The Basics
About the Book Series
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.
Baha’i Faith: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Christopher Buck
April 28, 2027
Bahá’í Faith: The Basics provides a thorough and accessible introduction to a fascinating, independent world religion. Examining its historical development, current “community-building” efforts and the social contributions of the Bahá’í Faith in the world today, this introduction covers: Beliefs: ...
Positive Psychology: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Rona Hart
April 28, 2027
This revised and expanded second edition of Positive Psychology: The Basics offers an accessible, balanced and critical introduction to the science of human flourishing. Tracing Positive Psychology from its emergence at the end of the twentieth century through second- and third-wave approaches, the...
The Iliad: The Basics
1st Edition
By Elton T. E. Barker, Joel P. Christensen
April 22, 2027
This book provides an up-to-date introduction to one of the most influential works of literature in the European tradition: Homer’s Iliad. Along with the Odyssey, the Iliad has enjoyed increased attention due to new translations, creative reception from novels to musicals and video games, and ...
Big Data: The Basics
1st Edition
By Nick Bearman, Jacob Macdonald
March 31, 2027
The emergence of big data has cut across research disciplines and applications - from architecture to urban planning; art history to economics. More and more fields that traditionally worked with qualitative (non-numeric) data now have access to relevant and robust big datasets, with big research ...
Disability: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Tom Shakespeare, Alison Wilde
March 30, 2027
This fully revised and expanded new edition of Disability: The Basics, is an engaging and accessible text which explores the broad historical, social, environmental, economic and legal factors which affect the experiences of those living with an impairment or illness in contemporary society. The ...
Finance: The Basics
5th Edition
By Erik Banks
March 18, 2027
Now in its fifth edition, Finance: The Basics is a clear and practical introduction to the world of finance. It thoroughly explains essential financial statements, tools and concepts; fundamental financial instruments and transactions; and global financial participants, markets and systems. This ...
Political Theology: The Basics
1st Edition
By Adam Kotsko
March 17, 2027
The field of political theology is exceptionally diverse, approaching the relationship between religion and politics from every possible direction. This book helps readers navigate this complex field. It engages with the two major strains of political theology, both the genealogical version that ...
Psychopathology: The Basics
1st Edition
By Lance Workman, Sandie Taylor
March 17, 2027
Psychopathology: The Basics is a comprehensive introduction to the study of mental health issues that are considered abnormal. Adopting a broadly biomedical classification, the book also discusses the assumptions and limitations of this approach. It provides a clear, balanced, and accessible ...
Spirituality: The Basics
1st Edition
By Morgan Shipley
March 17, 2027
Spirituality: The Basics offers an accessible guide to the diverse expressions and practices of contemporary spirituality, moving beyond rigid definitions to explore how it functions across secular and nonreligious contexts as a vital resource for purpose, meaning, and belonging. Presenting ...
Embodiment: The Basics
1st Edition
By Samantha Kwan, Trenton M. Haltom
March 03, 2027
Embodiment: The Basics provides an introduction to a sociological perspective of the body. It illustrates how meanings about the body, as well as experiences of embodiment, are connected to and contingent upon social structures. The book examines social and cultural meanings about the body across ...
Existentialism: The Basics
1st Edition
By Jonathan Webber
February 16, 2027
Existentialism: The Basics is an engaging introduction to one of the most influential philosophical movements of the twentieth century. This lively and lucid book details the existentialist vision of human being and the existentialist demand to respect human freedom. Written by a leading expert in ...
Free Speech: The Basics
1st Edition
By Robert Mark Simpson
February 16, 2027
Although it’s a fundamental tenet of liberal thought and democratic freedom, free speech is nevertheless under attack from many quarters, including the threat of imprisonment, restrictions on the right to protest, and “cancel culture”. Where do we draw the line over free speech? Is there is a line?...