“A whirlwind of big ideas. Sennett is a worthy warrior, armed with abundant evidence of our better natures.”—Connie Schultz, Washington Post
~Connie Schultz, Washington Post
“This humane work is broad in scope and will be of interest to sociologists, political scientists, and curious readers seeking hope for pursuing a more cooperative society.”—Library Journal
~Library Journal
“I envy any reader coming fresh to Sennett's work. Over four decades, his books have grown, volume by expert, companionable, readable volume, into a comprehensive diagnosis of the ailments of urban life and work, together with a series of hard-headed, historically rooted prescriptions for rescue and reform.”—Boyd Tonkin, The Independent
~Boyd Tonkin, The Independent
"Sennet argues that changes in the 'social triangle . . . of earned authority, mutual respect, and cooperation during a crisis,' have resulted in an uncooperative character type who is becoming more common in modern society, one who—in search of 'reassuring solidarity amid economic insecurity'—acts according to the 'brutally simple' paradigm of 'us-against-them coupled with you-are-on-your-own.' . . . . Sennett's writing is engaging and he provides an interesting perspective on modern society."—Publishers Weekly
~Publishers Weekly
Winner of the Zócalo Public Square Book Prize, awarded by the Center for Social Cohesion
~Zócalo Public Square Book Prize, Zócalo Public Square