Social Problems (9th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Made for Soc Majors...
Review: I am a Sociology major, and I have to say, this book is very fascinating. It does give a lot of stats, but that is how the social world is measured in a scientific manner. Too liberal??! Well, if you wanna read something "fun" get a bible and go to sunday school.

Rating:
Summary: FULL OF MISINFORMATION AND HALF TRUTHS
Review: I only read this book because I had to take a class by the same name. Wouldn't have wasted my time otherwise. Eitzen and Zinn should find a better way to make a living. They constanly whine about how bad capitalism is, but the closest they come to recommending an alternative involves some vague references to "central planning" by governments. The main solution they come up with for air polution is to have all energy sources and the distribution infrastructure for power owned and operated by the government "for the good of the community". Great idea. They express an open and blatent contempt for the American lifestyle and especially the "American Dream". They do not support their claims with facts; only half truths. They also show a disdain for "technology" in general, which leads me to believe that they are simply afraid of technology; after all, some of the changes they demand can only be achieved through advances in high technology. Further, Eitzen and Zinn show that they are authoritarian at heart in their very writing style. Instead of letting students draw their own conclusions, they tell you exactly what opinion you should have. This book should be translated to Spanish....it would go over great in Cuba. Otherwise, let's hope that the 9th edition is the last edition of this drool. Do everything you can to avoid taking a college class by the name of "Social Problems"....your time and money can be spent better elsewhere. I have two questions for Eitzen and Zinn: Question 1) For all the dribbling you do about wasting natural resources, why didn't you insist on making this book available exclusively on CD-ROM and/or the Internet? Instead, you wasted 600 precious pieces of paper when you distributed countless copies of this hardcover book. Question 2) How much money/PROFIT did you make from those deplorable capitalists by writing this book?

Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Book
Review: I read this book and to be honest with you, I felt that I wasted 83 bucks in buying it. It focuses way too much on percentages rather than involving the reader in actually learning something. Statistical evidence is a good way to learn but in this case, it takes the subject to the extreme. My sociology professor required this book and I am getting more and more bored with the reading. Anyway, if you have to get it, spend some time and look for it used.........the only thing you will learn is how to shop around.

Rating:
Summary: Waste of $83.00
Review: I read this book and to be honest with you, I felt that I wasted 83 bucks in buying it. It focuses way too much on percentages rather than involving the reader in actually learning something. Statistical evidence is a good way to learn but in this case, it takes the subject to the extreme. My sociology professor required this book and I am getting more and more bored with the reading. Anyway, if you have to get it, spend some time and look for it used.........the only thing you will learn is how to shop around.

Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Book
Review: I'm a sociology major and I -loved- this book. Those that aren't sociology majors might find some of the chapters shocking but that's mostly because it presents the reader with information that are very rarely ever presented in the media. It isn't kind to conservatives or the wealthy because it explores the benefits that they get, usually at the cost of the lower class. It showcases the horrible things that corporations and government do while providing us with the ideology that keeps it in place 'The American Dream'. It also shows how very rare it is for that American Dream to come true.

It does take more of a 'system blame' approach more than a 'victim blame' approach as it is a conflict theorist oriented book and on top of that, it is in the field of sociology where you have to look at the macro, not the micro. All the while it shows -how- the system -wants- us all to take victim blame approaches, which again, benefits them incredibly.

The readings are incredibly informative, the statistics are relevant and prove that they aren't just throwing random liberal words around as the sources are credible. While some have complained that it doesn't show 'the other side of things', what they don't realize is that we're bombarded with 'the other side of things' every minute of the day.

I highly recommend the book. You'll learn more than you thought you could over topics like education, health care, sexuality, family, poverty, the environment, national security and much more. Even if it doesn't necessarily make you feel good about the US and the state of it.

Rating:
Summary: Too liberal for me
Review: This book was chosen by my professor because it gives a very liberal view of social problems in the world today. Being more down the middle on most issues, this book seemed to always be whining about how the government isn't doing enough and all the people affected by poverty or racial discrimination should blame the government for their problems. Too much system-blame, no victim-blame possibilities explored even partially.