A leading neuroscientist and pioneer in the study of mindfulness explains why addictions are so tenacious and how we can learn to conquer them
We are all vulnerable to addiction. Whether it’s a compulsion to constantly check social media, binge eating, smoking, excessive drinking, or any other behaviors, we may...
An authoritative guide to the most significant artists, schools, and styles of street art and graffiti around the world
Painted murals first appeared in Latin America in the early 20th century; in the 1950s, spray-can graffiti associated with Latino gangs followed, notably the “cholo” graffiti of Los...
A provocative essay challenging the idea of Buddhist exceptionalism, from one of the world’s most widely respected philosophers and writers on Buddhism and science
Buddhism has become a uniquely favored religion in our modern age. A burgeoning number of books extol the scientifically proven benefits...
A lively interdisciplinary study of how venereal disease was represented in eighteenth-century British literature and art
In eighteenth-century Britain, venereal disease was everywhere and nowhere: while physicians and commentators believed the condition to be widespread, it remained shrouded in secrecy,...
An introduction to the complex relationship between African Americans and the African continent
What is an “African American” and how does this identity relate to the African continent? Rising immigration levels, globalization, and the United States’ first African American president...
An eloquent call to draw on the lessons of the past to address current threats to international order
The ancient Greeks hard?wired a tragic sensibility into their culture. By looking disaster squarely in the face, by understanding just how badly things could spiral out of control, they sought to create a...
A new theory of how and why we cooperate, drawing from economics, political theory, and philosophy to challenge the conventional wisdom of game theory
Game theory explains competitive behavior by working from the premise that people are self-interested. People don’t just compete, however; they also...
The world of fiber optic connections reaching neighborhoods, homes, and businesses will represent as great a change from what came before as the advent of electricity. The virtually unlimited amounts of data we’ll be able to send and receive through fiber optic connections will enable a degree of virtual presence that will...
A compelling set of lectures on political obligation that contributes to ongoing debates in political theory and intellectual history
This stimulating collection of lectures by the late Judith Shklar on political obligation is paired with a scholarly introduction that offers an overview of her life,...
On fire for God—a sweeping history of puritanism in England and America
Begun in the mid-sixteenth century by Protestant nonconformists keen to reform England’s church and society while saving their own souls, the puritan movement was a major catalyst in the great cultural changes that...
A richly illustrated full?color guide to the unique plants, wildlife, and environments of Cape Cod and the other nearby “Outer Lands” that face the Atlantic Ocean
This essential guidebook presents the most abundantly illustrated and fascinating account of the natural history of Cape Cod,...
A compelling argument about the importance of using more than one language in today’s world
In a world that has English as its global language and rapidly advancing translation technology, it’s easy to assume that the need to use more than one language will diminish—but Marek Kohn argues...
