Lost Souls

James D. Wright's Lost Souls is a remarkable rellection on the shifting moral landscope of cotemporary America, wherein, the seven deadly sins of lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, anger envy and pride have have seemingly been tranformed into virtuous ideals. It is a must read for those of us grappling with the moral foundations of the Trump era

Darren E. Sherkat, Southern Illinois University

James D. Wright gives a clear view and anaysis of contemporary culture and morality with insights in every chapter. His writing is so engaging - and often funny - that you don't realize how much you are learning about sociological theory and social history until after you have finished a chapter. Every chapter illuminates Biblical injunctions and modern norms, social science research and its intrpretation, and contemporary society

Murray Webster, Professor of Sociology, University of Charlotte

This erudite and fascingting book summarizes a broad swatch of sociological research as it shows convincingly that what some might regard as sinful may also be socially necessary

Arne L. Kalleberg, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What is the state of contemporary American morality? From their original conception in Christian scripture to their assimilation into Western culture, the `Seven Deadly Sins' - lust, greed, envy, pride, and all the rest - have guided human morality, steering human behavior and psychology away from evil and toward a full embrace of the good

James D. Wright carefully examines the complexities and ambiguities in modern society in the context of the seven deadly sins and their corresponding virtues. Are we all lost souls, condemned by our immoral deeds, or are the trappings of older sin deteriorating? Is it time, filially, to reconsider the classifications of evil and good?

Wright uses each chapter to consider how the social sciences have operationalized each `sin', how they have been studied, and what lessons have been learned over time. He reviews recent trends and contemplates the societal costs and benefits of the behaviors in question, lost Souls emerges, then, as a meditation on contemporary sin, concluding that the line between guilt and innocence, right and wrong, is often very thin