On fire for God—a sweeping history of puritanism in England and America
Begun in the mid-sixteenth century by Protestant nonconformists keen to reform England’s church and society while saving their own souls, the puritan movement was a major catalyst in the great cultural changes that...
A lively interdisciplinary study of how venereal disease was represented in eighteenth-century British literature and art
In eighteenth-century Britain, venereal disease was everywhere and nowhere: while physicians and commentators believed the condition to be widespread, it remained shrouded in secrecy,...
An introduction to the complex relationship between African Americans and the African continent
What is an “African American” and how does this identity relate to the African continent? Rising immigration levels, globalization, and the United States’ first African American president...
An eloquent call to draw on the lessons of the past to address current threats to international order
The ancient Greeks hard?wired a tragic sensibility into their culture. By looking disaster squarely in the face, by understanding just how badly things could spiral out of control, they sought to create a...
A new theory of how and why we cooperate, drawing from economics, political theory, and philosophy to challenge the conventional wisdom of game theory
Game theory explains competitive behavior by working from the premise that people are self-interested. People don’t just compete, however; they also...
The world of fiber optic connections reaching neighborhoods, homes, and businesses will represent as great a change from what came before as the advent of electricity. The virtually unlimited amounts of data we’ll be able to send and receive through fiber optic connections will enable a degree of virtual presence that will...
A compelling set of lectures on political obligation that contributes to ongoing debates in political theory and intellectual history
This stimulating collection of lectures by the late Judith Shklar on political obligation is paired with a scholarly introduction that offers an overview of her life,...
A celebration of beer—its science, its history, and its impact on human culture
What can beer teach us about biology, history, and the natural world? From ancient Mesopotamian fermentation practices to the resurgent American craft brewery, Rob DeSalle and Ian Tattersall peruse the historical record and traverse...
Democracy has long been considered an ideal state of governance.
What if it’s not? Perhaps it is not the end goal but, rather, the
transition stage to something better. We have lent our cheer and
support and sacrificed lives for revolutions meant to place democracy
where it does not exist. But change is gradual. Revolutions...
A riveting, comprehensive history of the Arab peoples and tribes that explores the role of language as a cultural touchstone
This kaleidoscopic book covers almost 3,000 years of Arab history and shines a light on the footloose Arab peoples and tribes who conquered lands and disseminated their language and culture...
A short and entertaining introduction to thermodynamics that uses real-world examples to explain accessibly an important but subtle scientific theory
A romantic description of the second law of thermodynamics is that the universe becomes increasingly disordered. But what does that actually mean? Starting with...
A provocative essay challenging the idea of Buddhist exceptionalism, from one of the world’s most widely respected philosophers and writers on Buddhism and science
Buddhism has become a uniquely favored religion in our modern age. A burgeoning number of books extol the scientifically proven benefits...
