History & Society

In 1961, social psychologist Stanley Milgram performed an experiment where he reported that the volunteers had repeatedly shocked a man they believed to be in severe pain, possibly even dying, because an authority figure had told them to do so. Previously unpublished material and new interviews with the original participants reveals a more complex picture of this controversial experiment.

Instant noodles are one of the most remarkable industrial foods ever invented; the co-authors explore the history, manufacturing, marketing and consumption of the popular convenience food.

A narrative chronicle of World War I's Arab Revolt explores the pivotal roles of a small group of adventurers and low-level officers who orchestrated a secret effort to control the Middle East. These individuals, including T.E. Lawrence, instigated jihad against British forces, built an elaborate intelligence ring and forged ties to gain valuable oil concessions.

This definitive book on Dungeons & Dragons, one of the original ultimate nerd subcultures, traces its origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides, and to its apotheosis as father of the modern video game industry.

Mark Lee Gardner tells the hour-by-hour story of the James-Younger gang's last robbery, the ensuing manhunt and the bloody final shootout on the Watonwan River.

The era and the city that built the book publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux is revealed through the stories of two men: founder-owner Roger Straus, the pugnacious black sheep of his powerful German-Jewish family, and his utter opposite, the reticent, closeted editor Robert Giroux.

Wayne Curtis traces the history of America from the perspective of 10 different cocktails, discussing the role of rum in the New World, from the colonial period to present day, in a study that blends pop culture, historical trivia and libation lore.

Seth Rosenfeld details how the FBI employed fake reporters to plant ideas and shape public opinion about the 1964 University of California, Berkeley, student protest movement. In addition to planting stories with real reporters, the bureau managed — with the help of then-Gov. Ronald Reagan — to get the university's president fired.

The author of The Rose of Martinique presents a history of the interdependence of sugar, slavery and colonial settlement in the New World through the story of the author's ancestors, exploring the myriad connections between sugar cultivation and her family's identity, genealogy and financial stability.

Rose George presents an eye-opening glimpse into the world of freight shipping, including suspect practices, dubious operators and pirates.

In this collection of essays, author Kiese Laymon deals in depth with his own personal story, which is filled with trials and reflections that illuminate under-appreciated aspects of contemporary American life. Essay topics include family, race, violence, writing and coming of age in Mississippi.