For Beginners

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.

Before you read any further, take a few moments to note all of the devices that are powered by electricity within a 10-foot radius of your body. The number will astonish you. Imagine how this number grows exponentially as you broaden the circle beyond the room, throughout the building, around the block and out across the world.

MORMONISM FOR BEGINNERS is a balanced, richly engaging introduction to the history, tenets, practices, traditions and, yes, debates and controversies of this uniquely American Protestant movement. Designed for the uninitiated or younger members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), this book presents the history of the movement from Joseph Smith to the 21st century along with ...

If you haven't read Toni Morrison, TONI MORRISON FOR BEGINNERS will introduce you to her novels - plot descriptions, subtexts, reviews and Morrison's comments on her work. However, if you have read - or attempted to read - Toni Morrison, you may need this book even more. Many people consider Morrison's novels difficult to read.

Many people have heard of Freemasonry, but few have any idea what it is, what it does or why it exists. FREEMASONRY FOR BEGINNERS will give you the basic facts about Freemasonry and why it remains active today.

Have you heard the terms 'structuralism' and 'deconstruction' and 'postmodernism' but aren't really sure what they mean? Have you taken a whole course on literary criticism, but are still feeling lost? Here's the book you need to sort it all out - and enjoy doing so!

As the heyday of the Chicano Movement of the late 1960s to early 70s fades further into history and as more and more of its important figures pass on, so too does knowledge of its significance. Thus, CHICANO MOVEMENT FOR BEGINNERS is an important attempt to stave off historical amnesia. It seeks to shed light on the multifaceted, civil rights struggle that formed the Chicano Movement.

Libertarianism isn't about winning elections - it is first and foremost a political philosophy - a description of how, in the opinion of libertarians, free people ought to treat one another, at least when they use the law, which they regard as potentially dangerous.

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 new social reality. But, in ANTHROPOLOGY FOR BEGINNERS, Micah J.

Michel Foucault's work has profoundly affected the teaching of such diverse disciplines as literary criticism, criminology, and gender studies. Arguing that definitions of abnormal behavior are culturally constructed, Foucault explored the unfair division between those who meet and those who deviate from social norms.

The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard was one of the most original thinkers of the 19th 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.

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 Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the headlines daily, but do most Americans really understand what it is about? With dramatic events happening almost every day in this region, and the US government increasingly becoming involved, the American public deserves to hear both sides.

AFRICAN HISTORY FOR BEGINNERS explores the rich history of this continent of contrasts. Discover the glory of the Pharaohs and Towers of Zimbabwe, the cosmology of the Yoruba, the courage of the Masai and the golden wonders of Mali, the art treasures of the Bushongo and the sophistication of the Egyptians.

With all the talk about "democracy" these days, it's surprising how little time is spent concentrating on the concept of democracy itself, its history and justification as a form of political governance. "Democracy For Beginners" looks at democracy's rich evolution in its varied forms, and at some of the challenges democracies face today.

Ayn Rand, author of the best-selling novels, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, is beloved by millions of readers, and equally despised by a significant number of detractors. Her novels and her revolutionary philosophy of Objectivism have acquired a world-wide following. They have also created legions of readers who are hungry for a deeper understanding of her writings.

WOMEN'S HISTORY FOR BEGINNERS offers a lively, revealing, and provocative overview of this important (and controversial) academic field. Who are the great women of history, and why don't we know more about them? You don't need to be a scholar to notice that men's history dominates everything we learn in school; yet a quick tour of the past reveals dynamic female role models at every turn.

Jane Austen's novels are classics.  They have never been out of print, and have continuously been turned into countless movies and TV series, yet her works still remain largely misunderstood.  On their surface, Austen's novels all involve characters from provincial communities in rural England, far removed geographically and thematically from greater social movements, war, industry, colonization, ...

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.

DANTE FOR BEGINNERS takes the reader on a trip starting in hell and ending in heaven. The reader gets a quick introduction to Dante and his times. Next, the reader meets a sweet lass named Beatrice and samples a bit of his other literary offerings, such as the great feast, the Convivio. But then it's on to the big one, the Commedia, and a canto by canto description of the entire work.