Brian M. Carney

Brian M. Carney is an author and journalist who has written extensively on topics ranging from business and marketing to biographies, education and journalism. His career has been marked by a drive to challenge conventional wisdom and think differently.

For example, in his 2011 book The Right Nation, Carney and his co-author, John Micklethwait, used quantitative methods to analyze the American voting system and discovered that, contrary to popular belief, the red-blue divide was not as distinct as many assume. In the book, they portray the American voting system as much more complicated than the binary red-blue polarity. Carney and Micklethwait’s analysis was acclaimed by both sides of the political spectrum.

In the successful 2009 book The Big Questions, Carney tackles another topic: the quest for meaning in life. Using examples from psychology, philosophy, religion and more, Carney delves into the search for meaning, offering readers insights about how to find meaning in their lives. He also looks at how our efforts to find meaning can be distorted by contemporary dogma, such as the “cult of success” or the assumption that money can buy happiness.

Carney has also written several books on education, exploring the many facets of education, including teacher burnout, the impact of technology in the classroom, and the school-to-prison pipeline. In 2015, he published Beyond Measure: The Big Impact Of Small Changes, which offered educators and school administrators advice on creating positive change in their schools. His well-rounded approach to education is highly respected by fellow educators.

Carney also wrote Fraternity: An Inside Look at a Year of College Boys Becoming Men, a look at the development process of college men during the year he spent embedded with a fraternity at Bowdoin College. Through anecdotes and analysis, Carney shows readers the challenges men face as they transition from high school to university.

In addition to writing books, Carney has also worked as a journalist, a trade he has continued throughout his career. He discusses a range of topics in various publications, from books to newspapers to magazines. Some of the topics he has written about include the power of advertising, race in America, and how industry practices can influence consumers.

When it comes to his writing, Carney is never afraid to challenge received wisdom. His work is known for being insightful, thought-provoking and analytical. He encourages his readers to look beyond surface-level issues and think differently, examining them from fresh perspectives. Carney’s work has been acclaimed by both laypeople and academics alike, proving that he has a unique way of looking at the world.