Books Archives

The Sociological Imagination by C. Wright Mills

What is “sociological imagination”? Is it a better approach to social science? How does it protect human freedom? In The Sociological Imagination, professor and sociologist C. Wright Mills explains what kind of social science—that is, science that studies human society and its institutions—contributes to a free and open society. He argues that, to protect freedom, social scientists must develop a “sociological imagination”: the ability to understand the relationship between a society and the individuals living in it. Additionally, Mills critiques other contemporary approaches to social science and how they fail to protect—and in some cases, actively threaten—free society. Here’s our

Getting the Love You Want: Quotes With Explanations

What are the most important quotes from Getting the Love You Want? How can these quotes help you heal your childhood wounds? According to Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt, you can engage your conscious mind to take control of your relationship. You can do this by becoming aware of the subconscious needs that drive what you expect from your significant others. Read below for insightful Getting the Love You Want quotes with explanations.

Invisible Women Quotes by Caroline Criado Perez

What are the most memorable Invisible Women quotes? What are the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In Invisible Women, feminist campaigner Caroline Criado Perez argues that most humans operate under a male-as-default mindset, which causes a gender data gap. When there is no data about women, people (especially men) assume that the experience of the average man represents the experience of the average woman. Below is a selection of quotes from Invisible Women with explanations.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan: Book Overview

What is Carl Sagan’s book Cosmos about? What’s out there in the vast reaches of space? Are we alone in the universe? Renowned astronomer Carl Sagan offers some insight into these questions and many more in his widely acclaimed book, Cosmos. In this book, he provides a comprehensive description of the science, philosophy, and history of astronomical discovery, from ancient Ionia to the time of the book’s publication in 1980. Here’s a brief overview of Cosmos.

Diotima’s Ladder of Love: From Lust to Beauty

What is the “Ladder of Love” in Plato’s Symposium? What are the six steps of Diotima’s Ladder? What kind of love does each step represent? Diotima’s Ladder of Love is a metaphor for different types of love that originated in Plato’s Symposium. It conceptualizes love in terms of progressive stages or steps: The higher the steps, the higher and the more sophisticated one’s love is. Keep reading to learn about Diotima’s Ladder of Love.

Plato on Love: Symposium Overview

What is love? How does love connect to philosophy? How can it lead to human happiness? The ancient Greek philosopher Plato addresses these questions and more in his Symposium, a work which claims that passionate desire, rather than cold and detached analysis, drives philosophy. Symposium also provides insight into Plato’s views on happiness, education, and reproduction. Below is a brief overview of Plato’s Symposium on love.

The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch: Overview

What is David Deutsch’s book The Beginning of Infinity about? What are the main takeaways of the book? In The Beginning of Infinity, David Deutsch makes a counterargument to the belief that there is a finite amount of knowledge in the universe. Deutsch rejects the idea that humanity will someday know everything there is to know. Read below for a brief overview of The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch.

The Gap and the Gain: Overview & Key Takeaways

What does “the gap and the gain” mean? What’s the difference between these two ways of measuring progress and success? You might need to make one simple shift in your thinking. That’s the core idea of The Gap and the Gain that was developed by entrepreneurial coach Dan Sullivan. In the book, organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy connects Sullivan’s ideas to scientific concepts that help explain why we tend to focus on the future and how we can train ourselves to focus on the past instead. Hardy and Sullivan argue that making this change can drastically improve your quality of life.

Endurance by Alfred Lansing: Overview and Takeaways

What is Endurance by Alfred Lansing about? What should you take away from the book? Endurance tells the story of British explorer Ernest Shackleton and his 27 men who in 1914 set out to cross Antarctica on foot. But their ship became trapped between massive ice floes, forcing them to begin an 11-month journey through ice and open ocean. Keep reading for a brief overview of Alfred Lansing’s Endurance.

Find Your Why: Examples From the Book (Simon Sinek)

What are the best examples from Find Your Why? How does Simon Sinek explain discovering your purpose? In this article, we’ll break down Sinek’s book Find Your Why by taking a closer look at the book’s best examples for understanding and living your purpose. These Find Your Why examples explain the practical process Sinek advocates for finding your purpose. Read on for an overview of the best Find Your Why examples Simon Sinek gives for discovering and living your purpose.