Challenges

Why it’s on the list: Lang’s documentary record of the public controversies he picked — over academic standards, statistical claims in the social sciences, and the Huntington election to the National Academy — assembled as files rather than argued as essays.

Where I heard about it

• A reply to @SpencrGreenberg — in the thread under his question “What non-fiction book taught you the most about how the world (or how humanity or society) really works?” (June 2025), listed as “Challenges by Serge Lang.” The full set of replies is on A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet).

About this edition

A file-dossier of Lang’s campaigns rather than a conventional book — worth knowing before ordering it.

Connections

• Science — The standards Lang was fighting about.
• Institutions — The academic bodies the files are aimed at.
• A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet) — the thread this recommendation came from.