Delicious list! One work of mutual interest? Pinker

Pinker's work: The Better Angels of Our Nature - while valid in shape begins to fray when we dive deeper into form - violence.

Qualitative date affirms the notion that for the past 70 some years we've witnessed a more peaceful, tolerant existence in a growing number of societies.

Quantitative date - the squishy data that's mired in perspectives - reminds us how violence is just a stone's throw away - daily. Example? Domestic violence. Spousal abuse.. What was once considered a norm in husband/wife relationships - (even sanctioned today in some religions), is now seen as crimal - providing the crime is reported.

True - misguided empathy is too often a cudgel to enable unhealthy ways to retire violence. Genuine empathy - the sort of empathy nature displays daily - reminds us of the power of symbiotic relationships as well as the destructive nature of parasites.