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George Homans is a maverick among sociologists. He is one of those who, to use the dictionary definition of the term, take an independent stand refusing to conform to that of his (professional) group. His autobiography is of special interest, if only because among sociologists mavericks have of late become rather rare . . . [H]onest, lucid, and elegantly written memoir . . . Homans belongs to a dying breed; they do not make them any more, even at Harvard . . . We need mavericks of the Right like George Homans almost as much as we need mavericks of the Left like Thorstein Veblen and C. Wright Mills. They are the salt of the earth. --Lewis A. Coser, Contemporary Sociology Coming to My Senses is the 'intellectual autobiography' of the Harvard sociologist George Caspar Homans . . . The book is a charming and witty account of the education of George Homans. --Karen S. Cook, American Journal of Sociology Homans's book . . . tells the story that's there to be told . . . Homans embodies the accounts of his sociology in the story of his larger life. --Charles C. Lemert, Theory and Society Autobiographies by scientists are rare. They are even more rarely written by social scientists . . . George Homans is an exception. His eminence and impact not only on sociology but on fields beyond makes him noteworthy . . . His ability to write well-formed and lively prose makes all of this not only possible but downright pleasurable to read. Coming to My Senses is filled with wonderful vignettes; with humor, wry self-criticism, and a becoming modesty. It provides us with an insider's history of the Harvard sociology department in the postwar years and a fascinating sketch of how the son of a blue-blood family, trained to be a leading professional or businessman, took up science as his vocation and the arts as his avocation. The book well embodies the charm and grace of the man himself. --Jeffrey C. Alexander, Theory and Society In his wry honesty and plain speaking, his voracious curiosity and his shrewd assessments of himself and his world, he stands apart from the ordinary run of conservatives . . . [Homans'] observations are shrewd and entertaining, his cantankerous abrasiveness and candor will win the grudging admiration of many of whose whom he affects to despise. We need not agree with all of his opinions to find that the author of this entertaining book is a gentleman, a scholar, and a 'good fellow.' --Richard Schlatter, Society

-George Homans is a maverick among sociologists. He is one of those who, to use the dictionary definition of the term, take an independent stand refusing to conform to that of his (professional) group. His autobiography is of special interest, if only because among sociologists mavericks have of late become rather rare . . . [H]onest, lucid, and elegantly written memoir . . . Homans belongs to a dying breed; they do not make them any more, even at Harvard . . . We need mavericks of the Right like George Homans almost as much as we need mavericks of the Left like Thorstein Veblen and C. Wright Mills. They are the salt of the earth.- --Lewis A. Coser, Contemporary Sociology -Coming to My Senses is the 'intellectual autobiography' of the Harvard sociologist George Caspar Homans . . . The book is a charming and witty account of the education of George Homans.- --Karen S. Cook, American Journal of Sociology -Homans's book . . . tells the story that's there to be told . . . Homans embodies the accounts of his sociology in the story of his larger life.- --Charles C. Lemert, Theory and Society -Autobiographies by scientists are rare. They are even more rarely written by social scientists . . . George Homans is an exception. His eminence and impact not only on sociology but on fields beyond makes him noteworthy . . . His ability to write well-formed and lively prose makes all of this not only possible but downright pleasurable to read. Coming to My Senses is filled with wonderful vignettes; with humor, wry self-criticism, and a becoming modesty. It provides us with an insider's history of the Harvard sociology department in the postwar years and a fascinating sketch of how the son of a blue-blood family, trained to be a leading professional or businessman, took up science as his vocation and the arts as his avocation. The book well embodies the charm and grace of the man himself.- --Jeffrey C. Alexander, Theory and Society -In his wry honesty and plain speaking, his voracious curiosity and his shrewd assessments of himself and his world, he stands apart from the ordinary run of conservatives . . . [Homans'] observations are shrewd and entertaining, his cantankerous abrasiveness and candor will win the grudging admiration of many of whose whom he affects to despise. We need not agree with all of his opinions to find that the author of this entertaining book is a gentleman, a scholar, and a 'good fellow.'- --Richard Schlatter, Society

George Homans is a maverick among sociologists. He is one of those who, to use the dictionary definition of the term, take an independent stand refusing to conform to that of his (professional) group. His autobiography is of special interest, if only because among sociologists mavericks have of late become rather rare . . . [H]onest, lucid, and elegantly written memoir . . . Homans belongs to a dying breed; they do not make them any more, even at Harvard . . . We need mavericks of the Right like George Homans almost as much as we need mavericks of the Left like Thorstein Veblen and C. Wright Mills. They are the salt of the earth. --Lewis A. Coser, Contemporary Sociology Coming to my Senses is the intellectual autobiography of the Harvard sociologist George Caspar Homans . . . The book is a charming and witty account of the education of George Homans. --Karen S. Cook, American Journal of Sociology Homans's book . . . tells the story that's there to be told . . . Homans embodies the accounts of his sociology in the story of his larger life. --Charles C. Lemert, Theory and Society Autobiographies by scientists are rare. They are even more rarely written by social scientists . . . George Homans is an exception. His eminence and impact not only on sociology but on fields beyond makes him noteworthy . . . His ability to write well-formed and lively prose makes all of this not only possible but downright pleasurable to read. Coming to My Senses is filled with wonderful vignettes; with humor, wry self-criticism, and a becoming modesty. It provides us with an insider's history of the Harvard sociology department in the postwar years and a fascinating sketch of how the son of a blue-blood family, trained to be a leading professional or businessman, took up science as his vocation and the arts as his avocation. The book well embodies the charm and grace of the man himself. --Jeffrey C. Alexander, Theory and Society In his wry honesty and plain speaking, his voraciou

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George Caspar Homans (1910-1989) was professor of sociology emeritus at Harvard University, USA. He taught at the universities of Manchester, Cambridge, and Kent and is the author of The Human Group and Social Behavior along with numerous other works on social behaviour and social theory.

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