Best Selling Books by Kevin Lewis

In Guatemala City today, Christianity isn''t just a belief system--it is a counterinsurgency. Amidst postwar efforts at democratization, multinational mega-churches have conquered street corners and kitchen tables, guiding the faithful to build a sanctified city brick by brick. Drawing on rich interviews and extensive fieldwork, Kevin Lewis O''Neill tracks the culture and politics of one such church, looking at how neo-Pentecostal Christian practices have become acts of citizenship in a new, politically relevant era for Protestantism. Focusing on everyday practices--praying for Guatemala, speaking in tongues for the soul of the nation, organizing prayer campaigns to combat unprecedented levels of crime--O''Neill finds that Christian citizenship has re-politicized the faithful as they struggle to understand what it means to be a believer in a desperately violent Central American city. Innovative, imaginative, conceptually rich, City of God reaches across disciplinary borders as it illuminates the highly charged, evolving relationship between religion, democracy, and the state in Latin America.

"A necessary addition to the literature on Latin America''s Pentecostals, whose number exceeds 100 million . . . a highly readable text." — Times Higher Education "It''s not a process," one pastor insisted, "rehabilitation is a miracle." In the face of addiction and few state resources, Pentecostal pastors in Guatemala City are fighting what they understand to be a major crisis. Yet the treatment centers they operate produce this miracle of rehabilitation through extraordinary means: captivity. These men of faith snatch drug users off the streets, often at the request of family members, and then lock them up inside their centers for months, sometimes years. Hunted is based on more than ten years of fieldwork among these centers and the drug users that populate them. Over time, as Kevin Lewis O''Neill engaged both those in treatment and those who surveilled them, he grew increasingly concerned that he, too, had become a hunter, albeit one snatching up information. This thoughtful, intense book will reframe the arc of redemption we so often associate with drug rehabilitation, painting instead a seemingly endless cycle of hunt, capture, and release. "O''Neill uses his dramatic story of the manhunt to rethink Foucauldian pastoral power . . . [an] utterly brilliant book." — PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review "The theme of Kevin Lewis O''Neill''s fascinating book, Hunted—i.e., drug addicts kidnapped and held in involuntary confinement in treatment centers run by Guatemalan Pentecostals—may strike readers as so outré or outrageous as to provoke a reaction . . . Hunted consists in brilliant participant-observer reportage." — Pneuma

''There is another loneliness'', wrote the American poet Emily Dickinson: ''Not want of friend occasions it, but nature sometimes, sometimes thought''. For Kevin Lewis, that ''other loneliness'' is uniquely expressive of a rich and resonant state of being that is distinctive to the American psyche as well as central to the mythology of America itself. He calls this state of being ''lonesomeness''. It evokes the luminous landscapes of the West and the cathedral-like space of the Great Plains. It lies at the root of personal identity and is inseparable from notions of personal discovery and of communion with the varied topography of the United States, whether it be rural hinterland or industrial urban rustbelt.In this continuously stimulating reflection, Kevin Lewis explores - in religion, poetry, fiction, country songwriting and art - the multiple meanings of that peculiarly American notion of solitariness. Discussing quintessential American writers like Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Jack Kerouac and Ernest Hemingway - creative artists who have all embraced positive conceptions of solitude and wilderness - Lewis finds the apex of American lonesomeness in the melancholic and reflective paintings of Edward Hopper. Lewis argues that in expressive works like "Nighthawks" and "Morning Sun" one sees Hopper''s solitude redeemed by ''something more'': by the notion that in isolation the individual may yet be touched by transcendence. Kevin Lewis argues that those echoes of ''something else'' reveal a great deal about the American character that we would do well to heed, as well as deep rooted cultural attitudes towards religion, individualism and self-belief.

"I’m not perfect," Mateo confessed. "Nobody is. But I try." Secure the Soul shuttles between the life of Mateo, a born-again ex-gang member in Guatemala and the gang prevention programs that work so hard to keep him alive. Along the way, this poignantly written ethnography uncovers the Christian underpinnings of Central American security. In the streets of Guatemala City—amid angry lynch mobs, overcrowded prisons, and paramilitary death squads—millions of dollars empower church missions, faith-based programs, and seemingly secular security projects to prevent gang violence through the practice of Christian piety. With Guatemala increasingly defined by both God and gangs, Secure the Soul details an emerging strategy of geopolitical significance: regional security by way of good Christian living.

The first book to expose how the Catholic Church systematically covers up scandal by moving abusers across borders. Clerical sexual abuse is as global as the Roman Catholic Church, with bishops moving credibly accused priests not simply between parishes but also across international borders. Unforgivable follows the movement of one such perpetrator from the Great Plains of central Minnesota to the Indigenous highlands of Guatemala, where this priest had access to children and even raised one as his own. Although Father David Roney is at the center of this particular story, author Kevin Lewis O''Neill offers ample evidence that offshoring priests is a common practice. These maneuvers and the callous indifference of the Church—even once caught red-handed—reveal the limits of justice. They also lay bare the disturbing fact that the scale of clerical sexual abuse is far bigger than anyone has yet considered. Rigorously researched and viscerally important, this book raises urgent questions about holding the Catholic Church accountable.

KJ decides one spring day he will run for Vice President of his 5th grade class. This will be an adventure he would remember for the rest of his life.

Krav Maga, which means “contact combat” in Hebrew, is an easy-to-understand/remember aggressive system of self-defense. Idiot’s Guides®: Krav Maga will not only define what it is, but also review the principles and systems of techniques and training to ensure survival. Combining in-depth information and easy-to-understand illustrated instructions, this guide will be a wonderful tool to help train both men and women on how to protect themselves, deal with threatening situations, and reverse dangerous situations where they’re at a disadvantage. Idiot’s Guides®: Krav Maga covers: - The origination of Krav Maga: its history, birthplace, philosophy, and why it was created. - The core essentials of Krav Maga’s theory and practice. - A review of how to condition the body and mind to outside threats and violence. - An understanding of not only the physical aspect of Krav Maga, but how it is part of the bigger picture of personal protection. - The thought process of the attacker and how to avoid potentially dangerous situations, if possible. - How Krav Maga differs from martial arts, primarily in terms of not following handed down fighting rules and techniques. - A breakdown of the belts in Krav Maga (yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, black), what it takes to attain them, and the differences between them. - Step-by-step illustrated directions on the popular stances, positions, movements, kick/punch strikes, falls, joint locks, deflections, and techniques from the basics to advanced moves. - How to use body weight, your most powerful muscles, and momentum to defeat an attacker. - Instruction on protecting the body and weapons defense, in addition to mastering escapes.

KJ decides one summer day he would like to join the junior police academy. This will be an exciting adventure for him and one he will not soon forget. This adventure will help him to learn responsibility also.

Discover the Magic of Growing Together in "Rooted in Love: The Couple''s Guide to Gardening Together" Welcome to a journey that intertwines the essence of love with the nurturing of a garden. "Rooted in Love: The Couple''s Guide to Gardening Together" invites you and your loved one to explore the unique parallels between tending to your relationship and cultivating a garden side by side. This guide is more than just about gardening; it''s about planting seeds of connection, understanding, and enduring love. Delve into the roots of your connection by uncovering the rich history and psychology behind shared hobbies, especially gardening. Understand how these activities can fortify your bond, setting a solid foundation for your shared journey. The book''s initial chapters serve as the fertile ground from which your relationship can flourish. As you progress, you will discover how to prepare the soil of your relationship, selecting the right seeds that align with your coupled goals. The metaphorical representation of annuals, perennials, and biennials in relation to love will give you a fresh perspective on your partnership''s growth potential. With practical advice on planning your garden layout, sharing responsibilities, and overcoming challenges, this guide ensures that both your garden and love life bloom. Experience the seasons of gardening and love, learning to cherish new beginnings, nurture growth, reap the rewards, and find rest and reflection in quieter times. Each season brings with it lessons on perseverance, patience, and the importance of celebration, enriching your relationship as you journey through life together. "Rooted in Love" also equips you with the tools of the trade, from essential gardening tools for couples to DIY projects that encourage togetherness. Further, explore organic gardening principles, garden design, and creating sanctuaries for wildlife, extending the analogy to fostering a sustainable, eco-friendly relationship. By the book''s close, you and your partner will not only have a thriving garden but a fortified, evergreen relationship. "Rooted in Love" guides you in cultivating a shared space of growth, harmony, and endless possibility. Embark on this transformative journey together, and let your love and garden flourish side by side.

Available for the first time as an eBook read by the author! Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk team up for another classic rhyming picture book, and bath time has never been so much fun. Tankers, barges, and boats of all shapes and sizes come to life in this aquatic adventure featuring a determined tugboat and his crew. Daniel Kirk’s colorful illustrations and Kevin Lewis’s exuberant narration will make this story a hit with young seafarers everywhere.

Transition metal and rare earth compounds are investigated intensively because of important questions concerning fundamental research problems. More recently also their enormous potential for the development of new materials for photophysical and photochemical applications has been explored. Thus, it is important to focus on a deeper understanding of the elctronic energies, transition prohabilities, intermolecular interactions, etc.. This task has been accomplished by leading researchers in the field. They present introductions into, but also detailed reviews of the current state of knowledge of three different subjects.

Managing a dental practice has become increasingly complex in recent years, after changes within both the National Health Service and the private sector. Modern dental practice requires that dentists meet demanding business and management challenges as well as employing their clinical expertise. However, most dentists receive little or no formal training in practice management. In this book established management principles are applied specifically to dentistry. It shows how to best serve the interests of patients by effective management of staff, finances, premises and resources. It assumes no prior knowledge, is concise and offers clear, practical advice. It is the definitive guide for dentists, vocational trainees, dental students, practice managers and administrators, and a useful reference for those undertaking the DGDP and MGDS examinations.

My Truck Is Stuck. Rotten luck. Can''t go! My truck is stuck. Tug and tow. Two engines roar. But the truck won''t go. Not one inch more. Does anyone know how to make my stuck truck go? In this lyrical read-aloud, young drivers are introduced to the ins and outs of hauling, beeping, and repairing -- get ready for a fun ride!

When Buck, Billy, and their little sister Lil spy the biggest pumpkin they''ve ever seen, they can''t resist. Buck and Billy try to roll the pumpkin down the hill, but it''s too big! The giant pumpkin bumps and thumps its way through the family farm, only to end up as a sumptuous evening feast. This rollicking read-aloud picture book is guaranteed to keep children and families laughing.

A sequel to THE KID, where Kevin Lewis takes us through his journey of writing the novel, securing the book deal with Penguin and facing the enormous press interest. He also takes us through the reactions of his various family members, most importantly his parents, Gloria and Dennis - both of whom he has meetings in the book. He tells us of the reactions from family, friends, from teachers and foster parents who tried to help him in the past, and who have made contact after reading the book. And he also touches on his concerns about the welfare system even now, as the 5 children of one of his sister''s are taken into care and almost handed straight into the arms of Gloria. And lastly, he touches on his plans and hopes for the future - his ambitions to move on from his terrible beginnings and really make something of his life.

This bilingual photography book investigates the complexities of today''s war on drugs by examining the art and architecture of Guatemala City''s Pentecostal drug rehabilitation centers.

The hunter has become the prey ... The headless corpses of three men are found in a London side street. Their mutilated torsos are witness to an unspeakably agonizing death. It becomes chillingly clear that this discovery is a horrific message to the Metropolitan Police - and to one officer in particular. DI Stacey Collins finds herself on the hunt for a psychopathic killer. But it would seem that this is no ordinary homicide ... all the victims had themselves been predators, terrorizing the innocent. Is this a twisted vigilante mission, or something far more sinister? Meanwhile, Collins must battle her own demons as the MET''s Internal Affairs department investigate her past and her connections to London''s underworld. Collins faces her toughest challenge yet - torn between justice and revenge