Nicholas Christakis

In a world where technology and education provide access to endless information, Tom Nichols' The Death of Expertise examines how this has led to a society that values amateur opinions over expert knowledge. This rejection of experts is fueled by the internet, the trend of customer satisfaction in higher education, and the transformation of news into entertainment. The result is a society where everyone thinks they know everything and any claim to the contrary is dismissed as elitist. This book is a warning about the danger of populism and technocracy, and its message is now more important than ever.

Discover the fascinating legal history of epidemics in America, from smallpox in the colonies to COVID-19. In this concise read, author John Fabian Witt delves into the ways in which infectious diseases have both shaped and been shaped by American law. Witt argues that legal responses to public health have been uneven over time, with some communities benefiting from more liberal policies while others have faced authoritarian measures. Explore how the major questions raised by past epidemics continue to impact us today, including the balance between individual liberty and the common good, the role of the federal government, and the fight against inequities.

Exposing Slavery explores how photography shaped and was shaped by conflicts over human bondage in the United States. From the introduction of photography in 1839 to the first moments of emancipation in 1865, photography powerfully influenced how bondage and freedom were documented, imagined, and contested. Drawing on an original source base that includes hundreds of unpublished and little-studied photographs of slaves, ex-slaves, free African Americans, and abolitionists, this book sheds new light on conflicts over late American slavery, while also revealing a key moment in the relationship between modern visual culture and racialized forms of power and resistance.

This revolutionary book argues that the innate goodness and cooperation of human beings has been the greatest factor in our success. Author Rutger Bregman debunks the idea that humans are inherently selfish and self-interested, instead offering a new historical perspective that shows we are evolutionarily wired for cooperation. Through little-known true stories, he shows that our instinct to trust each other has a firm evolutionary basis. The ultimate goal of Humankind is to demonstrate a new social system that reorients our thinking towards positive and high expectations of our fellow man, which will reap lasting success. Bregman presents his groundbreaking ideas in a witty and frank manner, making history, social science, and economic theory accessible to all.

This epic poem tells the tale of great warriors struggling with their own pride and the unpredictable whims of fate and the gods. Renowned scholar and translator Peter Green captures the surging thunder of the Iliad for a new generation of readers. With a personal introduction, detailed synopses, a glossary, and explanatory notes, this landmark translation is a must-read for anyone interested in Greek antiquity and the traditions of literature.

Discover the true essence of friendship with this fascinating multidisciplinary study. Synthesizing cross-cultural and ethnographic data, author Daniel J. Hruschka explores how the meaning of friendship differs worldwide, its interconnectedness with kinship and romantic relationships, and how it defies traditional evolutionary expectations by building mutual goodwill rather than tit-for-tat accounting. Engage with a diverse array of experimental data and gain a deeper understanding of this special form of reciprocal altruism.