The Basics is a highly successful series of accessible guidebooks which provide an overview of the fundamental principles of a subject area in a jargon-free and undaunting format.
Intended for students approaching a subject for the first time, the books both introduce the essentials of a subject and provide an ideal springboard for further study. With over 50 titles spanning subjects from Artificial Intelligence to Women’s Studies, The Basics are an ideal starting point for students seeking to understand a subject area.
Each text comes with recommendations for further study and gradually introduces the complexities and nuances within a subject.
By Jolanta Burke, Pádraic J. Dunne, Elaine Byrne, Ciaran A. O’Boyle
December 17, 2024
This introductory book offers a clear guide to the new field of Positive Health which incorporates a shift towards perceiving body and mind as an integrated system. The book combines lifestyle medicine research and practice, such as healthy eating, good sleep hygiene, and physical activity, with ...
By Thomas R. Sadler
December 13, 2024
Microeconomics: The Basics is an accessible introduction to the core topics in the field. Intended for those with little or no background in the subject, it provides the reader with a solid foundation of the basic principles of microeconomics and establishes a framework for further study. Topics in...
By Graham Livesey
December 10, 2024
Modern Architecture: The Basics examines technological, stylistic, socio-political, and cultural changes that have transformed the history of architecture since the late eighteenth century. Broad definitions of modernity and postmodernity introduce the book, which comprises twenty-four short ...
By Geoffrey D. Claussen
December 02, 2024
Jewish Ethics: The Basics demonstrates how ancient and contemporary ideas have shaped and reshaped Jewish traditions about how to act toward others. Readers are introduced to foundational questions, controversies, and diverse ethical conclusions developed by Jewish thinkers throughout the ages. ...
By Dale Mathers, Carola Mathers
November 12, 2024
Dreams: The Basics presents introductory and accessible information about what dreams are, where they come from, what they do, and how to understand and work with them. This book demythologises dream interpretation, with each chapter inviting the reader to ask questions about their own dreams and ...
By Sean McEvoy
October 31, 2024
Shakespeare: The Basics is a lively and accessible introduction to reading and studying Shakespeare. Exploring all aspects of Shakespeare’s plays, Sean McEvoy considers the language, cultural contexts, and modern interpretations. This essential guide to a range of contemporary Shakespearean ...
By Sandra Walklate
October 24, 2024
The fourth edition of Criminology: The Basics has been fully revised and updated to offer an engaging and concise introduction to the main themes and concerns of this compelling and complex subject and giving an overview of the main theoretical and conceptual approaches to crime and justice. Topics...
By Philip Winn, Madeleine Grealy
October 16, 2024
Biopsychology: The Basics is a concise, accessible and illuminating introduction to the field of biopsychology. The book explores what psychology is in the broadest sense and how combining it with a biological perspective offers a deeper understanding of behavior and mental life. Key topics include...
By Bas van der Vossen
October 10, 2024
This book offers an introduction to political philosophy, the study of the role of government in our lives. It discusses what political philosophy is about, its most important and enduring questions, and how to do political philosophy well. Throughout, the book discusses issues such as: •&...
By Mark Holton
October 01, 2024
This text outlines the relative merits of qualitative interviewing to new and emerging scholars in an accessible way. This is achieved not by providing an exhaustive ‘how-to’ guide but in introducing researchers to the interview technique and using examples of ‘best practice’ from across the social...
By Stefani Goerlich, Elyssa Helfer
September 24, 2024
BDSM and Kink: The Basics provides an essential overview of knowledge that every clinician should have about alternative sexualities. In an accessible, user-friendly format, the authors offer a high-level yet comprehensive introduction to the world of Bondage and discipline, Dominance and ...
By Christopher Gill, Brittany Polat
August 26, 2024
At a time of unprecedented interest in Stoicism, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to Stoic ethics for students and for readers interested in Stoic life-guidance. It combines an explanation of the main philosophical ideas in ancient Stoic ethics by Christopher Gill with discussion of ...