Social sciences

The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Talibans backyard Anyone who despairs of the individuals power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistans treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain

“A rigorous, in-depth guide to the history, philosophy, and scientific exploration of this widespread emotional state . . . [LeDoux] offers a magisterial review of the role of mind and brain in the generation of unconscious defense responses and consciously expressed anxiety. . . . [His] charming personal asides give an impression of having a conversation with a world expert.” —Nature 

“One of the most important books of our modern era” –Amb. Jaime de Bourbon For anyone struggling with conflict, this book can transform you. Negotiating the Nonnegotiable takes you on a journey into the heart and soul of conflict, providing unique insight into the emotional undercurrents that too often sweep us out to sea. With vivid stories of his closed-door sessions with warring politica

What does it mean to devote yourself wholly to helping others? In Strangers Drowning, Larissa MacFarquhar seeks out people living lives of extreme ethical commitment and tells their deeply intimate stories; their stubborn integrity and their compromises; their bravery and their recklessness; their joys and defeats and wrenching dilemmas. A couple adopts two children in distress. But then they

It s a startling and disconcerting read that should make you think twice every time a friend of a friend offers you the opportunity of a lifetime. Erik Larson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dead Wake and bestselling author of Devil in the White City Think you can t get conned? Think again. The New York Times bestselling author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes explains how

New York Times bestseller  • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize  • One of the Washington Post's 10 Best Books of the Year “It´s no exaggeration to say that Behave is one of the best nonfiction books I´ve ever read.” —David P. Barash, The Wall Street Journal "It has my vote for science book of the year.” —Parul Sehgal, The New York Times "Immense

A revolutionary and timely reconsideration of everything we know about power. Celebrated UC Berkeley psychologist Dr. Dacher Keltner argues that compassion and selflessness enable us to have the most influence over others and the result is power as a force for good in the world. Power is ubiquitous but totally misunderstood. Turning conventional wisdom on its head, Dr. Dacher Keltner presents the

This hands-on user´s guide to the groundbreaking Wheel of Awareness meditation practice featured in the New York Times bestseller Aware takes readers step-by-step through a twenty-one-day journey to discover what it means to be truly present and aware in our daily lives. In today´s increasingly fast-paced world it can be difficult to find moments to catch your breath, regain inner balance, an

Named a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post and NPR “We come to see in FDR the magisterial, central figure in the greatest and richest political tapestry of our nation´s entire history” —Nigel Hamilton, Boston Globe “Meticulously researched and authoritative” —Douglas Brinkley, The Washington Post “A workmanlike addition to the literature on Roosevelt.”&

This book is grounded in cutting-edge research, and its message is conveyed through compelling, real-life examples.

Drawn from the work of StoryCorps, the largest and most ambitious oral history project in American history, this tapestry--as heard on NPR--shares hard-won wisdom and boundless humanity ("Seattle Post-Intelligencer").

New York Times"-bestselling author Pinker marries two of the subjects he knows best: language and human nature. The result is a fascinating look at how words explain human nature.

The New York Times bestselling memoir of pilgrimage and self-discovery by Sue Monk Kidd, the author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Book of Longings, and her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor Sue Monk Kidd has touched the hearts of millions of readers with her beloved novels and acclaimed nonfiction. Now, in this wise and engrossing dual memoir, she and her daughter, Ann, chr

"Brings together the cognitive, the cultural, and the neurological in an elegant, compelling narrative. A revelatory work."--Oliver Sacks, M.D. The act of reading is so easily taken for granted that we forget what an astounding feat it is. How can a few black marks on white paper evoke an entire universe of meanings? It's even more amazing when we consider that we read using a primate brain tha

A New York Times Bestseller, with an updated explanation of the 2010 Health Reform Bill "Important and powerful . . . a rich tour of health care around the world." —Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times Bringing to bear his talent for explaining complex issues in a clear, engaging way, New York Times bestselling author T. R. Reid visits industrialized democracies

Q. Why are there almost as many jokes about death as there are about sex?  A. Because they both scare the pants off us. Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein first made a name for themselves with the outrageously funny New York Times bestseller Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar.... Now they turn their attention to the Big "D" and share the timeless wisdom of the great philosophers, theol

Visionary game designer McGonigal reveals how we can harness the power of games to solve real-world problems and boost global happiness.

Ghaemi, who runs the Mood Disorders Program at Tufts University Medical Center, draws from the careers such notable leaders as Lincoln, Churchill, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., JFK, and others to build an argument at once controversial and compelling.

An instant bestseller that is poised to become a classic, "Moonwalking with Einstein" recounts Foer's yearlong quest to improve his memory under the tutelage of top "mental athletes." He draws on cutting-edge research, a surprising cultural history of remembering, and venerable tricks of the mentalist's trade to transform our understanding of human memory.

Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think this is the most violent age ever seen. Yet as bestselling author Pinker shows in this startling and engaging new work, just the opposite is true: violence has been diminishing for millennia and this may be the most peaceful time in mankind's existence.