How the World Works
Popular Titles from Our Social Science Bookshelf
Explore the ways that economics, politics, and social trends affect how we live, work, eat, and think. The books in this collection will give you a glimpse into the inner workings of human societies — and our accompanying vocabulary lists will give you the tools you need to get the most out of these thought-provoking reads.
FreakonomicsA Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of EverythingWhat are the surprising, hidden, and even freakish forces that shape society? In this book, an economist and a journalist team up to explore small truths that have a big impact on the way we live.
Guns, Germs, and SteelThe Fates of Human SocietiesIn this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Jared Diamond explores how geographical, biological, and environmental factors shaped the development of human societies.
The World Is FlatNew York Times columnist Thomas Friedman explores the complexities of globalization in the twenty-first century.
Nickel and DimedOn (Not) Getting By in AmericaIn this exposé, the journalist goes undercover to learn about the struggles of low-wage workers in the United States.
Class MattersThis collection of essays offers glimpses into the lives of people across America to explore the effects of social class.
The Tipping PointHow does a small idea become a global craze? In this work of nonfiction, Malcolm Gladwell analyzes how trends are set in motion.
Sugar Changed the WorldA Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and ScienceIn this nonfiction account, Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos trace the not-so-sweet history of sugar and its role in the slave trade.
Fast Food NationThe Dark Side Of The All-American MealIn this exposé, award-winning journalist Eric Schlosser explores the effects of the American fast food industry on global health, labor conditions, and the environment.
Big ScienceErnest Lawrence and the Invention that Launched the Military-Industrial ComplexIn the late 1920s, physicist Ernest Lawrence invented the cyclotron and ushered in a new era of industrial-scale scientific research.
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