"Among hundreds of books that treat Weber, Poggi's is the best brief treatment. It is compact, precise, elegantly composed, yet manages to hit all the vital highspots with authority and clarity. Any eager student who reads this book will have been escorted through the rocky terrain of Weber's works by a veteran teacher, and a fine scholar whose sense of Weber's achievement is exact and illuminating." Alan Sica, Professor of Sociology, Pennsylvania State University "With this book, the reader gets two in one. It is one of the best introductions into Max Weber’s sociology and social theory. It is at the height of current Weber interpretation, but at the same time it is clear and concise and avoids all jargon. And it is vintage Poggi, bearing the mark of great erudition and speaking with an authoritative voice on central issues of the sociological tradition that current sociology sometimes forgets: the analysis of long-term social processes; the relation between civilization, religion and the economy; and the legitimacy of the modern state." Peter Wagner, Professor of Social and Political Theory, European University Institute, Florence, and Professor of Sociology, University of Warwick