Reddit reviews Outsiders: Studies In The Sociology Of Deviance

The original theory comes from chapter 8 of Outsiders by Howard Becker.

Becker H. (1963) Outsiders : Studies In The Sociology Of Deviance (Amazon.com link) is a book I always recommend. It's really easy to read, heavily illustrated with a "theory - field example - theory - field example" layout and, of course, really interesting.

There are really good reads in the list /u/brechindave posted, but most of them are painful if you're not familiar with sociology (Durkheim's Suicide for example, which I read and disliked in my first year).

I may be in the minority but I don't think that Mills's Sociological Imagination is a good starting point for an introduction to sociology. While the first chapter (The Promise) may be worth a read, the rest of the book is very much an insider's critique of the subject and requires the reader to have a general understanding of sociology as it is being practiced post-WWII. I think that you will get the most out of Mills after familiarizing yourself with sociology more broadly.


As others have mentioned, Ritzer & Stepnisky's Sociological Theory is a very comprehensive overview of sociological thinking but it may be a bit overwhelming. While it isn't as encyclopedic as Ritzer & Stepnisky, I like Seidman's Contested Knowledge because it provides the reader with both a historical overview of sociological thinking and provides easy to read summaries of important thinkers.


I am not sure if you will find these too difficult but here are some other books that may expand your understanding of sociology:

• Outsiders: Studies In The Sociology Of Deviance by Howard Becker
  
• Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View by Stanley Milgram