Richly illustrated with photographs and featuring the voices of participants in apprenticeships from a diverse range of traditions across the commonwealth, the book provides a window into not only the traditional artistic processes and tricks of the trade, but the practitioners' reflections on the significance of their craft, their motivations for maintaining and teaching it, and the very concept of the tradition itself.

It is one thing to do good; and it is another thing to keep on doing good. God does good, and He keeps on doing good − even to sinners and unbelievers. For instance, He sends His rain and sun to all, both to the righteous and the unrighteous. The Bible tells us to be imitators of God (Eph. 5:1). We are to imitate God in love and in doing good. Sometimes, due to people's reactions and attitudes to the good which we have done to them, we are tempted to stop doing good to them. But, if God stops doing good to us, because of ingratitude, unbelief, sin, and unfaithfulness, where would we be? We are to do good and keep on doing good, not because of people's gratitude, but because we love them and are commanded by God to keep on doing good. Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the Household of Faith (Gal. 6:9-10).

Avery Gordon's first book, Ghostly Matters, was widely acclaimed as a work of striking sociological imagination and social theory. Keeping Good Time, her much anticipated second book, brings together essays by Gordon that were "written to be read aloud." Her eloquent voice in this book further establishes her place among literary sociological writers of a new generation. Keeping Good Time will be of great interest to activists, feminists, sociologists, students and everyone concerned about how to beat the odds in influencing the shape of social and culture change. Readers will find their thinking changed by the author's perennial quest to "develop insights gained in confrontation with injustice."

This book offers suggestions on how to retain good teachers, from strategies for welcoming new teachers to ideas for how to make veteran teachers feel valued.