Task #14: A book of social science

[Book Riot]

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 14th Read Harder task.

[Kelli]

This will count for my social science book, right?

Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain

[Rachel]

So I initially interpreted this task as any book that involves social science, and I was thinking of 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, which is fiction but it is based around a psychology study. The more I started looking at people's plans, the more I realized that the intent seemed to be non-fiction. Is this prompt restricted to non-fiction only?

[Megan]

Rachel wrote: "So I initially interpreted this task as any book that involves social science, and I was thinking of 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, which is fiction but it is based ar..."

It doesn’t say “non fiction” so you do you :)

[Cara]

Would Atul Gawande’s books fall in this category? Otherwise I’m going to read something by Malcolm Gladwell!

[Teresa]

I had so many ideas for this one. I narrowed it down to either The Courtiers: Splendor and Intrigue in the Georgian Court at Kensington Palace by Lucy Worsley. I enjoy her documentaries. Or The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.

[Kelli]

But the science of reading is a social science, no?

[Rachel]

Megan wrote: "Rachel wrote: "So I initially interpreted this task as any book that involves social science, and I was thinking of 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, which is fiction but..."

Thanks, lol. That's what I thought, but when I saw everyone else picking non-fiction, I got worried.

[D.L.]

I recommend The Wave though I will be reading Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls myself :)

[Theresa]

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging. According to Google & Goodreads it qualifies so I'm going with it.

[Sarah]

Lots to choose from here, but I’m leaning towards Thinking, Fast and Slow.

[Bonnie G.]

Kelli wrote: "This will count for my social science book, right?

Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain"

I don't think that has any relation to the scientific study of human society and social relationships, but if it feels right to you....

[Bonnie G.]

Another chance to read a book that has been sitting on my shelf! Our Guys: The Glen Ridge Rape and the Secret Life of the Perfect Suburb

[Sarah]

Kelli wrote: "This will count for my social science book, right?

Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain"

I would say yes. I haven’t read it, but the content sounds like that which might be taught in psychology or linguistics classes, both of which are social sciences. Amazon classifies it as a social science book in any case.

[Janet]

I’m reading “Evicted” soon.

[Eri]

I am currently reading Evicted and it is quite informative and maddening. Really well written too.

I also really enjoyed Far From The Tree.

[Stina]

Sarah wrote: "Lots to choose from here, but I’m leaning towards Thinking, Fast and Slow."

Looks fascinating! I struggle with my slow processing speed, so maybe I should read it and see if it makes me feel less worthless.

[Samantha]

Stina wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Lots to choose from here, but I’m leaning towards Thinking, Fast and Slow."

Looks fascinating! I struggle with my slow processing speed, so maybe I should read it and..."

I'm also choosing Thinking, Fast and Slow! I've heard so much about it! I bought a copy back in the spring, but it's been sitting on my (physical) TBR shelf since then. Looks great!

[Candace]

Dataclysm: Who We Are or Modern Romance
I'm assuming the latter counts?

[Bonnie G.]

Candace wrote: "Dataclysm: Who We Are or Modern Romance
I'm assuming the latter counts?"

I would say yes. Last time people read it for "a book about technology" which I thought was way off base, but I think its a great fit for social science.

[Bonnie G.]

Janet wrote: "I’m reading “Evicted” soon."

My favorite read last year, and I don't read a lot of nonfiction. Amazing.

[mel]

Do you think From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death could be counted for this category?

[Andrea]

I'm going to finally read The Making of Home: The 500-Year Story of How Our Houses Became Our Homes

[Jenica]

I'm tempted to do The Future of Love because I was listening to a podcast (Let's Talk About It) and they read some beautiful quotes from the book. I'm also interested in picking up Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City though.

Also, do books about feminism count? Because both Bad Feminist and Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture are on my owned TBR. I feel like they should, but welcome feedback.

[Elizabeth]

Considering Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis or god is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

[Candace]

God: A Human History and Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City look good too.

[Sheri]

I am thinking of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain.

[Melissa]

I'm thinking of Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21st Century

[Rachel]

Does The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World count because it's got to do with human behavior as much as feline behavior?

If not, Technically Wrong: Sexist Apps, Biased Algorithms, and Other Threats of Toxic Tech looks like it's about to be extremely relevant given recent discoveries about ways that people can get around social media websites' regulations to only show ads to certain demographics, for example.

[Chris]

Melissa wrote: "I'm thinking of Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21st Century" I saw this in the bookstore and was enthralled, but I have so many Social Science books already that I haven't read I should hit up first.

[Am]

Jenica wrote: "Also, do books about feminism count? Because both Bad Feminist and Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture are on my owned TBR. I feel like they should, but welcome feedback."

Yes, they do!

[Maryam]

Candace wrote: "Dataclysm: Who We Are or Modern Romance
I'm assuming the latter counts?"

I'm planning to read Modern Romance for this task too. I think it fits.

[Kdmorton]

I wish I could re-read Friday Night Lights for this prompt, but I'm probably going to do Evicted or Strangers in Their Own Land (or both!). But highly recommend Friday Night Lights. Highly, highly recommend.

[Riah]

I'm going with linguistics as my social science of choice and reading Raciolinguistics: How Language Shapes Our Ideas about Race.

I also highly, highly recommend Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City for anyone considering it.

[LYNDSEY]

I'm hoping A River In Darkness will work for this! ???

[Hafsa | حفصہ]

I'm opting for The Vagina Monologues - has been on the tbr far too long! But a feminist book recommended by my sociology teacher which may work for other people for this challenge is The Second Sex by Simone De Beauvoir!

[Robin]

LYNDSEY wrote: "I'm hoping A River In Darkness will work for this! ???"

I hope so too, because that's what I'm reading!

[Kate]

Dreaming the Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and the Whole World fits, I think, because it's not so much about the band's music as its effect on society and pop culture. Bee Wilson would be a good author for this challenge too, I'm always recommending First Bite: How We Learn to Eat.

[Isabelle]

Jenica wrote: "I'm tempted to do The Future of Love because I was listening to a podcast (Let's Talk About It) and they read some beautiful quotes from the book. I'm also interested in picking up [b..."

I wanted to like this book so much (Bad feminist), and I'm not one to abandon books early, but I couldn't keep reading after 100 pages

[Anju Rachel]

Does 'The Language Instinct' count?

[JessicaJ]

A Book of American Martyrs, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, The End of White Christian America, Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right... I'm so ready for this category.

[Shannon]

Would “The Happiness Project” work?

[Sparrows]

I'm trying to read only books I have in my possession, or can obtain from the library, for this challenge. I have Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World, but can't decide if it should be considered social science. Any thoughts?

[Katie]

I'm a political science major in college so there's no way I can get through this year without reading a social science book. If I get around to it, I might read Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business because it seems relevant to our present moment.

I would 100% recommend The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness if you have not read it yet. Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age was also a good, eye-opening read.

[Betty]

Would Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America count as a social science? I'm clueless!

[Edie]

I read Evicted:Poverty and Profit in the American City last year. It's a sobering read and definitely fits this prompt. Not sure what I will read for this.

[Bonnie G.]

Tears we Cannot Stop is wonderful. I really loved the audio. I can't imagine why it wouldn't fit.

[Betty]

Bonnie wrote: "Tears we Cannot Stop is wonderful. I really loved the audio. I can't imagine why it wouldn't fit."

thanks!

[Jess]

Would All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation count? I could use that as a double for Popsugar challenge as well.

[Kari]

I'm from Canada and looking to do a Canadian read on this one, but not too sure what counts as a "social science" book...I'm thinking of Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga. Any thoughts on that?