Geoffrey Miller

This captivating exploration delves into one of our world's most underappreciated forces: shame. The author, Jon Ronson, has traveled the world meeting people who have been publicly shamed, often because of a small mistake or joke gone wrong on social media. Ronson examines the terrifying power of collective outrage and the escalating war on human flaws, and raises important questions about justice, democracy, and social control. A powerful and honest book that exposes the very scary part we all play in this cultural phenomenon.

Discover the captivating history of American architecture in the twentieth century through this witty and thought-provoking book. Join the author as he humorously exposes the fallacies of both modern and postmodern architecture, debunking their European and American founders.

Explore the fascinating connection between religion and human psychology through The Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology and Religion. Renowned experts delve into psychological mechanisms, functionality, and group living as they relate to religion, providing an extensive and authoritative review of this field of research. Perfect for anyone interested in understanding the factors that shape human belief and behavior.

This groundbreaking book exposes the ways in which businesses manipulate consumers into wasteful consumerism. Vance Packard's 1960 work, The Waste Makers, explores the harmful effects of disposable consumer goods on American society's financial, environmental, and spiritual health. From the development of consumption for consumption's sake to the planned obsolescence of products, Packard reveals the tactics advertisers and manufacturers use to persuade consumers to buy unnecessary items. This new edition includes an introduction by bestselling author Bill McKibben, making this prescient book more relevant than ever.

Uncover the untold revolution that shook American business during the 1960s with this fascinating and revealing study by Thomas Frank. Discover how the counterculture was joined by unlikely allies such as the advertising industry and men's clothing business. Frank makes an ironclad case for how the advertising industry turned revolution into a rallying cry to buy more stuff before the actual counterculture even emerged. With his unique perspective, Frank helps readers understand why Americans have increasingly confused gentility with conformity, irony with protest, and an extended middle finger with a populist manifesto. This analysis of advertising in the era is an invaluable argument for anyone who has ever scoffed at hand-me-down counterculture from the '60s.

Follow an English professor as he trains in MMA to explore the science and history of violence. In "The Professor in the Cage," Jonathan Gottschall seeks to answer the question of why men fight and why people enjoy watching, all while pushing his limits for an all-out cage fight. Through his journey, Gottschall delves into the human obsession with violence, from the monkey dance of childhood roughhousing to the ritualistic violence of duels and sports. Along the way, he discovers that violence may not be pretty, but it serves a crucial role in maintaining order and minimizing social disorder.

This controversial landmark book argues that traditional notions of freedom and dignity must be revised in order to effectively solve modern societal problems. Basing his arguments on extensive research into behavior, Skinner proposes we focus on changing the physical and social environments in which people live in order to achieve our ideal of freedom and dignity. This thought-provoking work challenges us to reexamine our assumptions and consider a radically behaviorist approach to solving human problems.

Experience the thrilling end of the Gzilt civilization in this New York Times bestselling novel. The Gzilt have decided to elevate themselves to a new existence, but amidst preparations, their High Command is destroyed and Lieutenant Commander Vyr Cossont is wanted dead. With the help of an android and a Culture avatar, Cossont must find the oldest person in the Culture to uncover the truth. Will the Gzilt survive their final days? Find out in this action-packed novel.

Explore the concept of the extended phenotype in this influential work by a renowned biologist. Discover how genes go beyond physical traits to influence the wider environment, including other organisms. This book offers a deep dive into evolutionary biology and makes important reading for biologists and students, but is accessible to all who are willing to put in the effort.