Civilization and Its Discontents is one of the last of Freud's books, written in the decade before his death and first published in German in 1929. It is, considered his most brilliant work. In it, he states his views on the broad question of man's place in the world. It seeks to answer several questions fundamental to human society and its organization: What influences led to the creation of civilization? Why and how did it come to be? What determines...

Fascinating, comprehensive text describes ancient Egypt's vast resources and the processes that incorporated them in daily life, including the use of animal products, building materials, cosmetics, perfumes and incense, fibers, glazed ware, glass, materials used in the mummification process, and much more..

Social psychologist Erich Fromm's seminal exploration of the profound ills of modern society, and how best to overcome them One of Fromm's main interests was to analyze social systems and their impact on the mental health of the individual. In this study, he reaches further and asks: "Can a society be sick?" He finds that it can, arguing that Western culture is immersed in a "pathology of normalcy" that affects the mental health of individuals.  ...