The Coddling of the American Mind
Score Modern
What it's about
Free-speech lawyer Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argue that rising anxiety and depression among students, and the shouting down of campus speakers, come from three bad ideas taught to a generation: that what doesn't kill you makes you weaker, that you should always trust your feelings, and that life is a battle between good people and evil people.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and sparked a national debate about parenting, education and free speech. Its argument foreshadows Haidt's later The Anxious Generation.
You'll love it if you liked
The Anxious Generation, Thinking, Fast and Slow or Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
Good to know
It's an argument that has both strong admirers and critics. It draws on cognitive behavioral therapy for its central ideas.
Quick answers
Is The Coddling of the American Mind worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and sparked a national debate about parenting, education and free speech. It ranks #1,052 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Coddling of the American Mind about?
Free-speech lawyer Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argue that rising anxiety and depression among students, and the shouting down of campus speakers, come from three bad ideas taught to a generation: that what doesn't kill you makes you weaker, that you should always trust your feelings, and that life is a battle between good people and evil people.
How long does it take to read The Coddling of the American Mind?
About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Coddling of the American Mind?
If you liked it, try The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman or Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller47 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz7 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
NBCC Award (Nonfiction) finalist (2018).
Where it ranks
- #23 of the 44 politics books we rank
- #547 of the 1,575 modern books we rank
- #1052 of the 2,819 books we rank
Shortlisted
- NBCC Award (Nonfiction) finalist (2018)
Reads as
Practical, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
When Breath Becomes Air
How to Be an Antiracist
Chernobyl: The History of a Nuclear Catastrophe
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
The Plot Against America
Nuclear War: A Scenario