"Cousin Betty" – Set in mid-19th-century Paris, it tells the story of an unmarried middle-aged woman who plots the destruction of her extended family. Bette works with Valérie Marneffe, an unhappily married young lady, to seduce and torment a series of men. One of these is Baron Hector Hulot, husband to Bette's cousin Adeline. He sacrifices his family's fortune and good name to please Valérie, who leaves him for a tradesman named Crevel. "Cousin Pons" – Sylvain Pons, a musician in a Parisian boulevard orchestra, has two failings: his passion for collecting works of art and his passion for good food. Being a gourmet, Pons much enjoys dining regularly with his wealthy lawyer cousins M. and Mme Camusot de Marville. To remain on good terms with the Camusots, he tries to find a man for their unappealing daughter Cécile, but when this falls through, he is banished. However, when Mme Camusot learns of the value of Pons's art collection she strives to obtain possession of it as the basis of a dowry for her daughter. In this new development of the plot a bitter struggle ensues between various vulture-like figures, all of whom are keen to lay their hands on the collection.

Charity Law & Social Policy explores contemporary law, policy and practice in a range of modern common law nations in four parts and from the perspective of how this has evolved in the UK. As progenitor of a system bequeathed to its colonies and after centuries of leadership in developing the core principles, policies and precedents that subsequently shaped its development, the contribution of England & Wales, the originating jurisdiction, is first described and analysed in detail in Parts 1 and 2. These broadly sketch the parameters and role of ‘charity’ – seen as a mix of public and private interests - then address the law’s role in protecting, policing, adjusting and supporting charity. This provides the critical dimensions for the comparative analysis of experience in the common law nations that constitutes the main part of the book. Part 3, in 5 chapters, provides an analysis of the legal functions as they apply to type of need and thereby give effect to social policy in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America. Part 4 concludes with three chapters that appraise political influence as a factor in aligning charity law with social policy to create a facilitative environment for appropriate charitable activity. Attention is given to the central role of the regulator, contemporary charity law frameworks and definitional boundaries.

The sixty years between 1773 and 1833 determined British paramountcy in India. Those years were formative too for British Eurasians. By the 1820s Eurasians were an identifiable and vocal community of significant numbers particularly in the main Presidency towns. They were valuable to the administration of government although barred in the main from higher office. The ambition of their educated elite was to be accepted as British subjects, not to be treated as native Indians, an ambition which was finally rejected in the 1830s.

The best of Edwin Arlington Robinson's poetry rings with a lyrical and emotional purity and singularity that should assure his place as one of the treasured poets of his generation ... Scott Donaldson's book should help to revive appreciation for this solitary figure and the unique resonance of his work. --W.S. Merwin.

For the first time since 1601, a number of leading common law nations have almost simultaneously chosen to revise and place on the statute books the law relating to charity. The Politics of Charity examines the reasons for this and for the varying legislative outcomes. This book examines the legal framework and political significance of charity, as developed within England & Wales, contrasts this with the experiences of other common law nations and explores the resulting implications for government/sector relationships in those countries. It suggests that charity law lies at the heart of the relationship between government and the non profit sector, that there is an unmistakeable political agenda driving charity law reform and that the differential in legislative outcomes reflects important differences in the policies pursued by the governments concerned. Looking at fundamentally different approaches of government towards the sector in the UK, Ireland, the US, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore and Australia, O’Halloran argues the results will have implications for the present workings of parliamentary democracy. The Politics of Charity will be a valuable resource for academics, regulators and legal practitioners as well as advanced and postgraduate students in law, politics and public policy.

A WOMAN OF MYSTERY… Why would an impoverished gentlewoman masquerade as a sophisticated lady of the ton? Baron Amburley had a jaundiced enough view of women to suspect only one reason. Miss Isabella Winstanley was cold-bloodedly masquerading above her station to land a rich husband! Determined to unmask the upstart, Amburley challenged Isabella to a race. But as they prepared for the big race, Amburley found himself captivated by the real Isabella. Her frank, open ways and manifest joy were so unlike anything he’d encountered with other women, he soon found himself wishing that he knew nothing of her deceit. For this Isabella was the kind of woman who could haunt a man’s dreams….

Profiling national and international social inclusion agendas, Charity Law and Social Inclusion examines the fit between the charity law framework and the needs of the socially marginalized in some leading common law nations: the US, England and Wales, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It: examines the concepts of philanthropy, inclusion, alienation and justice considers the competing claims of philanthropy, legal rights and politics as appropriate methods of pursuing social justice explains how weaknesses in charity law obstructs philanthropic intervention makes recommendations for changes to the legal framework governing philanthropy. O’Halloran argues that our common charity law heritage must be updated and co-ordinated to be capable of addressing social inclusion in the twenty-first century. This book is of interest to academics and students working and sudying in the areas of social policy, sociology and law, as well as professionals in community and voluntary work.