Book reviewed in this article:Management in Central and Local GovernmentJohn Bourn.The Growth of Government: the Development of Ideas about the Role of the State and the Functions of Government in Britain Since 1780Geoffrey K. Fry.Politics and Policy in AustraliaG. Hawker, R.F.I. Smith and P. Weller.Politics Between DepartmentsM. Painter and B. Carey.Devolution at Work: A Case Study of the Isle of ManD. G. Kermode.The Local Government Service in England and WalesK. P. Poole.Local Government in Britain and France: Problems and ProspectsJacques Lagroye and Vincent Wright, (eds.).Urban Politics: a Sociological InterpretationPeter Saunders.The Politics of Positive Discrimination: An Evaluation of the Urban Programme 1967–77John Edwards and Richard Batley.Essays on Housing Policy: The British SceneJ. B. Cullingworth.Housing and Public PolicyStewart Lansley. Croom Helm.State Housing in BritainStephen Merrett.Governing Under Pressure: The Policy Process in a Post‐Parliamentary DemocracyJ. J. Richardson and A. G. Jordan. Martin Robertson.Pressure Politics in Contemporary BritainGraham Woot