An eminent sociologist offers insightful impressions and discussions of American culture and the ways it both liberates and imprisons various social groups.

Throughout his long and varied career, Thomas J. Cottle has been producing books that relate the “life stories” of participants who have been voluntarily or involuntarily swept up into major social events. His viewpoints have stood out from the great majority of writers because of his even-handed treatment of all participants in the often incendiary social or cultural issues of the day, whether they be the Boston school busing controversy or the O. J. Simpson case. Writing from a sociological as well as a clinical psychological point of view, he eschews abstract analyses and polemics to craft individual portraits that convey the humanity and the dignity of persons who are all too often considered peripheral.

Although his individual pieces have often received substantial public reception and critical approval, until now there has been no book that brings together his contributions on a variety of subjects. The new and previously published essays in Intimate Appraisals provide the first overview and guide to his very special contribution to social analysis, as well as a convenient source for teaching the “Cottle method” in sociology, social psychology, and psychiatry courses.

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THOMAS J. COTTLE is Professor of Education at Boston University and recipient of numerous awards for his research and his appearances on radio and television. He is author of over two dozen books, including At Peril (2001), Hardest Times (2001), Mine Fields (2001), Children’s Secrets (1980), Children in Jail (1977), Busing (1976), A Family Album (1974), Time’s Children (1971), and over 500 essays, articles, and reviews. Learn more at http://thomascottle.com

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