The Germans

The last major work by one of our century's most influential social theorists, The Germans is a penetrating account of German social development, from the seventeenth century to the present. Enhanced by his deep understanding of other Western European nations, Norbert Elias's incisive analyses of nationalism, violence, and the breakdown of civilization will be an indispensable resource for those interested in modern European history and sociology and in European studies.

Thomas J. Scheff

This study is particularly brilliant, even for the great Elias. In it he returns to the shame analysis that he began in The Civilizing Process, clarifying great swaths of German and European cultural history. A must for your reading list.

Norbert Elias was Professor Emeritus at the University of Frankfurt until his death in 1990. He taught for many years at the University of Leicester in England and is the author of a number of books, including The Civilizing Process and What is Sociology?