Social Science - Customs & Traditions

Only the scathing wit and searching intelligence of Jessica Mitford could turn an exposé of the American funeral industry into a book that is at once deadly serious and side-splittingly funny. When first published in 1963, this landmark of investigative journalism became a runaway...

Second edition of this bestselling book on creating robust, thriving, positive communities using seven ancient principles any organization can follow. Now with 25% new content, including a chapter on building virtual communities. Healthy communities strive for their members to support one another, share their...

The original 1906 edition of The Book of Tea is one of the classic texts found on the desks of artists, poets, teaists and Zen Buddhists around the world. The book has been re-designed and expanded for a contemporary audience.You will discover the fascinating...

Now available in a gorgeous hardcover slipcase edition, this "object d'art" will be sure to add grace and elegance to tea shelves, coffee tables and bookshelves. A keepsake enjoyed by tea lovers for over a hundred years, The Book of Tea Classic Edition will...

In this landmark work, René Guénon offers a penetrating diagnosis of the spiritual and intellectual disintegration at the heart of modern Western civilization. The Crisis of the Modern World traces the roots of contemporary chaos to a fundamental rupture with traditional metaphysical principles, replaced...

"Smart, witty and packed with surprising facts about life in the Nordics, The Danish Secret to Happy Kids is a foolproof roadmap to raising kids the Viking way. If you enjoy Helen Russell's signature self-deprecating sense of humor and captivating storytelling, you're in for...

A revealing exploration of traditional healing practices, by a renowned shaman and scholar Bridging ancestral wisdom from West Africa with the challenges of modern life in the West, this acclaimed book offers a wealth of insights into indigenous knowledge and how it speaks to...

Since its release in 1949, The Hero with a Thousand Faces has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Joseph Campbell's revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. In these pages, Campbell outlines the Hero's Journey, a universal motif of adventure...

Revealing a world of secret messages contained within a single petal. Floriography - the language of flowers - is the ancient art of encoding hidden messages in the type, colour and arrangement of plants, allowing individuals to express emotions and sentiments that they may...

Fall captive to the code--the real-life buccaneer bylaws that shaped every aspect of a pirate's life. Pirates have long captured our imaginations with images of cutlass-wielding swashbucklers, eye patches, and buried treasure. But what was life really like on a pirate ship? Piracy was...

The Tea Book helps you explore the blends, tastings, and ceremonies from around the world and create your own delicious tea traditions. Where does tea come from? In The Tea Book learn where in the world tea is cultivated and how to drink each...

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!China has concentration camps now. Why do Westerners claim our sins are unique?It is now in vogue to celebrate non-Western cultures and disparage Western ones. Some of this is a much-needed reckoning, but much of it fatally undermines the...

Learn to identify--and combat--Systemic Shame, the feeling of self-hatred and disempowerment that comes from living in a society that blames individuals for systemic problems, with this invaluable resource from the social psychologist and author of Unmasking Autism. "Stop doomscrolling and read this book. You'll...

Updated, with new research and over 100 revisions Ten years later, they're still talking about the weather! Kate Fox, the social anthropologist who put the quirks and hidden conditions of the English under a microscope, is back with more biting insights about the nature...

"I am here. You will never be alone. We are dancing for you." So begins Cutcha Risling Baldy's deeply personal account of the revitalization of the women's coming-of-age ceremony for the Hoopa Valley Tribe. At the end of the twentieth century, the tribe's Flower...

"This powerful and riveting tale of one close-knit, proud Korean family movingly addresses life-and-death issues of courage and collaboration, injustice, and death-defying determination in the face of totalitarian oppression." (Kirkus starred review)Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul, live in Korea with their parents. Because...

Is traditional American religion doomed? Traditional religion in the United States has suffered huge losses in recent decades. The number of Americans identifying as "not religious" has increased remarkably. Religious affiliation, service attendance, and belief in God have declined. More and more people claim...

A comprehensive history of women in Japanese religious traditions Scholars have widely acknowledged the persistent ambivalence with which the Japanese religious traditions treat women. Much existing scholarship depicts Japan's religious traditions as mere means of oppression. But this view raises a question: How have...

A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR - A sweeping and captivatingly told history of clothing and the stuff it is made of--an unparalleled deep-dive into how everyday garments have transformed our lives, our societies, and our planet. "We learn that, if we...