Science Study Guide

This is a summary and discussions of Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, not the original book. All Americans can become awakened to the way we treat one another. We live in a wealthy nation that has little compassion for one another. The only way to start to change how Americans operate when working with one another is to put humanity back into the nation.

Short on time? Or maybe you’ve already read the book, but need a refresh on the most important takeaways. In a quick, easy read, you can take the main principles from Outliers: The Story of Success. Outliers asserts that a person’s background and environment are every bit as important as intelligence and drive in achieving success. Critics have complained that Gladwell’s explanations for success are simply interesting, but too simplistic. However, the book has sold millions of copies and remains popular.

Dr. Roger Kuhn, a Poarch Creek Two-Spirit Indigequeer activist, artist, sex therapist, and somacultural theorist, believes that Two-Spirit people hold a unique perspective—and that viewing our bodies through a somacultural lens can help us better understand how dominant culture informs and, all too often, misinforms our relationship to it.

Born in 1858, Franz Boas permanently changed the standards and practices of anthropology. A German-born secular Jew, he became known for his distinctive approach to the discipline - non-hierarchical, open to diverse inputs, and unbiased. Throughout his career, Boas used his scholarship to effect social change. His work convinced his colleagues to abandon the theories that had decided one race (Caucasian) and one culture (Western European) were more fully developed and worthier than others.

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (2007) by psychiatrist Norman Doidge explores breakthroughs in neuroscience regarding plasticity, or the brain’s ability to change. Doidge shares inspiring stories of the work done by what he calls “neuroplasticians” - neuroscientists who are pioneering new methods for optimizing brain function....

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst (2017) explains the numerous biological, cultural, and evolutionary factors that shape human behavior. Neurobiologist Robert M. Sapolsky uses studies from various scientific disciplines, including neurology, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, to explore why humans exhibit variable responses to both provocative and mundane situations.... (Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.)

In True or False, former CIA analyst Cindy Otis takes listeners through the history and impact of misinformation over the centuries, sharing stories from the past and insights that listeners today can gain from them. Then, she shares lessons learned in over a decade working for the CIA, including actionable tips on how to spot fake news, how to make sense of the information we receive each day, and, most importantly, how to understand and see past our own information biases so that we can think critically about important issues and put events happening around us into context.

In this audio summary of Factfulness, discover new habits you can adopt that will change the way you see the world and empower you to respond to the challenges and the opportunities of the future.

From conservation to protecting endangered species to sustainable living, A Christian's Guide to Planet Earth offers a faith-based framework for viewing our responsibility to the natural world as well as practical, biblical ways we can care for the magnificent creation around us. Drawing on science and Scripture, this hope-filled and listener-friendly guide helps us navigate questions about caring for and respecting God's world.

Author Michael Pollan digs through decades of research and plays human guinea pig to illustrate the potential of psychedelics to alter the mind. Please note: This is a summary and analysis of the book and not the original book. If you'd like to purchase the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.

In 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Yuval Noah Harari raises challenging questions about concepts that have become so enshrined in the global society and the author shows how these concepts have failed us, particularly now that we need them the most. Disclaimer: This is NOT the original book. If you’re looking for the original book, it is available from Amazon and Audible.

This audio study guide for Rising out of Hatred by Eli Saslow includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the book’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes such as white nationalism and white supremacy, internal conflict, nonjudgmental inclusion, and family.

This audio study guide for Saltwater Slavery by Stephanie E. Smallwood includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the book’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes such as the commodification of African captives, diaspora, and social death, and the Middle Passage. Featured content also includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay questions, and discussion topics.

This audio study guide for Separate Pasts by Melton A. McLaurin includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the book’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes, such as the effects of segregation on Southern society and the power of human connection to create social change. Featured content also includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay questions, and discussion topics.

The Land of Open Graves is a work of nonfiction by anthropologist and MacArthur "Genius" Fellow Jason De León. The book argues that the US government uses the Sonora Desert on the US-Mexico border as a deterrent for illegal migration and as “a killing field” capable of killing migrants and erasing evidence of their existence.

This audio study guide for Dawn by Octavia Butler includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the book’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes such as otherness, freedom, and the roles of women and people of color in a new human society. Featured content also includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay questions, and discussion topics.

SuperSummary, a modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, offers high-quality instructional study guides for challenging works of literature. This audio study guide for White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the novel’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes such as white resistance to race and complicity in a systemic system. Featured content also includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay questions, and discussion topics.

SuperSummary, a modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, offers high-quality instructional study guides for challenging works of literature. This audio study guide for On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the novel’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes such as the failure of democracy, the rise of tyranny, and the anti-democratic practices of an American president. Featured content also includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay questions, and discussion topics.

This audio study guide for Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the book’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes such as inequality, segregation, and equity versus liberty. Featured content also includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay questions, and discussion topics. Savage Inequalities is a work of nonfiction that explores ethnic and racial prejudice in the American educational system, as well as the divide in educational access between rich and poor.

SuperSummary, a modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, offers high-quality instructional study guides for challenging works of literature. This audio study guide for Evicted by Matthew Desmond includes detailed summary and analysis of each chapter and an in-depth exploration of the book’s multiple symbols, motifs, and themes such as the American Dream, home, and family. Featured content also includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay questions, and discussion topics.