Koncocoo

Best Gender Studies

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Now an HBO® Film starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Entertainment Weekly #1 Nonfiction Book of the Year New Yorker Reviewers’ Favorite. American Library Association Notable Book People Top Ten Book of the Year Washington Post Book World Top Ten Book of the Year. Salon.com Best Book of the Year USA Today Ten Books We Loved Reading O, The Oprah Magazine Top Ten Book of the Year. National Public Radio Best of the Bestsellers Boston Globe Best Nonfiction Book of the Year Financial Times Nonfiction Favorite Los Angeles Times Critics’ Pick Bloomberg Top Nonfiction New York magazine Top Ten Book of the Year. Slate.com Favorite Book of the Year. TheRoot.com Top Ten Book of the Year Discover magazine 2010 Must-Read Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year Library Journal Top Ten Book of the Year Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Year U.S. News & World Report Top Debate-Worthy Book Booklist Top of the List—Best Nonfiction Book New York Times /Science Bestseller list “I could not put the book down . “Science writing is often just about ‘the facts.’ Skloot’s book, her first, is far deeper, braver, and more wonderful.” —New York Times Book Review “ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a triumph of science writing...one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read.” —Wired.com “ A deftly crafted investigation of a social wrong committed by the medical establishment, as well as the scientific and medical miracles to which it led.” —Washington Post “ Riveting...a tour-de-force debut.” —Chicago Sun-Times “A real-life detective story, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks probes deeply into racial and ethical issues in medicine . an inspiring tale for all ages.” — Essence “This extraordinary account shows us that miracle workers, believers, and con artists populate hospitals as well as churches, and that even a science writer may find herself playing a central role in someone else’s mythology.” — The New Yorker “Has the epic scope of Greek drama, and a corresponding inability to be easily. explained away.” — SF Weekly “One of the great medical biographies of our time.” — The Financial Times “Like any good scientific research, this beautifully crafted and painstakingly researched book raises nearly as many questions as it answers . The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a heroic work of cultural and medical journalism.” —Laura Miller, Salon.com “No dead woman has done more for the living . a fascinating, harrowing, necessary book.” —Hilary Mantel, The Guardian (U.K.) “ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks does more than one book ought to be able to do.” — Dallas Morning News “Above all it is a human story of redemption for a family, torn by loss, and for a writer with a vision that would not let go.” — Boston Globe “This remarkable story of how the cervical cells of the late Henrietta Lacks, a poor black woman, enabled subsequent discoveries from the polio vaccine to in vitro fertilization is extraordinary in itself; the added portrayal of Lacks's full life makes the story come alive with her humanity and the palpable relationship between race, science, and exploitation." If science has exploited Henrietta Lacks [Skloot] is determined not to. gives Henrietta Lacks another kind of immortality—this one through the discipline of good writing.” — Baltimore Sun “A work of both heart and mind, driven by the author’s passion for the story, which is as endlessly renewable as HeLa cells.” — Los Angeles Times “In this gripping, vibrant book, Rebecca Skloot looks beyond the scientific marvels to explore the ethical issues behind a discovery that may have saved your life.” — Mother Jones “More than ten years in the making, it feels like the book Ms. Skloot was born to write . Skloot, a young science journalist and an indefatigable researcher, writes about Henrietta Lacks and her impact on modern medicine from almost every conceivable angle and manages to make all of them fascinating . packed with memorable characters.” —Dwight Garner, New York Times , Top Ten Book of 2010 “Astonishing . .” — The Economist “Journalist Rebecca Skloot’s history of the miraculous cells reveals deep injustices in U.S. medical research.” — TIME “ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a fascinating look at the woman whose cultured cells—the first to grow and survive indefinitely, harvested without compensation or consent—have become essential to modern medicine.” — Vogue “ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a remarkable feat of investigative journalism and a moving work of narrative nonfiction that reads with the vividness and urgency of fiction. It also raises sometimes uncomfortable questions with no clear-cut answers about whether people should be remunerated for their physical, genetic contributions to research and about the role of profit in science.” — National Public Radio “An indelible, marvelous story as powerful as those cells.” — Philadelphia Inquirer “As much an act of justice as one of journalism.” — Seattle Times “A stunning book . I highly recommend this book.” —Jad Abumrad, Radiolab “Skloot is a terrific popularizer of medical science, guiding readers through this dense material with a light and entertaining touch.” — The Globe and Mail (Canada) “A rare and powerful combination of race, class, gender,medicine, bioethics, and intellectual property; far more rare is the writer that can so clearly fuse those disparate threads into a personal story so rich and compelling.” — Seed “Powerful story . Thank you for writing this important book.” —Kali-AhsetAmen, Radio Diaspora “Skloot has written an important work of immersive nonfiction that brings not only the stories of Henrietta Lacks and HeLa once more into line, but also catharsis to a family in sore need of it.” — The Times Literary Supplement “A masterful work of nonfiction . a real page turner.” —Hanna Rosin, Slate “Skloot explores human consequences of the intersection of science and business, rescuing one of modern medicine’s inadvertent pioneers from an unmarked grave.” — US News & World Report “Remarkably balanced and nonjudgmental . It reads like a novel but has the intellectual substance of a science textbook or a historical biography.” — The Daily Nebraskan “Illuminates what happens when medical research is conducted within an unequal health-care system and delivers an American narrative fraught with intrigue, tragedy, triumph, pathos, and redemption.” — MS. “ A tremendous accomplishment —a tale of important science history that reads like a terrific novel.” — Kansas City Star “Good science writing isn’t easy, but Skloot makes it appear so.” —The Wichita Eagle “Encompasses nearly every hot-button issue currently surrounding the practice of medicine.” — Madison Capital Times “Defies easy categorization . navigates both the technical and deeply personal sides of the HeLa story with clarity and care.” — The Portland Mercury “[A] remarkable book.” — London Review of Books “An essential reminder that all human cells grown in labs across the world, HeLa or otherwise, came from individuals with fears, desires, and stories to tell.” — Chemical & Engineering News “Blows away the notion that science writing must be the literary equivalent to Ambien.” — Chicago Tribune “Seldom do you read a book that is science, social history, and a page turner.” —British Medical Journal “Thrilling and original nonfiction that refuses to be shoehorned into anything as trivial as a genre. It is equal parts popular science, historical biography, and detective novel.” —Ed Yong, DISCOVER.COM “Best book I’ve read in years.” —Brian Sullivan, Fox Business Network “Thanks to Rebecca Skloot, we may now remember Henrietta—who she was, how she lived, how she died.” — The New Republic “We need more writers like Rebecca Skloot.” —E.O.Wilson.
Reviews
"This was a great book that I'm so glad I read."
"In “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” Rebecca Skloot introduces us to the “real live woman,” the children who survived her, and the interplay of race, poverty, science and one of the most important medical discoveries of the last 100 years. Skloot narrates the science lucidly, tracks the racial politics of medicine thoughtfully and tells the Lacks family’s often painful history with grace. When science appears, it does so effortlessly, with explanations of cell anatomy or techniques like “fluorescence in situ hybridization” seamlessly worked into descriptions of the coloured wards of Johns Hopkins hospital to Lacks’s hometown of Clover, Virginia. And yet for all its grand scope, skilful writing and touching compassion, there is one simple element that makes As a final thought, I was struck by the parallels between Henrietta’s cells and her story."
"Most excellent book."
"This decisive, detailed, superbly written history of the HeLa cells that have played such a highly significant role in many arenas of medical research delves deeply into both the scientific and personal stories of Henrietta Lacks and her family."
"A legacy, kept hidden for over 20+ years from Henrietta Lack's family and those of us,who are not privy to the inner circles of the medical and science community."
"Skloot did a terrific job spending years gathering information from the family and researching scientific discoveries related to the cells."
"Incredible true story of a woman's legacy, from the usage of her DNA without consent, to the medical miracles her stolen contribution made, to the injustices her family faced decades later."
"The book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was a very interesting and informative read."
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Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. A New York Times Best Seller. Best Science Books of 2016, Science Friday Greatest Science Books of 2016, BrainPickings.org. The book has good coverage of the 1800s and early 1900s — a critical time when women’s expanding participation in science was changing the very structure of how knowledge is pursued. Interspersed with gems like a colorful timeline of women’s achievements, and a cartoon celebrating a wonderful hoard of lab supplies, Ignotofsky’s profiles of diverse female scientists is a great addition to the shelf of any student, of any age." "In this wittily illustrated, accessible volume, Rachel Ignotofsky highlights 50 women who changed the course of science." "With the help of eye-catching artwork, Ignotofsky celebrates not just astronauts, but also the engineers, biologists, mathematicians, and physicists who’ve blazed a trail for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields from the ancient to modern world. The book elevates this information with beautiful and instructive infographics that delve into topics like the number of women currently working in STEM fields." “If there were constellations celebrating the incredible accomplishments of women in science, Rachel Ignotofsky's illustrations would serve as the blueprints. Women in Science captures the joy of so many essential discoveries while also celebrating the extraordinary lives of the women who've achieved them.” – Rachel Swaby, author of Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science—and the World “I wish I had a daughter so I could give her a copy of Rachel Ignotofsky's lovingly illustrated Women in Science . Ignotofsky provides young women with the courage and confidence to follow the exciting paths these pioneers have blazed before them.” – Eileen Pollack, author of The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science Is Still a Boys' Club. “ Women in Science is a comprehensive and stunningly illustrated tribute to brilliant female minds. The book offers the next generation of young women a diverse set of relatable and enormously inspiring role models.” – Lisa Congdon, illustrator and author. “In Rachel Ignotofsky’s edifying and inspiring book we meet some of history’s most remarkable women. That’s what the reader is doing in this book: stargazing.” – Lauren Redniss, author of Radioactive and Thunder & Lightning “Paired with her delightfully whimsical drawings, the concise and accessible profiles of women scientists in Rachel Ignotofsky’s book reveal the setbacks faced by women in male-dominated scientific careers and show how these women cared deeply about making the world—and the world of science—a more equal place. With its enthusiastic tone and its colorful layout, this inviting introduction to women in science urges its readers to take advantage of their education and to participate in scientific discoveries of their own.” – Rory Dicker, author of A History of U.S. Feminisms.
Reviews
"Which is fine since we've just read a few pages and it opened up opportunities to discuss all sorts of things, about science and society, and piqued our interest to look up additional pictures and facts on the Internet."
"I read a different segment to my 4 year old daughter every night and follow up with a photo of the person we just discussed on my phone along with the wiki article."
"Some others in our collection include: -“Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win”. -“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls”. -“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2”. -“Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G."
"I thought it would be a good idea to let her know women have played some important roles in our history."
"With that said I purchased this book in hopes that my children will read it and hopefully be inspired by other women doing some amazing things."
"I ordered two for the young women in my family who are budding scientists."
"However, the tiny font and color contrasts are REALLY hard for mothers of Advanced Maternal Age."
"I bought this because I teach elementary math and science, but could be read to anyone for great historical value."
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We Should All Be Feminists
The highly acclaimed, provocative New York Times bestseller—a personal, eloquently-argued essay, adapted from the much-admired TEDx talk of the same name—from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, award-winning author of Americanah. Adichie, celebrated author of the acclaimed Americanah (Knopf, 2013), offers a more inclusive definition of feminism, one that strives to highlight and embrace a wide range of people and experiences. Her focus on women of color is also an aspect of the movement that hasn't always been given its due, and Adichie works in her own experience and life as a feminist within a more conservative Nigerian culture in an organic and eye-opening way.
Reviews
"She has made people deaf to anything but stereotypes about feminism sit up and pay attention and realize, "Wow this is mostly common sense" and "I see that all the time and I never thought about how that affects" us/them."
"I assumed the book would expand a bit on the things she discussed in her talk, but the book felt word for word her lecture."
"I think this relates more to other cultures than the US, where we experience many of the same issues but it does not address many other factors we see in modern American culture."
"It's short and simple, so it definitely is a good start for whoever feels curious about this topic and wants to understand more."
"This is a very short book, but it is excellent."
"Excellent talk about gender, roles and expectations."
"Excellent speech by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie."
"I felt like I was having a conversation with a friend; one that I wasn't ready to put to rest so soon."
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Best General Gender Studies

Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.
Reviews
"this book is my go to staple to feed my female soul."
"My friend who is healing from trauma finds this book to be a wonderful read."
"LOVE THIS BOOK!"
"I read it years ago and gave it to a young friend of mine."
"great product very fast shipping!"
"One of my favorite reads ever."
"This is the best book I've ever read."
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Best Men's Gender Studies

Wild at Heart Revised and Updated: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
And every little has dreams, big dreams, dreams of being the hero, of beating the bad guys, of doing daring feats and rescuing the damsel in distress. John Eldredge revises and updates his best-selling, renowned Christian classic, Wild at Heart , and in it invites men to recover their masculine heart, defined in the image of a passionate God. John and his wife, Stasi, live near Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Reviews
"It's been sad to read "christians" tear down this message, trying to hyper-critique the ways John shares stories from the Bible or how he speaks to men. If you're the type that feels it's your god-given duty to scour the texts of books to find all "the errors" and expose "heresy", I'm sure you can (or already have) gleefully torn away at John's message. Stop hiding behind your computer or your pulpit or your religious duties or your secret addictions and find the wide open spaces of life!"
"for them (late teens, early 20s) and for me (40, married, father of 5) WAH is loaded with good stuff, that not many people are saying."
"Quite the contrary, the book addresses both of these mentalities as the farce they are and seeks rather to understand the true driving force of a mans heart, and what God intended for him to be. I would encourage any woman to take the time to read this book, as it will not only illuminate much of the heart of the men in your life, it will also directly deal with some of the impacts they (especially Fathers) have had on you, whether positive or negative. As a man, it has opened my eyes to the driving desires of my own heart, helped me recognize the lies I tell myself and have been told, and helped me understand the importance of what it really means to be a Man."
"Eldredge does a good job of addressing how it "feels" to be a man, and the way childhood trauma affects our masculinity into adulthood."
"He actually helped me to understand better God's desire for His own glory (Jonathan Edwards, John Piper)."
"I expected to be reading more about man connecting with God than man connecting with nature- or with God through nature."
"I'm a city slicker and I spend lots of time in the Australian bush on multi day solo hikes but I don't mystify the great outdoors as Eldredge does."
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Best Women's Studies History

The Illustrated West With the Night
The author describes growing up in an Africa that no longer exists, training and breeding race horses, flying mail to Sudan, and being the first woman to fly the Atlantic from east to west. Markham's West with the Night was originally published in the early 1940s and disappeared, only to be rediscovered and reprinted in the 1980s when it became a smash hit.
Reviews
"My book club choose this for a month I was unable to attend, so I'm just now catching up with it."
"I thought that the people she interacted with were all pretty flat characters and I didn't feel like I even got to know Beryl herself."
"I did have to skip ahead in some places, when her amazing descriptions of the African savannah and its beautiful wildlife ended with the inevitable hunting scene."
"This book was recommended to me by a friend who was raised in Africa because I am traveling there soon."
"Despite viewing colonial Africa more critically through the lens of history, this book remains a wonderful adventure tale of a woman far ahead of her time."
"The descriptions of African life and extremely unusual situations, the knowledge of horses and a racing and finally the pioneering of flight are all so well written they draw one in as If you were a participant."
"A life few of us could imagine, full of adventure, danger, daring."
"Best book I've read in a while, great adventure story, descriptions like poetry."
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Best Teen & Young Adult Biographies

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. A New York Times Best Seller. Best Science Books of 2016, Science Friday Greatest Science Books of 2016, BrainPickings.org. The book has good coverage of the 1800s and early 1900s — a critical time when women’s expanding participation in science was changing the very structure of how knowledge is pursued. Interspersed with gems like a colorful timeline of women’s achievements, and a cartoon celebrating a wonderful hoard of lab supplies, Ignotofsky’s profiles of diverse female scientists is a great addition to the shelf of any student, of any age." "In this wittily illustrated, accessible volume, Rachel Ignotofsky highlights 50 women who changed the course of science." "With the help of eye-catching artwork, Ignotofsky celebrates not just astronauts, but also the engineers, biologists, mathematicians, and physicists who’ve blazed a trail for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields from the ancient to modern world. The book elevates this information with beautiful and instructive infographics that delve into topics like the number of women currently working in STEM fields." “If there were constellations celebrating the incredible accomplishments of women in science, Rachel Ignotofsky's illustrations would serve as the blueprints. Women in Science captures the joy of so many essential discoveries while also celebrating the extraordinary lives of the women who've achieved them.” – Rachel Swaby, author of Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science—and the World “I wish I had a daughter so I could give her a copy of Rachel Ignotofsky's lovingly illustrated Women in Science . Ignotofsky provides young women with the courage and confidence to follow the exciting paths these pioneers have blazed before them.” – Eileen Pollack, author of The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science Is Still a Boys' Club. “ Women in Science is a comprehensive and stunningly illustrated tribute to brilliant female minds. The book offers the next generation of young women a diverse set of relatable and enormously inspiring role models.” – Lisa Congdon, illustrator and author. “In Rachel Ignotofsky’s edifying and inspiring book we meet some of history’s most remarkable women. That’s what the reader is doing in this book: stargazing.” – Lauren Redniss, author of Radioactive and Thunder & Lightning “Paired with her delightfully whimsical drawings, the concise and accessible profiles of women scientists in Rachel Ignotofsky’s book reveal the setbacks faced by women in male-dominated scientific careers and show how these women cared deeply about making the world—and the world of science—a more equal place. With its enthusiastic tone and its colorful layout, this inviting introduction to women in science urges its readers to take advantage of their education and to participate in scientific discoveries of their own.” – Rory Dicker, author of A History of U.S. Feminisms.
Reviews
"Which is fine since we've just read a few pages and it opened up opportunities to discuss all sorts of things, about science and society, and piqued our interest to look up additional pictures and facts on the Internet."
"I read a different segment to my 4 year old daughter every night and follow up with a photo of the person we just discussed on my phone along with the wiki article."
"Some others in our collection include: -“Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win”. -“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls”. -“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2”. -“Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G."
"I thought it would be a good idea to let her know women have played some important roles in our history."
"I ordered two for the young women in my family who are budding scientists."
"However, the tiny font and color contrasts are REALLY hard for mothers of Advanced Maternal Age."
"This makes a really cool looking coffee table book."
"Your Daughters will be inspired by the knowledge and background of women Scientists."
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Best Sociology of Abuse

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
Taking the town as a case study for a crime that is sadly prevalent throughout the nation, Krakauer documents the experiences of five victims: their fear and self-doubt in the aftermath; the skepticism directed at them by police, prosecutors, and the public; their bravery in pushing forward and what it cost them. he sets the story firmly in the context of social history.” — The Boston Globe. Meticulously reported, fascinating and deeply disturbing.” — USA Today. “Jon Krakauer began his career as an author of taut, finely reported outdoor adventures; seven books later, he emerges as the conscience of a nation.” — The Christian Science Monitor. “ Missoula will be a touchstone of any future correction to the rape culture we live in.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Jon Krakauer began his career as an author of taut, finely reported outdoor adventures; seven books later, he emerges as the conscience of a nation. Investigative reporters—and Krakauer is one of the craft’s finest practitioners, diligent, dogged, and artful—are nothing so much as trial attorneys with pens rather than costly silk ties.” — The Christian Science Monitor. By probing the specific, Krakauer illuminates upsetting generalities. Krakauer—a journalist who is also a compelling writer—artfully keeps the books from becoming a compendium of facts. It’s an important, difficult and timely subject.” — USA Today. Clear and dispassionate, offering level-headed, in-depth reportage.” — Chicago Tribune. Krakauer skillfully strengthens his sources’ recollections without taking away their agency.” — Buzzfeed. “A devastating exposé of colleges and local law enforcement. A substantive deep dive into the morass of campus sex crimes, where the victim is too often treated like the accused.” — Entertainment Weekly. Krakauer has done a great service by taking on this subject.” — Newsweek. “Krakauer exposes the cavalier attitude of police, prosecutors and football fans toward victims of acquaintance rape in the Montana town full of fanatics for the University of Montana football team.” — The Denver Post. “A clear and undeniable picture of a broken system. Missoula stands as both a reminder of the forces arrayed against women raising their voices, and of the tremendous power of the telling of their stories.” — The Toronto Star. “Krakauer’s evocative reporting, honed to a fine edge of anger, vividly conveys the ordeal of victims and their ongoing psychological dislocations. A hard-hitting true-crime exposé that looks underneath the he-said-she-said to get at the sexist assumptions that help cover up and enable these crimes.” — Publishers Weekly (starred).
Reviews
"This is a well written book the weaves through multiple tales of multiple women who have suffered violent sexual acts and also clearly illustrates the problems in prosecuting these acts."
"Tragic description of what is probably going on at many colleges and universities."
"changeling read - complex issue, like his other nonfiction writings - good description, but the problem likelt is still going on."
"An eye opening account of what is happening on our college campuses today."
"Everyone should read this book."
"Krakauer is such a skilled documentarian!"
"Lots of procedural, courtroom stories but Krakauer is also brilliant at telling the story of what really happened as well."
"Krakauer standard with deep investigative research to expose facts ignored by the regional bias."
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Best Demography Studies

The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (A Free Press Paperbacks Book)
The controversial book linking intelligence to class and race in modern society, and what public policy can do to mitigate socioeconomic differences in IQ, birth rate, crime, fertility, welfare, and poverty. Herrnstein and Murray have written one of the most provocative social science books published in many years....This is a superbly written and exceedingly well documented book. Malcolme W. Browne The New York Times Book Review Mr. Murray and Mr. Herrnstein write that "for the last 30 years, the concept of intelligence has been a pariah in the world of ideas," and that the time has come to rehabilitate rational discourse on the subject. Prof. Eugene D. Genovese National Review Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray might not feel at home with Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Lani Guinier, but they should....They have all [made] brave attempts to force a national debate on urgent matters that will not go away. In the second round of reaction, some commentators suggested that Herrnstein and Murray were merely bringing up facts that were well known in the scientific community, but perhaps best not discussed in public.
Reviews
"Although you would not glean as much from the vicious attacks that have been leveled against this book since its publishing, the major thesis is that intelligence is highly correlated with success in America. This same kind of intelligence, needless to say, is valuable to employers and leads to success at work. There are enclaves of high income, highly intelligent people in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC. What they also find, but which does not excite controversy, is that Ashkenazi Jews average 115, Americans of Northeast Asian descent average about 107, American Indians average about 90, and Hispanic Americans about the same. They produce highly reproducible results – there are a wide range of intelligence tests available, and all of them will yield pretty much the same results for a given individual. In practical terms, a one standard deviation difference in population averages means that only one person in six in the lower population has an intelligence at or exceeding the average of the higher group. Only one white person in six is as smart as the average Ashkenazi Jew, and only one black and six is as intelligent as the average white. Intelligence is highly correlated with success in school, income, health and happiness. In round numbers, intelligence explains about 25% of the difference in levels of success. At the same time, as noted in Lynn's book above, the intelligence of nativeborn Americans is declining."
"The Bell Curve got so much positive attention as a revolutionary, critical review of issues so current and pressing within our society, at the time, and today that I felt I would really appreciate reading it and reviewing the authors scientific efforts. In fact, as you will find, upon studying the text, the Bell Curve IS about the relationship between "Intellect" and "One's ability to succeed in life". It is scary to me, but when I, a student of the Bell Curve, see these commentators on telivision or read of them in the papers.... speaking of "dirty little books", "racism disguised as science" etc..., I have the feeling that If this were not the 20th century, and if we did not have the constitution protecting our right to publish scientific findings, these very same negative commentators might just try to force Murray to renounce his scientific findings, keeping us all in the dark for as long as possible."
"Interesting book on the study of human cognition."
"It is not about what we want, but about what nature does with human nature and its most distinctive feature / evolutionary advantage. What really bothers many readers and many more opinionated none-readers of this book, is the fact that nature does not care what they think, and shall never consult with them."
"Everybody should read this controversial book."
"Fantastic reading combined with a good seller equals a satisfied customer."
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Best Specific Demographic Studies

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, a powerful account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America’s white working class. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually their grandchild (the author) would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving generational upward mobility. Vance’s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother, struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, and were never able to fully escape the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. “[A] compassionate, discerning sociological analysis…Combining thoughtful inquiry with firsthand experience, Mr. Vance has inadvertently provided a civilized reference guide for an uncivilized election, and he’s done so in a vocabulary intelligible to both Democrats and Republicans. [Vance] offers a compelling explanation for why it’s so hard for someone who grew up the way he did to make it…a riveting book.” ( Wall Street Journal ). “[ Hillbilly Elegy ] couldn’t have been better timed...a harrowing portrait of much that has gone wrong in America over the past two generations...an honest look at the dysfunction that afflicts too many working-class Americans.” ( National Review ). Vance’s memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy”, offers a starkly honest look at what that shattering of faith feels like for a family who lived through it.
Reviews
"Drugs, crime, jail time, abusive interactions without any knowledge of other forms of interaction, children growing up in a wild mix of stoned mother care, foster care, and care by temporary "boyfriends," and in general, an image of life on the edge of survival where even the heroes are distinctly flawed for lack of knowledge and experience of any other way of living. Second, the author's growing realization, fully present by the end of the work, that while individuals do not have total control over the shapes of their lives, their choices do in fact matter—that even if one can't direct one's life like a film, one does always have the at least the input into life that comes from being free to make choices, every day, and in every situation. I hate to fall into self-analysis and virtue-signaling behavior in a public review, but in this case I feel compelled to say that the author really did leave with me a renewed motivation to make more of my life every day, to respect and consider the choices that confront me much more carefully, and to seize moments of opportunity with aplomb when they present themselves."
"I never heard of the author until I saw him on Morning Joe a few days ago but I looked him up and read several articles he wrote for various publications so I bought his book. He suggests that tribalism, mistrust of outsiders and "elites," violence and irresponsibility among family members, parents without ethics and a sense of responsibility, terrible work ethics, and an us-against-them mentality is dooming the people who live that way to becoming poorer, more addicted, and more marginalized."
"I grew up without running water in Boone County, WV, and wound up with a degree from Harvard Law School."
"I escaped inner city Baltimore (see The Wire) due to luck, the ability to do well in school and a few good teachers.Instead of trying to describe my early life to my family and friends, I will give them this book."
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Best Museum Studies & Museology

The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects
Beautifully designed and illustrated with color photographs throughout, The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects is a rich and fascinating journey through America's collective memory, and a beautiful object in its own right. Kirkus Reviews : “Smithsonian Undersecretary Kurin’s tales are abundant, so much so that it seems almost a shame to stop at a mere 101 items....A well-conceived and well-illustrated pleasure to read, combining narrative history and keepsake volume.”.
Reviews
"Kurin has written a very interesting series of articles about these 101 objects and how they relate to the history of America."
"Love this book...Didn't think it would be this thick for softcover...Alot of good information inside.. Great purchase..."
"Pages inside the book are good, but the jacket and cover are torn and worn in places."
"The book is filled with an immense amount of information which is presented in a fascinating, readable way."
"I am moving to the USA soon and thought it would be interesting to get to know some of the history of my next home country and this book is a really great source for that."
"An excellent book: One of the best put out by The Smithsonian."
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Best Folklore & Mythology Studies

The Annotated African American Folktales (The Annotated Books)
Following in the tradition of such classics as Arthur Huff Fauset’s “Negro Folk Tales from the South” (1927), Zora Neale Hurston’s Mules and Men (1935), and Virginia Hamilton’s The People Could Fly (1985), acclaimed scholars Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Maria Tatar assemble a groundbreaking collection of folktales, myths, and legends that revitalizes a vibrant African American past to produce the most comprehensive and ambitious collection of African American folktales ever published in American literary history. Introductory essays, nearly 150 African American stories, and 20 seminal African tales as historical background The familiar Brer Rabbit classics, as well as news-making vernacular tales from the 1890s’ Southern Workman An entire section of Caribbean and Latin American folktales that finally become incorporated into the canon Approximately 200 full-color, museum-quality images. Gates' and Tatar's introductions provide essential critical frameworks for understanding black folk culture's centrality to wider American culture, while the secondary sources shed light on the various methodologies and philosophies that have informed how scholars gather folklore. An exhaustive, informative, and entertaining survey of African-American folklore, its centrality to American culture, and the universality of myth.”. - Kirkus Reviews. Extensively sourced, this groundbreaking gathering redefines African American folklore, establishes a canon, and traces the influence of these stories on American history, society, and culture. A rigorous achievement and a worthy and fascinating addition to any folklore, African American studies, or American literature collection.”. - Booklist.
Reviews
"This book is the size of a textbook and is filled with many wonderful stories and insights into Black history."
"Beautiful copy, great information and compilation!"
"I’m satisfied with this product."
"My book is bound upside down!"
"To know the origin of so many African American Folktales is such a gift."
"I bought 20 copies as gifts for Christmas!"
"Should be on every serious book collectors shelf."
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Best Communication & Media Studies

The True Story of Fake News: How Mainstream Media Manipulates Millions
You will see the powerful and deceptive methods of manipulation that affect us all, as numerous organizations and political activists cunningly plot to have their stories seen, heard, and believed by as many people as possible. The depths of lies, distortions, and omissions from traditional mainstream media will shock you; and now they’re colluding with the top tech companies trying to maintain their information monopolies. Mark's YouTube channel has over 1 million subscribers and more than 400 million views, and his viral videos have been mentioned on the Fox News Channel, CNN, the Drudge Report, TMZ, the New York Daily News , the Washington Times , and other media outlets around the world.
Reviews
"I believe a person that is not ready to be awakened may experience severe soul pain and Mark forgot to put "Trigger warning" on the cover but still I believe for awakened people this is going to be great laugh and joy to read pages and see how death of media complex is unravelling and humanity awakening while people that still caught in nets of news manipulators may feel really bad but after few weeks I believe healing effects of truth will be refreshing."
"The book mentions how our leftists media is trying to persuade us to accept insanity like there being more than 2 genders, and how the media is pushing fake hate crimes committed by leftists in attempt to frame Trump supporters as Nazis,white Supremacists,KKK members, and racist."
"A lot of people don't know history and how much the media has been involved with the CIA and FBI and the rest of our federal gov't to create stories, manipulate events, etc."
"The news media has become so untrustworthy, the majority of sane Americans have seen this before even reading Marks book!"
"Great book and well written!!!!"
"Excellent book; this will not disappoint."
"Awesome work once again by Mark Dice as he exposes the nature of propaganda - otherwise known as the mainstream news in America."
"A must read."
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Best Children's Studies Social Science

Coraline
This edition of New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman’s modern classic, Coraline —also an Academy Award-nominated film—is enriched with a foreword from the author, a reader's guide, and more. “Coraline is by turns creepy and funny, bittersweet and playful…can be read quickly and enjoyed deeply.” (San Francisco Chronicle Book Review). “Gaiman’s pacing is superb, and he steers the tension of the tale with a deft and practiced narrative touch.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books).
Reviews
"Do not be deceived by the idea that Coraline is considered a " children book"."
"The issues I had with the book was that the middle just seemed to be there to make the book longer. The middle of the book seemed to repeat its self over and over which made the book get a little boring.The end of the book felt so rushed that it was hard to keep up with."
"Young Coraline is indeed a very brave young heroine, empowered and very clever in the face of what the dangers are and lurk furtively in fairy tales! Young readers will find the adaptation to a two-dimensional situation easier to digest than an older, less flexible reader where the blurred realities are more burdensome. "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.""
"I began to read Coraline with no expectations beyond a hope of being mildly entertained; it is, after all, a children's book, and I was checking it out to see if my son might enjoy the storyline."
"Coraline finds herself in a parallel world with a mom who wants her to stay."
"Movie great but graphic novel explains more and captures the complete story, spooky fun with very good graphics and colir."
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Best Emigration & Immigration Studies

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration.
Reviews
"Isabel Wilkerson, the Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper writer, has now come back to write a fascinating and sweeping book on what she calls ""the biggest underreported story of the twentieth century." Of course we all know the tale of the "Dust Bowl" and the "Okies", as captured by Steinbeck in words, by Dorothea Lange in photographs, and even in song by Woody Guthrie. The title of this book is taken from Richard Wright's "Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth": "I was taking a part of the South to transplant in alien soil, to see if it could grow differently, if it could drink of new and cool rains, bend in strange winds, respond to the warmth of other suns, and, perhaps, to bloom." Our families became friends, as also "Miz Edna's" husband had served in New Guinea with my father (as a cook, however, remember the WWII Army was still segregated) ."
"It does a commendable job of presenting the sweep of history while also telling individual stories of those who left brutal conditions for better lives elsewhere."
"I am awed by the sacrifice and courage displayed by my mother who made the decision to leave her family in Alabama to give us a chance to realize our greatest potential by driving north to start a new life."
"This collection of stories takes the reader through the history of the black migration from the South to the North and lays out in clear terms the challenges blacks faced and provides a foundational understanding of the challenges blacks continue to face in America today."
"This book was well articulated by a very pleasant-voice lady."
"I knew very little about this period in our history, and as a result of this book, I've sought out more information."
"This book, by focusing on the stories few individuals citizens, transcendentally captures both the unspeakable tragedy of Jim Crow, and the remarkable faith and sheer fortitude of those making the journey north (I'll never forget Ida Mae!!)."
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Best Disaster Relief

The Survival Medicine Handbook: A Guide for When Help is Not on the Way
In circumstances where medical personnel are overwhelmed and access to modern technology is limited or non-existent, The Survival Medicine Handbook(tm) is the essential reference book for every library. Here's just some of the topics covered: · MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS BECOMING A MEDICAL RESOURCE · THE EFFECTIVE SURVIVAL MEDIC · FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING · LIKELY MEDICAL ISSUES YOU WILL FACE · MEDICAL SKILLS YOU WILL WANT TO LEARN · MEDICAL SUPPLIES NATURAL REMEDIES · ESSENTIAL OILS · THE MEDICINAL GARDEN · THE PHYSICAL EXAM · THE MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT · PATIENT TRANSPORT · HYGIENE-RELATED MEDICAL ISSUES · LICE, TICKS, AND WORMS · DENTAL ISSUES · RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS · FOOD AND WATER-BORNE ILLNESS · DIARRHEAL DISEASE/DEHYDRATION · DEALING WITH SEWAGE ISSUES · FOOD POISONING · APPENDICITIS/ABDOMINAL PAIN · URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS · HEPATITIS · PELVIC AND VAGINAL INFECTIONS · WOUND INFECTIONS · ABSCESSES · TETANUS · MOSQUITO BORNE ILLNESS · FUNGAL INFECTIONS · HYPERTHERMIA (HEAT STROKE) · HYPOTHERMIA · ALTITUDE SICKNESS · WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS · TORNADO PREPAREDNESS · HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS · EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS · ALLERGIC REACTIONS ASTHMA · POISON IVY, OAK, AND SUMAC · RADIATION SICKNESS · BIOLOGICAL WARFARE · MINOR WOUNDS · MAJOR AND HEMORRHAGIC WOUNDS · SOFT TISSUE WOUND CARE · WOUND CLOSURE/OPEN WOUNDS · LOCAL ANESTHESIA AND NERVE BLOCKS · HOW TO SUTURE/STAPLE SKIN · BLISTERS, SPLINTERS, AND FISHHOOKS · NAIL BED INJURIES · BURN INJURIES · ANIMAL BITES · SNAKE BITES · INSECT BITES AND STINGS · HEAD INJURIES · SPRAINS AND STRAINS · DISLOCATIONS · FRACTURES · AMPUTATION · THYROID DISEASE · DIABETES · HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE · HEART DISEASE AND CHEST PAIN · ULCER AND ACID REFLUX DISEASE · SEIZURE DISORDERS · JOINT DISEASE · KIDNEY AND GALL BLADDER STONES · SKIN CONDITIONS · VARICOSE VEINS · CPR · HEADACHE · EYE PROBLEMS · NOSEBLEED · EARACHE · HEMORRHOIDS · BIRTH CONTROL, PREGNANCY, AND DELIVERY · ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION · SLEEP DEPRIVATION · ESSENTIAL OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS · A PRIMER ON PAIN MEDICATIONS · NATURAL PAIN RELIEF · STOCKPILING MEDICATIONS HOW TO USE ANTIBIOTICS, · EXPIRATION DATES. Joseph Alton, MD practiced as a board-certified Obstetrician and Pelvic Surgeon for more than 25 years before retiring to devote his efforts to his new mission: To put a medical prepared person in every family for any disaster. He is an actively-licensed Life Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a retired fellow of the American College of Surgeons, has served as department chairman at local hospitals and as adjunct professor at local university nursing schools.
Reviews
"Within the last 30 years, after working in the health field as a medical professional and obtaining a copy of the first edition of this very helpful guide, this book is outstanding in every aspect as a valuable reference to emergency situations, where no other help is available. Although I have collected hundreds of books that cover this topic, I felt this one is extremely useful for my daughter to have in her home."
"I have shown it to others in my family and they will be purchasing one also for their libraries."
"So, you can either walk around blindly and hope everything is sunshine and roses forever, or you can read this book, take the time to make a first aid kit, and live your life knowing if you do somehow walk across glass barefoot with no help to be found, this book will tell you how to sew it back up!"
"Great resource."
"Wonderful well presented book written in an easy to understand common sense manner."
"Dr Alton and Nurse Alton are great at conveying a tough to instruct upon subject, providing medical oversight in a disaster situation, to the general non-medical public in layman's terms and in a concise, comprehensive and well re-emphasizing manner."
"Much of the medical care in the past was good old common sense and some information on what to look for and how to treat."
"This book is written in plain English, very understandable even if you were not a medical professional..and if you are a medical professional, it will serve as refresher, and is of great help in Putting your thoughts in order and having a pretty good idea on what to expect ( not only off grid, but in case of war where reaching a hospital is next to impossible ) .. there is a list of references ( written and videos ) at the back , and suggestions of classes to take, very helpful."
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Best Gerontology Social Sciences

The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition
He has taught more than 300,000 people what The Joy of Not Working is about: learning to live every part of their lives - work and play, employment, and retirement alike - to the fullest. In this completely revised and expanded edition, you too can join the thousands of converts and learn how to thrive at both work and play. "In The Joy Of Not Working, Zelinski explains how to. combat boredom, develop motivation, live for today, rethink. the terms of financial independence, and redefine. the meaning of fulfillment."
Reviews
"THE HANDS DOWN BEST BOOK I"VE EVER READ ON RETIREMENT,WELL BALANCED,FUNNY AND EDUCATIONAL GAVE ME REAL PEACE AFTER READING SO MANY BOOKS ABOUT THE GIZILLIONS YOU NEED OR !!!"
"Zelinski reminds us of what is really important in life - not just being productivity machines until we get to our deathbeds, disappointed that we didn't really live. Zelinksi encourages us to question the workaholic culture and gives excellent, concrete exercises and tips for creating engaged lives that we truly love, in retirement, unemployment or even while employed."
"America is becoming obsessed with work and money to the point where we lose what we really want in life."
"whether you're unemployed, working for a long time still or planning on retiring soon, read this!"
"Second, that of being in a long-term committed relationship where some degree of self-sacrifice for another is more than made-up for by love, companionship, and partnership; one can have freedom and independence "on the side" while also in a committed relationship."
"I have developed my "Get-a-Life Tree" and have started scheduling important, meaningful stuff to do when that magic day comes at the end of the month when I can walk away from my 34-year career into something exciting, and much more important."
"Light and entertaining but with a profound message."
"Lots of suggestions to prevent boredom (or depression) and fill up those extra 18 hours you now have available."
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Best Poverty

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, a powerful account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America’s white working class. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually their grandchild (the author) would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving generational upward mobility. Vance’s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother, struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, and were never able to fully escape the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. “[A] compassionate, discerning sociological analysis…Combining thoughtful inquiry with firsthand experience, Mr. Vance has inadvertently provided a civilized reference guide for an uncivilized election, and he’s done so in a vocabulary intelligible to both Democrats and Republicans. [Vance] offers a compelling explanation for why it’s so hard for someone who grew up the way he did to make it…a riveting book.” ( Wall Street Journal ). “[ Hillbilly Elegy ] couldn’t have been better timed...a harrowing portrait of much that has gone wrong in America over the past two generations...an honest look at the dysfunction that afflicts too many working-class Americans.” ( National Review ). Vance’s memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy”, offers a starkly honest look at what that shattering of faith feels like for a family who lived through it.
Reviews
"Drugs, crime, jail time, abusive interactions without any knowledge of other forms of interaction, children growing up in a wild mix of stoned mother care, foster care, and care by temporary "boyfriends," and in general, an image of life on the edge of survival where even the heroes are distinctly flawed for lack of knowledge and experience of any other way of living. Second, the author's growing realization, fully present by the end of the work, that while individuals do not have total control over the shapes of their lives, their choices do in fact matter—that even if one can't direct one's life like a film, one does always have the at least the input into life that comes from being free to make choices, every day, and in every situation. I hate to fall into self-analysis and virtue-signaling behavior in a public review, but in this case I feel compelled to say that the author really did leave with me a renewed motivation to make more of my life every day, to respect and consider the choices that confront me much more carefully, and to seize moments of opportunity with aplomb when they present themselves."
"I never heard of the author until I saw him on Morning Joe a few days ago but I looked him up and read several articles he wrote for various publications so I bought his book. He suggests that tribalism, mistrust of outsiders and "elites," violence and irresponsibility among family members, parents without ethics and a sense of responsibility, terrible work ethics, and an us-against-them mentality is dooming the people who live that way to becoming poorer, more addicted, and more marginalized."
"I grew up without running water in Boone County, WV, and wound up with a degree from Harvard Law School."
"I escaped inner city Baltimore (see The Wire) due to luck, the ability to do well in school and a few good teachers.Instead of trying to describe my early life to my family and friends, I will give them this book."
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Best Study of Pornography

The Porn Myth: Exposing the Reality Behind the Fantasy of Pornography
Author Matt Fradd draws on the experience of porn performers and users, and the expertise of neurologists, sociologists, and psychologists to demonstrate that pornography is destructive to individuals, relationships, and society. Because recent research on pornography s harmful effects on the brain validates the experiences of countless porn users, there is a growing wave of passionate individuals trying to change the pro-porn cultural norm by inspiring others to pursue real love and to avoid its hollow counterfeit. Matt Fradd and this book are part of that movement, which is aiding the many men and women who are seeking a love untainted by warped perceptions of intimacy and rejecting the influence of porn in their lives. "The Porn Myth can help you to separate the myths from the facts about porn and to reclaim real love.
Reviews
"I'm halfway through this book and I'm already blown away by the amount of insight I've been able to gain into the problem of porn in today’s culture. Matt Fradd does an excellent job of providing a comprehensive historical background of the porn industry, as well as solid research to back its effects (e.g., erectile dysfunction, relationship problems, physiological/neurological brain changes similar to drug addiction that result in the need for a more extreme “fix”…the list goes on). As a parent I was particularly interested in protecting my children from the problems porn forces us to face, and after sifting through the book I have been given a solid foundation that I believe will help me foster a healthy and realistic understanding of human sexuality."
"I think anybody who want to know how porn affects society, and is still using porn or who has recover from porn should get this book."
"Exposing the truth is desperately needed in this area."
"nice book...prompt seller!"
"Porn myth is very informative and insightful as well as educational."
"Very good book,with a lot of details that are helpfull.I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about this subject."
"Great resource for our abstinence educators."
"Excellent, fact filled book."
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Best Human Sexuality

The Joy of Sex: The Ultimate Revised Edition
• Key scientific discoveries in the fields of psychology, physiology, and sexology. • The Internet and couple-friendly pornography. • The importance of sex to our growth as people and partners. • Maintaining a fulfilling sex life as we get older. “[Succeeds] in bringing The Joy of Sex up to current standards.” — The New Yorker. “An intelligent sex manual that is serious without being solemn.” —Desmond Morris, author of People Watching and The Human Sexes: The Natural History of a Man and a Woman.
Reviews
"I had this book when it originally came out about 40 years ago."
"Times are changing and this book reflects the changes of the past 40 years or so."
"Very informative- well written."
"A great gift for anyone to take to a bachelorette party that is far more useful than any silly party favors!"
"ok but less new information than I expected."
"Generic information that isn't helpful or useful."
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Best Violence in Society

The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence
In this empowering book, Gavin de Becker, the man Oprah Winfrey calls the nation's leading expert on violent behavior, shows you how to spot even subtle signs of danger—before it's too late. Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker, whose clients include top Hollywood stars and government agencies, offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love, including...how to act when approached by a stranger...when you should fear someone close to you...what to do if you are being stalked...how to uncover the source of anonymous threats or phone calls...the biggest mistake you can make with a threatening person...and more. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. People don't just "snap" and become violent, says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies, celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women. Gavin de Becker : Your question contains much of the answer: today’s world, "where terror and tragedy seem omnipresent..." The key word is "seem." When TV news coverage presents so much on these topics, it elevates the perception of terrorism and tragedy way beyond the reality. In every major city, TV news creates forty hours of original production every day, most of it composed and presented to get our attention with fear. Question: Your bestselling book The Gift of Fear gives many examples to help readers recognize what you call pre-incident indicators (PINS) of violence. If intuition is used by a woman to explain some choice she made or a concern she can’t let go of, men roll their eyes and write it off. We much prefer logic, the grounded, explainable, unemotional thought process that ends in a supportable conclusion.
Reviews
"As research has shown, what we call women's intuition is in reality the fact that women, on average, are far better at picking up nonverbal cues than men. fMRI scans reveal women use 14-16 regions of their brains during communication, while men only 4-6 areas (most women probably would dispute giving us that much credit-:). In modern society, in the interest of being "polite", we often suppress our natural intuition, our gut feelings. One of my great fears has to do with my beautiful wife's suppression of her natural intuition around strangers, in the interest of being polite and non-judgemental. Gavin de Becker's loud message to women, Trust your gut, Don't suppress your intuition, Don't worry about hurting some stranger's feelings is a powerful one."
"Titled "Survival Signals" this chapter will teach you the sophisticated manipulations that criminal predators use to try and gain control over you. There is much more detail in this chapter, and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to recognize these "interviewing techniques" that criminal predators use."
"I consider this a must read for everyone, but especially for females."
"I was fortunate enough to be raised by a mother who taught me to always trust my instincts, but it never fails that the world forces you to question yourself."
"Despite the author's anti-gun bias (which is silly and somewhat unproductive) this book brings up a lot of things most of us probably never think about and/or gives us a different perspective."
"Great book!"
"Gavin de Becker not only shares the wisdom he has gained through his work, but also his experiences."
"I love the gift of fear I've read it a few times now but I needed my own reference copy and it's awesome."
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Best Holidays

The 13th Gift: A True Story of a Christmas Miracle
This true story about the power of random acts of kindness will warm the heart, a beautiful reminder of the miracles of Christmas and the gift of family during the holiday season. "The book's simple prose and profound message will fill even the Grinch-iest hearts with Christmas spirit while affirming the age-old adage, it really is the thought that counts." This memoir is written from the heart and for the heart.” -- Jason Wright, New York Times bestselling author of Christmas Jars. Joanne Smith deftly reconciles the difficult terrain that ranges between the Christmas we all want and the tragedies of life that sooner or later beset us all. As a veteran devourer of Christmas stories short and long, fictional and true, I mistakenly assumed I'd encountered every conceivable plot variant in the genre. Joanne Hurst Smith's wondrous story hit me from so many directions, playing on the strings of so many emotions, that it left me limp at the end Quite simply, it is a masterpiece .” -- Joe L. Wheeler, Ph.D., author of the bestselling Christmas in My Heart ® series. "For readers of Richard Paul Evans and Greg Kincaid comes The 13th Gift , a heartwarming Christmas memoir about how a random act of kindness transformed one of the bleakest moments in a family's history into a time of strength and love."
Reviews
"However, the holiday season is upon them and Joanne is being pressured by her sister to “do” Christmas for the children. Megan is precocious and wise beyond her years, Nick is obsessed with video games (much to my daughter’s dismay, I never bought her video games), and Ben is angry and avoiding spending time with the family. When Joanne tries to purchase Christmas gifts for her children, but it ends in embarrassment and crying. The card has a lovely drawing a cute reference to the twelve days of Christmas."
"This book is a wonderful, heartwarming, true story of how the Lord and the generosity of others help a family in their time of need!"
"A straightforward, easy read that still manages to pull the heartstrings hard."
"I loved this book!"
"I try to read a Christmas book around the holidays each year, as I find it helps to put me in the Christmas Spirit."
"This book is a wonderful read and I would hope that Hallmark or someone would come out with a movie about this. I was extremely captivated and moved by this story and could not put the book down until I read all of it."
"Everyone deals with tragedy in their own way and this book does well at explaining how each of the family members were affected differently, and how they consciously or unconsciously used their own particular strengths to help each other."
"The author/ mother shares how these small gifts helped the family function better & how the "true friends" blessed them & made it possible for them to pull together as a family again."
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Best Human Geography

American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America
• A New Republic Best Book of the Year • The Globalist Top Books of the Year • Winner of the Maine Literary Award for Non-fiction • Particularly relevant in understanding who voted for who in this presidential election year, this is an endlessly fascinating look at American regionalism and the eleven “nations” that continue to shape North America. Colin Woodard, an award-winning writer and journalist, is currently the state and national affairs writer at the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram where he won a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor , the San Francisco Chronicle , and The Chronicle of Higher Education , he has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents.
Reviews
"Whereas the first two-thirds were well-reasoned and well-supported, the last third devolved into stereotypes and generalities, and contained more than a few downright errors, particularly concerning the modern Deep South and Greater Appalachia. I could list at least a half-dozen factual errors in his presentation concerning the practice and influence of Evangelical Christianity in the Bible Belt, for instance, but would rather not bog down this review with nit-picking."
"Being from the area known as the "Far West" I felt that the author decided to spend virtually no time or effort in speaking to the El Norte, Far West and the Left Coast."
"One of the best books I've read on America and it's history."
"I have given it to at least 5 friends as a gift and the conversations it leads to are always fascinating."
"This is a fascinating, well-written book, introducing a conceptual framework that was completely new to me."
"The map on the "American Nations" cover showed me that I grew up roughly where the Deep South, Appalachia, and El Norte meet in eastern Texas. We said we were "Scotch-Irish" but seemed to have no knowledge of or interest in how we came to be there, nor did I ever know anyone who was aware that there were early Spanish missions in the pine woods of East Texas or that there had been a large Cherokee village not four miles from my home. Later I learned that my own family had entered the U.S. in South Carolina from Barbados in the 1680s; little is known about them except that they were poor whites, so now we know there is a good chance they were indentured servants to Barbadian slave lords. Now I have some insight into features of my county that have puzzled me for decades: why the tiny community where I attended school in the 1950s and 60s was clustered around its original plantation house, Cumberland Presbyterian church, and cotton fields (it was founded by a slave-holding family from Savannah, Georgia in the 1840s or 50s); why my neighbors had such casual contempt for blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Indians, Catholics, Chinese, and all other foreigners; why Ku Klux Klan actions were still fresh in older folks' memories; why blacks lived either in their own parts of town literally across the tracks or entirely separately in their own towns or isolated communities tucked away in the woods; why my parents were so puzzled that "our Negroes" seemed dissatisfied with our hand-me-down clothes and an occasional pig (I recall puzzled discussions of "What do they want?" ); why there was a deeply ingrained presumption that gentlemen rode horses and peasants walked, so any poor farmer that came into oil money bought horses immediately (Deep South cavaliers influence); why there was hardly any familiarity with or emphasis on attending college, and disdain for the (rare) "know it all college boy" (Appalachian ignorance and apathy influenced by Deep South resistance to education for the masses); why employers referred to employees as "hands"; why our relatives in far southwest Texas seemed to us to live in a different country (they did - El Norte), while relatives in Tennessee and business associates in Mississippi seemed to come from an earlier and more violent time; why Cajuns in south Louisiana and southeast Texas seemed like such an anomaly in the Deep South in their Catholicism and complete disregard of racial boundaries (New France egalitarianism); maybe even why some blacks in East Texas practiced a strange mixture of Southern Baptist services and voodoo lore - one local black church was even named the Voodoo Baptist Church, and the pastor roamed the area on foot wearing an animal skin cape and carrying a long shepherd's staff (West Africa via the West Indies). Lastly, I did not think Woodard unfairly favored the Yankees; his description showed the harsh, violent, and meddlesome parts of their Puritan cultural heritage along with the elements we still cherish (for much more detail see Fischer's "Albion's Seed"). The Deep South has been a reluctant participant in the U.S. federation and has routinely made threats to withdraw since the Articles of Confederation days; in the 2010 mid-term election we again heard southern politicians talk of secession."
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Best Social Work

Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change, 3rd Edition (Applications of Motivational Interviewing)
This bestselling work for professionals and students is the authoritative presentation of motivational interviewing (MI), the powerful approach to facilitating change. The companion Web page provides additional helpful resources, including reflection questions, an extended bibliography, and annotated case material. This book is in the Applications of Motivational Interviewing series, edited by Stephen Rollnick, William R. Miller, and Theresa B. Moyers. MI has fundamentally changed the way we think about working with less motivated clients, especially in today's health care climate, with its emphasis on evidence-based brief treatments. --Scott T. Walters, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Health Behavior and Health Systems, University of North Texas Health Science Center; member, Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). It is a 'must-adopt' text for courses in psychology, counseling, social work, mental health, addictions, and health care more broadly." " Motivational Interviewing is one of the few texts that I can assign to my MSW students year after year for my Clinical Practice course and know they will love it as much as I do. I have had more positive feedback from students regarding this book than any other text I've used, and it is wonderful to watch the light go on in their eyes as they gain understanding about behavior change and how MI works. ( Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions 2012-09-09). "Highly recommended to all practitioners in health settings and to clinicians supervising and teaching others." ( Community Mental Health Journal 2012-09-09). "This approach is one that can be powerfully used by occupational therapy practitioners who are working in mental health and substance abuse settings, or any psychosocial behavioral health setting....In preparing professional students for practice, I view this approach as foundational to their effectiveness in building motivation and strengthening commitment to change with their clients." The book illustrates clinical case examples to prepare psychiatrists who work in all different types of settings....This is a user-friendly, engaging, and comprehensive text that should be required reading for all practicing clinicians."
Reviews
"Buy it."
"Great book!"
"I love this book."
"Great book - great technique."
"Just exceptional."
"Not only does it provide useful information, it gives numerous scenarios that help you visualize the process."
"Great and easy read!"
"Loved this book!"
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Best Linguistics Reference

The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography
From Mary, Queen of Scots, trapped by her own code, to the Navajo Code Talkers who helped the Allies win World War II, to the incredible (and incredibly simple) logisitical breakthrough that made Internet commerce secure, The Code Book tells the story of the most powerful intellectual weapon ever known: secrecy. In the information age, the fear that drives cryptographic improvements is both capitalistic and libertarian--corporations need encryption to ensure that their secrets don't fall into the hands of competitors and regulators, and ordinary people need encryption to keep their everyday communications private in a free society. Similarly, the battles for greater decryption power come from said competitors and governments wary of insurrection.
Reviews
"A very thorough, detailed (perhaps even so not exhaustive) coverage of a very complex subject."
"The various techniques for creating and breaking secret messages throughout history are explained well and made more interesting by the historic contexts of those techniques."
"I'll be honest I'm a complete novice and just picked this book up because it really drew my attention."
"The book is well written, and provides an excellent look at the history of cryptography and cryptanalysis, covering in detail the impact that these two competing disciplines played in the outcomes or many wars and key political events of post medieval times, It also provides a very accessible introduction into how cryptography works (i.e. it spares the reader the mathematical details of the more advanced algorithms)."
"Read it for history, entertainment, enjoyment, and a few laughs."
"Excellent book; very interesting, but I have to use a magnifying glass to read the small print."
"I had a lot of trouble understanding the mechanics behind symmetric key and more importantly asymmetric or public key encryption, but thans to his excellent examples and descriptions, I finally got it all figured out - just in time to pass my CISSP exam!"
"this looks super I got it for my grand son hope he loves it!"
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Best Criminology

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
#1 New York Times Bestseller |. Named one of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times • The Washington Post • The Boston Globe • The Seattle Times • Esquire • Time Winner of the Carnegie Medal for Nonfiction | Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Nonfiction | Winner of a Books for a Better Life Award | Finalist for the Los Angeles Book Prize | Finalist for the Kirkus Reviews Prize | An American Library Association Notable Book A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. a searing indictment of American criminal justice and a stirring testament to the salvation that fighting for the vulnerable sometimes yields.” —David Cole, The New York Review of Books “Searing, moving . Just Mercy will make you upset and it will make you hopeful.” —Ted Conover, The New York Times Book Review “Inspiring . Stevenson is not only a great lawyer, he’s also a gifted writer and storyteller.” — The Washington Post “As deeply moving, poignant and powerful a book as has been, and maybe ever can be, written about the death penalty.” —The Financial Times “Brilliant.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer “Not since Atticus Finch has a fearless and committed lawyer made such a difference in the American South. Just Mercy is his inspiring and powerful story.” —John Grisham “Bryan Stevenson is one of my personal heroes, perhaps the most inspiring and influential crusader for justice alive today, and Just Mercy is extraordinary. But at the same time that [Bryan] Stevenson tells an utterly damning story of deep-seated and widespread injustice, he also recounts instances of human compassion, understanding, mercy, and justice that offer hope. Just Mercy is a remarkable amalgam, at once a searing indictment of American criminal justice and a stirring testament to the salvation that fighting for the vulnerable sometimes yields.” —David Cole, The New York Review of Books. For decades he has fought judges, prosecutors and police on behalf of those who are impoverished, black or both. Injustice is easy not to notice when it affects people different from ourselves; that helps explain the obliviousness of our own generation to inequity today. Against tremendous odds, Stevenson has worked to free scores of people from wrongful or excessive punishment, arguing five times before the Supreme Court. The message of the book, hammered home by dramatic examples of one man’s refusal to sit quietly and countenance horror, is that evil can be overcome, a difference can be made. Stevenson has been angry about [the criminal justice system] for years, and we are all the better for it.” —Ted Conover, The New York Times Book Review “Inspiring . “As deeply moving, poignant and powerful a book as has been, and maybe ever can be, written about the death penalty.” —The Financial Times “Brilliant.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Not since Atticus Finch has a fearless and committed lawyer made such a difference in the American South. Bryan Stevenson, however, is very much alive and doing God’s work fighting for the poor, the oppressed, the voiceless, the vulnerable, the outcast, and those with no hope. The stories told within these pages hold the potential to transform what we think we mean when we talk about justice.” —Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow “A distinguished NYU law professor and MacArthur grant recipient offers the compelling story of the legal practice he founded to protect the rights of people on the margins of American society. It is inspiring and suspenseful—a revelation.” —Isabel Wilkerson, author of The Warmth of Other Suns “Words such as important and compelling may have lost their force through overuse, but reading this book will restore their meaning, along with one’s hopes for humanity.” —Tracy Kidder, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Mountains Beyond Mountains “Bryan Stevenson is America’s young Nelson Mandela, a brilliant lawyer fighting with courage and conviction to guarantee justice for all. It is as gripping to read as any legal thriller, and what hangs in the balance is nothing less than the soul of a great nation.” —Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
Reviews
"My tendency is to put things into "liberal" and "conservative" buckets and this one seemingly fit into the liberal bucket and I am a professed conservative."
"I have a new hero . Bryan Stevenson. This is a great book."
"This is a system that condemns children to life imprisonment without parole, that makes petty theft a crime as serious as murder, and that has declared war on hundreds of thousands of people with substance abuse problems by imprisoning them and denying them help. JUST MERCY explores a number of devastating cases, including children as young as fourteen facing life imprisonment, and scores of people on death row - mostly poor, and mostly black - who have been unfairly convicted. But the central focus is on Walter McMillan, a black man sentenced to death for the murder of a prominent young white woman. Ours is no longer a country that sees compassion as a virtue; instead, we write harsher and harsher laws that demand longer and longer sentences for those we consider undesirables. It's rare these days to meet someone who truly dedicates himself to those least able to help themselves, especially someone who isn't after media attention or self-promotion."
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Best Social Sciences Methodology

Exploring Research (8th Edition)
Personalize Learning - MySearchLab delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals. Engage Students — Chapter objectives, chapter quizzes, Lab Manual, and eText within MySearchLab help to engage students in the material. A lab manual is included in MySearchLab to help engage students in the research process. After researching in the areas of cognitive style and (what was then known as) hyperactivity, he became a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina's Bush Center for Child and Family Policy.
Reviews
"However, there are several MAJOR errors throughout the book that could cause a lot of confusion."
"Extremely detailed presentation of what research is, the types of research, and how to do various types of research."
"Exploring Research is a howto reference aiming to guide reseachers and academics to make a good research."
"I had to purchase this textbook for SFL 290 at BYU Provo."
"Hard to skim in some areas."
"For being about a topic that really makes my head spin (statistics and research) It was actually not bad."
"Somewhat helpful in learning about evidence based research in education, as opposed to anecdotal "evidence"."
"Best, most straightforward and readable book out there of its kind I've found."
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Best Social Sciences Research

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A timely and important new book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture, from the #1 bestselling author of Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK “True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. She writes, “True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. “[Brown’s] research and work have given us a new vocabulary, a way to talk with each other about the ideas and feelings and fears we’ve all had but haven’t quite known how to articulate. “With a fresh perspective that marries research and humor, Brown offers compassion while delivering thought-provoking ideas about relationships—with others and with oneself.” — Publishers Weekly.
Reviews
"I started working toward being an Amazon Top 1000 reviewer about a year ago. And I chose it, because sad though it is, my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are the last place in this entire world where I am willing to communicate, in any capacity, with other human beings. So lonely that as I type this I feel like crying, even though I accepted this as my reality a long time ago. I struggle to call and make appointments because it requires talking to strangers, and for this reason I also can't go to the grocery store, or the gas station, or any other list of a hundred places that normal people go to have normal lives. You see, I decided five years ago that I was done with fitting in, and that I'd rather be lonely and alone, than to continue immersing myself in a world I found caustic. I saw people ripping each other down through the medium of social media because they didn't have to look that person in the face, and see how their comments hurt them. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but as the years have passed, I've cut myself so far off from humanity that it feels like I'm the only person left in my world. But I didn't know how else to express the impact this book had on me, without first talking about how much pain I've been in, and how nefarious my reasons for reading it in the first place. I expected to write an honest, clinical review discussing its contents from a dispassionate point of view. But instead, here I am, still clumsily attempting to convey my feelings in the hopes that some part of this review might encourage even one other person to read this book."
"This is the best of all of her books, as well as a prescription for being alive now, of being a citizen, a human being, a kind and caring and loving person--now--at this time in history. I read it yesterday and today in two sittings and am going back again and again to the writing, the ideas, and the inspiration to me to life more authentically and to be able to connect with others in deeper and braver ways."
"I've only listened to the first chapter of the book so far and I've been in tears three times."
"This is the book that I needed now."
"I could read and re read this author all day."
"We hate the idea that we are afraid to talk to our own children but don't want to lose our connection nor go against our deep beliefs."
"Her style is a simple, comical one - that brings simplicity to the complexity of the human condition."
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Best Library & Information Sciences

Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals
The lessons in this illuminative text are grounded in theory, but made accessible through numerous real-world examples — ready for immediate application to your next graph or presentation. Together, the lessons in this book will help you turn your data into high impact visual stories that stick with your audience. At JPMorgan Chase, she has helped improve our capabilities to explain complicated analysis to executive management and the regulators with whom we work. If you are a beginner in visualization, or if you struggle to produce good charts in your everyday job with tools like Excel, Tableau, Qlik, and the like, this is a great place to start learning the core principles ." Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic understands this and has written a straightforward, accessible guide that will help anyone who communicates with data connect more effectively with their audience. ".
Reviews
"People wanting a basic introduction to presentation graphics would be. well served by this book by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic. Knaflic's encouraging message. is that MS Excel and PowerPoint can be quite enough software for good. graphics, but you will need to go beyond the defaults and work at the. details. The subtitle flags a focus on "business professionals"; the content. tactfully implies junior people presenting with PowerPoint to. time-challenged bosses at brief meetings. Examples show how mediocre graphs can be improved by reducing clutter, killing the key, better use of color, and similar standard tricks. A splendid case study on avoiding spaghetti graphics (lots. of tangled lines) stands out, and the problem and the ideas deserved. more. What's not here includes Cleveland dot charts, histograms and box plots. even among the staples of good introductory statistics courses, let. alone (say) use of logarithmic scale, always one of the first graphical. devices for many sciences. But that. reference level could easily be some value not zero, such as parity. between men and women, or the mean of a variable, or 32 degrees. Fahrenheit to separate freezing and non-freezing temperatures. A tighter copy-editor would have signalled that. "leverage" (used as a verb about 70 times) was too much of a personal. favorite, while "de-emphasize" for "tone down", "utilize" for "use" and. "incredible" for things all too credible are among several other. repeated tics."
"A very good introductory book to the world of storytelling with data and data visualization."
"I'm halfway through the book and it has already proven to be thoroughly valuable."
"Cole presents a very clear and effective approach to building visualizations that can tell a story with minimal amount of clutter."
"I also had the honor of attending a live presentation with Cole."
"While I like to think that my visualizations are pretty good, when you are teaching people (or convincing them to change) you have to know WHY the visualization looks good and is effective."
"Recommended by a work colleague, this book does what it claims; clearly explains how and why you can create more appealing data charts."
"Great, basic concepts that any data viz, data science or analytics person should be aware of."
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Best Social Sciences Reference

National Geographic Visual Atlas of the World, 2nd Edition: Fully Revised and Updated
Updated for the first time since 2008, National Geographic's visual atlas of the world will delight and inspire history lovers, current event buffs, and cartography fans alike. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC cartographers bring a century of mapmaking experience and cutting-edge technology to bear on every atlas product.
Reviews
"Pro's: I love how in the beginning of every section they provide succinct description of the region, including most common natural disasters and other details."
"It is stunningly beautiful and thorough,but it must be noted that that it is 17 inches long (12"wide.)."
"Perfect family reference atlas."
"This World Atlas is absolutely and extraordinarily beautiful and graphic."
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Best Philanthropy & Charity

Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption
Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, adopted. thirteen children in Uganda and has established a ministry, Amazima, that feeds and sends hundreds more to school while teaching them the Word of Jesus Christ. "Kisses from Katie" is another wonderful reminder that 'big' things for the kingdom do not come from age or experience, but as an overflow of a deeper love within. "With reckless abandon, Katie Davis followed her heart to care for orphans living in extreme poverty in Uganda. "Katie Davis has the story that makes radio talk show hosts stop in their tracks and say with deep disbelief, 'No, she didn't.'. At the age of nineteen, Katie Davis left the upper-middle-class life to move to Uganda, start a nonprofit organization, and begin the adoption process for thirteen daughters who needed a mother. "I was profoundly moved, challenged, and convicted as I read "Kisses from K"atie, and I came away wanting to know Jesus the way that Katie does. This is an honest and compelling account of one young woman's journey of obedience to a Jesus who loves the whole world, especially the forgotten and the marginalized. But if you stand willing to act upon belief, here you will encounter the full heartache and joy that await any person who ventures near to God's heart through adoption and other ways of loving the orphan in distress." Her devotion to the Lord and her love for His children challenge me to give sacrificially, serve selflessly, and live out my salvation with radical abandon!"
Reviews
"The story of a young woman following her heart to serve her Lord in. a far off land."
"Amazing adventure of a young woman who falls in love with kids in Uganda."
"One of my all time favorite books!"
"Katie is an inspiring woman of courage and faith."
"A religious Sister gave it to my wife and I before leaving to Kenya to help at a girls school, and this book really inspired us!"
"As a parent of young adults who went to college and started their lives by marrying and getting decent jobs, I was asking myself, what would I have done if my child would have chosen to do what Katie did?"
"Does that mean God wants me to leave behind everything that is familiar to me to care for the poor and the orphaned on another continent? But she is confident that she is firmly in the palm of God's hand as she builds her family through adopting these daughters. It is altogether real that God wants to use us right here, right now, in our own comfort zone....or maybe just stepping out of it a little."
"Great book that demonstrates how God works and gives new passions to those who are obedient and open to what He has for them."
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Best Privacy & Surveillance in Society

Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy
Longlisted for the National Book Award | New York Times Bestseller A former Wall Street quant sounds an alarm on the mathematical models that pervade modern life and threaten to rip apart our social fabric. Most troubling, they reinforce discrimination: If a poor student can’t get a loan because a lending model deems him too risky (by virtue of his zip code), he’s then cut off from the kind of education that could pull him out of poverty, and a vicious spiral ensues. A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2016. A Boston Globe Best Book of 2016. One of Wired 's Required Reading Picks of 2016. One of Fortune 's Favorite Books of 2016. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2016. A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016. A Nature.com Best Book of 2016. An On Point Best Book of 2016 New York Times Editor's Choice. A Maclean 's Bestseller. Winner of the 2016 SLA-NY PrivCo Spotlight Award. “O’Neil’s book offers a frightening look at how algorithms are increasingly regulating people… Her knowledge of the power and risks of mathematical models, coupled with a gift for analogy, makes her one of the most valuable observers of the continuing weaponization of big data… [She] does a masterly job explaining the pervasiveness and risks of the algorithms that regulate our lives.”. — New York Times Book Review. " Weapons of Math Destruction is the Big Data story Silicon Valley proponents won't tell.... [It] pithily exposes flaws in how information is used to assess everything from creditworthiness to policing tactics.... a thought-provoking read for anyone inclined to believe that data doesn't lie.”. — Reuters. “Readable and engaging… succinct and cogent… Weapons of Math Destruction is The Jungle of our age… [It] should be required reading for all data scientists and for any organizational decision-maker convinced that a mathematical model can replace human judgment." “Indispensable… Despite the technical complexity of its subject, Weapons of Math Destruction lucidly guides readers through these complex modeling systems… O’Neil’s book is an excellent primer on the ethical and moral risks of Big Data and an algorithmically dependent world… For those curious about how Big Data can help them and their businesses, or how it has been reshaping the world around them, Weapons of Math Destruction is an essential starting place.”. — National Post. “Cathy O’Neil, a number theorist turned data scientist, delivers a simple but important message: Statistical models are everywhere, and they exert increasing power over many aspects of our daily lives… Weapons of Math Destruction provides a handy map to a few of the many areas of our lives over which invisible algorithms have gained some control. Weapons of Math Destruction should be required reading for anybody whose life will be affected by Big Data, which is to say: required reading for everyone. That’s why the catalogue of case studies in O’Neil’s book are so important; she’s telling us where to look.” —The Guardian “O’Neil is passionate about exposing the harmful effects of Big Data–driven mathematical models (what she calls WMDs), and she’s uniquely qualified for the task… [She] makes a convincing case that many mathematical models today are engineered to benefit the powerful at the expense of the powerless… [and] has written an entertaining and timely book that gives readers the tools to cut through the ideological fog obscuring the dangers of the Big Data revolution.” —In These Times. An unusually lucid and readable look at the daunting algorithms that govern so many aspects of our lives.”. — Kirkus Reviews (starred) “Even as a professional mathematician, I had no idea how insidious Big Data could be until I read Weapons of Math Destruction . O’Neil speaks from a place of authority on the subject… Unlike some other recent books on data collection, hers is not hysterical; she offers more of a chilly wake-up call as she walks readers through the ways the ‘big data’ industry has facilitated social ills such as skyrocketing college tuitions, policing based on racial profiling, and high unemployment rates in vulnerable communities… eerily prescient.”. — Publishers Weekly. — Paris Review “Through harrowing real-world examples and lively story-telling, Weapons of Math Destruction shines invaluable light on the invisible algorithms and complex mathematical models used by government and big business to undermine equality and increase private power. If you don’t want these algorithms to become your masters, read Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil to deconstruct the latest growing tyranny of an arrogant establishment.”. — Ralph Nader , author of Unsafe at Any Speed “In this fascinating account, Cathy O'Neil leverages her expertise in mathematics and her passion for social justice to poke holes in the triumphant narrative of Big Data.
Reviews
"So here you are on Amazon's web page, reading about Cathy O'Neil's new book, Weapons of Math Destruction. If clicks on or sales of related items go down, Amazon will know, and can investigate and adjust the model accordingly. Take a look at Amazon's model above: while there are calculations (simple ones) embedded, it's people who decide what data to use, how to use it, and how to measure success. Math is not a final arbiter, but a tool to express, in a scalable (i.e., computable) way, the values that people explicitly decide to emphasize. She highlights that when we evaluate teachers based on students' test scores, or assess someone's insurability as a driver based on their credit record, we are expressing opinions: that a successful teacher should boost test scores, or that responsible bill-payers are more likely to be responsible drivers. Unable to measure quality directly, the magazine built a model based on proxies, primarily outward markers of success, like selectivity and alumni giving. Predictably, college administrators, eager to boost their ratings, focused on these markers rather than on education quality itself. To take a very simple example, imagine that Cathy is about to publish a sequel to Weapons of Math Destruction. The model is pretty easy to understand and audit, which builds confidence and also decreases the likelihood that it gets used to obfuscate. This makes it easier for wealthier candidates to find jobs than poorer ones, and perpetuates a cycle of inequality. It is short -- you can read it in an afternoon -- and it doesn't have time or space for either detailed data analysis (there are no formulas or graphs) or complete histories of the models she considers. As more and more aspects of our lives fall under the purview of automated data analysis, that's a hugely important undertaking."
"I don't know if O'Neil has personally ever had to take a psychology test to get a job, worked under the Kronos scheduling system, lived in a neighborhood with increased police presence due to crime rates, been victimized by insurance rates adjusted to zip codes, and endured corporate wellness programs. Despised by the rank and file of companies that I've worked for, Kronos software contains many aspects and automates things that previously were done by people, mostly managers. Well, say you have a workplace policy that mandates chronically-late employees be written up for tardiness and eventually fired if they don't shape up. What tended to happen at multiple companies I worked for was that managers would look the other way when their buddies were tardy, and write up people they didn't like. Kronos changed that, because the system automatically generated write-ups for any employee that clocked in late too many times. Well I have been poor, or at least this country's version of it, and I have lived in very high crime areas where if you didn't shut your window at night chances were good you would hear a murder. O'Neil argues that many crimes, like drug use by affluent college students, go unpunished because the police are busy in the poorer neighborhoods. I agree, but police resources are limited and for mercy's sake they should be sent where people are being killed, not where a college student is passed out in his living room. My current neighbors many be committing as many crimes as O'Neil implies, but I'm not terrified to walk down the street, so I don't mind the lack of police presence. I just would have liked acknowledgement that wellness programs really do have benefits for some people, instead of a chapter painting them as some sort of 1984-style nightmare where we are all forced to be thin. Despite winning multiple Employee and Student of the Year awards in my life, I can't pass those tests. Here O'Neil misses an opportunity to convince owners of companies that the tests can cost them highly desirable employees. Offering real, concrete ideas of how the tests could be improved to benefit both workers and company owners would have been a harder book to write, but a much more useful one. I hovered on the edge of a four star rating for this book, until a chance conversation with a Japanese woman a couple days ago. My friend was not complaining, she thought the reforms overall a good thing, though her family had lost a lot from it."
"The book takes a look at the rise of computer-generated approaches to the flood of personal data being gathered on us daily and takes a hard look at the unintended consequences of relying on them uncritically."
"PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!"
"Bought it for one of my daughters who is majoring in accounting and she loves it!"
"Thought the concept was great but unfortunately poorly executed by the author."
"I found the information to be fascinating, and important for everyone to understand."
"Gift."
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