Книги издательства Oxford University Press
Название: The British Constitution
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2008
Рейтинг:
Описание:
In the latter part of the nineteenth century Walter Bagehot wrote a classic account of the British constitution as it had developed during Queen Victoria's reign. He argued that the late Victorian constitution was not at all what people thought it was. Anthony King argues that the same is true at the beginning of this century. Most people are aware that a series of major constitutional changes has taken place, but few recognize that their cumulative effect has been to change entirely the nature of Britain's constitutional structure. The old constitution has gone. The author insists that the new constitution is a mess, but one that we can make the best of. The British Constitution is neither a reference book nor a textbook. Like Bagehot's classic, it is written with wit and mordant humor--by someone who is a journalist and political commentator as well as a distinguished academic. The author maintains that, while the new British constitution is a mess, there is no going back now. «As always», he says, «nostalgia is a good companion but a bad guide.» Far from shying away from the thorniest issues facing the British polity today, the author grapples with them head on. He offers a trenchant analysis of the increasingly divergent relationship between England, Scotland and Wales in the light of devolution and a devastating critique of the reformed House of Lords, whose benches, the author fears, risk being adorned by «a miscellaneous assemblage of party hacks, political careerists, clapped-out retired or defeated MPs, has-beens, never-were's and never-could-possibly-be's». The book is a Bagehot for the 21st Century — the product of a lifetime's reflection on the topic, and essential reading for anyone with an interest in the nature and future of British political life.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2008
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Much of the discussion of Russia's recent post-Communist history has amounted, both in Russia and the West, to a series of monologues by strong-minded people with starkly divergent views. In contrast, Padma Desai's conversations with influential, intelligent participants and observers provide the reader with a broad, nuanced view of what has and has not happened in the last fourteen years, and why. Conversations from Russia will thus serve as a much-needed reference volume, both for academics who study Russia and for laypeople who only have vague perceptions of what has occurred in Russia since the collapse of Communism. In conversations with important figures like Boris Yeltsin, George Soros, Anatoly Chubais, and Yegar Gaidar, Desai considers questions like why the Soviet Union fell apart under Gorbachev, what went wrong with economic reforms after Gorbachev, whether the privatization of Russian assets could have been managed differently, and what the prospects are for the Russian economy in the near future. Desai, a recognized expert in the field of Soviet studies, ties the interviews together with an introduction, ultimately reaching her own judgment on each issue considered in the conversations. This book will appeal to researchers and students in developmental economics, political economy, and Soviet studies, and educated laypeople interested in Russia.
Название: Wobble Bear Gets Busy
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2010
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Wobble Bear has just learnt to walk on his wibbly, wobbly toes. His crawling days are over and he walks and walks and walks all through the day. Even when he goes to the park, Wobble walks on the see-saw and walks down the slide — it's exhausting just watching him! So it's really no surprise that when bedtime comes Wobble Bear has finally run out of energy and he whispers to Mummy, 'Can't walk, too tired, carry me up to bed.' A very loveable little bear is ready to entertain in this fun-filled rhyming story — perfect for toddlers who have just mastered the art of being mobile and in this board-book format, it's perfect for little hands, too.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2011
Рейтинг:
Описание:
100 years after its first publication, the twelfth edition of this world-famous bestseller gives the most up-to-date picture of the English language today. The original 1911 edition, revolutionary at the time for its focus on current English and its use of illustrative examples, combined a succinct yet approachable style with coverage of everyday as well as specialist terms. This centenary edition continues this ground-breaking tradition, giving you rich authoritative coverage of English as it is used today. The CD-ROM offers full-text search functionality, instant look-up from Windows(r) documents, including email and the internet, and high-quality spoken pronunciations for thousands of words, making it ideal for family use, as well as for homework and school use. The CD-ROM is both Windows(r) and Mac compatible. Includes 12 months' access to Oxford Dictionaries
Название: Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Readers of all levels will find this guide essential. Giving examples of real usage, this book provides the basic information about grammar and punctuation that people need on a day-to-day basis. Arranged A-Z, it contains entries for standard grammatical terms as well as dealing with related questions of usage. In addition to explaining basic terms such as 'split infinitive', 'participle', and 'adverb', entries also discuss whether to use 'may' or 'might', 'that' or 'which', and 'it's' or 'its'. The Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation gives the reader quick and easy access to the answers to these, and many other, questions of grammar. It offers clear and coherent explanations, and illustrations across a broad range of topics, and is the first port of call for any reader seeking clear, authoritative help with grammar and punctuation. Both easy to use and comprehensive, the Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation is an essential tool for writing at home, in the office, at school, and at college.
Название: Oxford Beginner's Chinese Dictionary
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2006
Рейтинг:
Описание:
The Oxford Beginner's Chinese Dictionary is a brand new guide to learning Chinese. Designed specifically for English-speaking adult learners who are either learning from scratch or refreshing lost language skills, it offers an easy to use dictionary, extra help with vocabulary, and essential information on living and interacting in the Chinese-speaking world. The dictionary is exceptionally easy to use, because it moves away from the traditional dictionary layout. All main translations are preceded by an equals sign so that they are instantly identifiable, and all parts of the entry are spelt out in full, avoiding confusing jargon and abbreviations. Grammar and usage notes throughout the text warn of possible translation pitfalls, and thousands of example phrases show how the language is used in context. The 30-page Learning and Lifestyle kit gives key information on both the Chinese language, with a list of the words you really need to know, grammar help, and verb tables, and on life in the Chinese-speaking world: background information on lifestyle and culture, tips on etiquette and interaction in the language, and a phrasefinder for use when travelling. The Oxford Beginner's Chinese Dictionary is your essential companion to learning Chinese.
Название: Oxford Colour Italian Dictionary
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2010
Рейтинг:
Описание:
This is the reissued Oxford Colour Italian Dictionary. This dictionary is an effective and practical reference tool for students, adult learners, or travellers. It is especially user-friendly, with a clear colour design that makes it easy to find the word you are looking for quickly. It also has usage notes, giving you help with tricky and frequently occurring words, verb lists and grammar notes. The up-to-date centre section helps you build your vocabulary. We have identified the Italian words you most need to know, and they are laid out clearly for you here; these are marked with a handy key symbol in the A-Z text of the dictionary. Also included are word games so that you can practise your dictionary skills and learn vocabulary while having fun. The centre section also contains a calendar of holidays and festivals and an A-Z guide to Italian life and culture — ideal for the traveller and those learning about life in Italy.
Название: Concise Medical Dictionary
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2010
Рейтинг:
Описание:
This market-leading illustrated dictionary contains 12,500 authoritative entries on all aspects of medical science. Written by a team of medical experts, all entries have been revised and updated for this new edition to reflect the very latest in medical knowledge and practice. Entries are accessible and jargon-free and are complemented by over 140 illustrations and diagrams. This brand new edition includes over 500 new entries and features increased coverage of pharmacology, obstetrics/gynaecology, paediatrics, ethics, nephrology, and psychiatry. Recommended web links are now provided for many entries, which are accessed and kept up to date via the Medical Dictionary companion website, and appendices have been expanded to include tables of paediatric reference ranges, milk formulas, and additional abbrevations for blood tests Selling almost 700,000 copies in previous editions, this is an essential A-Z for students and those working in the medical and allied professions. It is also an invaluable home reference guide for the general reader.
Название: A Dictionary of Economics
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2012
Рейтинг:
Описание:
An authoritative and comprehensive dictionary containing clear, concise definitions of over 3,400 key economic terms, this A to Z covers all aspects of economics including economic theory, applied microeconomics and macroeconomics, labour economics, public economics and public finance, monetary economics, and environmental economics. There is strong coverage of international trade and many entries on economic organizations and institutions from around the world. Fully revised to keep up-to-date with this fast-moving field, this new edition expands the coverage to include terms relevant to the financial crisis, such as black swan, credit crunch, Northern Rock, and Iceland, making this dictionary the most up-to-date available. Entries are supplemented by entry-level web links, which are listed and regularly updated on a companion website, giving the reader the opportunity to explore further the areas covered in the dictionary. Useful appendices include a list of institutional acronyms and their affiliated websites, a list of Nobel prize-winners in economics, the Greek alphabet, and a list of relevant websites. As ideal for browsing as it is useful for quick reference, this dictionary remains an essential guide for students and teachers of economics, business, and finance, as well as for professional economists and anyone who has to deal with economic data.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2000
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Covering the most commonly used vocabulary of everyday Greek life, as well as that found in general literature, this revised edition of the highly acclaimed Oxford Dictionary of Modern Greek is specially designed for tourists, travelers, students, and business people alike. This authoritative guide offers comprehensive coverage of 67,000 words and phrases, as well as some 82,000 translations, and includes many idioms and illustrative phrases in both Greek and English showing words in use. Information is given on points of style and usage, and appendices are included listing the principal parts of Greek verbs, place names, and personal names. Brought completely up-to-date with the monotonic spelling system for the Greek language, now the most widely used in Greece, this reference guide is a must for anyone Clearning or using Greek.
Название: Oxford Japanese Mini Dictionary
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2012
Рейтинг:
Описание:
This is the reissued Oxford Japanese Mini Dictionary — now in an attractive new format. This small dictionary offers the most accurate and up-to-date coverage of essential, everyday vocabulary with over 15,000 words and phrases and 20,000 translations. Avoiding Romanized Japanese, Japanese script has been used throughout the dictionary as supported by teachers and learners. Easy-to-use design and a centre section of useful words and expressions listed by topic make this dictionary ideal for travel and quick reference.
Название: Bel-Ami
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Maupassant's second novel, Bel-Ami (1885) is the story of a ruthlessly ambitious young man (Georges Duroy, christened «Bel-Ami» by his female admirers) making it to the top in fin-de-sihcle Paris. It is a novel about money, sex, and power, set against the background of the politics of the French colonization of North Africa. It explores the dynamics of an urban society uncomfortably close to our own and is a devastating satire of the sleaziness of contemporary journalism. Bel-Ami enjoys the status of an authentic record of the apotheosis of bourgeois capitalism under the Third Republic. But the creative tension between its analysis of modern behavior and its identifiably late nineteenth-century fabric is one of the reasons why Bel-Ami remains one of the finest French novels of its time, as well as being recognized as Maupassant's greatest achievement as a novelist. This new translation is complemented by fullest introduction and notes of any edition currently available.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
This Very Short Introduction introduces readers to the key concepts of political philosophy: authority, democracy, freedom and its limits, justice, feminism, multiculturalism, and nationality. Accessibly written and assuming no previous knowledge of the subject, it encourages the reader to think clearly and critically about the leading political questions of our time. Miller first investigates how political philosophy tackles basic ethical questions such as 'how should we live together in society?' He furthermore looks at political authority, discusses the reasons society needs politics in the first place, explores the limitations of politics, and asks if there are areas of life that shouldn't be governed by politics. Moreover, he explores the connections between political authority and justice, a constant theme in political philosophy, and the ways in which social justice can be used to regulate rather than destroy a market economy. In his travels through this realm, Miller covers why nations are the natural units of government and wonders if the rise of multiculturalism and transnational co-operation will change all this, and asks in the end if we will ever see the formation of a world government. About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Tony Wright's Very Short Introduction to British Politics is an interpretative essay on the British political system, rather than merely an abbreviated textbook on how it currently works. He identifies key characteristics and ideas of the British tradition, and investigates what makes British politics distinctive, while emphasizing throughout the book how these characteristics are reflected in the way the political system actually functions. Each chapter is organized around a key theme, such as the constitution or political accountability, which is first established and then explored with examples and illustrations. This in turn provides a perspective for a discussion of how the system is changing, looking in particular at devolution and Britain's place in Europe. About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam
Название: Catholicism: A Very Short Introduction
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Despite a long history of external threats and internal strife, the Roman Catholic Church and the broader phenomenon of Catholicism remain a vast and valuable presence into the third millennium of world history. What are the origins of the Catholic Church? How has Catholicism changed and adapted to such vast and diverse cultural influences over the centuries? What great challenges does the Catholic Church now face in the twenty-first century, both within its own life and in its relation to others around the world? In this Very Short Introduction, Gerald O'Collins draws on the best current scholarship available to answer these questions and to present, in clear and accessible language, a fresh introduction to the largest and oldest institution in the world. O'Collins explains clearly and concisely where the Catholic Church comes from, what it believes and practices, the sacraments and the Church's moral teaching, and where it is heading. The book also includes a timeline of events in the history of Catholicism and useful suggestions for further reading.
Название: Sexuality: A Very Short Introduction
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Is our sexuality determined primarily by our genes? Or is it shaped by the social norms and expectations we happen to be born into. This Very Short Introduction provides an accessible, thoughtful and thought-provoking introduction to major debates around sexuality in the modern world, highlighting the social and political aspects of sexuality. It critically explores different ways of defining and thinking about sexuality and shows that many of our assumptions about what is «natural» in the sexual domain have, in reality, varied greatly in different historical or cultural contexts. The volume also examines ways in which governments have tried to regulate citizens' sexualities in the past-through policies and laws concerning public health, HIV/Aids, prostitution, and sex education-paying special attention to the particular zeal with which women's sexuality has been policed. The volume concludes by discussing political activism around sexuality more widely, focusing on the ways in which feminists, lesbians and gay men, as well as religious fundamentalists have transformed our ways of thinking about sexuality in the past few decades.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
The last century has been a tumultuous one for the culture and politics of Britain. Kenneth Morgan's Twentieth-Century Britain is a crisp analysis of the forces of consensus and conflict that have existed in Britain since the First World War. Using a wide variety of sources, including the records of political parties and recently released documents from Britain's Public Records Office, Kenneth Morgan covers the full scope of Britain's modern history while drawing thought-provoking comparisons with the post-war history of other nations. This penetrating analysis by a leading twentieth-century historian makes for fantastic reading for anyone interested in the development of modern Britain.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Global warming is arguably the most critical and controversial issue facing the world in the twenty-first century, one that will affect every living creature on the planet. It is also an extraordinarily complex problem, which everyone needs to understand as clearly and completely as possible. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise and accessible explanation of the key aspects of global warming. Mark Maslin discusses how and why changes are occurring, sets current warming trends in the context of past climate change, examines the predicted impact of global warming, as well as the political controversies of recent years and the many proposed solutions. Fully updated for 2008, this compelling account offers the best current scientific understanding of global warming, describing recent developments in US policy and the UK Climate Change Bill, where we now stand with the Kyoto Protocol, and the latest findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Maslin also includes a chapter on local solutions, reflecting the now widely held view that, to mitigate any impending disaster, governments as well as individuals must to act together.
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
e words, phrases, and stories of the New Testament permeate the English language. Indeed, this relatively small group of twenty-seven works, written during the height of the Roman Empire, not only helped create and sustain a vast world religion, but also have been integral to the larger cultural dynamics of the West, above and beyond particular religious expressions. Looking at the New Testament through the lens of literary study, Kyle Keefer offers an engrossing exploration of this revered religious text as a work of literature, but also keeps in focus its theological ramifications. Unique among books that examine the Bible as literature, this brilliantly compact introduction offers an intriguing double-edged look at this universal text--a religiously informed literary analysis. The book first explores the major sections of the New Testament--the gospels, Paul's letters, and Revelation--as individual literary documents. Keefer shows how, in such familiar stories as the parable of the Good Samaritan, a literary analysis can uncover an unexpected complexity to what seems a simple, straightforward tale. At the conclusion of the book, Keefer steps back and asks questions about the New Testament as a whole. He reveals that whether read as a single document or as a collection of works, the New Testament presents readers with a wide variety of forms and viewpoints, and a literary exploration helps bring this richness to light. A fascinating investigation of the New Testament as a classic literary work, this Very Short Introduction uses a literary framework--plot, character, narrative arc, genre--to illuminate the language, structure, and the crafting of this venerable text.
Название: Judaism: A Very Short Introduction
Жанр: Oxford University Press
Год: 2009
Рейтинг:
Описание:
Norman Solomon's succinct book is an ideal introduction to Judaism as a religion and way of life. In addition to surveying the nature and development of Judaism, this Very Short Introduction outlines the basics of practical Judaism — its festivals, prayers, customs, and various sects. Modern concerns and debates of the Jewish people are also addressed, such as the impact of the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel, the status of women, and medical and commercial ethics. About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam
