By Ana Pottratz Acosta

A hallmark of the first Trump Administration was its pervasive attacks against immigrant communities. While President Trump often touts his efforts to ramp up immigration enforcement to secure the southern border, other policies aimed at limiting legal immigration to the U.S. through administrative action had a far greater impact on U.S. immigration policy during his first term. One such action, the promulgation of regulations setting forth more subjective standards to determine if an immigrant was subject to the public charge grounds of inadmissibility, led to the denial of many family-based permanent residence applications that were otherwise approvable under existing law.

In this Article, the Author will examine means tested benefit enrollment data for Minnesota immigrant households to see if this data supports existence of a chilling effect through decreased immigrant household enrollment in these programs following publication of the public charge regulations. Additionally, while several previous studies using survey data support existence of a public charge chilling effect, this Article will build on this previous work by analyzing primary enrollment data provided directly by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN-DHS), the agency administering these programs.

 (September 01, 2024).

By Jonathon J. Booth

This Article places the birth and growth of the Atlanta police in context by exploring the full scope of Atlanta’s criminal legal system during the four decades after the end of slavery. To do so, it analyzes the connections Atlantans made between race and crime, the adjudication and punishment of minor offenses, and the variety of Black protests against the criminal legal system. This Article is based, in part, on a variety of archival sources, including decades of arrest and prosecution data that, for the first time, allow for a quantitative assessment of the impact of the new system of policing on Atlanta’s residents.

This Article breaks new ground in four ways. First, it demonstrates that rather than simply maintaining the social relations of slavery, Atlanta’s police force responded to the challenges of freedom: it was designed to maintain White supremacy in an urban space in which residents, theoretically, had equal rights. Second, it shows that White citizens’ beliefs about the causes of crime and the connections between race and crime, which I call “lay criminology,” influenced policing strategies. Third, it adds a new layer to our understanding of the history of order-maintenance policing by showing that mass criminalization for minor offenses such as disorderly conduct began soon after emancipation. This type of policing caused a variety of harms to the city’s Black residents, forcing thousands each year to pay fines or labor for weeks on the chain gang. Fourth, it shows that the complaints of biased and brutal policing that animate contemporary police reform activism have been present for a century and a half. In the decades after emancipation, Atlanta’s Black residents, across class lines, protested the racist criminal legal system and police abuses, while envisioning a more equitable city where improved social conditions would reduce crime.

University of Colorado Law Review Volume 96 Issue 1 Article 1 2025

Delphine Brisson-Burns

Abstract

Eighth Amendment Jurisprudence proscribes criminalization based on “status.” Based on United States Supreme Court case law, for the purposes of this paper, “status” is understood to mean an “ongoing state of being.” This paper argues that race is “status” and thus criminalizing people of color based on race violates the Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause of the Eighth Amendment. Further, in the United States, racial “status” is criminalized both directly and indirectly. Racial “status” is criminalized directly by police officers’ frequent use of racial profiling to build criminal cases against people of color. On the other hand, racial status is criminalized indirectly when police officers interpret conduct that is inextricably tied to racial “status” as inherently criminal. Finally, this paper argues that recriminalization of “felons” is an unconstitutional criminalization of “status,” disproportionately harming communities of color.

Recommended Citation

Delphine Brisson-Burns, Criminalizing Race: How Direct And Indirect Criminalization Of Racial “Status” Constitutes Cruel And Unusual Punishment, 21 UC Law SF Race & Econ. Just. L.J. 71 (2024).

By Ahilan Arulanantham

When can the government imprison people without trial?  That question lurks beneath many important civil rights issues of our time, from the federal government’s plans to jail and deport millions of non-citizens under the immigration laws, to the indefinite detention of people convicted of sex offenses, to the confinement of unhoused people in major American cities, and, most recently, the plan to summarily jail and deport “alien enemies” on national security grounds.  All of these involve forms of preventive detention—that is, imprisonment without trial to protect the public.

Under current doctrine, the legality of preventive detention schemes is governed by a substantive due process framework that requires courts to balance society’s interest in safety against the detained individual’s interest in liberty.  Although litigators, judges, and scholars often disagree about how to apply that framework, they have all generally assumed that it does apply.

But that framework is a modern invention.  Prior to World War II, the law took a very different approach to evaluating imprisonment without trial: the state could not preventively detain to stop conduct that could be punished under criminal law.  That framework reflected a basic normative constraint—that preventive detention should not be used to circumvent the criminal legal system.  If the conduct the state wanted to stop could be punished, the state was required to use the criminal law, rather than displacing it with a bespoke regime lacking the criminal law’s procedural and substantive protections.

That bedrock constraint began to erode during the Japanese American mass incarceration of World War II, and then disappeared over the next several decades as the Supreme Court upheld the preventive detention of non-citizen Communist Party members and then the pretrial preventive detention of people charged with federal crimes.  Since then, state power to imprison people outside the criminal legal system has grown rapidly in new ways, as the due process balancing framework has proven malleable enough to legitimate nearly every preventive detention scheme that governments have created.  As the federal government’s recent invocation of the “Alien Enemies” Act illustrates, more may soon be on the way.

In this Article, I uncover the origins of the common law doctrinal framework governing preventive detention, and then tell the story of its downfall, describing how today’s due process balancing framework took its place.  I then draw lessons from that doctrinal history for our present moment, as scholars, policymakers, litigators, and courts seek to chart the limits of preventive detention authority in the face of new demands for expanded state power.

73 UCLA L. Rev. ___ (forthcoming), UCLA School of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 26-07

By The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have worked together to provide an overview of the common food fraud cases in the aquatic sector and the associated health risks. The report resulting from this collaboration provides information on tools that can be used to fight food fraud for aquatic products, and international case studies illustrate the scope and impact of fraud. The report reviews regulatory frameworks as well as standards such as those set by Codex Alimentarius, FAO guidelines, and GFSI‑benchmarked schemes, advocating for harmonized labelling, mandatory scientific names, and improved traceability. It emphasizes the role of consumer awareness and industry transparency in combating fraud.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper, No. 742. Rome.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)2026. 179p.

By The Youth Endowment Fund

The Youth Endowment Fund asked nearly 11,000 children aged 13–17 across England and Wales to share their experiences of violence. The findings are set out in separate reports, each exploring a different theme. This one focuses on teenage children’s experiences of exploitation and ‘gangs’. When we asked teenage children whether they had been in a ‘gang’, we defined a ‘gang’ as: “A group of young people who think of themselves as a ‘gang’, probably with a name, who are involved in violence or other crime.” We used the word ‘gang’ because it is one that many young people recognise and use themselves, more than phrases such as group-based criminality. But we also recognise its limitations: the term oversimplifies a complex issue and can reinforce harmful stereotypes. To reflect these sensitivities, we use inverted commas when referring to ‘gangs’. At several points in this report, we share the words of James (whose name has been changed to protect his identity), who, from ages 12 to 18, was criminally exploited. His story lays bare the reality

By Briana A. Scott, Sarah M. Stilwell, Zaida V. Pearson, Marc A. Zimmerman

Students of color are disciplined for behavioral infractions at higher rates than white students in K-12 schools in the USA. The consequences of racism in K-12 schools include mental health problems, school dropout, and disproportionate disciplinary practices, leading to the school-to-prison pipeline. Many school personnel implement interventions to address student behavior rather than racism and other implicit biases. Furthermore, culturally relevant practices are imperative to address the root causes of racial disparities in student discipline. For these reasons, a systematic and comprehensive review of the published literature on school-based interventions in the USA (including public and private K-12 schools) was conducted to identify interventions to remedy racial disparities in school discipline, as well as the research designs used to test their efficacy. The final sample includes 48 studies that directly or indirectly attempt to address the race discipline gap. There were only three studies that reduced race disparities in school discipline with a culturally relevant intervention. Future researchers may consider the importance of the school’s cultural context and intervention audience when developing and testing efforts to reduce racial disproportionality

By Adam Gurowski (Author), Colin Heston (Preface)

Adam Gurowski’s Slavery in History is a sweeping and impassioned historical treatise that challenges the reader to reconsider the institution of slavery not as a fixed or inevitable component of human civilization, but as a corrosive anomaly that has repeatedly undermined the moral and structural integrity of societies throughout history. Written in the mid-19th century, a time when the question of slavery was at the forefront of political and ethical discourse—particularly in the United States—Gurowski’s work stands as both a scholarly inquiry and a moral indictment. His approach is not merely descriptive; it is analytical and polemical, seeking to dismantle the notion that slavery is a natural or historically justified institution.
From the outset, Gurowski frames slavery as a “general disease” rather than a social norm, arguing that its presence in any civilization is symptomatic of deeper political and moral decay. He rejects the deterministic view that slavery is a universal or necessary stage in societal development, instead positing that it is an aberration that has consistently led to the decline of the cultures that embraced it. This thesis is developed through a methodical examination of a wide array of civilizations—from the Egyptians and Phoenicians to the Greeks, Romans, and beyond. In each case, Gurowski explores how slavery was integrated into the social fabric, how it was justified or resisted, and ultimately, how it contributed to the weakening or collapse of those societies.
Adam Gurowski’s view on modern slavery, particularly as it existed in the 19th century, is deeply critical and morally charged. In Slavery in History, he argues that for the first time in human civilization, slavery had been elevated into a comprehensive ideological system—a “religious, social, and political creed” . This modern form of slavery, especially as practiced in the United States, was not merely a continuation of ancient customs but a deliberate and systemic institution, defended by theology, law, and public discourse. He is especially scathing in his critique of how slavery in the modern era had been rationalized and sanctified by political leaders, religious figures, and intellectuals. He describes this as a “new faith” with its own “temples,” “altars,” and “fanatical devotees,” suggesting that slavery had become a kind of state religion in parts of the American Republic. This metaphor underscores his belief that modern slavery was not just a social or economic system but a deeply entrenched ideology that corrupted every aspect of public life.
Finally, his introduction to Slavery in History serves as both a roadmap and a manifesto. It outlines the historical scope of the book—spanning ancient to modern civilizations—and sets the tone for a critical, morally engaged exploration of one of humanity’s oldest and most pernicious institutions. Gurowski’s work is not merely a catalog of historical facts; it is a call to conscience, urging readers to recognize the enduring consequences of slavery and to commit to the principles of justice and equality. In doing so, he positions his book as a vital contribution to the intellectual and ethical debates of his era—debates that, in many ways, continue to resonate today.
Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. 172p.

By Hannibal Gerald Duncan (Author), Colin Heston (Preface) Format: Kindle Edition

Race and Population Problems by Hannibal Gerald Duncan is a product of its era—an ambitious, controversial, and often troubling contribution to the early 20th-century debates surrounding race, eugenics, and the sociopolitical implications of demographic change. Published during a time of intense anxiety over immigration, fertility rates, and racial hierarchy, Duncan’s work must be approached with both critical detachment and historical awareness. This preface aims to contextualize his arguments, dissect the theoretical frameworks he employs, and consider the legacy—both intellectual and political—of the ideas he advances.
The book appeared in the interwar period, when Western nations were grappling with the aftermath of World War I, economic uncertainty, and what many perceived as the unraveling of long-standing social and racial orders. In the United States, anxieties about immigration—particularly from Southern and Eastern Europe—converged with pseudo-scientific theories of race and heredity. The eugenics movement, bolstered by the popularity of Darwinian and Mendelian thought, provided an ideological framework for addressing what were seen as "population problems"—namely, the declining birth rates among "Nordic" peoples, the increasing fecundity of supposedly inferior groups, and the racial mixing that challenged white supremacist conceptions of national identity.
Duncan’s work fits squarely within this intellectual climate. It draws from the racial typologies common in early anthropological and sociological literature, and, like many of his contemporaries, he sees population dynamics not merely as matters of biology or demography but as fundamental determinants of national strength, cultural cohesion, and civilizational vitality.
At its core, Race and Population Problems is driven by a deterministic view of race, wherein biological heredity dictates intelligence, morality, productivity, and political capacity. Duncan frequently invokes the "biological law" to argue for the inherent superiority of certain races—usually Northern Europeans—and the degenerative consequences of racial intermixture. His demographic analysis is not neutral; it is laced with prescriptive anxieties about the dilution of white racial stock and the ascendancy of "undesirable" populations.
Modern readers must engage with Duncan’s work not as a valid scientific text but as a document of racial ideology—one that had real-world consequences. Books like Race and Population Problems helped lay the intellectual groundwork for discriminatory immigration laws (such as the Immigration Act of 1924), involuntary sterilization programs, and broader policies of racial exclusion. While Duncan’s tone is often measured, the policies he advocates are extreme and deeply coercive.
His use of "science" is selective and tendentious, relying on cherry-picked data, discredited anthropological categories, and assumptions about heredity and culture that are no longer tenable. The book is less a demographic study than a polemic—albeit a polished and sophisticated one—aimed at preserving white racial dominance.
Despite its overt racism and flawed methodology, Race and Population Problems provides an important window into the ways race, science, and nationalism converged in early 20th-century thought. Understanding Duncan’s arguments helps us trace the genealogy of contemporary racial and anti-immigrant ideologies, many of which still echo his concerns about national identity, cultural dilution, and the supposed threat of demographic change. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the misuse of science for ideological ends..
This edition has been designed, abridged awith an inroduction by renowned novelist and story writer Colin Heston .

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. 286p.

Power of Federal Judiciary Over Legislation by J. Hampden Dougherty is a compact but weighty work first published in 1912, offering a vigorous defense of the judiciary’s power to strike down unconstitutional laws. Written during an era of growing skepticism toward centralized authority, Dougherty’s book situates judicial review as an indispensable safeguard built into the American constitutional system. He begins by tracing the intellectual and historical roots of this power, arguing that it was not an accidental byproduct but an intentional creation of the framers. Drawing on the Constitutional Convention debates and the Federalist Papers—particularly Alexander Hamilton’s famous exposition in Federalist No. 78—Dougherty insists that the courts’ ability to declare legislative acts void is central to maintaining the supremacy of the Constitution.
Read today, Dougherty’s work resonates in a world facing renewed tensions between legislatures and courts. The questions he grappled with—how much power unelected judges should have over elected lawmakers, whether the judiciary can check majoritarian excesses without overstepping, and how to reconcile constitutional text with evolving social norms—remain pressing in 2025.
In an age of polarized politics, social media-driven outrage, and legislative gridlock, the themes of Dougherty’s book speak directly to contemporary challenges. His work encourages a sober reflection on whether judicial power is a threat to democratic self-government or an essential defense against its excesses.
More than a historical artifact, Power of Federal Judiciary Over Legislation functions as a mirror for modern constitutional crises. It underscores how the tensions between law and politics, and between judicial restraint and activism, are not new but woven into the fabric of American governance. As debates continue in 2025 about court-packing, term limits for justices, and the appropriate scope of judicial intervention, Dougherty’s concise and forceful treatise offers both a defense of the judiciary’s traditional role and a challenge to ensure it remains a stabilizing rather than destabilizing force in constitutional democracy.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. 108p.

By William H. Herndon (Author), Jesse W. Weik (Author), Colin Heston (Editor)

Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 2 by William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Weik continues the intimate and revealing portrait of Lincoln’s life, focusing on his political rise, personal struggles, and moral convictions. This volume delves into Lincoln’s early legal and political career in Illinois, his evolving views on slavery, and his growing prominence within the newly formed Republican Party. Herndon, who knew Lincoln personally, offers firsthand insights into Lincoln’s character, including his honesty, wit, and deep empathy. The narrative explores Lincoln’s debates with Stephen A. Douglas, his election to the presidency, and the immense pressures he faced as the nation moved toward civil war. The authors emphasize Lincoln’s internal conflicts, his sense of duty, and his unwavering commitment to preserving the Union. Through letters, speeches, and personal anecdotes, the book presents Lincoln not as a distant icon but as a complex, thoughtful man shaped by hardship and driven by principle. Volume 2 concludes with reflections on Lincoln’s leadership during the early years of the Civil War, setting the stage for the final chapters of his life and legacy.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. 220p.

By William H. Herndon (Author), Jesse W. Weik (Author), Colin Heston (Editor)

Abraham Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life, Volume 1 by William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Weik is a deeply personal and detailed biography that explores the early life and character development of Abraham Lincoln. Written by Herndon, Lincoln’s former law partner, and Weik, a collaborator and researcher, the book offers a unique insider’s perspective on Lincoln’s formative years. It begins with an exploration of Lincoln’s ancestry and family background, emphasizing the hardships and humble circumstances that shaped his upbringing. The narrative delves into his childhood in Kentucky and Indiana, highlighting his early education, intellectual curiosity, and moral development. The authors portray Lincoln as a self-made man whose values were forged through personal struggle, rural labor, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge. The book also reflects on the influence of his mother, Nancy Hanks, and other key figures in his early life. Through anecdotes, letters, and recollections, the biography paints a vivid picture of Lincoln’s growth from a frontier boy into a thoughtful, principled young man destined for greatness. The tone is both reverent and analytical, aiming to present Lincoln not as a mythic figure, but as a real human being shaped by his environment and experiences.

Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. 256p.

By Gilbert E. Roe . Preface By Colin Heston

This book is, at its heart, a constitutional and civic indictment—a sharp rebuke of a legal system which, in Roe's view, had drifted from its republican moorings and embraced a kind of conservative absolutism in the guise of judicial interpretation. It is a work of advocacy, history, and democratic theory. Roe's central thesis is unambiguous: the American judiciary, and especially the federal courts, had evolved into a quasi-aristocratic institution, usurping powers not granted by the Constitution and resisting the popular will under the pretense of legal finality.

Our Judicial Oligarchy is a courageous and principled statement from a time when democratic ideals were under pressure from concentrated power—whether corporate, financial, or judicial. Its enduring relevance lies in its challenge to all Americans: to ensure that no institution, no matter how cloaked in legality or tradition, becomes so removed from the people that it ceases to serve them.

In rereading Roe today, we find not only a vivid picture of Progressive Era politics, but a warning and a reminder—that constitutional democracy requires not just good laws and courts, but an active and informed citizenry unwilling to surrender sovereignty to any oligarchy, judicial or otherwise.

 Read-Me.Org Inc. New York-Philadelphia-Australia. 2025. p. 111.

By Edward Payson Powell. Edited by Colin Heston

In Nullification and Secession in the United States: A History of the Six Attempts During the First Century of the Republic, Edward Payson Powell undertakes an ambitious and far-reaching examination of one of the most fraught and recurring themes in American political development: the idea that individual states possess the legal or moral authority to nullify federal law or withdraw from the Union altogether. Written at the close of the 19th century and first published in 1897, Powell’s work reflects both the urgency of historical clarification in the aftermath of the Civil War and the enduring philosophical contest over the balance between federal power and state sovereignty.

This volume is not merely a chronicle of constitutional crises; it is a sustained meditation on the challenges of national unity in a country designed as a federation of semi-autonomous states. Powell, a journalist, historian, and keen observer of American public life, assembles a carefully documented history of six separate episodes where nullification or secession was proposed, debated, or attempted—beginning with the earliest murmurings under the Articles of Confederation and culminating in the cataclysm of the Confederate rebellion. His purpose is not only to recount these events but to interpret them, to understand the motivations behind them, and to identify the forces—legal, ideological, economic, and sectional—that allowed the American Union to survive repeated assaults on its coherence.

Nullification and Secession in the United States is more than a chronological account of rebellion and reaction; it is a civic education, a warning, and a testament. Edward Payson Powell offers readers both a panoramic view of American political development and a moral argument for the sanctity of national unity. In an age when the bonds of Union had been sorely tested, he reaffirms that the survival of the Republic has depended not only on laws and courts but on the ongoing negotiation between principle and compromise, autonomy and allegiance.

For modern readers—historians, political thinkers, and citizens alike—Powell’s work remains a rich and valuable resource. It shows that the story of America has never been one of perfect consensus, but of persistent debate and, ultimately, a shared determination to hold the states together in common purpose. Few books of its era so skillfully combine historical scholarship with constitutional insight, and few provide as clear a window into the recurring crises that have shaped—and tested—the idea of the United States itself.

Read-Me.Org Inc. Australia, New York & Philadelphia. 2025. 230p.

By R. L. Stevenson. Edited by Colin Heston

“A Footnote to History” is a powerful and politically charged historical narrative by Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1892 and included in the Swanston Edition, Volume XVII. This work stands apart from Stevenson’s more widely known fiction by offering a firsthand account of the complex and often tragic political turmoil in Samoa during the late 19th century—a conflict in which Stevenson himself became deeply involved.

Written during Stevenson’s residence in the South Pacific, the book chronicles the events between 1882 and 1890, a period marked by intense rivalry among Germany, Britain, and the United States for control over the Samoan Islands. These imperial powers, each supporting different local factions, contributed to a prolonged and destabilizing civil conflict. Stevenson, living in Vailima on the island of Upolu, witnessed the unfolding crisis and used his literary voice to document and critique the actions of foreign governments and their representatives.

The narrative is both historical and personal. Stevenson combines detailed political analysis with vivid descriptions of the people, landscapes, and cultural dynamics of Samoa. He portrays the Samoan chiefs and communities with empathy and respect, while sharply criticizing the incompetence, arrogance, and moral failures of the colonial powers. His tone is often impassioned, reflecting his frustration with the injustices he observed and his desire to influence public opinion in Europe and America.

“A Footnote to History” is notable for its journalistic clarity, moral urgency, and literary elegance. It is not merely a chronicle of events but a reflection on the broader consequences of imperialism and the human cost of political ambition. Stevenson’s involvement in Samoan affairs—both as an observer and as an advocate—gives the work a rare authenticity and immediacy.

The Swanston Edition presents this important text with scholarly annotations and historical context, situating it within Stevenson’s broader body of work and the geopolitical realities of the time. As both a historical document and a literary achievement, A Footnote to History remains a compelling and insightful exploration of colonial entanglements and the responsibilities of witness.

By R. L. Stevenson. Edited by Colin Heston

The Amateur Emigrant" by Robert Louis Stevenson is a vivid and personal account of his journey from Scotland to America in 1879. The narrative is divided into two parts: "From the Clyde to Sandy Hook" and "Across the Plains."

In the first part, Stevenson describes his experiences aboard the emigrant ship, the S.S. Devonia. He provides a detailed portrayal of the ship's conditions, the diverse group of passengers, and the challenges they face during the voyage. Stevenson's keen observations and empathetic nature shine through as he captures the hardships, camaraderie, and resilience of the emigrants. His writing brings to life the cramped quarters, the monotonous diet, and the various personalities he encounters, offering a poignant glimpse into the lives of those seeking a new beginning in America.

The second part of the narrative, "Across the Plains," recounts Stevenson's overland journey from New York to California. Traveling by train, he continues to document his experiences and the people he meets along the way. Stevenson reflects on the vast landscapes, the cultural differences, and the sense of adventure that permeates the journey. His writing is marked by a blend of humor, insight, and a deep appreciation for the human spirit.

Read-Me.Org Inc. Australia. 2025. 234p.

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By Robert Louis Stevenson.

An Inland Voyage, the lead story in Volume 1of the works of  Robert Louis Stevenson, is a travel narrative, chronicling his canoe journey with his friend Sir Walter Simpson through the rivers and canals of Belgium and northern France in 1876. The book is Stevenson's first published work and is written in a richly descriptive and reflective style that blends travelogue with personal observation and cultural commentary. Their journey follows a winding path along the River Oise and other waterways, taking them through quaint villages, farmlands, and forested regions of a rural Europe that was rapidly changing. Underlying the travel narrative is a strong romantic sensibility—an admiration for the slow rhythm of river travel, a yearning for solitude and contemplation, and a quiet rebellion against the industrialized world. The voyage becomes not just a geographical journey, but a philosophical one as Stevenson muses on freedom, idleness, companionship, and the pleasures of the open road (or water).

While not a work of drama or high adventure, An Inland Voyage is valued for its lyrical style, gentle wit, and the early glimpse it offers into Stevenson’s literary voice. It also prefigures themes that would recur in his later works: a fascination with journeying, a sensitivity to character and setting, and a subtle questioning of societal norms. Overall, An Inland Voyage is a charming and meditative account that blends lighthearted anecdotes with deeper reflection, portraying a world both tranquil and quietly profound through Stevenson’s perceptive and poetic eye.

Underlying the travel narrative is a strong romantic sensibility—an admiration for the slow rhythm of river travel, a yearning for solitude and contemplation, and a quiet rebellion against the industrialized world. The voyage becomes not just a geographical journey, but a philosophical one as Stevenson muses on freedom, idleness, companionship, and the pleasures of the open road (or water). While not a work of drama or high adventure, An Inland Voyage is valued for its lyrical style, gentle wit, and the early glimpse it offers into Stevenson’s literary voice. It also prefigures themes that would recur in his later works: a fascination with journeying, a sensitivity to character and setting, and a subtle questioning of societal norms.

Other works in this volume include Travels with a Donkey, A Mountain Town in France, and Edinburgh Picturesque Notes.

Read-Me.Org Inc. Australia. 2025 . 220p.

By Adolph Caso

Beccarias little book, On Crimes and Punishments, was so influential that many nations of Europe changed parts of their constitutions while the author was still alive. In America of the revolutionary period, the little book was more influential than any other single book, its spirit incorporated in documents such as the Declarations of Cause and of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. John Adams quoted from it as early as 1768; later, the same Adams quotes Beccaria in both English and in Italian. Jefferson made extensive usage of the book, as did many other prominent Americans of this period. It may be a surprise to many students and historians alike that Beccaria’s little book was published in America long before any book of men such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu, to name just a few.

Boston Branden Press Publishers, 1975, 279p.

By Joy Elmer Morgan

To be a good father, mother, brother, sister, or friend; To be a dependable, faithful, and skilled worker in home, school, field, factory, or office; To be an intelligent, honest, useful, and loyal citizen, with faith in God and love of fellowman; To recognize the brotherhood of man and to five by the Golden Rule— These are the aspirations that have brought happiness and achievement to the America we all love. These are the aspirations that must help us find our way to new glory and grace in the midst of worldwide change. A great civilization must have its roots in the soil of the past and its branches reaching to the stars of the future. Otherwise it lacks the experience and motive necessary for noble achievement in the present. Has the nation lost its way? Let it return again to the faith of its youth. This faith is found at its best in the lives and writings of great leaders who have quickened and purified the national spirit.

National Council for the Social Studies, 1968, 417p.

By Ellery Sedgwick

This book is a comprehensive biography that delves into the life and impact of one of the most influential political thinkers of the 18th century. Published in 1899, the book explores Paine's radical philosophy and his significant contributions to revolutionary thought in both America and Europe. Sedgwick provides a detailed analysis of Paine's major works, including “Common Sense” and “The Rights of Man,” and examines the controversies and challenges Paine faced throughout his life.

Read-Me.Org Inc. 2025. 53p.