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Very Short Introductions
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<h2 id="reception">Reception</h2> <p>Writing in the <i>New Yorker</i> in 2017, <a href="/facts/Kathryn_Schulz/Apv64h0E">Kathryn Schulz</a> praised the diversity of topics covered but noted significant gaps in coverage, including an absence of women and people of colour in its 54 biographies and "a British bias in the choice of subjects".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Schulz also described the quality of the books as variable, favourably comparing the books written about <i>Teeth</i>, <i>Deserts</i> and <i>Robotics</i> against those written on <i>Mountains</i>, <i>Home</i> and <i>Archaeology</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p><p>In the <i>Fortnightly Review</i>, Michelene Wandor said that the series "successfully bridged the gap between academic and trade publishing" and reviewed six volumes.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="list-of-books-in-the-series">List of books in the series</h2> <p>See <a href="/facts/List_of_Very_Short_Introductions_books/WM1Sec8S">List of Very Short Introductions books</a>. </p> <h2 id="boxed-sets">Boxed sets</h2> <p>Six boxed sets, each with a different theme, were released in 2006. Five books from the series on the given theme were included, plus the series' promotional volume <i>A Very Short Introduction to Everything</i>. </p> <ul><li>The Ballot Box <ul><li><a href="/facts/Politics/1gDNy3RP">Politics</a> (008)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Capitalism/FbPc6TTw">Capitalism</a> (108)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Democracy/3tLdVS1C">Democracy</a> (075)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Socialism/U2kVoPaA">Socialism</a> (126)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Fascism/EhQWcPsE">Fascism</a> (077)</li></ul></li> <li>The Brain Box <ul><li><a href="/facts/Evolution/qE5amP6a">Evolution</a> (100)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Consciousness/IAxmgt6c">Consciousness</a> (121)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Intelligence/gwEhdLnp">Intelligence</a> (039)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Cosmology/yM19zM7Y">Cosmology</a> (051)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Quantum_Mechanics/BRc3Mzgr">Quantum Theory</a> (069)</li></ul></li> <li>The Thought Box <ul><li><a href="/facts/Hegel/5NXGjvSb">Hegel</a> (049)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Marx/CXYTK95X">Marx</a> (028)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Nietzsche/u7VdQ5sg">Nietzsche</a> (034)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Schopenhauer/pYt2cRmc">Schopenhauer</a> (062)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Kierkegaard/PXHdh7dt">Kierkegaard</a> (058)</li></ul></li> <li>The Basics Box <ul><li><a href="/facts/Philosophy/zAH5PVD6">Philosophy</a> (055)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Mathematics/pxTouaz4">Mathematics</a> (066)</li> <li><a href="/facts/History/bSKgXaCA">History</a> (016)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Politics/1gDNy3RP">Politics</a> (008)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Psychology/duoqW7Sz">Psychology</a> (006)</li></ul></li> <li>The Boom Box <ul><li><a href="/facts/Ancient_Warfare/4ThdhytQ">Ancient Warfare</a> (117)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Cold_War/spJdJQ3q">Cold War</a> (087)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Crusades/mblv9nwI">Crusades</a> (140)</li> <li><a href="/facts/French_Revolution/PIkDlrC0">French Revolution</a> (054)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Spanish_Civil_War/YykcMvC5">Spanish Civil War</a> (123)</li></ul></li> <li>The Picture Box <ul><li><a href="/facts/Art_History/tN0hw56I">Art History</a> (102)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Renaissance_Art/TKre6V5V">Renaissance Art</a> (129)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Modern_Art/8JrMbrVA">Modern Art</a> (120)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Architecture/FccThs8G">Architecture</a> (072)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Design/kR4GNeja">Design</a> (136)</li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Fontana_Modern_Masters/TCoaVP1V">Fontana Modern Masters</a></i>, a similar series on 20th century thinkers.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/D%25C3%25A9couvertes_Gallimard/INRw2yoU">Découvertes Gallimard</a></i>, a similar series in French of introductory books written by experts, started in 1986, noted for its fine illustration. Some titles are translated in other languages.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/For_Dummies/6WqdHFPn">For Dummies</a></i>, a series of instructional reference books and beginners guides with a focus on the practical aspects or application of various topics.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Que_sais-je%253F/ajVuL7rH">Que sais-je?</a></i>, a similar series in French of introductory books written by experts, started in 1941. Some titles are translated in other languages.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Rough_Guides/SeAtCap7">Rough Guides</a></i>, whose non-travel books also cover culture and science.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://academic.oup.com/very-short-introductions">Oxford Academic - Very Short Introductions</a></li> <li><a href="http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/category/academic/series/general/vsi.do">Oxford University Press - Very Short Introductions</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Very Short Introductions". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 22 September 2011. <a href="http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/series/VeryShortIntroductions/" target="_blank">http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/series/VeryShortIntroductions/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Very Short Introductions – General Series". Oxford University Press (UK). Retrieved 18 April 2018. <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/content/series/v/very-short-introductions-vsi/" target="_blank">https://global.oup.com/academic/content/series/v/very-short-introductions-vsi/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Very Short Introductions". Oxford University Press. <a href="http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/series/VeryShortIntroductions/" target="_blank">http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/series/VeryShortIntroductions/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Languages: A Very Short Introduction". Oxford University Press (UK). Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2011. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20131224101632/http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/academic/series/general/vsi/9780199590599.do?sortby=pubDateAscend&page=32&thumbby=10&thumbby_crawl=10" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20131224101632/http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/academic/series/general/vsi/9780199590599.do?sortby=pubDateAscend&page=32&thumbby=10&thumbby_crawl=10</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Glendinning, Simon (2011). Derrida: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. ii. ISBN 978-0-19-280345-0. <a href="978-0-19-280345-0" target="_blank">978-0-19-280345-0</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Very Short Introductions". Oxford University Press (UK). Retrieved 16 February 2015. <a href="https://www.veryshortintroductions.com/" target="_blank">https://www.veryshortintroductions.com/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Schulz, Kathryn (9 October 2017). "How to Be a Know-It-All". The New Yorker. Condé Nast. Retrieved 24 January 2023. <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/16/how-to-be-a-know-it-all" target="_blank">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/16/how-to-be-a-know-it-all</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Schulz, Kathryn (9 October 2017). "How to Be a Know-It-All". The New Yorker. Condé Nast. Retrieved 24 January 2023. <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/16/how-to-be-a-know-it-all" target="_blank">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/16/how-to-be-a-know-it-all</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Schulz, Kathryn (9 October 2017). "How to Be a Know-It-All". The New Yorker. Condé Nast. Retrieved 24 January 2023. <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/16/how-to-be-a-know-it-all" target="_blank">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/16/how-to-be-a-know-it-all</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"A brief guide to Oxford's 'Very Short Introductions'". The Fortnightly Review. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2023. <a href="https://fortnightlyreview.co.uk/2011/12/oup-short-introductions/" target="_blank">https://fortnightlyreview.co.uk/2011/12/oup-short-introductions/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>