Essentials of Sociology: A Down-To-Earth Approach

I needed this book ASAP, thank goodness for overnight shipping! Was quick shipping, and the book is like brand new. Thank you!!

I would like everyone to know that for a class that calls for the latest edition, which is usually hundreds of dollars, they can easily get an A with an older edition. I have proved it with this book. Even though the teacher said I would have a hard time I found everything where it was supposed to be maybe a page or two off but it was all there. This is a great book even if you are not taking a sociology class.

I believe one of the previous reviews of this book tried to criticize it for its "preaching of liberal dogmas" and tried to say that it was unbalanced. This is simply not the case. The author of this text is merely trying to use an open approach to encompass all aspects of sociology and thereby be a little more open-minded in his writing. So there's a little subjectivity, who cares? It's nearly impossible to write something and be 100 percent objective because there will always be a bit of your own opinion of the matter leak into what you're trying to point out. The point is, this book is simply fascinating from front to back. It is extremely easy to relate to and understand (though it is not meant for high schoolers), the information is surprisingly up-to-date with many examples in the charts and graphs, and it is simply fun to read. The book covers everything from the sociological perspective and culture to global stratification and social change in such a broad manner that you'll never lose track of what you're reading. Not only this, but the book also comes with some amazing study materials including links to a website with some of the best quizzes I've seen (they've helped me tremendously on my tests) and also other study guides such as flash cards and outlines of the chapters to help you make a study guide. All in all, Henslin's book IS the best book out there on which to embark your study of sociology. Even if you don't like it, you will find yourself interested by the many examples that Henslin provides to relate to his concepts. The only gripe I have is the fact that the book is paperback. If you're able to find a hardback edition please do so because it will last longer and will be able to be used a lot more often than the paperback will.

This book was required for a sociology course I took in college, and I have to say I wasn't very excited about sociology, but this book made the course interesting - it's very readable, up-to-date and uses many examples of sociology in action. It also has lots of pictures and charts to add interest. The companion website is also a good resource for additional information as well as practice quizzes. All in all an excellent text book.

My intro Sociology class required that I pick this up. Although there are newer editions now, there weren't at the time. Henslin should be considered a well-rounded expert in his field. I have accumulated numerous credit hours and in all of them, I have had maybe 4 books that I liked to read. Personal anecdotes and individual reflections and examples make this book easy reading. The easier it is, the better you can soak up the info. Bravo. I'd suggest to any Soc. prof that they use this book!