Social Science Book Reviews

Review: The Sibold Effect by John David Miller

★★★★ The Sibold Effect

The Sibold Effect: Beyond Science, History, Ghosts, and the Appalachian Supernatural by John David Miller is a comprehensive look at supernatural activity at Clover Hollow in the Appalachian Mountains. Purchasing a property in the area, Miller discovers that the property actually belonged to his ancestors, raising questions about the nature of coincidence, destiny, and how history is shaped by forces we cannot see. A thoroughly-researched and intriguing look into the paranormal and how it affects people both personally and historically.

John David Miller is an expertly detailed writer with an engaging voice. His interests in the region are varied […]

Overcoming the Lie of “Race” by John L. Hodge

Overcoming the Lie of “Race” by John L. HodgeOvercoming the Lie of “Race”: A Personal, Philosophical and Political Perspective, by John L. Hodge, is a treatise from every angle on the supposition that race doesn’t exist. It’s a thorough, well-researched look into this oft-times controversial topic, injected with Hodge’s evocative personal tales in his own life being defined by race, as well as his family. Because of Hodge’s sincerity and passion for the subject, the book is well-argued and persuasive.

Hodge’s book is a good introduction for those who may not be familiar with all the angles of this debate. The fact that some people have darker […]

2016-03-04T09:52:14+02:00March 4th, 2016|Categories: New Releases|Tags: , |

Review: Human Behavior in Extreme Situations by Robert H. Koff & Kathryn Hanna

★★★½ Human Behavior in Extreme Situations

Human Behavior in Extreme Situations by Robert H. Koff and Kathryn R. Hanna is a book that unfortunately needed to be written, given that school shootings have become the “new normal.” Investigating a number of tragic events throughout history, Koff and Hanna examine what we can learn from them in order to be better prepared when a similar events happen in the future.

Koff and Hanna make clear at the outset that this book isn’t about preventative methods. They don’t delve into the gun control/mental health debate. They reference the head of the NRA saying “We need to be […]

Review: Embracing the Wild in Your Dog by Bryan Bailey

★★★★½ Embracing the Wild in Your Dog by Bryan Bailey

Embracing the Wild in Your Dog by Bryan Bailey teaches the important and eye-opening lesson that dogs are, and will always be, part wolf. Though owners may anthropomorphize dogs and see them like little humans, they have inherent wild instincts at the core, and this knowledge will enhance every dog owner’s relationship with their dog, as well as how they approach training.

What makes Embracing the Wild such an engaging book is that it’s not only a book for dog owners. I’m not currently a dog owner myself, and the book is a fascinating look into dogs’ true nature, […]

Review: Studying Evolved by John Duckworth ★★★★★

Studying Evolved by John DuckworthJohn Duckworth brings his authorship to a new guide for studying, with a vengeance. Duckworth targets typical errors and easy “hacks” in studying methods not employed by the majority of exam-takers in an easy-to-digest guide for anyone else in the world who finds themselves using textbooks for self-percussive therapy over actual study in Studying Evolved: One peculiar British gentleman’s guide to accelerated learning as an adult student – the straight A habits, study skills and memory hacks you need to master any subject.

The first point to make about the book is perhaps unexpected: it’s hilarious. I don’t use […]

Review: How To Go From Couch Potato To English Teacher To Chinese Speaking Lawyer by Hastings Cavendish

★★★½ chineselegal

How To Go From Couch Potato To English Teacher To Chinese Speaking Lawyer is Hastings Cavendish’s tale of teaching English to Chinese people in the UK, and trying to learn to speak the demanding language of Mandarin. It’s at once an ode to the beauty of the Chinese language, food, and an exploration of the hardships and rewards of being an international English teacher.

Cavendish is a fun travel guide. He clearly loves language – learning it and teaching it. As he says, even boring small talk becomes interesting when you’re speaking another language. Cavendish immerses himself in all […]

2020-02-21T07:51:39+02:00August 28th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Review: A Crash Course In American Law by J. Ryan Jones ★★★★★

A Crash Course in American LawI was laughing—I mean snorting tea out through my nose and onto my Kindle screen laughing—before I even got to the first page. Please don’t let the title turn you off this book. Listen to the subtitle instead. This is not a dry law textbook; it’s not even a juicy law textbook. But still you will learn a lot about law in the most entertaining way. In each chapter of this delightful little book, author J.Ryan Jones discusses one legal case—everything from personal injury cases to criminal cases to employment discrimination cases — to, well, some even weirder things.

Many […]

2019-01-22T15:46:31+02:00May 27th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: The Bleaklisted Books by David M Brown & Donna Brown

Bleaklisted BooksThe Bleaklisted Books is a sarcastic and original book that tells how one cat really feels about literary masterpieces.

Charlie, the cat, decides to become a book critic to determine which books should be bleaklisted. What does bleaklisted mean? According to the introduction, “Bleaklisting is simply an offshoot of the well-known word ‘blacklisting.’” Charlie, who thinks he’s as powerful as Napoleon Bonaparte, doesn’t really like books and he really dislikes books that don’t feature him. Nevertheless, he reads many of the “great” books and renders his verdict. This volume includes twenty-five books that Charlie has decided should be bleaklisted. David […]

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