CANTON -- A new book by St. Lawrence University Emeritus Munsil Professor of Government Robert N. Wells, former mayor of Canton, promises to guide New York State citizens through the sometimes confusing -- and often downright confounding -- halls of Albany's power structures.

“New York State Government and Politics in a Nutshell: A Citizen's Primer” has just been published by Rosedog Books.

The volume was written to help New York State residents understand the important role the state plays in our nation, how the state government works and how citizens can participate. A center for finance, commerce and communication, New York's population is diverse, with four out of 10 New Yorkers living in New York City, a cleavage that often results in an upstate/downstate rivalry for state funding.

With the state's difficulties in resolving the issues of high government spending and taxes, determining successful solutions is a central issue for residents, particularly with elections in the offing.

Wells joined the St. Lawrence faculty in 1965, retiring in 1999. In 1995, he was selected as a Fulbright Fellow and taught and did research at the University of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. In 2001, he was elected mayor of Canton and served three terms. Wells' other books include “Peace by Pieces: The United Nations Agencies and Their Roles”; “Native American Resurgence and Renewal”; and “Law, Values and the Environment.”