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Nonfiction Books » Nonfiction Series » A Very Short Introduction Series

Browse book recommendations:

Nonfiction Series

  • A Very Short Introduction Series
  • Columbia Global Reports

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Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction by Richard Tuck
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Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction

by Richard Tuck

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“I chose this book because it’s a wonderful introduction to all the different facets of Hobbes’s life and writings and context. It’s very short. It’s very readable. If you don’t know Hobbes, it’s a great way to get a first taste. The first part is dedicated to biographical details and is particularly of relevance for understanding the intellectual context he’s operating in. The second part deals with the various branches of his philosophy, his science, his ethics, his politics. The third part of the book is also interesting. He gives you an overview of the scholarship on Hobbes—all the different ways that Hobbes has been interpreted.” Read more...

The Best Thomas Hobbes Books

Arash Abizadeh, Philosopher

Hieroglyphs: A Very Short Introduction by Penelope Wilson
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Hieroglyphs: A Very Short Introduction

by Penelope Wilson

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“She packs a lot into the book. She gives an overview of the nature, history and function of Egyptian hieroglyphs. She covers all the basics, everything you need to know about them if you’re starting from scratch. If you were to visit the British Museum and take a close look at the Rosetta Stone, or you were going to take a walk through the Egyptian gallery at the Louvre , it’s a book you might read before visiting, so that you could know a little bit more about what you were looking at before you got there, and be able to make more sense of what you see.” Read more...

The best books on Hieroglyphics

Diane Greco Josefowicz, Historian

Ovid: A Very Short Introduction by Llewelyn Morgan
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Ovid: A Very Short Introduction

by Llewelyn Morgan

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“This one is a really loving account of Ovid, with a very simple structure. It just takes you through his major works, with the Metamorphoses obviously at the centre. It’s also, to a certain extent, a meditation on exile. Ovid is one of the great figures of exile. It’s very good on that perspective. It’s a wonderful little book. I can’t think of a better introduction to the work of this figure who is, arguably, the single most influential poet of antiquity.” Read more...

The Best History Books of 2020

Paul Lay, Historian

Viruses: A Very Short Introduction by Dorothy H. Crawford
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Viruses: A Very Short Introduction

by Dorothy H. Crawford

OK, OK, this book isn't strictly speaking new–it came out in 2018. However, the outbreak of a global pandemic featuring Covid-19 has meant we all need to know more about viruses, and Dorothy Crawford's introduction is excellent. She also spoke to us about the best books on viruses, and you'll find out a lot just by reading the interview (no need to buy/borrow any books).

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Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction by Hugh Bowden
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Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction

by Hugh Bowden

Professor Hugh Bowden explores the history of Alexander, using sources beyond the traditional historical narratives to build a picture of the man and his achievements.

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Secularism: A Very Short Introduction by Andrew Copson
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Secularism: A Very Short Introduction

by Andrew Copson

Andrew Copson’s short book covers a lot of ground. In his role as Chief Executive of Humanists UK, he is practically involved with secularism on a daily basis, and is an eloquent defender of secularist principles, but nevertheless here provides a balanced and generous interpretation that presents arguments on different sides.

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Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction by Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek & Peter Singer
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Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction

by Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek & Peter Singer

***🏆 A Five Books Book of the Year ***

Read expert recommendations

“This book is quite brilliantly done. It’s a very concise book, but it’s intelligible and precise in the way it describes the varieties of utilitarianism. It’s very readable and it covers a lot of ground. It covers what you would cover in a university undergraduate course on utilitarianism, but you can read and take it in in four or five hours or so. Because Peter Singer is a co-author, it has a certain authority in its description of thinkers and positions. It’s got a bias, obviously, because it’s written by people who are extremely sympathetic to utilitarianism.” Read more...

The Best Philosophy Books of 2017

Nigel Warburton, Philosopher

Iran: A Very Short Introduction by Ali Ansari
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Iran: A Very Short Introduction

by Ali Ansari

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Dante: A Very Short Introduction by David Robey & Peter Hainsworth
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Dante: A Very Short Introduction

by David Robey & Peter Hainsworth

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Humanism: A Very Short Introduction by Stephen Law
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Humanism: A Very Short Introduction

by Stephen Law

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Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction by Nigel Warburton
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Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction

by Nigel Warburton

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Autism: A Very Short Introduction by Uta Frith
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Autism: A Very Short Introduction

by Uta Frith

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