Book Rankings iI scraped marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/category/books. I used gemini-2.5-flash because it's affordable and llama is too slow on my macbook. I had it first extract book titles from posts. I then had it compare two books at a time to see which review expressed a stronger positive sentiment. There are roughly 24.5 million such comparisons to do for an exhaustive set, but I already racked up a decent bill on gemini with 2 million comparisons so I stopped there. Thus the rankings are roughly accurate but not necessarily extremely precise. You shouldn't necessarily interpret book #5 as being better than book #6, but moreso books #1-10 being better than books #10-20.

Tyler Cowen's favorites from Marginal Revolution

Genre: Social Commentary ×
Showing 133 books in Social Commentary
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1. Entwerfung
BT: 6.43 117 comparisons
fiction literary fiction philosophical fiction political fiction +1
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2. Unterwerfung
BT: 6.27 114 comparisons
fiction literary fiction political fiction satire +1
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3. We Have Never Been Woke
BT: 5.59 128 comparisons
cultural criticism politics social commentary sociology
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4. Unchecked and Unbalanced
BT: 5.59 154 comparisons
current affairs political science politics social commentary
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5. From the Earth to the Moon
BT: 4.82 140 comparisons
fiction humor philosophy satire +2
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6. Take a Girl Like You
BT: 4.69 155 comparisons
cultural history fiction literary fiction sexual politics +1
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7. My Struggle: A Man in Love: Volume Two
BT: 4.64 179 comparisons
european literature fiction literary fiction memoir +1
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8. The Ladies’ Paradise
BT: 4.25 185 comparisons
19th-century literature business economics fiction +2
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9. The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery
BT: 3.73 278 comparisons
chronic illness health healthcare system medicine +4
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10. The Case Against the Sexual Revolution: A New Guide to Sex in the 21st Century
BT: 3.60 394 comparisons
ethics feminism non-fiction psychology +2
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11. With Charity for All: Why Charities are Failing and a Better Way to Give
BT: 3.23 201 comparisons
economics non-profit management philanthropy public policy +1
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12. True Stories & Other Essays
BT: 3.12 247 comparisons
economics essays literary criticism philosophy +3
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13. The Fractured Republic: Renewing America’s Social Contract in the Age of Individualism
BT: 2.92 220 comparisons
american politics political philosophy politics social commentary +1
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14. England: An Elegy
BT: 2.90 200 comparisons
british studies cultural studies political philosophy social commentary
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15. The Stakes: American at the Point of No Return
BT: 2.90 231 comparisons
american politics conservative politics political commentary politics +1
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16. Crazy Rich Asians
BT: 2.89 250 comparisons
asian literature contemporary fiction fiction humorous fiction +3
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17. Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative
BT: 2.77 217 comparisons
academic history african american studies autobiography economics +5
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18. Amongst Women
BT: 2.72 244 comparisons
fiction historical fiction irish literature literary fiction +1
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19. Anéantir
BT: 2.67 247 comparisons
fiction literary fiction political fiction satire +2
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20. Rituals of Dinner
BT: 2.65 203 comparisons
anthropology cultural studies psychology social commentary +1
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21. Everyday Freedom: Designing the Framework for a Flourishing Society
BT: 2.64 252 comparisons
american politics law political philosophy politics +2
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22. In Search of the Lost Orient: An Interview
BT: 2.46 244 comparisons
asian studies european history international relations interview +4
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23. Choice: The Best of Reason
BT: 2.11 243 comparisons
economics libertarianism politics social commentary
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24. Barchester Towers
BT: 2.02 282 comparisons
bureaucracy fiction fiction literary fiction political fiction +3
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25. Number Go Up
BT: 2.00 262 comparisons
business contemporary history cryptocurrency economic history +5
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26. Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics
BT: 1.88 260 comparisons
american history american religion christianity cultural studies +4
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27. Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (And Stick You With the Bill)
BT: 1.81 281 comparisons
american politics economics politics public policy +1
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28. Faces of Moderation: The Art of Balance in an Age of Extremes
BT: 1.76 289 comparisons
philosophy political philosophy politics social commentary
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29. Sharenthood: Why We Should Think Before We Talk About Our Kids Online
BT: 1.74 312 comparisons
digital ethics parenting privacy social commentary +1
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30. The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia
BT: 1.73 281 comparisons
cultural studies economics humor non-fiction +3
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31. Trust Me I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
BT: 1.71 275 comparisons
business digital media economics journalism +5
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32. The Twilight of the Elites: America After Meritocracy
BT: 1.69 284 comparisons
american politics economics politics social commentary +1
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33. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
BT: 1.68 286 comparisons
food health non-fiction social commentary
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34. The American Dream is Not Dead (But Populism Could Kill It)
BT: 1.67 262 comparisons
american politics economics politics public policy +1
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35. Behind the Beautiful Forevers
BT: 1.65 220 comparisons
current events india non-fiction social commentary
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36. Between the World and Me
BT: 1.64 280 comparisons
african american studies american history essays memoir +2
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37. The Post-American World
BT: 1.62 288 comparisons
current events economics geopolitics globalization +4
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38. The Twilight of the Non-Elites
BT: 1.59 304 comparisons
american studies current events politics social commentary +1
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39. Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class
BT: 1.40 278 comparisons
american studies biography memoir social commentary +1
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40. A Fine Balance
BT: 1.31 294 comparisons
fiction historical fiction indian fiction literary fiction +1
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41. You Will Not Stampede Me: Essays on Non-Conformism
BT: 1.19 545 comparisons
economics essays philosophy psychology +2
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42. The Billionaire Raj: A Journey Through India’s New Gilded Age
BT: 0.76 329 comparisons
current affairs economics india politics +1
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43. Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China
BT: 0.74 582 comparisons
china contemporary china culture journalism +3
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44. White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America
BT: 0.70 340 comparisons
american society politics social commentary sociology
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45. The Power Notebooks
BT: 0.61 322 comparisons
cultural criticism essays non-fiction philosophy +2
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46. Not Nearly as Good as it Could be Pharma: How Corruption is Diminishing One of Our Great Benefactors
BT: 0.60 319 comparisons
business corruption economics healthcare industry +4
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47. Beautiful World, Where Are You?
BT: 0.58 566 comparisons
contemporary fiction fiction literary fiction political fiction +1
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48. The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
BT: 0.58 456 comparisons
contemporary fiction fiction immigrant fiction indian diaspora fiction +3
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49. Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World
BT: 0.40 321 comparisons
cultural criticism identity studies memoir non-fiction +1
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50. Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging
BT: 0.39 346 comparisons
anthropology non-fiction politics psychology +2
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51. The Ideas Industry: How Pessimists, Partisans, and Plutocrats are Transforming the Marketplace of Ideas
BT: 0.37 673 comparisons
media studies political economy political science social commentary
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C
52. Cracks in the Ivory Tower: The Moral Mess of Higher Education
BT: 0.06 380 comparisons
education policy higher education social commentary sociology
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53. This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World
BT: 0.02 295 comparisons
ethics social commentary social entrepreneurship social philosophy
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54. Fixing France: How to Repair a Broken Republic
BT: -0.02 405 comparisons
current affairs european politics france french politics +2
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55. Skin in the Game
BT: -0.04 568 comparisons
business economics ethics philosophy +2
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56. The Substance of Style
BT: -0.04 607 comparisons
aesthetics cultural studies non-fiction social commentary +1
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T
57. Transaction Man: The Rise of the Deal and the Decline of the American Dream
BT: -0.08 349 comparisons
american history business economics history +2
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58. Big Business: Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero
BT: -0.09 4090 comparisons
american studies business economics political economy +2
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59. Polemics
BT: -0.19 331 comparisons
cultural criticism european politics philosophy politics +1
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60. Franchise
BT: -0.20 591 comparisons
fiction political science politics science fiction +1
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61. Enough is Enough: How to Build a New Republic
BT: -0.24 355 comparisons
economics irish economics irish politics politics +1
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62. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
BT: -0.47 333 comparisons
critique of capitalism economic history economics history +3
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63. Liberal Fascism
BT: -0.52 333 comparisons
american political history european political history political history political science +2
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64. The Complacent Class
BT: -0.56 5710 comparisons
american studies economics political science social commentary +1
MR Post MR Post +16 more
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65. The Naive and Sentimental Lover
BT: -0.58 347 comparisons
business fiction literary fiction social commentary
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66. Kids These Days: Human Capital and the Making of Millennials
BT: -0.59 331 comparisons
economics future studies social commentary sociology
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T
67. The Fate of Gender
BT: -0.64 387 comparisons
gender studies political science social commentary sociology +1
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68. The Anglo Files: A Field Guide to the British
BT: -0.66 371 comparisons
british culture culture humor social commentary
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69. The Cult of Smart: How Our Broken Education System Perpetuates Social Injustice
BT: -0.68 362 comparisons
education education policy inequality social commentary +2
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70. Kaput: The End of the German Miracle
BT: -0.84 357 comparisons
current events economics german economics german politics +2
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71. You are Not a Gadget
BT: -0.91 389 comparisons
cultural criticism digital culture social commentary technology
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72. Poor People
BT: -0.92 353 comparisons
anthropology cultural studies non-fiction poverty studies +3
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73. Look Who’s Back
BT: -1.10 414 comparisons
alternate history fiction german fiction humor +3
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74. Gulliver’s Travels
BT: -1.11 4433 comparisons
classic literature fiction literary fiction moral philosophy +4
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75. Superior, Nebraska: The Common Sense Values of America’s Heartland
BT: -1.11 373 comparisons
american culture american politics politics social commentary +1
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B
76. By the People: Rebuilding Liberty Without Permission
BT: -1.12 395 comparisons
american politics political science politics public policy +1
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77. Across the Pond: An Englishman’s View of America
BT: -1.26 353 comparisons
american culture british culture cultural commentary cultural studies +5
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78. Nanny State: How Food Fascists, Teetotaling Do-Gooders, Priggish Moralists, and Other Boneheaded Bureaucrats are Turning American into a Nation of Children
BT: -1.31 391 comparisons
american politics political philosophy politics public policy +1
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79. The Decadent Society
BT: -1.35 380 comparisons
contemporary issues cultural criticism politics social commentary +1
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80. Uncle Tom’s Cabin
BT: -1.37 857 comparisons
american history fiction historical fiction literary fiction +3
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81. The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution
BT: -1.43 389 comparisons
american history cultural criticism history philosophy +2
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82. Sketches of American Policy
BT: -1.49 398 comparisons
american history essays political economy politics +1
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83. Dead Souls
BT: -1.50 701 comparisons
bureaucracy fiction fiction literary fiction russian literature +2
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84. Thinking Out Loud: A Collection of My Essays and Reviews and Posts Over the Last Thirty Years
BT: -1.53 385 comparisons
essays journalism political commentary social commentary
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B
85. Bonfire of the Vanities
BT: -1.54 342 comparisons
fiction literary fiction satire social commentary
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Y
86. You Aren’t What You Eat: Fed Up with Gastroculture
BT: -1.57 360 comparisons
cultural criticism food studies social commentary
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P
87. Pinched: How the Great Recession has Narrowed Our Futures and What We Can Do About It
BT: -1.63 391 comparisons
current events economics labor economics public policy +3
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88. Sister Carrie
BT: -1.64 710 comparisons
american literature fiction literary fiction social commentary
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89. Democracy in America
BT: -1.70 1259 comparisons
american history american politics political philosophy political science +3
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90. The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America
BT: -1.84 758 comparisons
american politics political philosophy politics race relations +2
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91. Class: A Guide Through the American Status System
BT: -1.89 337 comparisons
american studies cultural studies non-fiction social commentary +1
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A
92. American Amnesia: How the War on Government Led Us To Forget What Made America Prosper
BT: -1.90 309 comparisons
american history american politics economics politics +2
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93. I, Rose
BT: -1.91 356 comparisons
economics global economy non-fiction social commentary
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94. Enemy of the Disaster: Selected Political Writings
BT: -1.92 382 comparisons
european politics french politics political theory politics +1
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T
95. The Occupy Handbook
BT: -1.93 369 comparisons
current events economics politics social commentary
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96. UFOs: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies
BT: -2.05 388 comparisons
mythology philosophy political philosophy psychology +1
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97. Vindication of the French Revolution of February 1848
BT: -2.15 388 comparisons
european history french history history political philosophy +2
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P
98. Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now
BT: -2.17 314 comparisons
cultural studies politics social commentary sociology +1
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L
99. La media non conta piu’
BT: -2.23 344 comparisons
economics future of work labor economics social commentary +1
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100. Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto
BT: -2.27 363 comparisons
american popular culture cultural criticism essay collection popular culture +1
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101. Hi Hitler! How the Nazi Past is Being Normalized in Contemporary Culture
BT: -2.38 325 comparisons
cultural studies european history german history history +2
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102. The Affluent Society
BT: -2.41 284 comparisons
american history economics politics social commentary
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103. Out on a Limb: Selected Writing, 1989-2021
BT: -2.47 299 comparisons
current events essays journalism political commentary +2
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T
104. The People’s Romance
BT: -2.51 880 comparisons
economics political science politics public choice +1
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105. Everything Bad is Good for You
BT: -2.55 671 comparisons
cultural studies media studies non-fiction popular science +1
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106. Harrison Bergeron
BT: -2.58 348 comparisons
dystopian fiction fiction political fiction science fiction +1
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A
107. Arts, Inc.: How Greed and Neglect Have Destroyed Our Cultural Rights
BT: -2.60 367 comparisons
art cultural studies law politics +1
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108. Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make It Harder for Blacks to Succeed
BT: -2.66 303 comparisons
politics public policy race relations social commentary
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T
109. The Road to Wigan Pier
BT: -2.71 369 comparisons
british history cultural criticism non-fiction political philosophy +2
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110. Rethinking School
BT: -3.01 338 comparisons
education education reform social commentary
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T
111. The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money
BT: -3.02 354 comparisons
economics education public policy social commentary
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112. World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech
BT: -3.05 326 comparisons
philosophy social commentary technology
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113. Letters to My Weird Sisters: On Autism and Feminism
BT: -3.13 366 comparisons
autism feminism memoir non-fiction +1
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114. Bull Shit Jobs: A Theory
BT: -3.14 329 comparisons
anthropology economics social commentary social theory +2
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115. Deliver Us from Evil
BT: -3.31 317 comparisons
conservative politics politics social commentary
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C
116. Collected Essays
BT: -3.33 312 comparisons
essays film criticism literary criticism social commentary
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T
117. The Virtues of Our Vices: A Modest Defense of Gossip, Rudeness, and Other Bad Habits
BT: -3.37 343 comparisons
ethics philosophy social commentary
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W
118. Wie gut wir sind, zeigt sich in Krisenzeiten: Ein Weckruf
BT: -3.38 331 comparisons
current affairs german politics politics social commentary
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T
119. Three Guineas
BT: -3.42 354 comparisons
essay feminism gender studies politics +1
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C
120. Can American Capitalism Survive?: Why Greed is Not Good, Opportunity is Not Equal, and Fairness Won’t Make Us Poor
BT: -3.43 381 comparisons
american politics economics political economy politics +1
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A
121. A Colony in a Nation
BT: -3.63 343 comparisons
american history politics race relations social commentary +1
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122. In Defense of Civilization: How Our Past Can Renew Our Present
BT: -3.67 324 comparisons
cultural history history philosophy progress studies +1
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D
123. Dark heart of Italy
BT: -3.92 253 comparisons
cultural studies italy social commentary travel literature
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124. Retromania
BT: -3.93 186 comparisons
aesthetics cultural criticism music social commentary
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A
125. American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secrets to Healing Our Nation
BT: -3.95 269 comparisons
american politics current affairs intellectual history philosophy +3
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126. Lessons from Past Heroes: How the rejection of victimhood dogmas will save South Africa
BT: -4.20 257 comparisons
african studies libertarianism politics social commentary +1
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127. Subsidizing Culture: Taxpayer Enrichment of the Creative Class
BT: -4.28 168 comparisons
arts & culture economics politics public policy +1
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128. What’s the Matter with Kansas?
BT: -4.50 214 comparisons
american politics american studies politics social commentary +1
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129. Things That Can and Cannot Be Said
BT: -6.26 87 comparisons
current events journalism national security politics +1
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130. We are Doomed
BT: -6.51 90 comparisons
cultural criticism non-fiction social commentary
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131. Progressive Myths
BT: -6.54 98 comparisons
philosophy political philosophy politics social commentary
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132. Molly
BT: -6.56 79 comparisons
cultural criticism ethics memoir social commentary
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133. Don't Eat This Book
BT: -8.35 78 comparisons
food industry health non-fiction nutrition +1
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