Priests of Prosperity explores the unsung revolutionary campaign to transform postcommunist central banks from command-economy cash cows into Western-style monetary guardians. Juliet Johnson conducted more than 160 interviews in seventeen countries with central bankers, international assistance providers, policymakers, and private-sector finance professionals over the course of fifteen years. She argues that a powerful transnational central banking community concentrated in Western Europe and North America integrated postcommunist central bankers into its network, shaped their ideas about the role of central banks, and helped them develop modern tools of central banking. Johnson's detailed comparative studies of central bank development in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan take readers from the birth of the campaign in the late 1980s to the challenges faced by central bankers after the global financial crisis. As the comfortable certainties of the past collapse around them, today’s central bankers in the postcommunist world and beyond find themselves torn between allegiance to their transnational community and its principles on the one hand and their increasingly complex and politicized national roles on the other. Priests of Prosperity will appeal to a diverse audience of scholars in political science, finance, economics, geography, and sociology as well as to central bankers and other policymakers interested in the future of international finance, global governance, and economic development.

This classic in the annals of village studies will be widely read and debated for what it reveals about China's rural dynamics as well as the nature of state power, markets, the military, social relations, and religion. Built on extraordinarily intimate and detailed research in a Sichuan village that Isabel Crook began in 1940, the book provides an unprecedented history of Chinese rural life during the war with Japan. It is an essential resource for all scholars of contemporary China.

The word prosperity has been misunderstood by many to mean only increase in material possessions. However, both the dictionary definition and biblical references to the term are all-encompassing. Scripturally, prosperity means the total well-being of man, which includes his spirit, soul, and body (3 John 2, Isa. 3:10). This perfectly described Abrahams life at his old age, and we are commanded to follow his footsteps (Gen. 24:1, Isa. 51:1, 2). In Joshua 1:7, 8, God commanded Joshua to be strong and very courageous in order to observe and to do the things written in the Scripture, so that he will make his way prosperous and to have good success. Similarly, Jesus declares in John 10:10 that His purpose of coming is to give us life and that we may have it more abundantly. Every good sermon, therefore, will usually include all or one of the following: Prosperity of mans spirit, which enhances his harmonious relationship with God, culminating in eternal prosperity. Prosperity of the soul of man, which leads to abundance of wisdom in dealing with all issues of life, including generation of wealth. Prosperity of his body, leading to divine health and vitality. All the above prosperity packages have righteousness as their foundation. The understanding of this truth will help you to be self-motivated towards serving God. This is certainly one of the most important books written on the subject of prosperity for Christians. It is a must-read for all who desire to know the real meaning of prosperity and why God prospers those who serve Him. Elder Dr. Gospel Ikpeme, provost , Apostolic Theological College, Abuja