It has become fairly obvious in the course of globalization that successful development efforts are based on a combination of actors, including government and quasi-government agencies and both for-profit and non-profit private concerns. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have become increasingly useful and popular, and although the system is evolving the contributors and editors argue there is enough research to start evaluating reasons for success and offering models and other theoretical structures. The 17 articles, including introductory and concluding essays, cover a brief history, the challenge of allocating risk (in the case of the United Kingdom Private Finance Initiative), getting the contract right, working through political issues, settling the tensions of co-production, the lessons of human services in the US and North American infrastructure PPPs, ethical issues, and applications to social services in Sweden, Germany and Australia, and infrastructure in Denmark. Although results are mixed, it is clear the PPP process has significant potential. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)