About the Book

 The World According to Star Wars by an acclaimed legal scholar and Harvard professor shares life lessons from Star Wars and what the series can teach us about everything from constitutional law and behavioral economics to freedom of choice and our never-ending ability to make the right decision when the chips are down.

In rich detail, Sunstein tells the story of the films’ wildly unanticipated success and what they have to say about why some things succeed while others fail. Written with buoyant prose, and considerable heart, The World According to Star Wars shines a bright new light on the most beloved story of our time. 

Critical Praise

“[Sunstein’s] enthusiasm is endearing...[the] Harvard Law professor uses George Lucas’s cinematic phenomenon to tackle such disparate topics as the creative process, the writing of constitutional law, and why people commit terrorist acts.” — New Yorker

“Enlightening...perceptive...Mr. Sunstein comes across as an energetic, friendly dinner-party tablemate.” — New York Times

“Entertaining…the ultimate primer for guiding a Star Wars padawan to the level of Jedi Knight.” — TIME

“Delightful… informative without being boring, funny without being silly.. a marvelous swift read. The force is strong with this one.” — The Economist

“If you love Star Wars or are a nerd and want an engaging introduction to concepts in legal theory or behavioural economics, Sunstein does the trick with levity and clarity’.” — The Times

“An enlightening and surprisingly personal tour of a galaxy...Sunstein offers plenty of fun details and opinions.” — Washington Post

“Sunstein makes a strong case that [Star Wars] contains real insights into the way we think about religion, work, and family...the book’s takeaways are universal.” — Fortune

“In this gem of a book, Cass Sunstein uses the Star Wars series to explore profound questions about being a parent, a child, and a human. It will change the way you think about your own journey, might even make you pick up the phone and call your dad.” — Walter Isaacson

“Irresistibly charming, acclaimed legal scholar Sunstein writes partly as a rigorous academic and partly as a helpless fanboy as he explores our fascination with Star Wars and what the series can teach us about the law, behavioral economics, history, even fatherhood. This book is fun, brilliant, and deeply original.” — Lee Child

“In this remarkable, book Sunstein manages to connect invisible gorillas, hit songs, conspiracy theories, and constitutional law. For anyone who loves the movies, or loves to think about how the world works, or simply loves their father The World According to Star Wars will provoke and inspire.” — Duncan Watts, Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and author of Everything is Obvious (Once You Know the Answer)

“Fun and informative without getting bogged down with being too analytic or too fan-ish.” — Jeffrey Brown, author of the bestselling Goodnight Darth Vader

“Smart and interesting.” — Kirkus Reviews

“A light and breezy read filled with beautiful and funny anecdotes…worth the price of admission.” — Allen Voivod, Star Wars 7x7 Podcast

“Cass R. Sunstein has done it: He’s made Star Wars into a valuable legal text. In The World According to Star Wars, he considers the social, political, and moral ramifications of the films’ mythology… Sunstein provides new insights into a series we love.” — Slate

“[a] soon-to-be-required-for-college text” — Geeks of Doom

Product Details

• ISBN: 9780062484222
• ISBN 10: 0062484222
• Imprint: Dey Street Books
• On Sale: 05/31/2016
• Trimsize: 5.500 in (w) x 7.250 in (h) x 0.780 in (d)
• Pages: 240
• List Price: $23.99
• BISAC1 : FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Parenting / General
• BISAC2 : SOCIAL SCIENCE / Popular Culture
• BISAC3 : BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Industries / Entertainment