Language, the Social Mirror

This book is a must-have for anyone interested in linguistics, and particularly the social aspects of linguistics. Written by a true expert in the field, the book covers a wide area of its topic and yet still has enough detail (with examples) to back up all the ideas and theories. Includes incorporation of gender preconceptions in speech, power roles in speech, and language construction as it relates to social issues, as well as information on media bias using linguistic techniques.

In this book were many ideas that I'd never even thought about before - it was used as the textbook for what I consider to be the most interesting, engaging course I've taken at the undergraduate level (and it's not even in my major). This is the type of textbook that I would read for personal enjoyment even if I hadn't taken the class - and probably wouldn't be able to put down until I'd finished.