By: Troy Rappold on February 23, 2022
In Simon Winchester’s 2001 bestselling book, The Map That Changed the World, the true story is told of the world’s first geographical map and the man who created it. Such a mundane description however belies the fascinating tale that lies behind the man and his achievement. With a novelist’s touch, the author Simon Winchester details…
By: Jonathan Lee on February 23, 2022
Simon Winchester, the author of The map that changed the world, writes about the epic and stretched journey of William Smith, a geologist who mapped the first ever geological map of England, Wales, and southern Scotland, which gave way to modern geological discoveries. The book can be categorized under biography, and Winchester describes the revolutionary…
By: Kayli Hillebrand on February 23, 2022
According to the National Geographic, a map is, “a symbolic representation of selected characteristics of a place, usually drawn on a flat surface. Maps present information about the world in a simple, visual way.”[1] Maps are critical to how we understand and navigate the world. Today, most of society is reliant on a version of…
By: Eric Basye on February 23, 2022
I cannot help but feel deep sadness as I finish The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester. Written as a historical review of the geological accomplishments of the late William Smith who, in 1815, created the world’s first geological map. This map “heralded the beginnings of a whole new science…. [and] laid the…
By: Mary Kamau on February 19, 2022
Max Weber was a German sociologist, economist and politician who believed that the protestant work ethic was a key force in the emergence of the unplanned and uncoordinated modern capitalism. In his book, The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism, Weber states that capitalism in Northern Europe evolved as a result of the protestant…
By: Elmarie Parker on February 19, 2022
What influenced the development of the capitalistic way of life? This is the question Max Weber sought to address in The Protestant Ethic and the “Spirit” of Capitalism (and Other Writings). Weber (1864-1920) wrote this treatise in 1905 (the book in which it is found also includes the back-and-forth written conversations he had with critiques…
By: Denise Johnson on February 18, 2022
Reflections of a brain-dead sloth on the Protestant work ethic, and its interrelationship with the “spirit of Capitalism.” [1] I sit in the silence of my home now that the stalwart construction workers of the past two weeks have ceased their pounding. In an economic season of labor shortages and supply chain issues, the timely…
By: Kayli Hillebrand on February 17, 2022
Well-known German sociologist and historian, Max Weber made significant contributions to the fields of social science and cross-cultural studies. In his work, The Protestant Ethic and the “Spirit” of Capitalism, he argues that the stimulus of capitalism had a spiritual root, namely from the Calvinists. As a book categorized within the social sciences, the historical…
By: Nicole Richardson on February 17, 2022
The Protestant Ethic and the “Spirit” of Capitalism by Max Weber makes the argument that John Calvin’s doctrine of predestination paved the way for the formulation of the protestant work ethic and in doing so birthed the ethos of capitalism. Weber, a German sociologist, fancied himself as a historian of economies. His book offered a…
By: Troy Rappold on February 17, 2022
In Max Weber’s book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, the idea of religion shaping human characteristics, such as industriousness and self-denial, can positively affect the creation of wealth among the citizens of a nation. The premise of this book is immensely fascinating. The interplay of how faith shapes an individual’s work is…
By: Henry Gwani on February 17, 2022
First published in 1904-5, Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism is a modern classic that seeks to address several important issues. First, weber set out to examine the development of the family business in Europe between the 17th century and the 19th century[1]. Family businesses are usually small enterprises which, in…
By: Andy Hale on February 17, 2022
A few fun facts to comb through: The Bible addresses money over 2,172 times. To give us a little comparison, the Bible talks about “believing” 273 times, “praying” 371 times, and “love” 714 times. Jesus spoke of money in 16 of his 38 parables, and 1 out of 7 verses in Matthew, Mark & Luke is about…
By: Jonathan Lee on February 16, 2022
Max Weber, the author of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, discussed the relationship between the economy of modern capitalism to Protestant ethics and beliefs. Weber contends that our “secular and materialistic culture is partly indebted to a spiritual revolution: the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century.”[1] Max Weber was a German sociologist,…
By: Roy Gruber on February 16, 2022
I recall hearing a story years ago that came to mind during this week’s reading. A fisherman rests under a tree in the afternoon after a day where he caught enough fish to feed his family. A businessman from another land comes and asks the fisherman why he is resting when the day still contains…
By: Eric Basye on February 16, 2022
The Protestant Ethic and the ‘Spirit’ of Capitalism and Other Writings is a compilation of essays written by the late Max Weber. As a historian and sociologist, many have argued that his essay, The Protestant Ethic and the ‘Spirit’ of Capitalism, is one of the most influential social science works of our time.[1] Weber notes…
By: Mary Kamau on February 15, 2022
Myles Munroe captures the tragedy of many great things that were never implemented as, The graveyard is the richest place on the surface of the earth because there you will see the books that were not published, ideas that were not harnessed, songs that were not sung, and drama pieces that were never acted.[1] I…
By: Jonathan Lee on February 11, 2022
Steven Pressfield is an American author of historical fiction, non-fiction, and screenplays. He has authored many fictions such as Gates of Fire, Tides of War, Last of the Amazons, and many non-fiction such as The War of Art, Do the Work, and Turning Pro. In his book, The War of Art, Pressfield writes to investigate…
By: Elmarie Parker on February 11, 2022
We read two fascinating books on the creative process this week. In The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield tackles the opposing psychological and spiritual dimensions of resistance and creativity.[1] His book is classified by the Library of Congress under their large Religion, Psychology, and Philosophy…
By: Denise Johnson on February 11, 2022
Spaghetti vomit and the fear of red ink sums up my anxiety surrounding writing. One might ask what spaghetti and red ink have in common. For me, spaghetti is the best image I can produce to describe my since of what I generate on a page and red ink is the teacher’s dreaded criticism of…
By: Henry Gwani on February 10, 2022
As the title suggests, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is the remarkable memoir of multiple-award-winning novelist, Stephen King. The bestselling author, who sold 2.7 million books in the USA in 2018[1], may be described as the Shakespeare of contemporary American fiction, with decades of experience writing novels within several genres, including but not…
