Modern Culture

Utilizing the linguistic insights of her “witty and brilliant” (Blyth Roberson, author of America the Beautiful?) first book Wordslut and the sociological explorations of her breakout hit Cultish, Amanda Montell now turns her erudite eye to the inner workings of the human mind and its biases in her most personal and electrifying work yet.

Why are you so tired—even after a full night’s sleep? Why does life feel like an endless to-do list, even when you're technically “free”? This incisive and darkly insightful book uncovers the root cause behind modern exhaustion: a culture that masks coercion as choice and self-worth as productivity. Why You're Exhausted dismantles the illusions of motivation culture, toxic positivity, and relentless self-optimization. Drawing from philosophy, social psychology, and cultural critique, it reveals how we've become both boss and worker in our own lives—chained not by others, but by ...

This 50th anniversary edition of Men, Machines, and Modern Times, though ultimately concerned with a positive alternative to an Orwellian 1984, offers an entertaining series of historical accounts taken from the 19th century to highlight a main theme: the nature of technological change, the fission brought about in society by such change, and society's reaction to that change.

For too long, Christians have been told that faith is a personal matter—something to be kept inside the walls of the church. But what if Christianity was never meant to be boxed in? What if it was designed to shape everything—politics, education, art, business, and even technology? Neo-Calvinism is not just a theology—it’s a way of seeing the world. A vision that insists every square inch of life belongs to God. A movement that challenges both retreat and compromise, calling believers to transform culture instead of conforming to it. Inside this book, you will discover: Why ...

Sourdough bread fueled the labor that built the Egyptian pyramids. The Roman Empire distributed free sourdough loaves to its citizens to maintain political stability. More recently, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, sourdough bread baking became a global phenomenon as people contended with being confined to their homes and sought distractions from their fear, uncertainty, and grief. In Sourdough Culture, environmental science professor Eric Pallant shows how throughout history, sourdough bread baking has always been about survival.

Most people think about technology as something we created to serve us, but we may well be getting to the point where we are the ones who're serving an ever more sophisticated technology. With pragmatism and optimism, Dr Tim Sharp, aka Dr Happy, outlines strategies and tools to build your confidence to positively cope with the modern world.

Ever wanted to send a vague, dramatic social media post and call it “communication”? Do you cancel plans just to scroll in peace—then wonder why you're never invited anywhere? Congratulations! You may already be a master of modern friendship sabotage. Hilarious, biting, and oddly soul-soothing, How to Lose Friends and Resent People is your satirical survival guide to all the messy ways we accidentally destroy relationships—while swearing it's “self-care.” Think of it as the evil twin of Dale Carnegie’s timeless classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People—only with more ...

In a world that rewards conformity, punishes male boundaries, and calls stoicism a disease, some men have chosen a different path. The Rise of the Sigma Male is a sharp, unflinching examination of the modern male who has had enough—enough of being emotionally manipulated, financially drained, and socially guilt-tripped into servitude. This is not a self-help book. It’s not a dating manual. It’s a field report from the edge of male autonomy—written in the blunt, unsentimental voice of someone who’s lived through the nonsense and came out the other side with his time, money, and ...

When global pop icon Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce unexpectedly collided in the spotlight, the result wasn’t just viral—it was transformative. Love on and Off the Field: The Travis & Taylor Story unpacks the layered, unscripted, and intensely watched relationship between two of today’s most celebrated figures. Far from tabloid fluff or speculative drama, this deeply reported and sharply written biography explores how two independent forces built something meaningful in a world obsessed with performance, perfection, and publicity. From Swift’s evolution from Pennsylvania ...

We live in a factory-made world: modern life is built on three centuries of advances in factory production, efficiency, and technology. But giant factories have also fueled our fears about the future since their beginnings, when William Blake called them "dark Satanic mills". Many factories that operated over the last two centuries - such as Homestead, River Rouge, and Foxconn - were known for the labor exploitation and class warfare they engendered, not to mention the environmental devastation caused by factory production.

This audiobook provides the practical tools necessary to help you regain your fervor and leave your mark on the world - and experience more happiness than you thought possible. Together, we can change the course of history - with humility, generosity, kindness, and joy, one holy moment at a time.

Every culture is a unique answer to a fundamental question: What does it mean to be human and alive? In The Wayfinders, renowned anthropologist, winner of the prestigious Samuel Johnson Prize, and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis leads us on a thrilling journey to celebrate the wisdom of the world's indigenous cultures.

Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture illustrates how the spaces between tiles and the moments between games have fostered distinct social cultures in the United States. This mass-produced game crossed the Pacific, creating waves of popularity over the 20th century. Annelise Heinz narrates the history of this game to show how it has created a variety of meanings, among them American modernity, Chinese American heritage, and Jewish American women's culture.

Are you a leader driven by the desire to inspire your team? Do you seek new strategies to improve team dynamics in today’s ever-evolving workplace? Are you challenged by resistance to change or aligning your values with your corporate culture? If these questions resonate with you, this book is for you. Modern Workplace Culture is more than just another leadership book—it’s a comprehensive guide to mastering the art of creating positive work environments using actionable, real-world strategies.

Embark on a Journey to the New 7 Wonders of the World Without Leaving Your Seat—or Start Planning the Adventure of a Lifetime! Are you craving inspiration for your next adventure? Do you dream of exploring breathtaking places steeped in history and wonder? Whether you’re a passionate traveler or an armchair explorer, this book is your ultimate guide to the world’s most remarkable destinations. From the timeless majesty of the Taj Mahal to the awe-inspiring heights of Machu Picchu, this book takes you on a journey to Explore the New 7 Wonders of the World. Through vivid storytelling, ...

Entrepreneur and best-selling author of The Lean Startup Eric Ries reveals how entrepreneurial principles can be used by businesses ranging from established companies to early stage startups to grow revenues, drive innovation, and emerge as truly modern organizations poised to take advantage of the enormous opportunities of the 21st century.

Ever Wonder What (In The World) Were The Chinese Thinking? You are not the only ones who are occasionally confused, misunderstood and lost in the wonderful yet sophisticated Chinese system. For those of you who want to taking a deeper, more structural and practical, modern approach to understand what the Chinese were thinking through a cultural and historical perspective, this book is a quick and dirty guide that will help get you on board in no time. Award-winning novelist Vann Chow introduces in What Were The Chinese Thinking? a series of important fundamental Chinese school of thoughts ...

Ted Lasso and Philosophy explores the hidden depths beneath the vibrant veneer of AppleTV's breakout, award-winning sitcom. Blending philosophical sophistication with winsome appreciation of this feel-good comedy, the collection features original essays canvassing the breadth of the series and carefully considering the ideas it presents.

Steven L. Kent has been playing video games since Pong and writing about the industry since the Nintendo Entertainment System. In volume 1 of The Ultimate History of Video Games, he chronicled the industry’s first thirty years. In volume 2, he narrates gaming’s entrance into the twenty-first century, as Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Microsoft battle to capture the global market.

Before fitness influencers, Instagram abs, and overpriced shaker cups, there was Gold’s Gym—raw, rusted, unapologetic. This book drags you into the sweat-soaked, gear-fueled world of Venice Beach in the 1970s, when bodybuilding was still a fringe obsession and the men chasing mass were part cult, part circus, and fully committed. This brutally honest account strips away the modern gloss to reveal the truth beneath the pump: the splits, the cycles, the unspoken rules, the hunger, the pain, and the fragile egos stuffed into bodies too big for regular life. This was the era of Arnold, ...