An introduction to the life and theories of early-twentieth-century psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, discussing his childhood, his marriage and family, his relationships with other pioneers in psychology, his work in such areas as infantile sexual development and the Oedipus complex, and his impact on Western thought.

Focuses on the philosophy and argument of Plato's writings, drawing the reader into his way of doing philosophy, and the general themes of his thinking. Includes a brief account of Plato's life.

The history of ancient Greek civilization, from the first documented use of the Greek language in about 1400 BCE, through the glories of the classical and Hellenistic periods, to the foundation of the Byzantine empire in about CE 330.

Civil engineering produces the structures of all human settlements worldwide and is a vital discipline for many aspects modern life, underlying housing, transport, and our major areas and buildings related to work, study, and leisure. In this Very Short Introduction, David Muir Wood demonstrates the nature and importance of civil engineering not only in the history of civilization and urbanization, but its range of facets today, and its challenges...

"African American Religion offers a provocative historical and philosophical treatment of the religious life of African Americans. Glaude argues that the phrase "African American religion" is meaningful only insofar as it singles out the distinctive ways religion has been leveraged by African Americans to respond to different racial regimes in the United States. That bold claim frames how he reads the historical record. Slavery, Jim Crow, and current...

Structure is integral to the world around us. It can be found in both natural and man-made forms. In this Very Short Introduction, David Blockley explores the nature of structural engineering, looking at how it relates to architecture and design and the principles underlying the building of safe and resilient structures. Blockley explores a number of examples from around the world, including the Shard in London, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco,...