Charles A. Ellwood's 'Sociology and Modern Social Problems' is a comprehensive and accessible text that offers an introduction to sociology through the lens of modern social issues. With a focus on the family as a typical human institution, Ellwood examines the elementary principles of sociology and applies them to problems such as immigration, poverty, and crime. The book emphasizes interpretation over social facts, and encourages students to work out their own systems of social theory. Ellwood also provides a brief list of select references in English for further reading.