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Perhaps no scholar is as prolific on the subject of revolutions as Goldstone (George Mason Univ.), placing him in a unique position to write this definitive primer on the phenomenon.  ThroughoutRevolutions, conceptual and theoretical perspectives are complemented by over a dozen historical accounts, giving readers a brief yet highly fulfilling treatment on the origins and manifestations of what is described as a complex emergent process.  The author contends that all revolutions are fought in the name of social justice, although he is careful to differentiate among revolutions and other types of less transformational political and social change (e.g., peasant revolts, riots, and strikes) that also seek to remedy injustices perpetrated by the state.  Goldstone delineates five preconditionseconomic crises, elite alienation, popular discontent, a narrative of resistance, and a favorable international environmentthat are necessary for a revolutionary situation to emerge, explaining that sociopolitical disequilibrium and mass mobilization of previously disenfranchised groups result in a breakdown of the state and the forcible creation of a new political and social order.  Although written for a general audience,Revolutions is an excellent overview of the topic and as such deserves a wide reading.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers, all levels.