Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Readers wanted

I am writing a book on marriage for Connor Court. It would be very helpful to have some "beta readers" to run a critical eye over drafts of the chapters (and appendices) of the book.

So, if you are interested in being such a reader, say so in the comments.

The chapter plan is set out below. Feel free to nominate sections you may be particularly interested in.


Prologue: A society without marriage

Introduction: The problem of marriage

Part 1: The patterns of marriage

Chapter 1: What is marriage and where did it come from?
Appendix 1.1: Rationality and utility

Chapter 2: Of cousins, cults and clans

Chapter 3: Paths to patriarchy

Chapter 4: Caste and other household matters

Chapter 5: Why the state
Appendix 5.1: China, Rome and cycles of empire.

Chapter 6: Polygyny and social aggression
Appendix 6.1: Migration and social aggression

Part 2: Marriage and Western Dominance

Chapter 7: Classical monogamy and political diversity
Appendix 7.1: Republics outside the classical world
Appendix 7.2: Empire as a territorial equilibrium 

Chapter 8: Christian monogamy and supercharging cooperation
Appendix 8.1: Patterns of political bargaining

Chapter 9: The triumph of monogamy and the end of a civilisational cycle
Appendix 9.1: Sacredness and structure

Part 3: The Present and Prospects of Marriage

Chapter 10: Marriage at the margin

Chapter 11: Violence and victims

Chapter 12: Biology and culture
Appendix 12.1 Same sex attraction

Chapter 13: Conclusion

Afterword: Catastrophising and cultural flux
Appendix 1: Abstraction and Uncertainty
Appendix 2: Connection and Information


(Will update this post if and when chapter plan changes.)