Bøger i For Beginners serien

The history of the Middle East goes back about 12,000 years, most of which was not marked by fighting between Arabs and Jews. Documenting the Middle East from ancient times to present, Arabs & Israel for Beginners is one of few books cover the issues of both Jews and Arabs objectively, insightfully and in an easy-to-read style. Some of the provocative issues and topics that the book covers are the birth of "Western" civilization in the Middle East and Africa; the truth about ancient Israel from birth to destruction; the building of the "Walled" city of Jericho; the origin of Christianity; the real story of modern Israel's birth; Jewish history beginning with Abraham (c.2000 BC) & Moses (c. 1350 BC); documented facts on the Arab-Israeli wars; the lowdown on the PLO, Intifada, US Money; Desert Storm and Terrorism; and the September 1993 PLO/Israel peace talks. In the tradition characteristic of the "Beginners Series", Arabs & Israel for Beginners is written for two vastly different types of readers; those who are new to the Arab-Israel discussion and those submersed in it and perhaps confused by facts that just don't seem to add up.

This book is the perfect answer to the question "What is Ecology, and why should I care?"Explore the basics of Ecology by following a wide variety of real-world examples about how living things cope in all sorts of environments. Learn how ecosystems work, explore how these complicated systems go wrong, and discover what we can do to protect our planet in the future. An ideal book to explain to curious minds what ecology is all about, and what questions ecologists are trying to find answers to, from how to save dying species, to fixing ecosystems through rewilding.

In a combination of witty text and illustrations U.S. Constitution For Beginners take a tongue-in-cheek look at America's most critical legal document. Author and lawyer Steve Bachmann has written a text that touches on the document's history beginning with the Magna Carta. He then traces the events that precipitated its writing, the personalities and motives of the people who create it, and its use and misuses since ratification.U.S. Constitution For Beginners analyzes crucial elements of this binding set of principles and ponders the future of the Constitution as well as the role of American citizens. Though hotly debated and constantly reinterpreted, the Constitution has survived wars, industrialization, expansion and politicians.

Marx's 'Das Kapital' cannot be put into a box marked "economics." It is a work of politics, history, economics, philosophy and even in places, literature (yes Marx's style is that rich and evocative). Marx's 'Das Kapital' For Beginners is an introduction to the Marxist critique of capitalist production and its consequences for a whole range of social activities such as politics, media, education and religion. 'Das Kapital' is not a critique of a particular capitalist system in a particular country at a particular time. Rather, Marx's aim was to identify the essential features that define capitalism, in whatever country it develops and in whatever historical period. For this reason, 'Das Kapital' is necessarily a fairly general, abstract analysis. As a result, it can be fairly difficult to read and comprehend. At the same time, understanding 'Das Kapital' is crucial for mastering Marx's insights to capitalism.Marx's 'Das Kapital' For Beginners offers an accessible path through Marx's arguments and his key questions: What is commodity? Where does wealth come from? What is value? What happens to work under capitalism? Why is crisis part of capitalism's DNA? And what happens to our consciousness, our very perceptions of reality and our ways of thinking and feeling under capitalism? Understanding and learn from Marx's work has taken on a fresh urgency as questions about the sustainability of the capitalist system in today's global economy intensify.

Opera For Beginners is a humorous, irreverent little book that starts with the radical assumption that Opera is just plain ol' music. Not snob music. Not uppity music. Gettin' down music! Italian Rock'n'roll, R&B Gospel, let-it-all-hang-out music. "If you must know the truth", David writes, "in Detroit where I grew up, there weren't a lot of Opera houses. I was brought up on Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Elvis the Pelvis, the Drifters, Platters, Ella, Sinatra, Miles, Coltrane, Mahalia, Beatles, Stones, Aretha ... in other words ... Real music! Which is why I'm the perfect person to introduce you to Opera". The book builds from the similarity between specific Opera singers and "normal" singers (e.g., Maria Callas/Billie Holiday; Caruso/Mahalia Jackson; Benjamino Gigli/Smokey Robinson), points out the essentially Operatic styles of many pop singers, and the profound similarity between Opera and Gospel singing. (It's no accident that African-American sopranos are singing in Opera houses all over the world!). Opera For Beginners explains the differences between Italian and German Opera - it's more than just the language - and why you don't have to understand Italian, German, French or Rap to enjoy Opera. David's enthusiasm and wit are sure to entice many Opera-haters to give Opera a chance. And Paul Gordon's spot-on cartoons illustrate the text, carry on dialogues with it, wisecrack it, create stories alongside it, sprinkle it lavishly with motifs...enough!

Originally published by Writers and Readers, Inc.: 1999.

The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard was one of the most original thinkers of the nineteenth century - and one of the most enigmatic men who ever walked the earth. Philosophically, Kierkegaard was the "bridge" that led from Hegel to Existentialism. Kierkegaard abhorred Hegel's abstract, know-it-all idealism that tried to capture reality in a few words. Kierkegaard's attack on social and religious complacency and his single-handed assault on traditional Western philosophy generated a crisis that produced a radically new way of philosophizing and made him the founder of the school that would later be called Existentialism. To Kierkegaard, reality was personal, subjective - it began and ended with the individual - and philosophy was not something one merely talked about, it was the way you lived. For such a brilliant thinker, the way Kierkegaard lived was ... somewhat too interesting. His "abstract" love affair? His obsession with death? His "Leap of Faith", his cynicism, his marvellous sense of humor - how do you put all that into one man?

Sartre For Beginners is an accessible yet sophisticated introduction to the life and works of the famous French philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre. Sartre was a member of the French underground during WWII, a novelist, a playwright, and a major influence in French political and intellectual life.The book opens with a biographical section, introducing the significant events in the life of the man who coined the term "existentialism."Then it examines Sartre's early philosophical works. Ideas from Sartre's other fictional and dramatic works are discussed, but the greatest part is the presentation of the main concepts from Sartre's Being and Nothingness (1943). These include the topics of consciousness, freedom, responsibility, absurdity, "bad faith," authenticity, and the hellish confrontation with other people.Finally, the book deals with Sartre's modification of his early existentialism to compliment his conversion to a kind of "existential" Marxism.Sartre For Beginners summarizes the work of the most renown philosopher of the 20th Century.

This book introduces readers to the philosopher who helped shape the way we think about the world. It includes a look at the social gadfly Socrates, Plato's mentor, whose martyrdom led Plato to form a new system of knowledge based on reason.

There's a Black Woman on each of the seven continents and in almost every country. So no matter where you go, she's already been there. She travels with forces greater than herself. Her presence is everywhere."Black Women For Beginners "chronicles the trials and triumphs of Black Women from antiquity to the present, reflecting with wit and humor the challenges they have faced and the fortitude and strength that have sustained Black Women and patterned history with a diversity of excellence. As warriors, healers, teachers, mothers, queens, and liberators Black Women have had tremendous impact on issues from food to fashion, from politics to poetry. Replete with a glossary of reference terms, "Black Women For Beginners "whimsically details the influence of stereotypes on the portrayal of Black Women in various venues and punctuates the absurd.

Noam Chomsky has written some 30 books, he is one of the most-quoted authors on Earth, The New York Times calls him "arguably the most important intellectual alive" - yet most people have no idea who he is or what he's about.Chomsky For Beginners tells you what he's about: Chomsky is known for his work in two distinct areas - Linguistics and... "Gadflying." ("Gadfly," the word applied to Socrates, comes closest to the constant social irritant that Chomsky has become.) It is Chomsky's work as Political Gadfly and Media Critic that has given passion and hope to the general public - and alienated the Major Media - which is, of course, why you don't know more about him.Chomsky's message is very simple: Huge corporations run our country, the world, both political parties, and Major Media. (You suspected it; Chomsky proves it.) If enough people open their minds to what he has to say, the whole gingerbread fantasy we've been fed about America might turn into a real democracy.What's so special about Chomsky For Beginners? The few existing intros to Chomsky cover either Chomsky-the-Linguist or Chomsky-the-Political-Gadfly. Chomsky For Beginners covers both - plus an exclusive interview with the maverick genius. The clarity of David Cogwell's text and the wit of Paul Gordon's illustrations make Chomsky as easy to understand as the genius next door. Words and art are combined to clarify (but not oversimplify) the work and to "humanize" the man who may very well be what one savvy interviewer called him - "the smartest man on Earth."

Despite the reshifting of values that has affected every aspect of life in the 21st century, William Shakespeare still stands as the greatest writer the English language has ever produced. Even so, many people have never read him. If you have never read "the Bard"--or if you've tried and given up in frustration--you need Shakespeare For Beginners.Author Brandon Toropov opens with the observation that Shakespeare's genius is not in his (or England's) history, it's in his words, most notably, his plays--in his brilliant stories, unforgettable characters, and the impossible beauty of his language. So, Shakespeare For Beginners skips the historical foreplay and goes straight to Shakespeare's plays. The book offers clear, concise descriptions and plot summaries of each play; it lists key phrases and important themes, explains the main ideas behind each work and features excerpt of important passages (with explanatory notes on tough words.) And it is the only 'entry level' book available outside Great Britain that covers all of Shakespeare's plays.

What kind of artists put a mustache on the Mona Lisa? Enter a urinal in an art competition? Declare their own independent republic? Hijack a ship?Dadas!And what happens in such a movement? With Dada, many of the artists declared their own Pope and continued their journey (with no destination) into Surrealism, creating burning giraffes, amoebic dogs, and lobster telephones - some of the most imaginative and intense works of art of the 20th Century. In Dada & Surrealism For Beginners, you'll get a colorful overview of these two movements, and develop a sense of the turbulent, wild, and unapologetically mad mood and tone of the Dada and Surrealist movements. Whether you're an artist, would-be artist, or someone seeking the marvelous, you'll find the courage and originality of the movements inspiring, and you'll gain an understanding of their long-term (and current) influences on contemporary art and culture - everything from performance art to pop art to the abandoned train ticket you find in the street.

Learning to read and write music is very similar to learning a new language. Music theory is the study of the fundamental elements of music and how it is written.Music Theory For Beginners was developed for anyone interested in learning to read and write music, a task that can be quite daunting for novices. This book, however, will allay any fears and set you on the path to learning what all those dots, lines, and symbols actually mean. It provides the necessary scholarly muscle to entice and inform the reader, yet it does not require any prior knowledge of music or force the reader to wade through hundreds of pages of jargon and details.Whether your goal is to gain a cursory understanding of music, become fluent in reading music, or start composing your own music, this text will provide everything you need for a solid foundation in music theory. Anyone can pick up Music Theory For Beginners and instantly start learning aboutand understandingmusic theory.

Would there be a Western civilization without the Greek myths? Would we be able to define our civilization and ourselves without some reference to the grand, violent, and venal doings of those denizens of Mount Olympus?Greek Mythology For Beginners presents the pantheon - that immortal collection of rogues and heroes, misfits and tyrants - and the stories about these deities and their dealings with the mortals. It delves into their undying influence on our thought and culture, and how each age from Rome to Shakespeare to Freud down to our own Marvel Comics and NASA has been enlightened, informed, and inspired by these tales.So strap on Hermes' winged sandals, saddle-up Pegasus, or even grab the nearest Harpy (remember to keep your eyes closed) and come along for the ride of your life. Let's fly to that world that's as old as Chaos--the ancient and refreshingly timely Greek myths!

Anyone living today could form the impression that humanity is essentially fractured and fragmented; that we're split up along ethnic, geographic, cultural, national, and ideological lines. This is the societal reality. But in Anthropology For Beginners, Micah J. Fleck asks us to take a big step backward and look at the full picture, as if we were aliens who stumbled upon planet Earth and glimpsed its inhabitants. We would see a myriad of languages, practices, religious rites, food palettes, clothing styles, and leisure activities--all of which belong to the same curious species: Homo sapiens. Where did it come from? How did it develop so many different ways of being? And most importantly, what do its members have in common?Anthropology is the field that sets out to answer these questions. Micah J. Fleck provides a history not only of humankind, but of anthropology itself--giving anyone with an interest in the subject a solid background of its key figures and developments.

A large swath of literature on the civil rights movement exists in the United States. Much of that literature focuses on the dramatic events of the African American resistance to Jim Crow and oppression from the mid 1950s to the early 1970s. Frequently, this material is scholarly and, at best, only marginally accessible to the general public. Moreover, many of the books on the modern civil rights movement focus exclusively on a narrow historical time frame and often on widely recognised public figures like Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King. CIVIL RIGHTS FOR BEGINNERS fills a major gap by placing the modern civil rights movement into a broader historical perspective. It, also, discusses the civil rights and liberation movements from the 60s to the present that the African American freedom struggles helped to catalyse including, the Chicano Movement, the American Indian Movement, the Asian American Movement, the Women''s Movement and the Gay Liberation Movement. Unlike most civil rights books, CIVIL RIGHTS FOR BEGINNERS focuses less on major leaders and more on the ordinary African Americans who provided the backbone of the successful protests and demonstrations. Moreover, it deals with the expressive culture of the movement, surveying key developments in literature, music, visual art and film, all of which served as integral features of the movement and contributing to its enduring legacy.

"Freemasonry For Beginners explores the objectives and teaching methods of Freemasonry and describes its influence on society in the past, present, and future. It recounts the origins of the movement in Scotland and its spread to North America and the rest of the world. Not least of all, it shows how Masonic teachings have helped so many members over the centuries learn the skills to become leaders in society, science, and the arts."--Publisher's description.

What does sexual orientation mean if the very categories of gender are in question? How do we measure equality when our society's definitions of male and female leave out much of the population? There is no consensus on what a real man or woman is, where one's sex begins and ends, or what purpose the categories of masculine and feminine traits serve. While significant strides have been made in recent years on behalf of women's, gay and lesbian rights, there is still a large division between the law and day-to-day reality for LGBTQIA and female-identified individuals in American society. The practices, media outlets and institutions that privilege heterosexuality and traditional gender roles as natural need a closer examination. Gender & Sexuality For Beginners considers the uses and limitations of biology in defining gender. Questioning gender and sex as both categories and forms of compulsory identification, it critically examines the issues in the historical and contemporary construction, meaning and perpetuation of gender roles. Gender & Sexuality For Beginners interweaves neurobiology, psychology, feminist, queer and trans theory, as well as historical gay and lesbian activism to offer new perspectives on gender inequality, ultimately pointing to the clear inadequacy of gender categories and the ways in which the sex-gender system oppresses us all.