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.
Personality Psychology: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Stanley O. Gaines, Jr.
October 21, 2026
Personality Psychology: The Basics, 2nd Edition, offers a comprehensive yet accessible exploration of the field of personality psychology. This updated edition, authored by Stanley O. Gaines, Jr., with contributions from Manuel Ramirez, III, and Norma Rodriguez, delves into the major schools of ...
Romanticism: The Basics
1st Edition
By Elizabeth A. Fay
October 15, 2026
Romanticism: The Basics provides a concise overview of the study Romanticism and its global dimensions, covering the major aspects of romanticism, from the historical period (1780s – 1830s), to different national romanticisms. It examines the main topics of current scholarly debate with accessible ...
Suicide: The Basics
1st Edition
By Matias Gay
October 13, 2026
Suicide: The Basics is a concise, accessible, and evidence-informed introduction to the study, prevention, and lived experience of suicide. Written for students and readers approaching the topic for the first time, this book explains key areas in suicidology such as theories, risk and protective ...
Ecology the basics
1st Edition
By Philip James
October 09, 2026
The text sets out the fundamentals that underpin ecology – the study of the relations between organisms of the same of different species and between organisms and the abiotic (non-living) environment. In other words, it is the study of where we live. The structure of the book adopts the classical ...
Cultural Geographies: The Basics
1st Edition
By Andrew Lapworth, Tom Roberts
October 05, 2026
Cultural Geographies: The Basics offers an accessible introduction to one of the most exciting and eclectic fields of academic study available to students today. It unpacks key conceptual and methodological innovations in cultural geography and outlines the new perspectives these offer for making ...
Leadership: The Basics
1st Edition
By Morgen Witzel
October 01, 2026
Leadership: The Basics provides an easy, jargon-free introduction to the fundamentals of leadership and leadership theory. Strongly grounded in research and engaging with the key theories, this book explains the key aspects of leadership including: Different types of leadership such as servant ...
Global Comics: The Basics
1st Edition
By Frederick Aldama
September 28, 2026
Offering an accessible introduction to the world of comics, this book provides a critical overview of how the form and content of comic books from around the globe have evolved over time. From Tokyo's manga cafés to Buenos Aires's kioscos, from Parisian ateliers to Lagos's digital studios, comics ...
Speech and Language Therapy: The Basics
1st Edition
By Sean Pert
September 16, 2026
This book provides a comprehensive guide to the varied and fascinating work of speech and language therapists, exploring how this stimulating Allied Health Profession draws on phonetics, linguistics and biomedical sciences to support communication and swallowing across the lifespan. The book ...
Language: The Basics
3rd Edition
By Andreea S. Calude
September 15, 2026
Language: The Basics provides a concise, plain language introduction to the study of language. The new edition of this classic text by R. L. Trask has been revised and completely rewritten to bring it up to date. Written in an engaging and entertaining style, this book features: new chapters on ...
Philosophical Theology: The Basics
1st Edition
By Dafydd Mills Daniel, David Mills Daniel
August 28, 2026
What is philosophical theology? How does philosophy relate to theology? Should theology be philosophical? This book explores answers to these questions from the ancient world to the present day, introducing the reader to the basic theories and thinkers in philosophical theology, within the ...
New Religious Movements: The Basics
2nd Edition
By Joseph P. Laycock
August 26, 2026
This engaging book provides a concise introduction to the field of New Religious Movements (NRMs). Now in its Second Edition, this book outlines how NRMs fit with a popular understanding of cults, and how scholarly definitions can help us understand NRMs. Introducing the reader to some of the key ...
Spiritual But Not Religious: The Basics
1st Edition
By Robert C. Fuller, William B. Parsons
August 12, 2026
Spiritual But Not Religious: The Basics is an accessible guide to the defining attributes of individuals who define themselves as Spiritual but Not Religious (SBNR), who comprise at least 25% of the American population. Topics covered include: What does it mean to consider oneself “religious” or “...