Not the whole story, but the psychology discussed here could aid many in evaluating their places in the world.
This hefty debut explores an all-embracing theory of evolutionary psychology.
For their first book, Bajramovic and LeMay attempt to forge a theory of social psychology, evolutionary biology, spirituality, politics—in general, all the activities of the human race. This sounds ambitious—and the scope of their explanation certainly is—but the theory Bajramovic and LeMay expound is (once it’s parsed out) surprisingly basic, focusing on the interplay of three Primal Mindsets: fighting, appeasing, and defeated—three factors Bajramovic derived from his work on victimization. The pair believes that these states—in addition to the Primal Games they engender, the “Integrating Self Function,” and the four “force factors” (i.e., recognizing needs and the possibility of fulfilling them)—have sufficient explanatory power to cover the whole spectrum of human behavior. Bajramovic and LeMay recognize that, of course, human behavior is complicated; yet they describe systems emergent from these simple factors, including the development of life on Earth and major historical moments. To prove the primacy of these mindsets, the authors use a range of sources, mining neuroscience and psychology on brain function and finding examples of the three Primal Mindsets in history and pop culture. Some of this data rests on shaky foundations—the brain is mysterious even to top-tier neuroscientists—but the authors, gripped by their theory, are capable of seeing it wherever they look, so that no loose strand compromises the whole. Ultimately, their purpose is in self-help: “Understanding the process can help us more fully ‘humanize’ our environments. It can help transform how we operate our institutions, how we educate children. It can help us conduct politics and the affairs of business in a more humane fashion. If nothing else, it can help an on-going evolution of our consciousness by opening doors to ourselves.” Though this theory involves some reduction of higher-level cognitive processes—for instance, it’s hard to imagine where the pursuit of aesthetic pleasure fits in—Bajramovic and LeMay present an extensive, if occasionally jumbled, case for the pervasiveness of victimization in social and personal spheres and how we might harness and refocus that energy for good.
Not the whole story, but the psychology discussed here could aid many in evaluating their places in the world.Pub Date: Feb. 15, 2015
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Parzival Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 4, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorkerstaff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
