This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

1. 1. The Big Myth

   How American Business Taught Us to Loathe Government and Love the Free Market

   

   "The Big Myth" by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway delves into the history of the "free market" ideology in America. The book explores how, in the early 20th century, the U.S. government played a significant role in economic affairs. However, a shift occurred as business elites and media allies promoted the idea of minimal government intervention, advocating for unrestricted markets. This narrative was propagated through various means, including rewriting educational materials and influencing popular culture. The authors trace the impact of this ideology on modern issues such as economic inequality, environmental challenges, and public health crises. By examining this historical transformation, the book encourages readers to reconsider the role of markets in shaping a democratic society.

   The 17010th Greatest Book of All Time

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2. 2. Merchants Of Doubt

   How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming

   

   This compelling exposé delves into the intricate web of misinformation spun by a small group of influential scientists and advisors who have systematically cast doubt on well-established scientific facts. By tracing their tactics across various issues, from tobacco smoke to climate change, the narrative reveals how these figures, often with ties to industry and political interests, have manipulated public perception and policy. Through meticulous research and analysis, the book underscores the profound impact of these actions on public health and environmental policy, highlighting the urgent need for transparency and accountability in scientific discourse.

3. 3. Why Trust Science?

   

   The book argues that trustworthy scientific knowledge emerges from social practices and institutions—peer review, replication, transparency, critical scrutiny, and a diversity of perspectives—rather than from an infallible method or lone genius; it explains how scientific consensus, built through community norms and self-correction, provides reliable grounds for public trust while also acknowledging uncertainty and the capacity for error, and it uses historical and contemporary cases (notably climate science) to show how science can be both fallible and dependable when supported by robust institutional safeguards.

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