Georg Simmel (1858-1918) was one of the formative figures of German sociology. This is a two-volume English translation of his 1908 Sociologie, in which he lays out his theory of what sociology should be about, i.e. the investigation of the different forms or patterns of interaction that constitute society, and then proceeds to do just that. He examines patterns of domination and subordination, conflict, secrets, intersections of social circles, group self-preservation, the spatial ordering of society, and the expansion of the group and the development of individuality. Simmel's particular views on the complex issues he examines may not hold as much currency in contemporary sociology as when they were written, but Simmel's writings here and elsewhere laid much of the groundwork for the self-conception of sociology and its scholarly remit. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)