Evaluation: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Guiding, and Improving Policies and Programs

Book Description

"This is one of the most coherent and comprehensive theories of evaluation yet formulated and one that makes a most valuable contribution. The authors are pioneering in important new directions."
--Ernest R. House, author of Professional Evaluation and Evaluating with Validity

"This book is the best I've ever read detailing a practical theory of evaluation. It is comprehensive, beautifully written, and makes sense of the evaluation enterprise. It does so by emphasizing the major function of evaluation as sense-making about policies and programs."
--Thomas D. Cook, professor, sociology, psychology, education, and public policy, Northwestern University

Programs that serve the needs of the public continually face changes brought by social, political, and economic forces. To survive these changes, organizations must evaluate their programs wisely and realistically. This book offers a new approach to evaluation, one that will encourage all kinds of organizations and agencies to improve their contributions to social betterment. The authors draw from three decades of evaluation practice and theory to present their own framework for conceptualizing evaluation and for pragmatically assessing social policies and programs.

They analyze four purposes of evaluation:

To review the merit of programs and their value to society

To improve the organization and its services

To ensure program compliance with mandates

To build knowledge and expertise for future programs

For the practitioner, these purposes help define the approach and methods for an evaluation. The authors also enrich their discussion with four possible modes of inquiry: description, classification, causal analysis, and values inquiry. Filled with tables, charts, and figures, this resource invites organizations to make the most appropriate programming decisions based on thoughtful and systematic methods. Evaluation: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Guiding, and Improving Policies and Programs is a tool that scholars can use to rejuvenate their view of evaluation and that practitioners can use to integrate the best techniques with a contemporary understanding of social policy and change.

Customer Reviews:

A Primer for sorting out conceptual muddles in the field.......2004-01-22

Amidst a burgeoning growth industry in policy evaluation, characterized by a plethora of approaches and non-standard language usage, editors of two prominent evaluation journals join forces with a third colleague to provide an overview and an inclusive framework that differentiates in simple language, major approaches taken to policy and program evaluation to date.

Beginning with a core definition of evaluation as assisted sense-making whose ultimate objective is social betterment, the authors distinguish four purposes of evaluation: (1) assessment of merit and worth (2) program and organizational improvement, (3) oversight and compliance, and (4) knowledge development. Conceptual clarity over purpose(s) helps avoid muddles encountered in everyday arenas of evaluation and is directly pertinent to modes of inquiry appropriate to those purposes. In the second section of the book the authors distinguish four types of evaluative inquiry and discuss how to plan corresponding evaluative methods appropriate to the purpose(s) at hand. With a view toward conceptual coherence, they spend a chapter grounding their conception of evaluation as assisted sense-making in a philosophy of common sense realism. The third and final section of the book then considers closely, uses and challenges for each of these four modes of evaluative inquiry and devotes one chapter to each: (1) "Description," (2) "Classification," (3) "Causal Analysis," and (4) "Values Inquiry." In so doing, the authors contribute toward enhanced clarity in the "evaluation jungle" at significant levels of analysis and deliver what they promise in simple common sense language: an integrated framework for understanding, guiding, and improving public and nonprofit policies and programs.

My only reservation is related to what in content is also a strength. Rich in academic references, with an adaptation in format, these references could have better been placed in endnotes rather than parentheses. This would have facilitated reading flow. The decision to keep a format that is probably more useful in journals than books accounts for a one star deduction and four star rating.

A solid well-grounded theoretical analysis that will help those engaged in policy/program evaluation sort out a lot of muddles ahead of time rather than unnecessarily being caught in the mire. Another indication that, while good theory will never get as far as accounting for all the exigencies in a complex world, good theory is helpful in avoiding unnecessary confusions and many commonplace and wholly predictable errors in advance. Highly recommended.

Aimed at both practitioners and academics.......2003-08-23

This book serves two purposes. It is a comprehensive text on evaluation aimed at both practitioners and academics, but most importantly, it is a treatise aimed at introducing a new evaluation framework. It is a textbook with a point of view. The authors begin with the premise that the fundamental purpose of evaluation is social betterment, which is "...the reduction or prevention of social problems, the improvement of social conditions, and the alleviation of human suffering." From these roots, they build a new `realistic' evaluation framework. Although aimed primarily at public and non-profit organizations, many of the lessons can be applied in the private sector as well.

Part one examines why one would want to do an evaluation in the first place. The authors purport that evaluation is a fundamental part of the democratic process because it is crucial in informing policy and decision makers about the effectiveness of public policy and programs. The book reviews the four purposes of evaluation (assessment of merit and worth, program and organizational improvement, oversight and compliance, and knowledge development) and introduces the four inquiry modes (description, classification, causal analysis and values inquiry). The authors provide extensive coverage and a critique of the academic debates concerning purposes, modes and methodology. This leads to the proposal of a realistic philosophy, which aims to move beyond traditional paradigm silos. The authors argue that by focusing on the ultimate goal of social betterment and by seeking to surface underlying values, it is possible to follow a path that tailors methodology to intended purpose.

Part two covers evaluation planning and begins the practical application part of the book. Different evaluation purposes become paramount and are more aptly suited, depending on the environment (stable, competitive, shifts in funding or new policy/program). Choosing appropriate methodology and evaluation extensiveness (i.e. quality) is aided by an understanding of primary and secondary evaluation purposes; the book provides decision-making matrices as well as many examples and references. The authors expand on their notion of a `common-sense realistic' philosophy and provide an extensive overview of the supporting principles. It is a philosophy underlined by the notion of evaluation as `assisted sensemaking' that aims to build upon and extend natural human perceptual processes. In practice, it is flexible, antiformalist and rejects the fact-value and qualitative-quantitative dichotomies. In short, it aims to do what works in a given situation and contributes the most to social betterment.

Part three provides extensive detail on the four inquiry modes (description, classification, causal analysis and values inquiry). Each chapter provides a complete overview: detailed arguments about how the selected mode can be used to support the four evaluation purposes, examples of specific evaluation methodology, interactions, notable caveats and pitfalls and an overview of critical opinion. The sections on classification and causal analysis are especially extensive, full of detailed methodology and references to external sources. The authors expand on the notion of how values inquiry can be critical in a complementary role with other modes.

The authors conclude with a statement that the field of evaluation is "...moving towards yet another rite of passage." They argue that evaluators need "...to take their proper place in the policy community" and they must become "...shameless in broadly spreading their findings...." They make a final argument in support of their realistic philosophy.

Aimed at both practitioners and academics.......2003-08-23

The book is often dense with citations, making for difficult reading at times. In places, especially in part one, the level of detail is far beyond that needed by the average practitioner. However, this would seem to suit the academic audience, who would find the sections devoted to methodology (aimed at practitioners) unnecessary. It seems a happy compromise. Name and subject indexes facilitate use of the book as a reference text. A thorough bibliography points the reader to external sources. It is a text thoroughly worth the attention of anyone interested in the field of evaluation.

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
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Details, Details, DETAILS!

A Wonderful Historical Novel

A detailed, expertly womven tapestry

Henry VIII: murduror or misunderstood?

Margaret George "the great"

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers
Margaret George
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Mary Queen of Scotland & The Isles: A Novel

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ASIN: 0312194390

Book Description

Much has been written about the mighty, egotistical Henry VIII: the man who dismantled the Church because it would not grant him the divorce he wanted; who married six women and beheaded two of them; who executed his friend Thomas ore; who sacked the monasteries; who longed for a son and neglected his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth; who finally grew fat, disease-ridden, dissolute. Now, in her magnificent work of storytelling and imagination Margaret George bring us Henry VIII's story as he himself might have told it, in memoirs interspersed with irreverent comments from his jester and confident, Will Somers. Brilliantly combining history, wit, dramatic narrative, and an extraordinary grasp of the pleasures and perils of power, this monumental novel shows us Henry the man more vividly than he has ever been seen before.

Customer Reviews:

Details, Details, DETAILS!.......2007-09-23

If you want to know about Henry VIII, read this book! The author has compiled an amazing history rich in detail, spiced with lust, tempered with love, touched with madness and murder. The book balances nicely between extremely detailed religious and political matter and the scandalous personal life of Henry VIII. She does a bit of introspection offering possibilities of why Henry behaved as he did from his absent mother and domineering, miserly father to beliefs of the time about witchcraft. Henry's life was one situation after another and how Henry interpreted each of them - thus leading to a long chain of events enveloping his family and friends, the court, the country and the church. Easily influenced by his advisors, he could just as easily turn on those closest to him. It seems that the best place to be during Henry's reign was FAR from where ever he happened to be! The book is quite long and amazingly detailed - at times too detailed for my taste. This is a work of fiction and while knowledge of the political dynamics helped to understand some situations, the author went to great lengths to detail political proceedings and I found myself bored and ready to move on long before she finished with the details, details, details. About 100 pages could have been cut and the book would have been as enteratining and all that was necessary for FICTION. When I want intense step-by-step details, I'll read non-fiction. I did like her depictions of the wives of Henry VIII. Each were vivid and aided in understanding Henry's attraction to them and eventual reaction to them. Anne Boelyn was particulrly interesting - as the author pulled no punches. Many books sympathize with Anne while others depict her as power hungry - this is one of the few that portray her so poorly. Of course, the premise is that HENRY is describing her as such. Either way, it was very colorful and entertaining. I knew only "common knowledge" of Henry and had been to Hever Castle and many of the other locations mentioned in the book - which helped. However, I know enough now to be more interested in all of the key characters than I had ever been before. It's an undertaking - its an undertaking just hauling this massive volume around with you until you finish it - but it's worth the time and workout.

A Wonderful Historical Novel.......2007-08-14

Margaret George was born in Nashville Tennessee. When not continuing research for her novels in such places as Egypt, Rome, Israel and England she lives with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin. She is the author of many best selling historical novel including The Memoirs of Cleopatra and Mary, Called Magdalene

The Autobiography of Henry VIII is a novel, but it is not just interspersed with the odd factual detail it is full of them. Henry was a monarch who instigated a great deal of change during his reign perhaps more than any other English monarch in the last one thousand years. He is probably known to most people as the king who had six wives and very little else is known about him. In his younger daus he was a brave man who liked to follow the knightly code. He was also very good at sports. Real tennis being a favourite of his, and of course as we all know he had an eye for the ladies.

Henry could be a charming friend, or a dangerous and vindictive enemy as many people who crossed him found out. As he became older his temper flared more and more often and he was not a well man and was often in constant pain for long periods of time.

Margaret George has once again come up trumps with a book that is both of educational interest and also a good story, written from henry's own point of view, but with irreverent comments from Will Somers - Henry VIII's confidant and jester. Many books of this type can become tedious or boring but Margaret George's writing style is a joy. I enjoyed it immensely.

A detailed, expertly womven tapestry.......2007-07-09

I obsessively read anything I can find on Henry VIII, be it history or historical fiction, and this book is by far my favorite. George put a lot of work and study into this giant book, and it definitely shines through in the text. Henry VIII emerges as a real man, if a fatally flawed one, and after reading this book it is difficult to look at him the same way again. George lovingly paints a picture of the good intentions of an intelligent man going awry in a world of privilege and swirling factions.

Henry VIII: murduror or misunderstood?.......2007-07-08

Everyone knows about him. People love him, people hate him, most people love to hate him. Henry VIII, the one who started a holy war and started a whole new church to marry a women he ended up exicuting. Who started off as a god among men and ended his life a senile, dissatafied man whose claim to fame was he married six times. Though many would say he was a murdurous, raving lunitic that seemed to have no compassion or love for his two daughters, i think he is completely misunderstood. He was just trying to find the right woman, produce an heir, and run a country. The fact that he excuted many people, including two of his wives, started a whole new church and declared his daughters illigitamet because his marrages to their mothers were not so successful, shouldn't tarnish his reputation at all. Under all that, he had a heart and like most people feelings.
Margaret George made the man inside apparent. Though some would be dissopointed in this book, I say it is a masterpeice that only Ms. George could write. Yes, Henry is probably one of the most pompous people in the world but who the hell isn't. Who doesn't think they are the best thing that happened to this earth. Though to people who aren't like us normal humans, aren't you intrigued about what he was thinking all the time?Don't tell me you didn't want to know how a human can just seemingly out of the blue disside he and his wife was never married. How could he watch as the world crumbled around him and keep a straight face? All questions are answered and he is seen in a whole new light. Although i can agree with people who thought it wasn't Margaret George's best book it is certainly well-written. P.S. To all you freaks who don't love yourself you need to seriously have some me-time.

Margaret George "the great".......2007-06-27

I loved ALL of Margaret George's books. Her writing style and historical accuracy makes it easy to breeze through a book that looks so dauntingly long.

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(RAW Rating: 4.5) - What is happening to black men?
Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In
A Must Read
Why are so many Black Men in Prison?
Why are so many blacks in prison?

Why Are So Many Black Men in Prison?
Demico Boothe
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Kill Them Before They Grow: The Misdiagnosis of African American Boys in America's Classrooms
The State of Black America 2007: Portrait of the Black Male
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The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture

ASIN: 1425713971

Customer Reviews:

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - What is happening to black men?.......2007-08-04

Demico Boothe has explored the reasons so many black men are indeed in prison in, WHY ARE SO MANY BLACK MEN IN PRISON? He begins with his own story of a shaky upbringing and his subsequent dabbling in drug dealing. He was caught with a few grams of crack cocaine but because it was the dreaded crack, he was given 10 years in prison. When he left prison after serving his time, he was actually railroaded back into prison by a crooked justice system. He delves deeply into our justice system and the motives behind all the new prisons that are being built. He gives succinct and reasonable views of exactly what is happening now in the United States and how the past has played a role in the present. He uses persuasive statistics regarding the number of black men in prison as compared to the number of white men who are incarcerated.

Demico Boothe has done an excellent job of researching his subject and it is a plus, if unfortunate for him, that he has actually experienced first hand what he's talking about. I knew I was hearing the real story rather than just statistics from an intellectual who had no real idea of what the prison system is really like. I would have liked for Boothe to search a little deeper into the Haiti, Aristide and USA question, maybe even reading Randall Robinson's take on the situation, and then he might see it a bit differently. Otherwise, it is a good book and one every one in America should read. We indeed, have a crisis going on.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In.......2007-06-09

The book was very interesting. I learned soooo much about the government and the prison industry. I did some searching independantly to check on the things reported in the book and they are very true. Great Read!! Buy the book.

A Must Read.......2007-05-25

Mr. Demico's book is a must-read for anyone concerned about young African American men. Although I did not agree with every conclusion he reached, Demico's main premises are convincing. As a white woman who teaches mainly students of color, I am always impressed, and often in awe, of those young men who reach college with so much going against them. Demico's books lays bare not only the horrible inequalities of our society, but also the racist attitudes of our political system - - Democrats, Republicans, and most everyone in between.

Why are so many Black Men in Prison?.......2007-05-13

I is a well put together book. He really goes into a lot of detail of how our society is really set up.

Why are so many blacks in prison?.......2007-05-12

I found this book very interesting. As a white devil myself, I had no idea that I was responsible for forcing blacks into committing crimes and then subsequently clogging up the whole "Prison Industrial Complex"(tm). I will try to stop causing this, as I am sure it is creating a LOT of trouble for everyone! Sorry!

It is probably also my fault that young black men dressed in XXXXL clothes overtly threaten me and my family members routinely. Can anyone tell me what I should do to make this not happen?

I imagine it's also my fault that black on white violent crime is WAY higher than white on black violent crime, even though blacks constitute about 12.5% of the population, and whites are about 70%. But since it is impossible for a black to commit a hate crime according to our criminal justice system (since blacks are not under any circumstances racist), statistically, there are more white on black hate crimes. Boothe notes a statistic regarding hate crimes, but he skips the one about interracial violence in general.

In sum, Boothe notes that just about everything blacks do is actually MY fault, because my skin is white. Boothe, I've got a word for you.

Introspection.

Realist Evaluation: An Emerging Theory in Support of Practice: New Directions for Evaluation (J-B PE Single Issue (Program) Evaluation)

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Realist Evaluation: An Emerging Theory in Support of Practice: New Directions for Evaluation (J-B PE Single Issue (Program) Evaluation)
Gary T. Henry , George Julnes , and Melvin M. Mark
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Evaluation (2nd Edition)
Evaluation: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Guiding, and Improving Policies and Programs

ASIN: 0787915513

Book Description

Why is another theory of evaluation needed? The paradigm wars have left a void in their wake. A new theory, firmly grounded in a credible philosophy of science, is needed to guide practice. The aim of this volume is to provide a new theory that captures the sensemaking contributions from post-positivism and the sensitivity to values from constructivist traditions. The theory presented here is not a slap-dash synthesis of the competing paradigms--it is a new approach. Some of the contributions of the realist theory of evaluation are (1) providing a basis for principled discovery as we oscillate between explanations and data; (2) using explanation as a means for extrapolating findings from one evaluation to other settings; (3) viewing all methods, both quantitative and qualitative, as aids to sensemaking that have strengths and flaws; (4) connecting evaluation practice with the ultimate goal of most program evaluation--social betterment; and (5) balancing the focus of the evaluation between sensemaking and value inquiry. This is the 78th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Evaluation.

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Surgical Management of Obesity
Henry Buchwald , George S. M. Cowan , and Walter J. Pories
Manufacturer: Saunders
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Management of Morbid Obesity
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ASIN: 1416000895

Book Description

Leaders in the field present today's most comprehensive coverage of bariatric surgery, one of the most promising current treatments for the growing global epidemic of overweight and obesity. This brand new resource begins with a through examination of the history, incidence, demography, etiology, biology, comorbidities, longevity, and social and economic implications of obesity. It then discusses pre-, peri-, and postoperative issues of importance before examining the evolution of bariatric procedures. Individual chapters present the best surgical approaches, their outcomes, and other considerations involved in this surgical approach.

Ravished by the Spirit: Religious Revivals, Baptists, and Henry Alline (Hayward Lectures.)

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Ravished by the Spirit: Religious Revivals, Baptists, and Henry Alline (Hayward Lectures.)
George A. Rawlyk
Manufacturer: McGill-Queen's University Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0773504400

A Guest in My Own Country: A Hungarian Life

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a wonderful read

A Guest in My Own Country: A Hungarian Life
George Konrad
Manufacturer: Other Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590511395

Book Description

A powerful memoir of war, politics, literature, and family life by one of Europe's leading intellectuals.

When George Konrád was a child of eleven, he, his sister, and two cousins managed to flee to Budapest from the Hungarian countryside the day before deportations swept through his home town. Ultimately, they were the only Jewish children of the town to survive the Holocaust.

A Guest in My Own Country recalls the life of one of Eastern Europe's most accomplished modern writers, beginning with his survival during the final months of the war. Konrád captures the dangers, the hopes, the betrayals and courageous acts of the period through a series of carefully chosen episodes that occasionally border on the surreal (as when a dead German soldier begins to speak, attempting to justify his actions).

The end of the war launches the young man on a remarkable career in letters and politics. Offering lively descriptions of both his private and public life in Budapest, New York, and Berlin, Konrád reflects insightfully on his role in the Hungarian Uprising, the notion of "internal emigration"—the fate of many writers who, like Konrád, refused to leave the Eastern Bloc under socialism—and other complexities of European identity. To read A Guest in My Own Country is to experience the recent history of East-Central Europe from the inside.

Customer Reviews:

a wonderful read.......2007-04-16

This is a lovely book, rich in historical and personal anecdotes, told with a clear, dispassionate delivery. I was in Budapest last year and my only regret is I had not yet read this memoir. It leaves you with a palpable sense of loss and longing for the missed opportunities of the past, yet hopeful toward a more benign future.

Standard Catalog Of United States Tokens 1700-1900: One Comprehensive Catalog In Which May Be Found All These References : Early American Tokens, Hard ... (Standard Catalog of Us Tokens, 1700-1900)

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Great resource for token collectors!
Standard Catalog of U.S. Tokens 1700-1900
The all around best reference book for United States Tokens.

Standard Catalog Of United States Tokens 1700-1900: One Comprehensive Catalog In Which May Be Found All These References : Early American Tokens, Hard ... (Standard Catalog of Us Tokens, 1700-1900)
Russell Rulau
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Unusual World Coins: Companion Volume to Standard Catalog of World Coins (Unusual World Coins: Companion Volume to Standard Catalog of World)
Standard Catalog of World Coins 1701-1800

ASIN: 0873419898

Book Description

This 4th edition of the Numismatic Literary Guild?s award

winner features updated, revised pricing, hundreds of new

token listings, and detailed photographs. Author Russell Rulau,

one of the most respected medal and token authorities in the

world, explores tokens from colonial days to the dawn of the

20th Century. Includes expanded coverage of post-Civil War

tokens, as well as Civil War cardboard chits.

Collectors, dealers and students alike will need the new edition

of this all-time best-selling token catalog, which combines

Early American, Hard Times, Merchant, Civil War, Trade and

Gay Nineties pieces into a one-volume token library.

Customer Reviews:

Great resource for token collectors!.......2007-03-09

Put on your reading glasses and your back-brace! This updated volume (4th edition) is huge, heavy, and filled to the brim with small print and b/w pictures...but those are necessary evils considering the breadth of information covered in this book. I wondered if the $35 price would be justified and I suppose it is. There may be easier ways (e.g., on-line) to find information about individual tokens, private merchant coins and cards, commemorative US coins, campaign tokens, as well as territorial gold and silver, but for serious collectors of early American exonumia or anyone trying to identify or establish the value of an unusual US coin, this volume is indispensable. I only wish my eyes were better! I'm glad I bought the book. Beyond its usefulness as a field guide, it is chock-full of interesting historical information and trivia, making it a very cool resource for anyone curious about how commerce, politics, and territorial expansion took place in colonial and post-colonial times. It also covers the Civil War era and after, up until the turn of the 20th century. Collecting these rare coins can be a gratifying hobby. Many of the coins are quite affordable and all are interesting snapshots of the mindset of our forebears. Also, by using this guide one might discover that the weird coin or faded store card found in Grandpa's sock drawer is a unique treasure which could yield big "bucks" (an exonumia term: buckskins were used as currency in the colonial period) at the next coin show or in an online auction. I gave the book 4 stars only because there are no color pictures, even though the details of coins are often easier to see in black and white. If there were color plates, however, I might not have been able to afford to buy this book.

Standard Catalog of U.S. Tokens 1700-1900.......2007-03-08

Catalog was rec'd promptly and in good condition. Contents are everything we thought it would be.

The all around best reference book for United States Tokens........2007-02-20

This is the absolute best reference book for collectors of United States Tokens and exonumia. The detailed pictures make identification easy and the index works extremely well. This is a must have for any United States coin/token collector. A++

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The Elements of Classical Architecture
Georges Gromort , and Henry Hope Reed
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Reed, Henry Hope

Who Will Be Saved?: Defending the Biblical Understanding of God, Salvation, and Evangelism

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Evangelicals Who Believe In Calvinism!!!!!!!!!!
Evangelicals Who Believe in God!

Who Will Be Saved?: Defending the Biblical Understanding of God, Salvation, and Evangelism

Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace

ASIN: 1581341431

Book Description

Some of the most significant figures in evangelical theology explore the traditional view of the doctrine of salvation and its impact on evangelism in this age. Beginning with the doctrine of God as the author of salvation, pressing issues such as the exclusivity of the gospel and modern evangelism strategies, are examined. It's a forceful, clear presentation of how to stay true to biblical doctrines and faithful to the Great Commission in postmodern times.

Customer Reviews:

Evangelicals Who Believe In Calvinism!!!!!!!!!!.......2000-08-26

Given the present theological dynamics surrounding queries into the nature of God and human destiny, it saddens me to encounter Christian thinkers who are determined (no pun intended)to retreat into the fetid bowels of a tired, stale Reformed Weltanschauung instead of bravely engaging the challenges presented to dogmatics and hermeneutics as we approach the new century. What is lacking in these essays is the belief in a personal deity who can transcend our expectations (cf. Deut. 23 and Isaiah 56) - even our expectations regarding the extent of God's saving activity - and whose mercy can defeat our most entrenched theological prognostications! Viva la grace!

Evangelicals Who Believe in God!.......2000-01-23

Edited by a long-respected OT theologian and a rising-star young theologian, this volume is a welcome tool for pastors and laypersons perplexed by the growing horde of "evangelicals" seeking to redefine the doctrines of God and salvation. The contributors (Carl Henry, R. Albert Mohler, D. A. Carson, et al) are unabashed in their commitment to a biblically-robust classical evangelical theology. Thornbury's concluding article contributes much to this discussion by joining his critique of "post-conservative" evangelicalism with a self-critical analysis of the theological reductionism found in some sectors of traditionalist evangelicalism. The shelf of every evangelical pastor and church leader should make room for this volume.

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