Most Popular Books by David Lowery

The Politics of Dissatisfaction: Citizens, Services, and Urban Institutions is destined to be a classic in public administration and public policy; it makes major theoretical and empirical contributions to the literature in both fields. It is a rigorous empirical attempt to assess the public choice view of citizenship and local government. The research upon which this book is based was founded on conversations between two of its authors, W. E. Lyons and David Lowery, during the early 1980s.

This book assesses the impact of interest groups to determine if collectively they are capable of shaping policy in their own interests or whether they influence policy only at the margins.

This examination of lobbying communities explores how interest group populations are constructed and how they influence politics and public policy. By examining how populations of interest groups are comprised, this work fills an important gap between existing theories of the origins of individual interest groups and studies of interest group influence. The population ecology model of interest communities developed here builds on insights first developed in population biology and later employed by organizational ecologists. The model''s central premise is that it is the environmental forces confronting interest organizations that most directly shape the contours of interest populations. After examining the demography of interest organizations in the fifty American states, the population ecology model is used to account for variations in the density and diversity of their interest communities, the nature of competition among similar interest organizations to establish viable niches, and the impact of alternative configurations of interest communities on the legislative process and the policies it produces. These empirical findings suggest that the environment of interest communities is highly constraining, limiting their size, composition, and potential impact on politics. Virginia Gray is Professor of Political Science, University of Minnesota. David Lowery is Burton Craige Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Understanding United States Government Growth develops and tests alternative explanations of government growth since World War II. It opens with an analysis of debate about the causes and consequences of government growth, including the excessive government view that the public sector has grown beyond the scope demanded by citizens due to its own structural defects, and the responsive interpretation that government has gown because it has reacted appropriately to external public demands. The authors review the major political and economic explanations for government growth and criticize earlier empirical attempts to test these explanations. In the second half of the book, they distinguish four components of government growth: growth in the cost of government and growth in the scope of government activities in three domains--transfer payments, domestic purchases, and defense purchases. Both responsive and excessive explanations of each of these components of growth are developed and tested to allow an evaluation of the validity of the two contrasting views about big government.

"Breaking Free: Overcoming Mental Weakness" is a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to improve their mental resilience and break free from negative patterns of thought. Drawing from both classic and modern techniques, this book offers practical strategies and exercises for building inner strength and emotional resilience. Whether you''re struggling with anxiety, depression, or simply want to cultivate a more positive mindset, "Breaking Free" will help you tap into your inner resources and overcome mental weakness. With a clear, concise writing style and accessible approach, this book is perfect for anyone looking to transform their life and achieve greater happiness and fulfillment. Whether you''re a seasoned self-improvement enthusiast or just starting on your journey, "Breaking Free" is a must-read for anyone seeking to unleash their true potential

A memoir of more than three decades of fishing trips, The Mud Daddy Chronicles follows three journalists and friends through the seasons of their lives. Mysterious omens over the years reveal that a supernatural current, an environmental warning, courses through these annual weekend quests for fish. Three young men with dreams and goals become gray-haired guys with grit and guts. These stolen weekends pile up year after year until the years and trips blend one into the other and become decades. All soon realize that a spiritual dimension accompanies these pilgrimages for smallmouth bass. Full of fishing tips (as well as plans for a potato launcher, suggestions for lures and 20+ man-and- a-pan recipes) The Mud Daddy Chronicles is a glimpse into a mystical and remarkable natural world while offering a cautionary tale about the environmental threats that haunt our national waterways. The stories and recipes in this book prove, too, that nothing is better than a crisp autumn morning on a boat on the water - life-long friends nearby, libations at hand and a smallmouth bass tugging on 10-pound test

"The Love Code: Decoding Your Partner''s Expression of Affection" is a comprehensive guide that explores the concept of love codes and how they can be used to strengthen relationships. This book provides practical advice, real-life examples, and exercises to help couples effectively communicate love and appreciation through each love code: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. By understanding the importance of expressing and receiving love in a relationship, readers will learn how to identify their own love code and that of their partner. They will also gain insight into how to communicate love effectively and resolve conflicts through each love code. The book provides profiles of each love code, which includes what makes someone with that love code feel loved and appreciated, as well as suggestions for applying the knowledge of love codes to enhance the relationship. Ultimately, "The Love Code" serves as a guide for couples looking to improve their relationship through the power of love codes. With the help of this book, couples can deepen their understanding and connection with their partner, leading to a more fulfilling and loving partnership.

Elliot the puppy is lost in the forest, and needs to find a new home. Will it be with a family of sheep, or a questioning owl, or maybe some playful fox cubs? Or will his search lead him somewhere else? From the screen to the page, Elliot Gets Lost will bring the fun and heartwarming story of a lost puppy to readers of all ages. Seen in the 2016 movie Pete''s Dragon as one of Pete''s prized possessions, the picture book was brought to the page by the film''s creative team, and features never-before-seen illustrations. Fans of the movie and picture books alike will love this story of a young puppy''s journey.

Stronger Together: A Single Mom''s Guide To Parenting, Co-Parenting, and Raising Confident and Resilient Children" is a practical and comprehensive guide for single moms who are juggling multiple roles and responsibilities. This book provides strategies and tips for managing the demands of work, co-parenting with an ex-partner, and raising confident and resilient children. The book covers a wide range of topics, including finding flexible work arrangements that fit your family''s needs, navigating workplace discrimination and bias against single moms, communicating effectively with your ex-partner, fostering resilience in your children, and supporting your children''s emotional and mental health. Written by an experienced single mom who has faced these challenges firsthand, "Stronger Together" offers valuable insights, real-life stories, and practical advice to help single moms overcome obstacles and build a fulfilling life for themselves and their children. Whether you are a new single mom or have been parenting on your own for a while, this book is a must-read for anyone looking to balance work, co-parenting, and raising confident and resilient children.

Raising Our Tribe is a heartwarming and insightful parenting guide that empowers moms and dads to raise their children with love, compassion, and confidence. With practical tips and heartfelt advice, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to create a happy and healthy family dynamic. From navigating the challenges of parenthood to celebrating the joys of raising a tribe, this book is a beautiful reminder that being a good parent is the greatest gift we can give our children.

Currently under development, the Global Information Grid (GIG) enterprise Services (ES) is a suite of capabilities intended to provide improved user access to mission-critical data via Web-based and network technologies. Some of the problems of implementing such capabilities include non-uniform data formats, incompatible run-time environments and nonstandard proprietary applications, all of which block operational interoperability. Web services are specifically designed to address the interoperability challenges of a service- oriented architecture (SOA) such as the GIG. SOAs are networked infrastructures that are designed to facilitate the interoperability of collections of services without requiring service context awareness. Standards-based Web services provide the necessary flexibility and extensibility to ensure information flow is platform, run-time and software independent. The proof of concept (POC) software example developed for this research demonstrates the flexibility and extensibility of standards-based, operating-system-independent Web services. The result is an experimental endeavor to provide a mock operation command center information portal, which provides a notional summary personnel status report to the commander in real-time from a Web service that was originally generated by a stand-alone client/server system. The POC is developed with great attention to open-source technologies and open-standards compliance. The key technologies involved are Extensible Markup Language (XML), the Java programming language, PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) scripting language and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). This work demonstrates the benefits of leveraging Web services to unlock legacy specialized applications to enhance the Warfighter''s battlespace awareness by improving information flow via a Web based information portal.