Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit

BROWSE BOOK REVIEWS




Social Sciences Book Reviews Available Now (page 3)


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Cover art for THE JET SEX
NONFICTION
Released: April 1, 2013

"At a time when women weren't supposed to want to travel beyond their fenced yards, stewardesses set their sights on the sky; this book lovingly salutes them."
A historian chronicles the stewardess' trajectory from friendly nurse to sultry sex symbol during the "golden age" of flying, 1945–1970. Read full book review >
Cover art for ON THE MUSLIM QUESTION
NONFICTION
Released: March 28, 2013

"Is there a clash of civilizations, as Samuel Huntington maintained, between the Muslim world and the West? Norton's response will be of interest to students of geopolitics and Islamic studies."
What to do about the Muslims? It's a question, writes Norton (Political Science/Univ. of Pennsylvania; Leo Strauss and the Politics of American Empire, 2004, etc.), that non-Muslims have been asking, and the answers have been few. Read full book review >
Cover art for AMERICAN STORY
NONFICTION
Released: March 26, 2013

"Many of the characters require more than the three or four pages Dotson allots them to make any lasting impression, but the sheer multitude of tales underscores his argument about an America chock-full of unassuming people whose lives enrich the nation."
The longtime Today Show correspondent offers a collection of heartwarming stories about ordinary citizens, "people who live the values our country cherishes." Read full book review >
Cover art for THE SECRET LIFE OF A SUBMISSIVE
NONFICTION
Released: March 26, 2013
by Sarah K

"A titillating story for the Fifty Shades set that plumbs the complex, intimate head space of the sexually submissive."
A British woman's epiphanic transformation from bored divorcee to kinky, sensual slave. Read full book review >
Cover art for DECISIVE
NONFICTION
Released: March 26, 2013

"Readers approaching this book because they have a pressing decision may be annoyed by the Heaths' lumbering pace, but for those who want to improve decision-making overall, the workshop style of the narrative should prove helpful."
A manual on how to become more rational when facing difficult decisions at work and in your personal life. Read full book review >
Cover art for DRUNK TANK PINK
NONFICTION
Released: March 21, 2013

"While the eye-catching title may suggest a hot new shade of lipstick, the contents are solid, down-to-earth insights into why we think, feel and act the way we do."
A brisk survey of how human emotions, thoughts and behaviors are shaped by such seemingly small factors as colors as well as such major ones as culture and weather. Read full book review >
Cover art for PICKING UP
NONFICTION
Released: March 19, 2013

"Sure to garner newfound respect for an essential yet greatly underappreciated workforce."
A deserving profile of the hardworking folks who work a particularly dirty job. Read full book review >
Cover art for GHOSTS OF JIM CROW
NONFICTION
Released: March 18, 2013

"A book worthy of a wide audience and wide discussion."
A vision of enhancing racial equality--or simply lessening racial inequality--in America. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE RULE OF THE CLAN
NONFICTION
Released: March 12, 2013

"A highly revealing study with global implications."
A compelling argument about the indispensable function of the modern liberal state as a bulwark for individual freedom against traditional kinship-based clan forms of social organization. Read full book review >
Cover art for SEX AND THE CITADEL
NONFICTION
Released: March 12, 2013

"A surprisingly open, extremely timely examination of the sexual coming-of-age for Egyptian youth."
A daring new study finds the newly liberated Egyptians poised to demand more sexual freedom in the face of religious fundamentalism. Read full book review >
Cover art for WHEN SOMEONE DIES
NONFICTION
Released: March 12, 2013

"A book of clear, practical advice."
A how-to-guide on navigating the legal intricacies of dying. Read full book review >
Cover art for LEAN IN
NONFICTION
Released: March 12, 2013

"A compelling case for reforms that support family values in the continuing "march toward true equality.""
Facebook COO Sandberg (ranked fifth in Forbes' 2011 list of the most powerful women in the world) reveals how gender discrimination still operates against her and other less-fortunate women. Read full book review >