Material culture refers to the physical artifacts and structures that embody a culture's existence, whether ancient or contemporary. In the context of archaeological studies, it encompasses all tangible evidence attributed to a society. In the United States, technological advancements have been a key driver of economic growth, profoundly shaping its material culture. This insightful analysis, enriched with professional references, serves as a valuable resource for sociology students and an...

No CEO can find a point of balance and then stand still--that’s not even possible on a tightrope. The expectation is that the business must always move forward. The American CEO walks a tightrope daily . . . many times blindfolded and without a net below. The job of balancing the often-competing interests of a company’s constituents is so challenging that the average lifespan of a newly minted CEO is around five years. Why is it that our most successful businesspeople, individuals who have...

PLEASE NOTE: This is a companion to Chip Heath’s & et al Made to Stick and NOT the original book.Preview:In Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (2007), educators and brothers Chip Heath and Dan Heath offer a guide for sharing ideas that stick with listeners. As a framework for their advice, they offer the acronym SUCCES, short for simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, and stories….Inside this companion to the book:...

PLEASE NOTE: This is a companion to Tom Rath’s Eat Move Sleep and NOT the original book.Preview:Eat Move Sleep (2013) by Tom Rath is a guide to enhancing good health and increasing longevity by making smarter decisions every day in three areas: diet, exercise, and sleep habits. Embracing all three areas at once is crucial because of the mutually beneficial effects of eating right, moving more, and sleeping better...Inside this companion to the book...

PLEASE NOTE: This is a companion to Scott Anderson’s Lawrence in Arabia and NOT the original book.Preview:Scott Anderson’s Lawrence in Arabia (2014) is a consideration of the colonial designs of the Western imperial powers during the First World War and how their actions shaped the current political situation in the Middle East. The book follows the careers of a handful of influential individuals and explores how their actions influenced the war and the po...

PLEASE NOTE: This is a companion to Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and NOT the original book.Preview:In The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny (1997), life improvement and leadership expert Robin Sharma uses a fable to make the case that the world needs mental and spiritual transformation. Sharma explains through his story’s protagonists, John and Julian, that this transformation first oc...

PLEASE NOTE: This is a companion to Eric Schmidt’s How Google Works and NOT the original book.Preview:In How Google Works (2014), Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg share some of the new perspectives on management they gained during their tenure at Google. Google’s work culture has achieved iconic status and has become the subject of both admiration and parody…Inside this companion to the book:Overview of the BookInsights f...

PLEASE NOTE: This is a companion to Bruce Bueno de Mesquita's & et al The Dictator’s Handbook and NOT the original book.Preview:The Dictator’s Handbook: Why Bad Behavior Is Almost Always Good Politics (2011) is an examination of what motivates leaders in democracies and dictatorships. Authors Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith argue that those in power try to stay in power by catering to the members of their winning coalition, whether that means mi...

An evidence-based guide to using cannabis to enhance pain relief safely, effectively, and economically while reducing the risks of opioid addictionOpioid addiction has exploded to epidemic proportions in the U.S. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death. In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids—more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of pills. Uwe Blesching, author of The Cannabis Health Index, cl...