Laver and Schofield explain coalition politics at five levels: who are the players and what do they want, who forms coalitions, what do they gain, how long do they last, and what broad factors effect their behavior?

They do this using fairly straightforward language and by combining various traditions in political science. There are those who are married to the concept of building models and general game theory to describe anything, and there are those who make predictions and generalizations based on organic statistical analysis of the available data, combined with suppositions about the future of politics. The former is usually a crude oversimplification, while the latter is overly subjective. Laver and Schofield attempt to satisfy both of these traditions and answer the concerns of both sides with any point they make.

Great book on comparative politics. Great book on coalition formation. Easy to read (relatively).

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Noted author and scholar Rabbi Jacob Neusner wrote, "this book brings to synagogue song the discipline of the musician, the learning of the scholar, but most important, the aesthetic sense of the pious person who serves God in the beauty of holiness. Teaching us what has been and what can be, Levine promises to turn what is into something better:musically a service to God through aesthetic beauty consonant with the musical tradition of Judaism. A book of enormous value to the life of Judaism today."

In addition to giving Jews everywhere a key to unlock the secrets of their traditional chant, the book is also a practical guide to one branch of a universal musical tradition: liturgical chant. It's a must read for anyone interested in what makes the cantorial art so compelling to listeners and so important to worship.