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InSorrowsofaCenturyJohnWeaverdescribeshowpersonalrelationshipsworkpovertywarillnessandlegaltroubleshavedriventhousandstode-spair.Hisstudyissetintwentieth-centuryNewZealandwhereinspiteofhighstandardsoflivingandacommitmenttosocialwelfarecitizenshaveexperiencedtheprofoundlossesandstressesofthehumancondition.FocusingonNewZealandbecauseithasthemostcomprehensiveandac-cessiblecoronersrecordsWeaveranalyzesastaggeringamountofinforma-tiontodeterminethesocialandculturalfactorsthatcontributetosuiciderates.Heexaminesthecountrysinvestigationsintosuddendeathsplacesthemwithinthecontextofmajoreventsandsocietalchangesandturnstowitnessesstatementssuicidenotesandmedicalrecordstoremarkonpre-ventionstrategies.Hisextensivesurveyoftwelvethousandcasesalsopro-videsaninsightfulassessmentofpsychiatryandpsychologyinthelastcentury.InreviewingthemotivesandmethodsofsuicideWeaverpointsoutthecomplicationsfacingdeterrence.MovingbeyondthetimelesspresentofthesocialsciencesandtheirrationalityemphasizedinpsychologySorrowsofaCenturymarshalstestimonytohighlightthehistoricalcontextandrationalconductbehindsuicide.JohnC.WeaverisDistinguishedUniversityProfessoratMcMasterUniver-sityandtheauthorofASadlyTroubledHistoryTheMeaningsofSuicideintheModernAgeandTheGreatLandRushandtheMakingoftheModernWorld16501900.AsCanadianasthemapleleafishowoneobserversummeduptheUnitedChurchofCanadaafteritsfoundingin1925.ButwasthisCanadian-madechurchawedinitsdesignascriticshavechargedAChurchwiththeSoulofaNationexploresthisquestionbyweavingtogetherthehistoryoftheUnitedChurchwithaprovocativeanalysisofreligionandculturalchange.ThestorybeginsintheaftermathofConfederationwhentheprospectsofbuildingaChristiannationpersuadedagroupofCongregationalistMethodistandPresbyterianleaderstosetasidedenominationaldifferencesandfocusinsteadonsharedbeliefs.PhyllisAirharttracesthenewchurchsstruggletosaveitsreputationduringabittercontroversywithdissentingPresbyterianswhorefusedtojoinwhattheyconsideredacreedlesschurch.Survivingtheorganizationalandtheologicalchallengesofeconomicdepres-sionandwarthefutureofthechurchseemedbright.ButthetiesbetweenpersonalfaithandciviclifethatthefounderstookforgrantedweresoontatteredbythesecularculturalstormsweepingthroughwesternChristen-dom.TheUnitedChurchsremakingcamewiththerealizationthatcreatingaChristiansocialorderinCanadawasunlikelyperhapsevenundesirableinapluralisticworld.AChurchwiththeSoulofaNationshedslightontheUnitedChurchspastcontroversiesandpresentdilemmasbyshowinghowitsfoundingvisionbothlaidthegroundworkforitsaccomplishmentsandcomplicateditsadap-tationtothenewworldtakingshape.PhyllisD.AirhartisassociateprofessorofthehistoryofChristianityatEmmanuelCollegeintheUniversityofToronto.23MQUPFALL2013SPECIFICATIONSMcGill-QueensStudiesintheHistoryofReligionJanuary2014978-0-7735-4249-534.95ACDN34.95AUS23.99paper978-0-7735-4248-8100.00SCDN100.00SUS77.00cloth6x9408ppElectroniceditionavailableSPECIFICATIONSDecember2013978-0-7735-4275-465.00Scloth978-0-7735-4275-465.00SCDN65.00SUS45.00clothElectroniceditionavailableWorldrightsexceptNewZealandSorrowsofaCenturyInterpretingSuicideinNewZealand19002000johnc.weaverAnintimateanalysisofthemotivesforsuicidesetamidstthecrisesofthetwentiethcentury.RELIGIOUSHISTORYCANADIANHISTORYAChurchwiththeSoulofaNationMakingandRemakingtheUnitedChurchofCanadaphyllisd.airhartThegoldstandardagainstwhichothereffortstointerpretthehistoryoftheUnitedChurchmustbemeasured.MarkNollDepartmentofHistoryUniversityofNotreDameHISTORYPUBLICPOLICY