The complex and challenging role of the policeman in society is given a rigorous treatment by author William K. Muir. The book serves multiple purposes at once – it is part sociological research, part collection of interesting anecdotes and part informed commentary. The author excels in meeting each of these three objectives with élan. One…
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The Kon-Tiki Expedition (Book): Summary & Review
Adventure sailor Thor Heyerdahl’s audacious attempt to voyage across the Pacific using a rudimentary raft is a great human achievement. The book in question chronicles his jaw-dropping journey from Peru to the Polynesian islands on the hand-made balsa wood raft with only natural accessories at disposal. The stupendous success of the book is as much…
Protestantism and Capitalism
When we study the roots of Protestantism, we find that it the product of the dialectic between liberal values and conservatism. At the heart of this great theological confrontation was a political debate. When Martin Luther posted his famous 99 theses on the doorsteps of the Catholic Church, his was an act of rebellion against…
Historicity and Origins of Abraham
Abraham is undoubtedly one of the most important Biblical characters. His relevance in terms of shaping Christian thought has been significant. Beyond Christianity, Abraham finds a crucial role in two other monotheistic religions of Islam and Judaism. Notwithstanding his importance to monotheistic traditions, Abraham’s exact history and origins remains obscure. The fact that Abraham’s life…
Hysterical Men by Mark Micale
1. What is the most remarkable feature of Mark Micale’s work that makes it a valuable supplementation to existing literature on the subject? The most notable feature of the book is its thesis, namely, an affirmation of the concept of Male Hysteria. The short and provocative title of the book is a grand statement in…
Stop Making Sense (Talking Heads – 1984): Review
The 88 minute long rock concert video Stop Making Sense is a path breaking work of the genre. It superbly combines the spontaneity and energy of a live concert with the thoughtful orchestration of a recorded event. The concert movie is both visually and aurally satisfactory. An operative keyword that defines the entire video is…
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: Summary & Discussion
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman is one of the modern classics in the medical anthropology genre. Tracing the immigration and the challenges of assimilation of a Hmong family into the USA, the book is admirable on many counts. Firstly, for medical professionals, it offers valuable insights into the symptoms,…
How did Muslims hide their religions in the slave trade in the Americas?
1. In what ways were enslaved Muslims able to continue practicing their religion, culture and customs upon arriving in the Americas? What practices continued, and how were they able to live their religious lives in the face of extremely difficult circumstances? One of the remarkable features of enslaved Muslims in the Americas is their high…
Rewriting the Soul by Ian Hacking
1. In which way is memory related to the formation of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD)? According to author Ian Hacking, memory plays a pivotal role in the creation of our personality or our idea of ‘self’. We are just the compounding of our ‘collected describable memories’. The word ‘describable’ is the key here, for it…
Construction of the First New York Subway (1904)
The first New York subway is a monumental public works project. Its appeal and achievement may not be apparent for a contemporary reader who takes local trains for granted. But in 1904 when the project was unveiled, it was a pioneering engineering effort with great public utility. At a time when the idea of public…