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The Forest and the Trees: Sociology as Life, Practice, and Promise
New Third Edition!
If sociology could teach everyone just one thing, what would it be? The Forest and the Trees is one sociologist's response to the hypothetical-the core insight with the greatest potential to change how people see the world and themselves in relation to it.
This Third Edition features:
* Updated key references, data, resources, and examples, from global warming, Obama's election, and gay marriage to transgender/cisgender and the Occupy Movement
* A glossary of terms
* The short essays in Chapter 6, framed around the power of sociology, dig beneath easy and popular understandings to reveal what lies beneath
* An additional analysis of how men's violence is made invisible even though most violence is perpetrated by men
* Chapter 7's focus on sociology as a worldview with an analysis of the origins of white privilege
If sociology could teach everyone just one thing, what would it be? The Forest and the Trees is one sociologist's response to the hypothetical-the core insight with the greatest potential to change how people see the world and themselves in relation to it.
This Third Edition features:
* Updated key references, data, resources, and examples, from global warming, Obama's election, and gay marriage to transgender/cisgender and the Occupy Movement
* A glossary of terms
* The short essays in Chapter 6, framed around the power of sociology, dig beneath easy and popular understandings to reveal what lies beneath
* An additional analysis of how men's violence is made invisible even though most violence is perpetrated by men
* Chapter 7's focus on sociology as a worldview with an analysis of the origins of white privilege
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1991
70 people are currently reading
1055 people want to read
About the author
Allan G. Johnson
19 books64 followersAllan G. Johnson is a novelist, nonfiction writer, sociologist, teacher, and public speaker who has spent much of his life trying to understand the human condition, especially as shaped by issues of gender, race, and social class. His nonfiction books have been translated into several languages, and his first novel, The First Thing and the Last, was recognized in 2010 by Publishers Weekly as a notable debut work of fiction and named a “Great Read” by O Magazine. His memoir, Not from Here, was published in 2015.
He was born in Washington, DC, in 1946 and at the age of six went with his family to live for two years in Oslo, Norway, where his father worked in the U.S. embassy. Returning from Norway, his family settled in Massachusetts where he did the rest of his growing up. He wrote his first (very) short story when he was ten years old. He wrote poetry and short fiction all through high school, winning awards for both in his senior year, and continued writing on into college.
He earned a PhD in Sociology at the University of Michigan in 1968 and taught for eight years at Wesleyan University. During this time—when the radical feminist women's movement was at its height—he became involved in the rape crisis movement and began his exploration of patriarchy and systems of privilege.
Striking out on his own after not receiving tenure, he spent a year writing short stories before the necessity to earn a living took him back to nonfiction writing and part-time college teaching.
By the late 1990s he was writing and speaking widely about issues of privilege and oppression, and he had finally returned to his roots as a fiction writer with the start of his first novel, The First Thing and the Last, a story of healing and redemption in the aftermath of domestic violence. His second novel, Nothing Left to Lose, the story of a family in crisis during the Vietnam War, was published in 2011.
He lives with his life partner, Nora L. Jamieson, in the hills of northwestern Connecticut.
He was born in Washington, DC, in 1946 and at the age of six went with his family to live for two years in Oslo, Norway, where his father worked in the U.S. embassy. Returning from Norway, his family settled in Massachusetts where he did the rest of his growing up. He wrote his first (very) short story when he was ten years old. He wrote poetry and short fiction all through high school, winning awards for both in his senior year, and continued writing on into college.
He earned a PhD in Sociology at the University of Michigan in 1968 and taught for eight years at Wesleyan University. During this time—when the radical feminist women's movement was at its height—he became involved in the rape crisis movement and began his exploration of patriarchy and systems of privilege.
Striking out on his own after not receiving tenure, he spent a year writing short stories before the necessity to earn a living took him back to nonfiction writing and part-time college teaching.
By the late 1990s he was writing and speaking widely about issues of privilege and oppression, and he had finally returned to his roots as a fiction writer with the start of his first novel, The First Thing and the Last, a story of healing and redemption in the aftermath of domestic violence. His second novel, Nothing Left to Lose, the story of a family in crisis during the Vietnam War, was published in 2011.
He lives with his life partner, Nora L. Jamieson, in the hills of northwestern Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 21, 2025
Very insightful. The book helped me see the world as a collection of systems that interact, and it taught me how, if we want to fix systemic problems, we need to abandon our individual way of thinking and look at the way society shapes the individual. I'm studying psychology, and I think this book is useful for other psychologists because it shows how the problems an individual faces are often sociological problems.
November 15, 2017
I literally just started reading this book and I already think it is brilliant!
I was wondering why I didn't read this when I was studying Sociology in college and the reason is that it wasn't written yet. It only came out in 2008.
"Practicing sociology is a way to observe the world and to think about and make sense of it. it is also a way to be *in* the world and *of* the world, to play a meaningful role in the life of our species as it shapes and reshapes itself into the mystery of what is going on and what it has to do with us." p3
"We are always participating in something larger than ourselves, and if we want to understand social life and what happens to people in it, we have to understand what it is that we are participating in and how we are participating in it. In other words, key to understanding social life is neither just the forest nor just the trees but the forest *and* the trees and the consequences that result from their dynamic relationship to each other. " p12
I was wondering why I didn't read this when I was studying Sociology in college and the reason is that it wasn't written yet. It only came out in 2008.
"Practicing sociology is a way to observe the world and to think about and make sense of it. it is also a way to be *in* the world and *of* the world, to play a meaningful role in the life of our species as it shapes and reshapes itself into the mystery of what is going on and what it has to do with us." p3
"We are always participating in something larger than ourselves, and if we want to understand social life and what happens to people in it, we have to understand what it is that we are participating in and how we are participating in it. In other words, key to understanding social life is neither just the forest nor just the trees but the forest *and* the trees and the consequences that result from their dynamic relationship to each other. " p12
September 10, 2024
Genny would love this book and Malli would hate it
January 18, 2022
this book was so insightful and informative, im really glad i read it. and even though the book was kind of short it covered so many areas of sociology. and i took a long time to read it but i feel like thts better than reading it all in one sitting, cos i was able to actually absorb it.
July 31, 2017
Favorite book used as a textbook
September 12, 2017
Johnson takes a microscope to society and explains why humans do and don't do activities. Such as divorce, murder, theft and other societal practices.
January 6, 2018
A book everybody should read - short, but gives you a way to look at and think about seemingly everything in life and society that affects us.
January 25, 2019
4.5 stars
August 9, 2019
A useful overview of sociological thinking and systems of privilege and oppression. Characteristic of Johnson’s approachable writing style.
October 10, 2019
Too opinionated.
January 18, 2023
i feel like this guy did something really racist at some point and this was his way of atoning
Read
April 25, 2024過去在無數個網路討論裡看到的書名，讀起來比預期的淺顯易懂非常多，還有一些現在讀來稍嫌不必要的輕鬆語氣，社會學必備入門書當之無愧。
November 28, 2024
Incredible book, I learned a lot and absolutely recommend to anyone who is interested in learning about how and why society works the way it does.
January 31, 2022
I was assigned to read a few chapters of "The Forest and the Trees" for my sociology class, but I decided to finish the book because it's a short read. Using sociology, Johnson defines structures, cultures, and actions to then address societal issues. He largely focuses on the faults of individualism, as the thought fails to address people's relationship with their system. I agree with his approach and thinking, which is a reason why I enjoyed the read. At the same time, however, much of the book seems to be common sense. The only people who wouldn't get it are those who are those who choose to support the US's capitalist system, which is inherently inequitable and oppressive.
October 10, 2023
This book offers a very systematic view of social science, insightful and interesting. I never get bored.
I would say I should have taken notes when I was reading, because some sentences are sooo great!
I would say I should have taken notes when I was reading, because some sentences are sooo great!
May 27, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ sociology is alright ig
March 6, 2013
This book was a very good way to introduce the subject of Sociology. In context, I read this as a sort of "textbook" for my Introduction to Sociology class and it was great for that because not only did it provide clear definitions of basic terms, but it also provided vivid examples to illustrate these basic (but necessary) points.
However, I did find the need to mark it down a star because I felt that it was a bit too opinionated for an introductory read. Perhaps it was the classroom context that I read it in, but I find that it is harder to take the quality of the material seriously enough, when you are too busy arguing the authors viewpoint at times.
However, for anyone interested in Sociology or any professor who is considering using this as material for an introductory course, I do recommend this book. A suggestion to teachers/professors would be to pair this book with textbook material or use this as an extra credit or project type of assignment.
However, I did find the need to mark it down a star because I felt that it was a bit too opinionated for an introductory read. Perhaps it was the classroom context that I read it in, but I find that it is harder to take the quality of the material seriously enough, when you are too busy arguing the authors viewpoint at times.
However, for anyone interested in Sociology or any professor who is considering using this as material for an introductory course, I do recommend this book. A suggestion to teachers/professors would be to pair this book with textbook material or use this as an extra credit or project type of assignment.
June 14, 2010
A fascinating introduction to sociology. While I can't say that I agree with every conclusion the author came too, I can say that the book has many moments that will make you stop and think about things from a perspective you've never considered.
Ultimately, that's the point of the book - to open the readers mind to thinking about daily interactions in a new light based on the belief that every thought and every action is fundamentally related. Recommended.
Ultimately, that's the point of the book - to open the readers mind to thinking about daily interactions in a new light based on the belief that every thought and every action is fundamentally related. Recommended.
April 4, 2008
If you want to know what sociology is and how sociologists think about and understand the world but don't want to read an academic text, this is the book for you.
Very accessible and reader-friendly, I highly recommend this book to academics and non-academics alike.
Very accessible and reader-friendly, I highly recommend this book to academics and non-academics alike.
July 17, 2008
Gives a really good overview of sociological thought for the layperson. Demonstrates why looking at the problems that face us today - such as poverty, racism, and crime - from a sociological point of view is so important.
July 2, 2017
It's a great book for knowing sociology.
Want to read
July 12, 2014perpect
February 27, 2015
Fascinating analysis of social systems and how individuals fit inside them. The writing is very clear and almost airy, despite the sometimes heavy topics.
April 14, 2015
so much good info and cool ideas to make you look at the world thru sociological perspective. will read again, this time not for a class!
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June 2, 2016The Radical Reviewer did an excellent review of The Forest and the Trees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA_gt...
September 26, 2021
Not a bad overview, but a bit dry. Written for an audience completely unfamiliar with or suspicious of sociological concepts.
December 31, 2021
引发了我对自己偏向个人主义的反思。我所选择的最小阻力路径和他人的可能截然相反。特别喜欢大富翁的比喻，社会规则并不会因为玩家的个人特质而改变。奇怪的是不再强调个人主义反而解决了对特权的负罪感，因而更可以付诸行动。
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews