"When Harry Met Sally" is only the most iconic of popular American movies, books, and articles that pose the question of whether friendships between men and women are possible. In Founding Friendships, Cassandra A. Good shows that this question was embedded in and debated as far back as the birth of the American nation. Indeed, many of the nation's founding fathers had female friends but popular rhetoric held that these relationships were fraught with social danger, if not impossible. Elite men and women formed loving, politically significant friendships in the early national period that were crucial to the individuals' lives as well as the formation of a new national political system, as Cassandra Good illuminates. Abigail Adams called her friend Thomas Jefferson "one of the choice ones on earth," while George Washington signed a letter to his friend Elizabeth Powel with the words "I am always Yours." Their emotionally rich language is often mistaken for romance, but by analyzing period letters, diaries, novels, and etiquette books, Good reveals that friendships between men and women were quite common. At a time when personal relationships were deeply political, these bonds offered both parties affection and practical assistance as well as exemplified republican values of choice, freedom, equality, and virtue. In so doing, these friendships embodied the core values of the new nation and represented a transitional moment in gender and culture. Northern and Southern, famous and lesser known, the men and women examined in Founding Friendships offer a fresh look at how the founding generation defined and experienced friendship, love, gender, and power.

"Although the friendship between George Washington and James Madison was eclipsed in the early 1790s by the alliances of Madison with Jefferson and Washington with Hamilton, their collaboration remains central to the constitutional revolution that launched the American experiment in republican government. Washington relied heavily on Madison's advice, pen, and legislative skill, while Madison found Washington's prestige indispensable for achieving his goals for the new nation. Together, Stuart Leibiger argues, Washington and Madison struggled to conceptualize a political framework that would respond to the majority without violating minority rights. Stubbornly refusing to sacrifice either of these objectives, they cooperated in helping to build and implement a powerful, extremely republican constitution. Observing Washington and Madison in light of their special relationship, Leibiger argues against a series of misconceptions about the two men. Madison emerges as neither a strong nationalist of the Hamiltonian variety nor a political consolidationist; he did not retreat from nationalism to states' rights in the 1790s, as other historians have charged. Washington, far from being a majestic figurehead, exhibits a strong constitutional vision and firm control of his administration. By examining closely Washington and Madison's correspondence and personal visits, Leibiger shows how a marriage of political convenience between two members of the Chesapeake elite grew into a genuine companionship fostered by historical events and a mutual interest in agriculture and science. The development of their friendship, and eventual estrangement, mirrors in fascinating ways the political development of the early Republic."--Abebooks.com viewed Sept. 25, 2023.

How James Monroe's relationships impacted the rise, fall, and rebirth of political parties in the early American republic. From the Revolutionary War to his death in 1831, James Monroe's life was dominated by partisan politics. Monroe—not uniquely among the American founders—hated political parties, even writing that he "always considered their existence as the curse of the country." Yet his career saw the rise, fall, and rebirth of American political parties. In The Founders' Curse, historian Brook Poston tells the story of Monroe's decision to help create the Jeffersonian Republican party, his efforts to destroy the Federalists and eliminate the need for parties, and the role he played in their rebirth as various parties developed after the battle to succeed his presidency in 1824. For a time, Monroe succeeded in his goal to eliminate parties: during his presidency, he intentionally made appointments designed to lessen partisanship and took tours of the nation that brought the country together. Monroe developed relationships with every major political figure of the first half-century of American history, spanning two different generations—yet all his relationships were defined by political parties. In the end, Poston explains how Monroe's successes in eliminating political parties ultimately brought them back with a vengeance under Andrew Jackson's presidency, thus laying the foundations of the modern two-party system of the American government.

There is no denying that friendship, however narrow or broad the definition, is dynamic and highly responsive to socio-cultural and environmental factors. Urban Youth Friendships and Community Practice highlights the greater importance of friendships in circumstances where youth have been marginalized and have limited access to instrumental resources that restrict geographical mobility or curtail their movement to limited public spaces (in which they are validated, and even liked or admired). Youth friendships are not limited to peer-networks; they can cross other social divides and involve adults of all ages. Indeed, community practice and asset assessment approaches are increasingly focusing on the relevance of strong peer relationships and networks as strengths upon which to build. Friendships, therefore, are a community asset and as such could be included as a key aspect of community asset assessments and interventions. Community organizations, schools, religious institutions, and other less-formal groups provide practitioners with ample opportunities to foster urban youth friendships. This book seeks to accomplish four goals: (1) provide a state of knowledge on the definition, role, and importance of friendships in general and specifically on urban youth of color (African-American, Asia and Latinos); (2) draw implications for community practice scholarship and practice; (3) illustrate how friendships can be a focus of a community capacity enhancement assets paradigm through the use of case illustrations; and (4) provide a series of recommendations for how urban friendships can be addressed in graduate level social work curriculum but with implications for other helping professions. Urban Youth Friendships and Community Practice is a must-have for community practitioners, whether their focus be social work, recreation, education, planning, or out-of-school programming.

This book bundle includes five sweet romance books from the DO-OVER DATE series that are fresh, flirty & fabulous! (MILLION DOLLAR DATE, Book 1) Leads-with-her heart Abigail Apple is determined to save her favorite dog rescue from closing while follow-the-rules cop Cooper Hill might be the key to saving the shelter and winning her heart. (THE DOUBLE DATE DISASTER, Book 2) When workaholic Jennifer Page’s blind sushi date turns into a whitewater rafting disaster, outdoor adventurist Dylan Douglas teaches her that love is the one item she forgot to put on her to-do list. (THE DATE NEXT DOOR, Book 3) Carefree Hannah Griffin is able to ignore her long-time crush on her best friend’s older brother, super polished Blake Remington, until he moves in next door. (DATE TO THE RESCUE, Book 4) Lucy Remington takes cooking lessons to attract a stable, uncomplicated guy and ends up falling for hot and spicy firefighter Jake Bryant after she accidentally sets her kitchen on fire. (THE DASHING DATE, Book 5) When fashionable supermodel Missy Peters teams up with gym owner Nick Zambini for a business venture, they get more than they bargain for when feelings start to fly. ★★★★★ “Hats off to Hatler who has done it again! Another sweet and funny romance full of laughter and tears!” — Books Are Sanity!!!, on Million Dollar Date ★★★★★ “Once again, Susan Hatler delivers a hilarious romantic comedy that brings both laughter and swoons to the reader.” — Katie’s Clean Book Collection, on The Double Date Disaster ★★★★★ “Things start out wrong and as the story progresses love blooms! Great characters and wonderful story.” — Grannie Loves to Read, on The Date Next Door ★★★★★ “I am loving this series and the characters. I found the story to be sweet, cute, charming, and fun.” — Just a Girl Kindleing, on Date to the Rescue ★★★★★ “Cute and heartwarming. Nick and Missy are the sweetest couple and their story is so romantic!” — Romance Junkie, on The Dashing Date

Imaginary Friendship is the first in-depth study of the onset of the American Revolution through the prism of friendship, focusing on future US president John Adams and leading Loyalist Jonathan Sewall. The book is part biography, revealing how they shaped each other’s progress, and part political history, exploring their intriguing dangerous quest to clean up colonial politics. Literary history examines the personal dimension of discourse, resolving how Adams’s presumption of Sewall’s authorship of the Loyalist tracts Massachusettensis influenced his own magnum opus, Novanglus. The mystery is not why Adams presumed Sewall was his adversary in 1775 but why he was impelled to answer him.

This fresh, flirty and fabulous book collection includes five sweet romance books from the USA TODAY bestselling series, Better Date than Never. Dating is so much easier when you have good friends to lean on… (License to Date, Book 6) Kaitlin agrees to five dates in five days only to fall for the mysterious bartender who’s there to witness them all. (Driven to Date, Book 7) When Jill Parnell’s promotion is nabbed by nepotism, she is offered another position on the partner-track, by pretending to date Ryan—the man who got her job. (Up to Date, Book 8) Ginger donates her decorating services to a charity auction and now must work for the one man with the power to break her heart. (Déjà Date, Book 9) Melinda must complete her dad’s challenging Carpe Diem list in time to buy her beloved neighborhood bakery, but her plan gets complicated when the owner’s son, who broke her heart, comes back to town. (Date and Dash, Book 10) Mary Ann, an impulsive blonde beauty, accidentally bids on the wrong auction item and must use her winning bid to go on a reality TV dating show and pretend to be in love with sexy but irritating risk management analyst Trevor Brooks in order to win enough money to buy back her beloved grandmother’s bracelet. “For a fun, flirty, well-written read with all the feels, you can't go wrong with Susan Hatler.” — Jennifer Peel, Award Winning and Bestselling Author "I LOVE Susan Hatler's Better Date than Never Series! Each book is fun, romantic and full of familiar characters that I have grown to love!" — Books Are Sanity!!! “Ms. Hatler has a way of writing witty dialogue that makes you laugh-out-loud throughout her stories.” — Night Owl Reviews “When I’m in the mood for a quick romance with tension and sizzle, Susan’s books are perfect.” — Getting Your Read On