Sociology: Amazon.co.uk: Anthony Giddens: Books

Review

"Giddens′s book is composed with verve and panache, yet it is extraordinarily learned and reliable. It really is fun to read ... We need to applaud Giddens for a superb text as well as his singular contribution to the standing of sociology today."

Frank Webster, Times Higher Education Supplement

"There’s no one on the planet with such a refined grasp of the practical and political significance of sociology as Anthony Giddens. This new edition of his best–selling textbook is his best yet."

Anthony Elliott, Flinders University Australia

"With this new edition of Sociology, Anthony Giddens has done the seemingly impossible. He has lifted the best introductory text in sociology in the world to yet a further level of excellence. It is a great achievement."

Ulrich Beck, London School of Economics

"I have a high opinion of Giddens’s book, which I consider to be a comprehensive and lucid introduction to the major topics, debates and theoretical perspectives in sociology. It combines a detailed overview of the contemporary sociological landscape with sensitivity to the enduring debt that the discipline owes to earlier theorists."

Mike Hawkins, Kingston University

"This new edition is fresh, engaging and topical. One particular feature is worth a mention: a striking introduction that catches the reader’s attention right at the start is very effective educationally. I remain a fan of such pedagogical devices. The point is made economically and strikingly at the very beginning and is then carried through the chapter. Some of the chapters do this in an exemplary fashion."

Nick Abercrombie, University of Lancaster

"The main reason for recommending Giddens’s text over many of its competitors lies in the way that the book handles the various sociological specialisms. Although structured through specialist fields such as crime and deviance, families, gender and sexuality and so on, Giddens never loses sight of the general sociological perspective amid the welter of detailed and specialized knowledge. This introductory textbook stands out as a welcome antidote to the impression of fragmentation and diversity of the discipline which students often come away with from textbooks. Giddens still succeeds in demonstrating the continuing intellectual excitement of the sociological enterprise to all new students. For me, this is the foremost consideration when choosing a core introductory textbook and Giddens’s Sociology is peerless in this regard."

Phil Sutton, The Robert Gordon University

"The chapter [‘Theoretical Thinking in Sociology’] is clearly written with a strong thread running throughout. Students will like the way in which it brings together many diverse social theories highlighting some of their main similarities and differences in a single chapter. This chapter was towards the end of the book in the fourth edition; moving it nearer to the front of the book in this new edition is an excellent idea and will give students an insight into the theoretical interpretations used by sociologists as they look at the issues discussed in the remaining chapters."

Steve Williams, University of Glamorgan

Review

"There's no one on the planet with such a refined grasp of the practical and political significance of sociology as Anthony Giddens. This new edition of his best-selling textbook is his best yet."

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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful

Brilliant book 29 April 2007

By Kim Betts

Format:Paperback

I am a social work student and I purchased this book for my sociology module. The book is informative and easy to understand. I think this book will be very useful for future information and I intend to dip in and out of it during my degree. I recommend this to students.

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

An exciting and comprehensive introduction to sociology. 28 May 2009

By Jazzrook TOP 500 REVIEWER

Anthony Giddens' 'Sociology' was first published in 1989 and this 1194-page, 6th edition(2009) is probably the best yet. Clearly written and extensively revised with a new chapter on war and terrorism, this intellectually stimulating, comprehensive and jargon-free introduction to sociology is an ideal guide for A-level students, undergraduates and the general reader who wishes to make sense of our complex social world.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

Highly recommended 27 Nov 2006

By S. Wijesekera

This is an excellent introduction to Sociology, but also provides plenty that would be of interest to someone with more familiarity on the subject. The book is structured like a textbook, but is very readable, unlike most textbooks I am familiar with. Giddens has also added a few interesting new chapters including on terrorism, so it is very current.

Good study book!

Good book for students and for all sociology lovers!
Good book as expected from author.
Easy to read! Good quality material, explanations, and examples. Read more

Published 29 days ago by angel_alla

classic.

this is definitely the best introduction to sociology i've ever read. fully-covered and updated in almost all fields of social issues with concrete and concise explanation upon... Read more

Published 5 months ago by paulshot

Very useful and informative textbook

Wide range of topics that I guess would cover most sociology specifications. Helpful as a first sociology textbook. Read more

Published 7 months ago by S-Chow

Great book

One of the very well written text books I have ever come across. The subject helps - discussing society is obviously stimulating and relevant to all of us. Read more

Published 9 months ago by Anirban Mukherjee

sociology book

It is worth every penny spent on this book, as it will be used over and over again. such an interesting, easy way to be introduced into sociology. Read more

Published 15 months ago by Sue

Essential textbook

This book was recommended to me by my sociology tutor at university as part of my Human Sciences degree course and it has become core to all my sociology essays. Read more

Published 17 months ago by Ms. L. Eldridge

educational

I would recommend this book to any student studying Social sciences.It tells me all i need to know about the forming of the welfare state, and how we as a country need to change... Read more

Published 18 months ago by hope44

Sociology [Paperback]

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