding the contemporary adolescent.
As a teacher I found this book to be very helpful in understanding why our children of color behave the way they do and why they consistently fail in a system designed for children who are not exposed to the gruesome situations the students in the South Bronx (where I teach) go through on a daily basis. These children could very well have an inferiority complex which they will have to overcome before being able to succeed in this White man's world.

Frantz Fanon was a black man born in the French colony and island of Martinique. He trained as a doctor specialising in psychiatry. He was deeply concerned about the impact of colonialism on the people of colour, particularly how it humiliated them, destroyed their culture, values and dignity. This led him to get involved in the Algerian war of independence in the 1950s.

The book "Black Skin, White Masks" was written almost fifty years ago. This was during the time when decolonisation of the African continent and elsewhere was gathering momentum.

To adequately capture and assimilate Fanon's thinking of the question of colonialism and racism and their impact on the coloured people, one also needs to read Fanon's other great works: "The Wretched of the Earth" and "Dying Colonialism". Here one can see his anger and the background to his conclusion that it was only through violence that people of colour could liberate themselves from colonialism, particularly from mental bondage and inferiority complex that accompanied colonial subjugation.

In "Black Skin, White Masks", Fanon develops his thesis about the impact of inferiority complex of subjugated peoples and the alienation of some of them from their kind resulting in their wish to identified with the colonialists or imitate the European. There are a number of celebrated and classic cases of coloured people who have tried various formulas to change the colour of their skins, the tone of their voices or their names so that they sound more civilised (European).

Fanon's ideas about how the coloured people can liberate themselves (physically and mentally) influenced many leaders of revolutionary movements that were fighting colonialism. Some organisations in the USA, such as the Nation of Islam, appear to embrace a lot of Fanon's ideas and thinking.

The book is recommended reading for those who wish to understand the impact of colonialism on the colonised around the world and their different reactions to this menace.

If you want to understand racial identity, you should read Fanon's approach. The most influential author on ethnicity and colonization in the twentieth century.

Fanon really draws you in with this book. One feels involved with Fanon's fight not just against racism and colonization, but also his own self evaluation and struggle within himself to accept himself for who he is.

Among other things, what struck me the most was the way Fanon showed that minorities do not feel inferior because they were thrust in the midst of a majority. Considering that South Africa has minority white population and yet the black population there took on the brunt of racism and that had nothing to do with the minority subjugation.

Another line of thought that Fanon brings about is the domination of the colonized language. In Martinique, the average middle class family would insist children to speak French like the French would and not the commonly spoken Creole. The Martinican returning from France was expected to uphold that standard and speak proper French. If he reverted to his old ways of speaking, it was looked down upon. Fanon shows that the black man of Martinique maintains locked in his own cultural impositions and unless that is shed it would make it difficult for him to rise out of it.

Fanon brings about how the psychological impact of colonization through language, culture and history plays on the black man. Fanon delves into studies done by others and compares or rejects ideas put forth by them either with by presenting his own experiences or a generalistic view of the colonized Martinique land.

Fanon digresses frequently from topics of discussion and jumps around wildly in some of the chapters. But overall the book is well written and makes you think and begs you to put your own experience and thought into it.

I remember when a guy in Nebraska went to death roll and was killed. He hurt a bother of a school mate of mine and I could not wait to he died. When he did I felt happy but after reading this book it made me have second thoughts for it was as if I killed that killer for wishing for his death like Helen said "An eye for an eye" now I think to kill another is not the answer and more should be work tore forgiveness. That is what this book will help you to think twice about the death penalty and see life is worth living.

This book written by a pseudo-Catholic who allows her readers to believe that justice is "vengeance" or "revenge." It is neither. Justice cannot be evil in its essence, for it would be then universally the same all the time, and evil to everyone. Justice provides one solution for society as a whole, not for individual members in every case. Justice is kind to some parts of society, and necessarily unkind in others. It cannot always be everything to the whole. Even so, blind misunderstanding about Justice prevails and mankind convulses over judges and legislation providing rules regarding crime and punishment. Prejean's nunship does not represent the teaching of true justice under the Catholic banner, particularly. The innocent God-Man, Christ, also died under the death penalty. Christ did not resent nor teach that the death penalty was unjust. It was the law of the land. It was the Mosaic Law becoming the Catholic Law.

Nowhere does "sister" Prejean write the truth that Christ went willingly to His Passion and Death. Those who abandon the teachings of God commit crime also--not such a visible crime as murder, but a worse offense to God. It is not only the murderer who must be forgiven for his crimes against God's teaching, but those who teach falsehoods, such as Prejean. Prejean calls "admitting the murder" is "taking reponsibility," vaguely insinuating that a murderer thus fulfills his debt to God, but in reality, he has only "taken responsibility," only a first step, perhaps because he got caught. Only God knows if the penitent sought God's Mercy --and not man's-- for the murderer gives no sign. Nor does Prejean offer it.

Had the murderer been taught he must not only "take responsibility" but must [formally] confess to God [not to mankind] that his sorrow is true, [in the presence of one of Christ's officers of the Divine Court, a Confessor, i.e., a priest] then the families would have been comforted at the last. The duties of Prejean are unfinished, for herself and for the murderer; but they are far more than Prejean knows about, for she only teaches secularly that "responsibility" replaces repentance for breaking God's law. Responsible formal and private confession remains the vehicle for forgiveness from God (public confession only expresses charity to the families.)

The movie misleads all of society, both weak Catholics and unknowledgeable others that such admission is a "replacement for auricular confession." Pseudo-catholics do not know better, but ought to. They think secular confession (to mankind) is the new commandment of God. But it cannot be avoided --in the original (scripture) that Christ spoke what He taught, "Whosoever's sins ye shall forgive--they are forgiven them." Sinner speaks to Confessor. Auricular. Prejean feels better, thinks she has it right, but she was taught wrong. She passes her error onto society in its worst form, Naturalism. Unless the murderer seeks supernatural (Divine) Mercy and forgiveness, "I am sorry because I have first of all offended God, and secondly because I have offended Thy creatures, society," all the secular, or natural, justice on this earth will not help the murderer save his soul. The Prejean does not teach. The act of official confessing and absolving (by a priest) is absent and it is not implied.

Don't be fooled by secular catholicism. It is not Supernatural Catholicism. Prejean teaches a corporal work of mercy--to Visit the Prisoner, and substitutes a Beatitude, Clean of Heart (or "responsibility") for Confessing to God for an offense. What does the world learn?--to visit prisoners, to give up executing them (they never use "execute" in the movie--only "kill"). So prisoners never hear about repentance and confession. Viewers only observe that murderers squirm in their error and guilt in this world, never confess or obtain repentance, and never learn they, sinners too, must forgive someone who repents, as God does.

Things appear right in Prejean's world as she attempts to teach Naturalism and secular good works. Had she said to the murderer, "I, and all of us, need forgiveness, too, albeit not for murder," perhaps the murderer would have silently asked for grace to convert. Then the world could have known what the message is. It is not to abandon the death penalty--but to convert sinners, the real teaching of Christ, the purpose of His Sacrifice of His Life. As it is, the world, the story, and Prejean, all fail in justice and truth.

The "new nuns" such as Prejean substitute temporal (earthly) forgiveness and Naturalism. They give up Theism and Supernaturalism and souls languish with a loss of truth. There is a direct help (grace) from sacramental (supernatural) confession which alleviates all of mankind, but Prejean teaches that "supernatural forgiveness" is achieved by temporal means. She is subtly claiming that her corporal works of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, spiritual works of mercy, and suffering life's ills on behalf of the murderer are substitutes for his own such corporal works and that his mere "taking responsibility" becomes sufficient for absolving one from the mortal sins a sinner commits. Her chief example of such forgiveness comes by way of the use of "responsibility." This is a nebulous word which can stop along the way of "Okay, I did it--but I would do it again," or any other version of that admission. If anyone thinks that such a "responsibility" admission satisfies them, then they must also admit that it hardly satisfies God for His Good, His Mercy, His Love. Prejean's good intentions could actually condemn the prisoner to Hell for all eternity by omission. Is it worse to lose one's soul or one's body? The latter all will lose.

These corporal works are not salvific nor meritorious for anything more than natural grace (natural good) such as establishing hospitals or feeding one's neighbor. One receives supernatural grace, the kind that is meritorious for soul-saving (salvation) only when one performs these good works for God first--because God says so-- and THEN for man.

What people have difficulty to understand is that the unrepented crime is an offense against God, a blasphemy against Him, a sacrilege against His Word, whether it be disbelief in His Word, or a commission of harm to neighbor, both offenses and crimes, the latter a crime against God's creature, the former a crime far worse, directly an offense to God. We observe some criminals in their sorrow and remorse, and some who reach full contrition for God's sake, but we see victims and others who refuse God His First Command, "If you worship Me Alone, you will not disobey My commands."

The Mosaic Law from the Roman Catholic Missal; 1937, St. Andrew Abbey:
I am the Lord, thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing thatis in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them.

Dead Man Walking

By: Helen Prejean


The nonfiction book by: Helen Prejean is an enlightening book about a nun who becomes a spiritual advisor for convicted killer of two teenagers, who is sentenced to the electric chair. In 1982 sister Helen Prejean became the spiritual advisor of Patrick Sonnier, the convicted killer of two teenagers who was sentenced to die in the electric chair of Louisiana's Angola state prison. In the months before Sonniers death, the Roman Catholic nun came to know a man who was as terrified as he was once terrifying. This book was entertaining and very memorable. In the book there are many argumentative statements about the electric chair. The chair was unjust but the chair had to be given to him. This book suggests that the eletriic chair isn't always effective but it does get the job done. Until reading this book most people don't understand how unjust the chair really is. There are many people who have lived through the chair and it is just like torture to keep putting them through the chair. This book has changed many thoughts about the electric chair because it has changed people's lives. And lastly this book is a great read and I suggest it to anyone who likes the mysteries of the prison life.

This book, written by a Catholic nun, is a powerful indictment of the death penalty in America. She describes in vivid detail her role as "spiritual adviser" to two death row inmates, and in graphic detail, describes their deaths at the hands of the state.

While steadfastly anti-capital punishment (how can we trust a government that screws up so much in other areas in the application of this ultimate punishment?), Sister Prejan does not shy away from discussing her views with the families of the victims, and does not shy away from presenting the families' views to the reader with dignity and respect. She describes how she goes on to form both an abolitionist and victims' rights group in Louisana. She also goes on to point out how much more costly it is to execute someone than to put them in jail for life with no possibility of parole.

It's difficult to imagine how one could expect forgiveness for people who have brutally murdered people. Sister Prejan does not lecture, it seems even she does not expect this to be possible for most. She does, however, put the thought in the reader's mind - how can one advocate abandoning our humanity to fall to the level of the killer, while at the same time showing their humanity back to us. Sad and disturbing, but one of the most important works on the subject ever published. Strongly recommended.

This is both a book and a movie that you need to interact with. Particularly in a day and age when there is a movement here in Canada to try to bring the death penalty back. The book is much more in depth than the movie. The book profiles the first three men that Sr. Prejean goes to the death chamber with as Spiritual Director. It profiles her mistakes as she journeys down this path for the first few times. She witnessed her first execution on April 5th, 1984 and she has been advocating against the death penalty since then.

The book does a great job of showing the disparity in how the death penalty is applied. It goes through the studies on its lack of effectiveness, and how for the most part, it is the poor and the African-American who are on death row. Even if you only read the appendices, the book will challenge you to view the death penalty in a different way.

The movie was the inspiration and starred Susan Sarandon. Sarandon was given the book while on a personal retreat at a monastery; she came home and gave the book to her partner, Tim Robbins, who directed the film. Together they approached Sr. Prejean, who went out and rented Bull Durham. She was a little leery of having them do the film, but after meeting with them went ahead with the project.

The film co-stars Sean Penn as Matthew Poncelet, a compilation of the 3 men in the book. The movie, while slow moving, is incredibly intense and draws you into the drama of waiting for a death when you know the date and time of that approaching death.

As an interesting aside, another good book is Forgiving the Dead Man Walking by Debbie Morris, who was one of the victims of Robert Lee Willie from the book. Debbie always said if they ever made a movie, Penn would have to play Willie because they looked so much alike.

So read the book and watch the movie, and if you want yet another challenging book, give Forgiving the Dead Man Walking a read also.

This has to be one of the most boring books I have had. I wish I didn't buy it. I luckily had a great professor who taught well and was descriptive and a huge SW advocate. So, I wasted my money. But, if you don't know what kind of prof or it's required for class, be prepared to be bored out of your mind. I really hope your prof is good!

I have adopted this text for my social policy course since the first edition.

The hallmark to Jansson text is that he offers the best framework for generalist practice. Other policy textbooks perceive policy-making as an enterprise dominated by great persons who direct great ideas on a macro level. Policy, in this sense, is the development and maintenance of programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Jansson makes it clear that policy encompasses all aspects of social work intervention. For example, Jansson offers students a framework to comprehend the lack of adequate parking spaces on campus and -- what to do about it. Thus, Jansson enables the student to understand that policies operate on the micro, mezzo and macro levels.

Jansson spends most of his energy on the application of micro policy issues. This is most appropriate for two reasons. First, I estimate that 90% of social work graduates who are required to read this text will face micro policy issues on a daily basis. Unless they reflect back on what they learn from Jansson, they won't realize it. Second, for those who actually obtain policy positions, it is unlikely that they will be involved in making grand decisions in the arena of what is thought to be classic policies (e.g. Social Security). They are most likely to be making policy decisions regarding the use of the copy machine, discharging staff, hiring (including issues like affirmation action for the agency staff) etc. No other text will assist the student in these areas as much as Jansson.

There is no doubt in my mind that Jansson offers the BEST text for a social policy course. However, he has one serious limitation. His writing is terrible. He can't seem to write in an economical manner. In a discussion in an open forum, I made this observation. Other professors thanked me. Everyone in the room knew it was true, but no one wanted to say it aloud - except perhaps me.

The bottom line is, Jansson offers the best text for a social policy course. However, his writing is overly sophisticated, students must be spoon-fed this framework. Once students comprehend his essential points, they have a clear understanding of policy development and maintenance. Some of them, because of Jansson, decide to pursue a career in policy rather than clinical social work.

Although I am not a social worker, Jansson's text is proving very useful for finishing my legislative analysis paper--and completing field work. A hallmark of his writing is the desire to ensure the reader knows how close (and therefore permeable) government is to our daily lives.

Jansson's book is certainly well researched, but he does not use the long resource list as a justification for ailenating his readers (and potential colleagues). He specifically wants people to become and remain interested in this information. Throughout the book, the reader learns this information IS important and is completely different from academic filler and/or abstract theory which does not neccessarily work in their post-degree workplaces.

It is formally listed for social work, but this book would also be a great text for government/political science, public administration, and even some social science (women's studies, multicultural studies...etc) classes.