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This is a concise, accessible introduction to Shakespeare's life and work which focuses on what we know, assessing the differing theories and avoiding speculation. William Shakespeare's work and life have proved endlessly fascinating to generations of readers. However, it can be difficult to find

Spain has undergone significant transformations over the past three decades, from a dictatorship to a democracy and from a mostly local and agriculture-based economy to one of the biggest financial systems in the EU and internationally. Until 2008, it enjoyed a major influx of foreign investment

Got a burning question? Tell Me Why? will sort you out! This handy book will provide you with hundreds of fascinating answers on every topic you can think of. It is the perfect reference book for the whole family - use it to craft quiz questions, settle disputes or simply relax and enjoy a good

From bestselling international author Judy Hall comes a fascinating book that gives you a personalized, practical and direct experience of the thought-provoking wisdom that crystal exploration has conveyed to thousands throughout the world. Going far beyond a reference guide, The Crystal

Since the second edition of this popular Very Short Introduction published in 2007, the world has faced huge economic and political change. Showing how and why the EU has developed from 1950 to the present day, John Pinder and Simon Usherwood cover a range of topics, including the Union's early

From the author of the global bestseller How Not To Die comes The How Not To Die Cookbook - a lavish, beautifully illustrated collection of delicious recipes based on the groundbreaking nutritional science of the original book. Dr Michael Greger, founder of the wildly popular website

This authoritative and accessible guide to the British monarchy spans the Romano-British rulers of 55 BC to the present day House of Windsor. Generously illustrated with maps, photos, paintings, and genealogies, it contains a wealth of information on the rulers of Britain, including their

RHS Encyclopedia of Planting Combinations is the essential reference book for anyone wanting to combine plants according to shape, colour, texture, or form. This visionary planting guide features an A-Z of more than 1,000 great garden plants. Each plant is photographed in glorious partnership with

The rapid developments in technologies - especially computing and the advent of many 'smart' devices, as well as rapid and perpetual communication via the Internet - has led to a frequently voiced view which Nicholas Agar describes as 'radical optimism'. Radical optimists claim that accelerating

First published as part of the best-selling The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, John Gillingham and Ralph A. Griffiths' Very Short Introduction to Medieval Britain covers the establishment of the Anglo-Norman monarchy in the early Middle Ages, through to England's failure to dominate the

Just a few years ago, Greece appeared to be a politically secure nation with a healthy economy. Today, Greece can be found at the center of the economic maelstrom in Europe. Beginning in late 2008, the Greek economy entered a nosedive that would transform it into the European country with the most

Approximately 20% of all surgical operations and a similar percentage of surgical emergencies are urological in nature. However, often doctors have very limited experience of the many common and varied conditions encountered in this important surgical specialty. For the doctor or nurse expected to

In this provocative but balanced essay, Kenneth Minogue discusses the development of politics from the ancient world to the twentieth century. He prompts us to consider why political systems evolve, how politics offers both power and order in our society, whether democracy is always a good thing,

Britain was within the orbit of Graeco-Roman civilization for at least half a millennium, and for over 350 years part of the political union created by the Roman Empire that encompassed most of Europe and all the countries of the Mediterranean. First published as part of the best-selling Oxford

This is a concise, readable and comprehensive introduction to Bram Stoker's classic "Dracula" (1897) for undergraduates. "Dracula" (1897) is one of the most commonly studied gothic novels and has been hugely influential through adaptations in fiction, on stage and in cinema. Offering an

The need to understand China has never been more pressing. Within one generation, the global giant has transformed from an impoverished, repressive state into an economic and political powerhouse; yet conflicting impressions of the country and its leaders abound. In the fully revised and updated

'This book radically raises the level of debate.' The Observer on Conversations on Religion. These discussions explore the question of what truth is, and what role it has in private, public, political and scientific discourses. While some thinkers view truth as concrete and immutable, others

This accessible yet authoritative collection of essays chronicles the history of dissent in the British Isles, from Magna Carta to the present day. The contributors - all specialists in their field - cover such milestones as the age of revolution, industrialisation and the foundation of the Labour

Details quick and easy reflexology treatments to fit in to any busy schedule. This work includes simple to follow, step-by-step instructions and comprehensive charts mapping reflex points. It also contains detailed hand treatments that bring immediate relief to a wide range of common ailments

Today it is usually not long before a problem gets expressed as a human rights issue. An appeal to human rights in the face of injustice can be a heartfelt and morally justified demand for some, while for others it remains merely an empty slogan. Taking an international perspective and focusing on

Whether revelling in the urbane pleasures of Dublin, taking a fresh look at the Lakes of Killarney or seeking out the remote beauties of the offshore islands, Ireland is Max Caulfield's a well-informed guide providing a fund of insights and lively anecdotes. Specially commissioned photography by

Syria has long been one of the most trouble-prone and politically volatile regions of the Near and Middle Eastern world. This book looks back beyond the troubles of the present to tell the 3000-year story of what came before: the peoples, cities, and kingdoms that arose, flourished, declined, and

This highly original and sophisticated look at architecture helps us to understand the cultural significance of the buildings that surround us. It avoids the traditional style-spotting approach and instead gives us an idea of what it is about buildings that moves us, and what it is that makes them

The United Nations has been called everything from "the best hope of mankind" to "irrelevant" and "obsolete." With this much-needed introduction to the UN, Jussi Hanhimaki engages the current debate over the organizations effectiveness as he provides a clear understanding of how it was originally

Thinking in Literature sets out to examine how the Modernist novel might be understood to be a machine for thinking, and further how it might offer means of coming to terms with what it means to think. It begins with a theoretical analysis of the concept of thinking in literature using Gilles

Get creative with The Moomin Craft Book, a stylish Scandinavian craft book featuring over twenty-six beautiful projects, all inspired by the wonderful world of Tove Jansson's Moomins. Make some Moomin mittens, learn how to crochet a Moomintroll and get creative with stylish Moomin jewellery

Praised as "suave, soulful, ebullient" (Tom Waits) and "a meticulous researcher, a graceful writer, and a committed contrarian" (New York Times Book Review), Elijah Wald is one of the leading popular music critics of his generation. In The Blues, Wald surveys a genre at the heart of American

From the eighteenth century until the 1950s the British Empire was the biggest political entity in the world. The territories forming this empire ranged from tiny islands to vast segments of the world's major continental land masses. The British Empire left its mark on the world in a multitude of

Roman Catholicism stands at a crossroads, a classic ''best of times, worst of times'' moment. On the one hand, the Catholic Church remains by far the largest branch of the worldwide Christian family, and is growing at a remarkable clip. Yet the Church has also been rocked by a series of scandals

This is a critical introduction to the contemporary American novel focusing on contexts, key texts and criticism. Adventurous, engaging and politically urgent, contemporary American novels have come to enjoy a particular prestige and, through university courses, film adaptations and cultural

The Federal Reserve System-the central bank of the United States, better known as The Fed-has never been more controversial. Criticism has reached such levels that Congressman Ron Paul, contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, published End the Fed, with blurbs from musician

Born into poverty in Russian Poland in 1911, Zosa Szajkowski (Shy-KOV-ski) was a self-made man who managed to make a life for himself as an intellectual, first as a journalist in 1930s Paris, and then, after a harrowing escape to New York in 1941, as a scholar. Although he never taught at a

This book is intended to capture the interest of anyone who has been attracted to Russian culture through the greats of Russian literature, either through the texts themselves, or encountering them in the cinema, or opera. Rather than a conventional chronology of Russian literature, the book

Germaine Greer examines Shakespeare's plays in detail, showing how he dramatized moral and intellectual issues in such a way that his audience became dazzlingly aware of an imaginative dimension to daily life. She argures that as long as Shakespeare's work remai ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short

Drawing on studies of social class, crime and deviance, work in bureaucracies, and changes in religious and political organizations, this Very Short Introduction explores the tension between the individual's role in society and society's role in shaping the individual, and demonstrates the value

Some would argue that scarcely a day passes without a new assault on our privacy. In the wake of the whistle-blower Edward Snowden's revelations about the extent of surveillance conducted by the security services in the United States, Britain, and elsewhere, concerns about individual privacy have

This comprehensive guide to pruning and training includes detailed instructions on all the key techniques for tackling roses, fruit trees & bushes, shrubs, hedges, ornamental trees, climbers and even perennials. It features a Pruning Directory of more than 160 common plants for quick reference and

RHS Nature's Gardener is a new edition for 2011 considers how we should garden today and what the garden means in a changing climate with the most up-to-date information available. Thematic chapters identify the benefits and potential of your site, look at the importance of managing your soil, and

The importance of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease and the maintenance of good health is being increasingly recognised. Nutrition is an area that all health professionals need to be aware of and yet one in which few are specifically trained. Nutrition is also becoming a valued

As public interest in modern art continues to grow, as witnessed by the spectacular success of Tate Modern and the Bilbao Guggenheim, there is a real need for a book that will engage general readers, offering them not only information and ideas about modern art, but also explaining its