Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

Getting It Published: A Guide for Scholars & Anyone Else Serious About Serious Books

By Scott J. Pearson | August 20, 2023August 20, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

In the social sciences and the humanities, publishing scholarly books is the name of the game for career advancement. Yes, teaching within an academic setting is crucial, but traction for tenure in these fields mainly comes through the pen. Most academics master how to please their advisors, peers, and mentors; few take the step of mastering the industry of publishing. William Germano’s book, laudably in its third edition from the University of Chicago Press, fills…

Simply Said: Communicating Better at Work & Beyond

By Scott J. Pearson | August 18, 2023September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Communications form an essential skill of leadership. To be a leader, people have to follow you. For people to follow you, they first must appreciate your vision, articulated in words, and then see them followed up with actions. This is true both in the workplace and in social life. In this book, Jay Sullivan aims to provide practical and simple insights to help us achieve these goals. In the first half of the book, Sullivan’s…

Leadership Religion-Philosophy

Finding Phoebe: What New Testament Women Were Really Like

By Scott J. Pearson | August 16, 2023September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Many Christian conservatives make a loud case for the social subordination of women through New Testament texts. They argue that women should take neither leadership nor speaking roles. Some limit the reach of these to religion, but others even advance such typology towards all of society. Were women always admonished to submit? And must religion still be an oppressive force today? In this book, Susan Hylen takes on these lingering issues by addressing the historical…

Society Software-Technology

The Age of AI: And Our Human Future

By Scott J. Pearson | August 15, 2023August 15, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

Public fascination with artificial intelligence (AI) has only increased since this book was published in 2021. AI technologies, such as Chat GPT, have entered mainstream society and are being used in everyday business work. Publicly, however, leaders from philosophy, business, and government do not appear yet ready to grapple with the deep human questions involved. For example, when do we defer to AI bots over human agency? Are we ready for AI tools of war…

Biography-Memoir History Society

Don’t Let Them Bury My Story: The Oldest Living Survivor of the Tulsa Massacre in Her Own Words

By Scott J. Pearson | August 15, 2023August 15, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

After emancipation, the Greenwood community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, served as an example of what African Americans could build in a free world. So-called “Black Wall Street” epitomized a community built around entrepreneurship, social responsibility, freedom, and neighborly love. They embodied American ideals of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as much as anyone else. Until the jealous white mob got involved in 1921. One night, in response to false accusations against a black citizen,…

Fiction-Stories History

Don’t Forget to Write: A Novel

By Scott J. Pearson | August 10, 2023October 20, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

American attitudes towards family have changed a lot since the 1960s. Young women are less regarded as family property to be given off in marriage, and feminism has thankfully facilitated women making life choices for themselves. It’s helpful, however, to remember occasionally what life was like in this prior era, which really isn’t so long ago. In this novel, Sara Goodman Confino takes us back through the story of a young lady who, in embracing…

Management-Business Software-Technology

Building Great Software Engineering Teams: Recruiting, Hiring & Managing Your Team from Startup to Success

By Scott J. Pearson | August 3, 2023August 13, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

Building excellent software is an intricate task that requires a great deal of technical expertise. Managing people who build software is also an intricate task, but the required skillset is different. A manager has to be a good enough developer to be respected, but she/he must also have “soft skills” to finesse interpersonal situations. Instead of a technical challenge, management becomes a way of life and leading. With a particular focus on software engineering, Josh…

Leadership Management-Business

Best Team Ever: The Surprising Science of High-Performing Teams

By Scott J. Pearson | July 31, 2023September 24, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Recent decades have witnessed the fields of neuroscience and psychology advance the insight that feeling a part of a vibrant community enhances a group’s success, however that is defined. This simple insight can be applied to many endeavors, ranging from civic organizations to businesses. When structured correctly, belonging can attract skilled employees while producing first-rate results. In this book, David Burkus seeks to instill readers with virtues that enhance a team’s well-being and success. Burkus’…

Healthcare Psychology

Healing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health

By Scott J. Pearson | July 30, 2023October 20, 2023 by Scott J. Pearson

Attaining mental health from pervasive mental illness presents a contemporary challenge to the American healthcare system. Decades of progress in the basic science have not resulted in progress among outcomes, sadly. This reflects a broader observation that scientific advances have not been accompanied by necessary social advances. After a lifetime spent bettering patients’ lives as a psychiatrist and researcher, Thomas Insel here points the way to what an America with true mental health would look…