Interdisciplinary Book Reviews

  VERA  by Ann Cleeves Vera Stanhope, dressed in frumpy uninspiring clothes, excels at solving crime in Northumberland, UK. The highly rated stories by successful mystery writer Ann Cleeves, have led to 14 seasons of a TV series known simply as VERA. The series, streamed on Britbox, ended in the US in January 2025. An 8-Book set   is a great way to enjoy a retreat from daily life. Ann Cleeves has a knack of dropping clues that lead Vera and readers turning this way and that until Vera leaps at the solution. Along the mysterious trails, this sometimes-grumpy sleuth reveals her soft side in caring for troubled souls whilst at other times she trades barbs and threats with the haughty. And, as an added attraction, Cleeves stocks Vera mind with brilliant lines that make us chuckle—if you enjoy British humour. And, if you aren’t British, you’ll pick up some slang and idioms from the North of England, which adds to your tour of life in a different subculture than most tourists s...

  The Coddling of the American Mind :  How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas  Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure     by Greg Lukianoff and       Jonathan Haidt Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton The Coddling of the American Mind : How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, published in 2019, explores the cultural and psychological shifts that have led to increased fragility among young people, particularly on college campuses. The authors argue that well-meaning but misguided practices in parenting, education, and societal norms have contributed to a generation less equipped to handle adversity and engage in open dialogue.   The Three Great Untruths   Central to the book are the "Three Great Untruths" that Lukianoff and Haidt identify as pervasive and harmful beliefs:   1. The Untruth of Fragility : "What doesn’t kill you makes you weaker." ...

  High Conflict by Amanda Ripley Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley delves into the toxic landscape of   high conflict   – disputes that escalate into an intractable state of binary opposition. Unlike healthy conflict, which can lead humanity to a better future, high conflict distills into a good-versus-evil feud, where the normal rules of engagement no longer apply. In this state, our brains behave differently, and we become increasingly certain of our own superiority. High Conflict explores real-life stories of individuals drawn into high conflict, including a world-renowned conflict expert in California, a Chicago gang leader seeking vengeance, and liberal Manhattan Jews and conservative Michigan corrections officers attempting to understand each other better. Despite the forces that drive people into high conflict, the book reveals that individuals and communities can break free from its ...

  The Kingdom, The Power, And The Glory The Era of Evangelical America By Tim Alberta Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton Looking back, I see that the year 2016 marked the baptism of millions of evangelicals into the Republican faith they had been attending for decades. Massive numbers of white evangelicals voted for the 45 th US president. Today, the blended self-identities of faith and politics seem as strong as ever. Tim Alberta’s book, The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory illustrates the widespread wedding of white evangelical Christians and conservative Republican party members. ***** Tim Alberta, a journalist with deep roots in the evangelical community, provides a nuanced and critical examination of the movement. The book is part memoir, part investigative journalism, and part historical analysis. Alberta’s personal background as the son of a Presbyterian megachurch preacher in Michigan gives him a unique perspective on the subject. Alberta begins by t...

  The Fabric of the Cosmos   by Brian Greene Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton I suppose my fascination with science began in childhood when the Russians first sent a rocket into space. I was fortunate to have a workbench in our basement where I messed with various science kits and old radios. Soon, I would be fascinated by High School science classes and the opportunity to build a simple computer. Although my path led to psychological science, I still enjoy reading the nonspecialist versions of the Big Picture like Greene’s The Fabric of the Cosmos . The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene is known for discussing several mind-bending concepts that challenge our everyday understanding of reality. Here are some of the most thought-provoking ideas explored in the book: 1. The Nature of Space and Time : Greene explores the fundamental structure of the cosmos, questioning the very nature of space and time. He delves into whether space is an entity and why time s...

  Mastering Your Mind: A Guide to Rational Living By : Albert Ellis and Robert Harper Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD I was introduced to Albert Ellis’ theory of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy as a graduate student in 1974 by Professor Robert Dolliver III (1934 - 2021) at the University of Missouri. I had accumulated a number of courses in philosophy along with my focus on psychology thus, Ellis’ approach made a lot of sense to me. In my clinical practice, I found that many of my highly educated patients found the New Guide to Rational Living helpful. Following is a summary of the book. A New Guide to Rational Living by Albert Ellis and Robert Harper introduces the concepts of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) to the general public. In this self-help manual, Ellis provides strategies for thought balancing, also known as cognitive reframing. The book aims to help individuals overcome negative thoughts and emotions that hold them back in life. Here are the key conce...

    The Social Fabric of Scientific Trust:  A Review of Naomi Oreskes' Why Trust Science ?   Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton   Recently, I have reconsidered a problem that emerged early in my career as a psychologist. By the time I was in graduate school, I began to hear clergy and other evangelicals attacking my profession. My graduate work was at the University of Missouri, was during the 1970s. The issue of psychology and Christianity was not discussed in my classes. Psychology is a science. We learned how to conduct experiments before we learned how to apply principles to the assessment and treatment of people struggling with various problems in living.   I soon learned from clergy and church friends of the low esteem they accorded my profession. Oreskes’ book offers some helpful thoughts on the general issue of trusting science and scientists. Her examples include psychology so, I found her ideas particularly helpful and think others interested in t...