Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Sociology
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community
by Robert D. Putnam
A comprehensive analysis of the decline of social capital in America, and its impact on civic engagement and democracy.
Once we bowled in leagues, usually after work–but no longer. This seemingly small phenomenon symbolizes a significant social change that Robert Putnam has identified in this brilliant volume, which ... (Goodreads)
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
by Eric Schlosser
An exploration of the industrial food system and its effects on U.S. society.
Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list ... (Goodreads)
The Dispossessed
by Ursula K. Le Guin
A sci-fi exploration of utopian and dystopian societies, and the struggle for a better world.
Librarian note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN, 9780061054884,. Shevek, a brilliant physicist, decides to take action. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and attempt to tear down the ... (Goodreads)
Foundation
by Isaac Asimov
Exploring the possibilities of a galactic empire in a future driven by science and technology.
For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future – to a dark age ... (Goodreads)
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
by David Simon
A year-long journey with Baltimore homicide detectives as they solve murders and navigate the city's complex social and political landscape.
From the creator of HBO's, The Wire, the classic book about homicide investigation that became the basis for the hit television show. The scene is Baltimore. Twice every three days another citizen is ... (Goodreads)
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry
by Jon Ronson
Exploration of the psychiatric industry, examining the definition and diagnosis of psychopathy.
In this madcap journey, a bestselling journalist investigates psychopaths and the industry of doctors, scientists, and everyone else who studies them. The Psychopath Test is a fascinating journey ... (Goodreads)
The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements
by Eric Hoffer
A philosophical analysis of the psychology behind mass movements and their leaders, exploring the motivations and behaviors of true believers.
A stevedore on the San Francisco docks in the 1940s, Eric Hoffer wrote philosophical treatises in his spare time while living in the railroad yards. The True Believer – the first and most famous of ... (Goodreads)
The Foundation Trilogy
by Isaac Asimov
Intergalactic future-history saga of a Galactic Empire on the brink of collapse.
A THOUSAND-YEAR EPIC, A GALACTIC STRUGGLE, A MONUMENTAL WORK IN THE ANNALS OF SCIENCE FICTION FOUNDATION begins a new chapter in the story of man's future. As the Old Empire crumbles into barbarism ... (Goodreads)
Propaganda
by Edward L. Bernays
A seminal work on the use of propaganda in shaping public opinion and behavior, written by the father of modern public relations.
“Bernays’ honest and practical manual provides much insight into some of the most powerful and influential institutions of contemporary industrial state capitalist democracies.”—Noam Chomsky “The ... (Goodreads)
حياة في الإدارة
by Ghazi A. Algosaibi
A guide to managing organizational life and achieving success.
"إن كثيراً من النقاش الذي يدور حول الإدارة هو نقاش لفظي عقيم. لا يهم أن تكون الإدارة علماً أو فناً، فالفرق بين العلم والفن مسألة تتعلق بالتعريف أكثر من تعلقها بالجوهر. ولا يهم أن يولد الإنسان ... (Goodreads)
Contagious: Why Things Catch On
by Jonah Berger
Exploring the science behind why some products and ideas become popular.
New York Times bestseller and named Best Marketing Book of 2014 by the American Marketing Association What makes things popular? Why do people talk about certain products and ideas more than others? ... (Goodreads)
Children of Time
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
A race of intelligent spiders battles to save their species from extinction.
The book's plot involves a planet inhabited by evolved spiders uplifted by human scientist Avrana Kern, and their much later discovery by the last humans alive in the universe. , , , The work plays ... (Wikipedia)
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
by Max Weber
Examines the relationship between Protestantism and the rise of capitalism, arguing that religious beliefs influenced economic behavior.
The Protestant ethic — a moral code stressing hard work, rigorous self-discipline, and the organization of one's life in the service of God — was made famous by sociologist and political economist ... (Goodreads)
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
by Malcolm Gladwell
Examining how small changes can produce dramatic effects and how ideas spread through society.
An alternate cover edition exists, here,. The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick ... (Goodreads)
People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil
by M. Scott Peck
A psychological and spiritual exploration of human evil, its origins, and how to heal from it.
In this absorbing and equally inspiring companion volume to his classic trilogy – The Road Less Traveled, Further Along the Road Less Traveled , and The Road Less Traveled and Beyond – Dr. M. Scott ... (Goodreads)
Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets
by Sudhir Venkatesh
An exploration of urban poverty and gang life, through the eyes of an unlikely researcher.
The story of the young sociologist who studied a Chicago crack-dealing gang from the inside captured the world's attention when it was first described in, Freakonomics,., Gang Leader for a Day, is ... (Goodreads)
The Nature of the Beast
by Louise Penny
A murder investigation uncovers an intricate web of deception and evil.
Hardly a day goes by when nine-year-old Laurent Lepage doesn't cry wolf. From alien invasions, to walking trees, to winged beasts in the woods, to dinosaurs spotted in the village of Three Pines, his ... (Goodreads)
Foundation and Earth
by Isaac Asimov
A journey through the galaxy to find the lost planet of humanity's origin. Along the way, they uncover secrets of the universe.
Councilman Golan Trevize , historian Janov Pelorat , and Blissenobiarella of the planet Gaia (introduced in Foundation's Edge ) set out on a journey to find humanity's ancestral planet— Earth . The ... (Wikipedia)
Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic
by Sam Quinones
Exposé of the opioid crisis in America, from its origins to its devastating effects.
In fascinating detail, Sam Quinones chronicles how, over the past 15 years, enterprising sugar cane farmers in a small county on the west coast of Mexico created a unique distribution system that ... (Goodreads)
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
by Yuval Noah Harari
An exploration of human evolution from the Stone Age to the present day.
100,000 years ago, at least six human species inhabited the earth. Today there is just one. Us. Homo sapiens. How did our species succeed in the battle for dominance? Why did our foraging ancestors ... (Goodreads)
The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple
by Jeff Guinn
A deep dive into the history of the Peoples Temple and the life of its leader, Jim Jones.
2018 Edgar Award Finalist—Best Fact Crime “A thoroughly readable, thoroughly chilling account of a brilliant con man and his all-too vulnerable prey” ( The Boston Globe )—the definitive story of ... (Barnes & Noble)
The 33 Strategies of War
by Robert Greene
A military-inspired guide to developing strategies for success in business and life.
Brilliant distillations of the strategies of war—and the subtle social game of everyday life—by the bestselling author of, The 48 Laws of Power, and, Mastery, Robert Greene’s groundbreaking guides, ... (Goodreads)
History of Beauty
by Umberto Eco
An exploration of the concept of beauty throughout time, from antiquity to the present day.
Umberto Eco’s groundbreaking and much-acclaimed first illustrated book has been a critical success since its first publication in 2004. What is beauty? Umberto Eco, among Italy’s finest and most ... (Goodreads)
Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
by Daniel C. Dennett
Examines the origins of religious belief, exploring how it has shaped society.
An innovative thinker tackles the controversial question of why we believe in God and how religion shapes our lives and our future. For a growing number of people, there is nothing more important ... (Goodreads)
One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society
by Herbert Marcuse
Critique of modern industrial society, arguing that it creates a one-dimensional way of thinking that limits freedom and critical thought.
Originally published in 1964, One-Dimensional Man quickly became one of the most important texts in the ensuing decade of radical political change. This second edition, newly introduced by Marcuse ... (Goodreads)
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
by Tom Standage
A look at the history of the world through the lens of six beverages.
The, New York Times, Bestseller, ,“There aren’t many books this entertaining that also provide a cogent crash course in ancient, classical and modern history.” —,Los Angeles Times , Beer, wine, ... (Barnes & Noble)
Small Sacrifices
by Ann Rule
True crime story of a mother who goes to deadly lengths to get the perfect family.
On 19 May 1983 at approximately 10:48 p.m, Diane Downs, drives to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield , Oregon with a gunshot wound to her arm. She claims that an unknown assailant attempted ... (Wikipedia)
Chapterhouse: Dune
by Frank Herbert
A family's quest to restore balance to a chaotic universe, while uncovering secrets of the past.
The Bene Gesserit find themselves the target of the Honored Matres, whose conquest of the Old Empire is almost complete. The Matres are seeking to assimilate the technology and superhuman skills of ... (Wikipedia)
The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences
by Michel Foucault
Foucault explores the history of knowledge and how it has been organized throughout time, challenging traditional ways of thinking.
Librarian note: an alternate cover for this edition can be found, here,. With vast erudition, Foucault cuts across disciplines and reaches back into seventeenth century to show how classical systems ... (Goodreads)
Escape from Freedom
by Erich Fromm
An examination of the psychological effects of modern freedom, exploring how to find a balance between freedom and security.
If humanity cannot live with the dangers and responsibilities inherent in freedom, it will probably turn to authoritarianism. This is the central idea of Escape from Freedom , a landmark work by one ... (Goodreads)
Totem and Taboo
by Sigmund Freud
Freud explores the origins of civilization and the role of taboo in human society, drawing on anthropology, psychology, and mythology.
Widely acknowledged to be one of Freud's greatest cultural works, when Totem and Taboo was first published in 1913, it caused outrage. Thorough and thought-provoking, Totem and Taboo remains the ... (Goodreads)
Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
by Vincent Bugliosi
A detailed account of the Manson Family and their brutal murders, as well as the trial that followed.
Prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial, Vincent Bugliosi held a unique insider's position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the twentieth century: the cold-blooded Tate-LaBianca ... (Goodreads)
Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World
by Jane McGonigal
Games can solve real-world problems and make us happier. They offer a sense of purpose, accomplishment, and community.
More than 31 million people in the UK are gamers. The average young person in the UK will spend 10,000 hours gaming by the age of twenty-one. What's causing this mass exodus? According to ... (Goodreads)
The Divided Self
by R.D. Laing
A psychological study of the nature of madness and the social constructs that contribute to it.
In The Divided Self (1960), Laing contrasted the experience of the "ontologically secure" person with that of a person who "cannot take the realness, aliveness, autonomy and identity of himself and ... (Goodreads)
The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future
by Kevin Kelly
A comprehensive guide to the technological trends that will shape our future, from artificial intelligence to virtual reality and beyond.
Come vivremo fra trent’anni? Non siamo ancora in grado di prevedere il futuro, ma alcune risposte sono certe, o quasi. Per esempio, non avremo un’auto di proprietà: pagheremo per abbonarci a un ... (Goodreads)
The Snack Thief
by Andrea Camilleri
Inspector Montalbano investigates the theft of a snack van and uncovers a web of corruption and deceit in Sicily.
During a night off the coast of Vigàta a fishing boat from Mazara del Vallo , called "Santopadre", is intercepted and machine-gunned, apparently in international waters, by a Tunisian patrol boat. ... (Wikipedia)
Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other
by Sherry Turkle
A critique of our dependence on technology and how it affects our relationships with others.
A groundbreaking book by one of the most important thinkers of our time shows how technology is warping our social lives and our inner ones Technology has become the architect of our intimacies. ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country
by Helen Russell
A British woman's experience immersing in the culture of Denmark, learning lessons on living a better life.
Denmark is officially the happiest nation on Earth. When Helen Russell is forced to move to rural Jutland, can she discover the secrets of their happiness? Or will the long, dark winters and pickled ... (Goodreads)
The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story
by Ann Rule
Uncovering the hidden identity of serial killer Ted Bundy and the events leading up to his arrest.
The first few chapters following the brief introduction about Bundy's birth and family describe Rule's friendship with Bundy, her first impressions of him, and her reluctance to consider the evidence ... (Wikipedia)
Travels with Herodotus
by Ryszard Kapuściński
A travelogue of Kapuściński's journey through Africa and Asia, intertwined with his reflections on the works of Herodotus.
From the master of literary reportage whose acclaimed books include Shah of Shahs, The Emperor, and The Shadow of the Sun , an intimate account of his first youthful forays beyond the Iron Curtain. ... (Goodreads)
Bellwether
by Connie Willis
A humorous and light-hearted tale of a scientist's quest to uncover the secrets behind a mysterious phenomenon.
Connie Willis has won more Hugo and Nebula awards than any other science fiction author. Now, with her trademark wit and inventiveness, she explores the intimate relationship between science, pop ... (Goodreads)
Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know
by Alexandra Horowitz
An exploration into the world of dogs and the complex abilities of their senses.
The bestselling book that asks what dogs know and how they think. The answers will surprise and delight you as Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist, explains how dogs perceive their daily ... (Goodreads)
Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference
by Cordelia Fine
Exposing the deeply embedded gender biases in our culture and beliefs.
It’s the twenty-first century, and although we tried to rear unisex children–boys who play with dolls and girls who like trucks--we failed. Even though the glass ceiling is cracked, most women stay ... (Goodreads)
Lost At Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries
by Jon Ronson
A journalist's adventures as he investigates some of the world's most bizarre stories.
Ronson has spent his life investigating crazy events, following fascinating people and unearthing unusual stories. Collected here from various sources (including the Guardian and GQ America) are the ... (Goodreads)
Nova
by Samuel R. Delany
A group of people travel to a new planet to start a new civilization, but they face challenges and conflicts along the way.
These are [at least some of] the ways you can read NOVA: as a fast-action farflung interstellar adventure; as archetypal mystical/mythical allegory (in which the Tarot and the Grail both figure ... (Goodreads)
The Long Utopia
by Terry Pratchett
The fourth book in the Long Earth series, exploring parallel worlds and the evolution of humanity.
The Long Utopia further follows the adventures of Joshua Valienté and Lobsang, as well as delving into Joshua's ancestry. After faking his death, Lobsang and his wife settle on an unexplored Earth, ... (Wikipedia)
The Crowd
by Gustave Le Bon
Analysis of crowd behavior, exploring the psychological and social implications of collective action.
يرى المؤلف أن الجماهير لا تعقل، فهي ترفض الأفكار أو تقبلها كلا واحداً، من دون أن تتحمل مناقشتها. ومايقوله لها الزعماء يغزو عقولها سريعاً فتتجه إلى أن تحوله حركة وعملاً، ومايوحي به إليها ترفعه إلى ... (Goodreads)
The Science of Fear: Why We Fear the Things We Shouldn't--and Put Ourselves in Greater Danger
by Daniel Gardner
Investigates why humans fear things that are statistically unlikely to harm them, and how this fear can lead to dangerous behavior.
From terror attacks to the war on terror, real estate bubbles to the price of oil, sexual predators to poisoned food from China, our list of fears is ever-growing. And yet, we are the safest and ... (Goodreads)
Dataclysm: Who We Are
by Christian Rudder
Exploring the hidden truths revealed by big data and how this data paints a picture of humanity.
A, New York Times, Bestseller,An audacious, irreverent investigation of human behavior—and a first look at a revolution in the making Our personal data has been used to spy on us, hire and fire us, ... (Goodreads)
Confessions of a Sociopath: A Life Spent Hiding in Plain Sight
by M.E. Thomas
A chilling memoir of a successful lawyer who is also a sociopath, revealing the inner workings of a mind devoid of empathy and emotions.
The first memoir of its kind, Confessions of a Sociopath is an engrossing, highly captivating narrative of the author's life as a diagnosed sociopath. She is a charismatic charmer, an ambitious ... (Goodreads)
Walden Two
by B.F. Skinner
A utopian novel exploring a community built on principles of behavioral psychology and scientific management.
This fictional outline of a modern utopia has been a center of controversy since its publication in 1948. Set in the United States, it pictures a society in which human problems are solved by a ... (Goodreads)
Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson
by Jeff Guinn
Exploration of the life of notorious cult leader Charles Manson, examining his criminal behavior and cultural impact.
The New York Times bestselling, authoritative account of the life of Charles Manson, filled with surprising new information and previously unpublished photographs: “A riveting, almost Dickensian ... (Barnes & Noble)
Quirkology: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things
by Richard Wiseman
A fun and fascinating exploration of the science behind everyday quirks and behaviors.
For over twenty years, psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman has examined the quirky science of everyday life. In Quirkology , he navigates the backwaters of human behavior, discovering the ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World
by Tim Harford
A fascinating exploration of how economics shapes our daily lives, from dating to crime, and how we can make better decisions.
In this deftly reasoned book, a columnist for The Financial Times and Slate argues that, despite the everyday insanity, life is logical after all, and he explores the surprisingly rational choices ... (Goodreads)
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