Social Science Book Reviews

A comprehensive analysis of democracy and its ideals since inception doesn’t immediately sound like a riveting read, but The DNA of Democracy by Richard C. Lyons is like no other history, work of anthropology, or political science book you’ve read before. With an informal voice and the ability to never take the subject too seriously, Lyons presents an impressive and insightful look at the trials and tribulations of human societies as we’ve attempted to find purpose and make peace.

The scale and scope of this book are initially daunting, but Lyons lays out an intuitive framework and explains the angle […]

The big picture that we’re taught in school is rarely the completely accurate picture, and curiosity can bring you down some fascinating and unforgettable rabbit holes. In Serendipity: Seemingly Random Events, Insignificant Decisions, and Accidental Discoveries that Altered History by Thomas J. Thorson, readers are welcomed into a long and disparate list of historical tales that exemplify the uncertainty of life, and the unbelievable ways that luck has influenced our common existence.

The book is a series of stories about well-known historical events and figures, but these are stories that few have ever heard before. Did you know that Handel, […]