Books published by Columbia University Press

This book presents a selection of Joe Brainard's letters stretching from 1959 to 1993, offering an intimate view of his personal and artistic life.

Distilling a vast amount of research in a style that is engaging, conversational, and even personal and witty, this book opens readers' eyes to the complexity and significance of the humble knee.

This book traces the evolution of our understanding of the heart from the dawn of civilization to the present. Vincent M. Figueredo-an accomplished cardiologist and expert on the history of the human heart-explores the role and significance of the heart in art, culture, religion, philosophy, and science across time and place.

Larry S. Sherman, a neuroscientist and lifelong musician, and Dennis Plies, a professional musician and teacher, collaborate to show how our brains and music work in harmony. Written for both musical and nonmusical people, including newcomers to brain science, this book is a lively and easy-to-read exploration of the neuroscience of music.

Rob Verchick explores what climate resilience looks like on the ground, taking the reader on a journey into the field. Engaging and accessible for nonexpert concerned citizens, this book empowers readers to face the climate crisis and shows what we can do to adapt and thrive.

This book is a groundbreaking in-depth analysis of the Abraham Accords, shedding new light on their causes and consequences.

Yingyi Ma offers a multifaceted analysis of the wave of Chinese students across American higher-education based on research in both Chinese high schools and U.S. institutions. Ma argues that their experiences embody the duality of ambition and anxiety that arises from transformative social changes in China.

Diving into Harvard Square's past and present, Catherine J. Turco, an economic sociologist and longtime Harvard Square denizen, tells the crazy, complicated love story of one quirky little marketplace and in the process, reveals the hidden love story Americans everywhere have long had with their own Main Streets and downtowns.

A climate catastrophe can be avoided, but only with a rapid and sustained investment in companies and projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To the surprise of many, this has already begun. Investors are abandoning fossil-fuel companies and other polluting industries and financing businesses offering climate solutions. Rising risks, evolving social norms, government policies, and technological innovation are all accelerating this movement of capital.Bruce Usher offers an indispensable guide to the risks and opportunities for investors as the world faces climate change. He explores the role that investment plays in reducing emissions to net zero by 2050, detailing how to finance the winners and avoid the losers in a transforming global economy. Usher argues that careful examination of climate solutions will offer investors a new and necessary lens on the future for their own financial benefit and for the greater good. Companies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions will create great wealth, and, more importantly, they will provide a lifeline for humanity.Grounded in academic and industry research, Usher's insights bring clarity to a complex and controversial topic while illuminating the people behind the numbers. This book sets out a practical and actionable plan for investors that will alter the course of climate change.

Simon LeVay introduces readers to a memorable cast of researchers trying to unravel the many mysteries that surround sex and sexuality. He distills vast expertise on the biology and psychology of sex into an engaging and easy-to-understand survey with scientific acumen, a critical eye, and a sense of humor.