Book excerpt: Public Policy Analysis: The Essential Readings presents a collection of 67 key classic and contemporary readings on public policy and public policy issues. Spanning a wide range of topics and issues, this text aims to introduce readers to the underpinnings and current practices of the policymaking arena. Selected readings are viewed as "essential" by the authors, in that some of them are generally argued to be among the most influential in the field, or among the most frequently cited. Others highlight the link between theory and practice particularly well, making public policy intelligible and clear to all. Public Policy: The Essential Readings 2nd Edition is divided into five parts which parallel both the majority of policy texts and the way many courses are designed.