Stephen A. Smith

The relationship between the presidency and the press has transformed—seemingly overnight—from one where reports and columns were filed, edited, and deliberated for hours before publication into a brave new world where texts, tweets, and sound bites race from composition to release within a matter of seconds. This change, which has ultimately made political journalism both more open and more difficult, brings about many questions, but perhaps the two most important are these: Are the hard questions still being asked? Are they still being answered? In Columns to Characters, Stephanie A. Martin and top scholars and journalists offer a fresh perspective on how the evolution of technology affects the way presidents interact with the public. From Bill Clinton’s saxophone playing on the Arsenio Hall Show to Barack Obama’s skillful use of YouTube, Twitter, and Reddit as the first “social media president,” political communication appears to reflect the increasing fragmentation of the American public. The accessible essays here explore these implications in a variety of real-world circumstances: the “narcotizing” numbness of information overload and voter apathy; the concerns over privacy, security, and civil liberties; new methods of running political campaigns and mobilizing support for programs; and a future “post-rhetorical presidency” in which the press is all but irrelevant. Each section of the book concludes with a “reality check,” a short reflection by a working journalist (or, in one case, a former White House insider) on the presidential beat.

This book is about two men, two journeys, two stories-and one shared vision. Nate learned his lessons through war; Steve learned his lessons through a twisted faith. Neither of these paths make these men unique. Like all men, they loved and they hated. Like all men, they suffered and they caused suffering. Like all men, they both chose and were forced to find their own ways. This book is their story. *** "Nate and Steve Smith have written a unique memoir that demonstrates the power of brotherhood and family over war and conflict. Raised in a cult, rebellious Nate escapes to the Marine Corps and finds himself fighting in Iraq's toughest province while Steve wrestles with the guilt of a religion that's been forced upon him. Their struggles are unique and individual - that's how the book is written - but their paths converge and in so doing reveal the true power of brotherly love." Owen West, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations (2017-19) & author of Sharkman Six and The Snake Eaters. "Two brothers, separated by oceans and a tyrannical leader, find their way back together. The premise sounds Shakespearean or Biblical - but it is, in fact, real life. Written with wisdom and grace, Nathan and Stephen Smith's tale of escape from a cult in rural Maine is a timeless story, loaded with universality." Rob Wolfe, Washington Monthly "A deeply evocative exposition on love, loss, family and faith. Beautifully written and masterfully intertwined accounts from the battlefields of body and spirit. At once sobering and uplifting." Ajax Trueblood, author of Bastards and Brothers: Marines and the Fight for Al-Qaim, Iraq. "An incredible story about two brothers' journey through pain, combat, faith, and redemption. I was emotionally invested in this story from start to finish and left inspired by the authors' humility and compassion." Brian Stann, recipient of the Silver Star & author of Heart for the Fight. "Men of God Men of War is a story with multiple layers. In vivid detail, Nate brings you into the Iraq war 'on mission, ' while Steve takes you into the mind of a man captured by toxic faith. These tales hinge on these twin brothers' broken relationship. Their years-long separation and ultimate reconciliation forms the bedrock of their journeys. I found this book captivating . . . and true evidence of God's work through broken men." F. Remy Diederich, author of Broken Trust. "This book is a quest to the frontier of the male psyche in which two brothers, separated by their individual journeys of meaning and identity, find each other once again. It's a tale of vulnerability, courage, and transformation - and a testament to the power of the human spirit to reclaim itself and recover lost bonds." William Schultz, clinical therapist & author of Mental Health. Biology, Agency, Meaning. "Men of God Men of War is a brilliant 'twemoir, ' offering accounts from twin brothers recounting intertwining narratives. Both men engage in spiritual battles while separated by a church's legalism and a country at war. One fights in a literal battle followed by PTSD; the other engages in a war for his mind as he faces down spiritual abuse. Both rage against lies and murderous forces vying for their souls. And both demonstrate that in the end, love is the most powerful conqueror of all. Highly recommended." Sandra Glahn, award-winning novelist and seminary professor

AN NAACP IMAGE AWARD NOMINEE America's most popular sports media figure tells it like it is in this "raw, deeply authentic, and immensely entertaining" (Bob Iger, #1 New York Times bestselling author and CEO of The Walt Disney Company) book, not only dishing out his signature, uninhibited opinions but also revealing the challenges he overcame in childhood as well as at ESPN. Stephen A. Smith has never been handed anything, nor was he an overnight success. Growing up poor in Queens, the son of Caribbean immigrants and the youngest of six children, he was a sports-obsessed kid who faced struggles, from undiagnosed dyslexia to getting enough cereal to fill his bowl. As a basketball player at Winston-Salem State University, he got a glimmer of his true calling when he wrote a newspaper column arguing for the retirement of his own Hall of Fame coach, Clarence Gaines. Smith hustled and rose up from a reporter on the high school beat at Daily News (New York) to a general sports columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer before getting his own show at ESPN in 2005. After he was unceremoniously fired from the network in 2009, he became even more determined to fight for success. He got himself rehired two years later and, with his razor-sharp intelligence and fearless debate style, found the show he was destined to star in: First Take, the network's flagship morning program. In Straight Shooter, Smith writes about the greatest highs and deepest lows of his life and career. He gives his thoughts on Skip Bayless, Ray Rice, Colin Kaepernick, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Cowboys, and former President Donald Trump. But he also pulls back the curtain and talks about life beyond the set, sharing authentic stories about his negligent father, his loving mother, being a father himself, his battle with life-threatening COVID-19, and what he really thinks about politics and social issues. He does it all with the same intelligence, humor, and charm that has made him a household name. A provocative and moving "blueprint of tenacity" (Fat Joe), this book is the perfect gift for lovers of sports, television, and anyone who likes their stories delivered straight to the heart.

America’s most popular sports media figure tells it like it is in this surprisingly personal book, not only dishing out his signature, uninhibited opinions but also revealing the challenges he overcame in childhood as well as at ESPN, and who he really is when the cameras are off. Stephen A. Smith has never been handed anything, nor was he an overnight success. Growing up poor in Queens, the son of Caribbean immigrants and the youngest of six children, he was a sports-obsessed kid who faced a number of struggles, from undiagnosed dyslexia to getting enough cereal to fill his bowl. As a basketball player at Winston-Salem State University, he got a glimmer of his true calling when he wrote a newspaper column arguing for the retirement of his own Hall of Fame coach, Clarence Gaines. Smith hustled and rose up from a high school reporter at Daily News (New York) to a general sports columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer in the 1990s, before getting his own show at ESPN in 2005. After he was unceremoniously fired from the network in 2009, he became even more determined to fight for success. He got himself rehired two years later and, with his razor-sharp intelligence and fearless debate style, found his role on the show he was destined to star in: First Take, the network’s flagship morning program. In Straight Shooter, Smith writes about the greatest highs and deepest lows of his life and career. He gives his thoughts on Skip Bayless, Ray Rice, Colin Kaepernick, the New York Knicks, the Dallas Cowboys, and former President Donald Trump. But he also pulls back the curtain and talks about life beyond the set, sharing authentic stories about his negligent father, his loving mother, being a father himself, his battle with life-threatening COVID-19, and what he really thinks about politics and social issues. He does it all with the same intelligence, humor, and charm that has made him a household name. Provocative, moving, and eye-opening, this book is the perfect gift for lovers of sports, television, and anyone who likes their stories delivered straight to the heart.

Celebrating the centenary of women legislators’ membership in the Arkansas General Assembly, Stateswomen shines a light on the women who have served as some of the state’s central decision makers. Drawing on documentary research and oral histories, Lindsley Armstrong Smith and Stephen A. Smith present lively, concise biographies for the nearly 150 women legislators who have served in the general assembly to date, chronicling their personal histories, volunteer work and social activism, and legislative victories. In a probing introduction, the authors examine the neglected role of women in Arkansas political history alongside the “long history of resistance to full citizenship rights for women in Arkansas”—demonstrating that political representation is essential for improving opportunities in the wider society. The first comprehensive study dedicated to these trailblazing Arkansas legislators, Stateswomen will surely inspire history buffs, community-minded citizens, and political hopefuls alike.

Celebrating the centenary of women legislators’ membership in the Arkansas General Assembly, Stateswomen shines a light on the women who have served as some of the state’s central decision makers. Drawing on documentary research and oral histories, Lindsley Armstrong Smith and Stephen A. Smith present lively, concise biographies for the nearly 150 women legislators who have served in the general assembly to date, chronicling their personal histories, volunteer work and social activism, and legislative victories. In a probing introduction, the authors examine the neglected role of women in Arkansas political history alongside the “long history of resistance to full citizenship rights for women in Arkansas”—demonstrating that political representation is essential for improving opportunities in the wider society. The first comprehensive study dedicated to these trailblazing Arkansas legislators, Stateswomen will surely inspire history buffs, community-minded citizens, and political hopefuls alike.

Rights, Wrongs, and Injustices is the first comprehensive account of the scope, foundations, and structure of remedial law in common law jurisdictions. The rules governing the kinds of complaints that common law courts will accept are generally well understood. However, the rules governing when and how they respond to such complaints are not. This book provides that understanding. It argues that remedies are judicial rulings, and that remedial law is the law governing their availability and content. Focusing on rulings that resolve private law disputes (for example, damages, injunctions, and restitutionary orders), this book explains why remedial law is distinctive, how it relates to substantive law, and what its foundational principles are. The book advances four main arguments. First, the question of what courts should do when individuals seek their assistance (the focus of remedial law) is different from the question of how individuals should treat one another in their day-to-day lives (the focus of substantive law). Second, remedies provide distinctive reasons to perform the actions they command; in particular, they provide reasons different from those provided by either rules or sanctions. Third, remedial law has a complex relationship to substantive law. Some remedies are responses to rights-threats, others to wrongs, and yet others to injustices. Further, remedies respond to these events in different ways: while many remedies (merely) replicate substantive duties, others modify substantive duties and some create entirely new duties. Finally, remedial law is underpinned by general principles-principles that cut across the traditional distinctions between so-called "legal" and "equitable" remedies. Together, these arguments provide an understanding of remedial law that takes the concept of a remedy seriously, classifies remedies according to their grounds and content, illuminates the relationship between remedies and substantive law, and presents remedial law as a body of principles rather than a historical category.

What are the arguments for and against government restrictions on religious beliefs and practices? To what extent can or should government support religion? Why is religious liberty important? Now a comprehensive anthology comprising 300 important writings on religious liberty is available to address and examine these questions, and Smith provides the important historical grounding and philosophical positions that guide readers through these significant selections. It will remain a significant reference work to facilitate reasoned discussions of freedom of religion, whether for education or advocacy, in the classroom or the public sphere. This outstanding collection should be in every library and on the desk of anyone seeking to understand or shape public policies affecting religious liberty.

Atiyah's Introduction to the Law of Contract is a well-known text through which thousands of university students have first encountered the law of contract, and the new edition has long been eagerly awaited by university teachers and students. This sixth edition, updated by Stephen Smith, continues to provide readers with an introduction to the theories, policies, and ideas that underlie the law, placing an equal emphasis on the law and critical analysis. In particular, the discussion of recent cases and legislation is centred on why contract law is the way it is, whether it can be justified, and, if not, what should be done to improve it. The sixth edition has been revised to place the law of contract in a modern context and to account for recent developments in the law, as well as those in academic thinking and writing. Addressing European influences and including perspectives from comparative law, this remains a stimulating and authoritative exposition of the modern law of contract.

This book is both an examination of, and a contribution to, our understanding of the theoretical foundations of the common law of contract. Focusing on contemporary debates in contract theory, Contract Theory aims to help readers better understand the nature and justification of the general idea of contractual obligation, as well as the nature and justification of the particular rules that make up the law of contract. The book is in three parts. Part I introduces the idea of 'contract theory', and presents a framework for identifying, classifying, and evaluating contract theories. Part II describes and evaluates the most important general theories of contract; examples include promissory theories, reliance-based theories, and economic theories. In Part III, the theoretical issues raised by the various specific doctrines that make up the law of contract (e.g., offer and acceptance, consideration, mistake, remedies, etc.) are examined in separate chapters. The legal focus of the book is the common law of the United Kingdom, but the theoretical literature discussed is international in origin; the arguments discussed are thus relevant to understanding the law of other common law jurisdictions and, in many instances, to understanding the law of civil law jurisdictions as well.