Oxford University Press

In this Very Short Introduction, Robert Eaglestone provides a clear and engaging exploration of the major themes, patterns, and debates of contemporary fiction....

This newly translated selection of 36 of the best decadent tales from the French fin-de-siecle brings together some the most exotic, stylized, and cerebral literature in the French language. Hilarious and horrifying, these extraordinary, corrosive little tales cast a cold eye on the modern world. Superbly translated and introduced by Stephen Romer....

The British Empire influenced many aspects of the world we live in today. The international system remains heavily marked by British imperialism, and the borders, nations, and federations it created. This Very Short Introduction introduces and defines the British Empire, reviewing how it evolved into such a force, and the legacy it left behind....

20 Visions of the FutureTo understand how China is shaping the twenty-first century, William Callahan's China Dreams eavesdrops on conversations between officials, scholars, bloggers, novelists, film-makers and artists. Rather than pitting Confucian China against the democratic west, Callahan weaves Chinese and American ideals together to...

How Motivation WorksHow does motivation work? Scientific research shows that people are motivated to be effective in different ways that go beyond the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. In this text, E. Tory Higgins provides a new theory of motivation that argues that people are motivated by the pursuit of value, truth, and control, but...

The Subversive Imagination in the Age of Emerson and MelvilleSince its initial publication, David Reynolds&'s Beneath the American Renaissance has become a seminal resource for understanding American literature. It ranks alongside classics like F.O. Matthiessen&'s The American Renaissance, R.W.B. Lewis&'s The American Adam, and Eric Sundquist&'s To...