Druids: A Very Short Introduction

Druids: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Barry Cunliffe

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2010-05-27

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 0191613789

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Who were the Druids? What do we know about them? Do they still exist today? The Druids first came into focus in Western Europe - Gaul, Britain, and Ireland - in the second century BC. They are a popular subject; they have been known and discussed for over 2,000 years and few figures flit so elusively through history. They are enigmatic and puzzling, partly because of the lack of knowledge about them has resulted in a wide spectrum of interpretations. Barry Cunliffe takes the reader through the evidence relating to the Druids, trying to decide what can be said and what can't be said about them. He examines why the nature of the druid caste changed quite dramatically over time, and how successive generations have interpreted the phenomenon in very different ways. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.


Druids: A Very Short Introduction

Druids: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Barry Cunliffe

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2010-05-27

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 0191613789

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Who were the Druids? What do we know about them? Do they still exist today? The Druids first came into focus in Western Europe - Gaul, Britain, and Ireland - in the second century BC. They are a popular subject; they have been known and discussed for over 2,000 years and few figures flit so elusively through history. They are enigmatic and puzzling, partly because of the lack of knowledge about them has resulted in a wide spectrum of interpretations. Barry Cunliffe takes the reader through the evidence relating to the Druids, trying to decide what can be said and what can't be said about them. He examines why the nature of the druid caste changed quite dramatically over time, and how successive generations have interpreted the phenomenon in very different ways. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.


Drugs

Drugs

Author: Leslie L. Iversen

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 0198745796

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The twentieth century saw a remarkable upsurge of research on drugs, with major advances in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections, heart disease, stomach ulcers, cancer, and metal illnesses. These, along with the introduction of the oral contraceptive, have altered all of our lives. There has also been an increase in the recreational use and abuse of drugs in the Western world. This Very Short Introduction, in its second edition, gives a non-technical account of how drugs work in the body. Reviewing both legal (alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine) and illegal drugs, Les Iversen discusses why some are addictive, and whether drug laws need reform. ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.


The Celts

The Celts

Author: Barry W. Cunliffe

Publisher:

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 9780191775901

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In this guide Barry Cunliffe sheds light on the Celtic race using a range of evidence and explores subjects such as trade migration and the evolution of Celtic traditions.


Prehistory

Prehistory

Author: Chris Gosden

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 153

ISBN-13: 0198803516

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Recent archaeological discoveries from China and central Asia have changed our understanding of how human civilization developed in the period of some 4 million years before the start of written history. In this new edition of his Very Short Introduction, Chris Gosden explores the current theories on the ebb and flow of human cultural variety.


Paganism: A Very Short Introduction

Paganism: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Owen Davies

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2011-05-26

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 0191620017

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'Paganism' is an evocative word that, even today, conjures up deep-seated emotions and prejudices. Until recently, it was primarily a derogatory term used by Christians to describe the non-Christian cultures confronted and vanquished by their Churches. For some it evokes images of sacrifice and barbaric behaviour, while for others it symbolises a peace-loving, nature-worshipping spiritual relationship with the earth. This Very Short Introduction explores the meaning of paganism - through a chronological overview of the attitudes towards its practices and beliefs - from the ancient world through to the present day. Owen Davies largely looks at paganism through the eyes of the Christian world, and how, over the centuries, notions and representations of its nature were shaped by religious conflict, power struggles, colonialism, and scholarship. Despite the expansion of Christianity and Islam, Pagan cultures continue to exist around the world, whilst in the West new formations of paganism constitute one of the fastest-growing religions. Focussing on paganism in Europe, but exploring the nature of paganism globally, Davies looks at how Europeans discovered new cultures through colonial expansion, missionary work, and anthropological study. Contemporary social paganism can be a liberating and social force, and the idea of a global Pagan theology is now on the religious map. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.


Sexuality: A Very Short Introduction

Sexuality: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Veronique Mottier

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2008-04-24

Total Pages: 169

ISBN-13: 0199298025

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Mottier examines the questions around what shapes our sexuality asking if it is a product of our genes, or of society, culture or politics. The changing views of sexual norms are dealt with as are issues surrounding feminism, religion, eugenics, and HIV / AIDS.


Myth

Myth

Author: Robert Alan Segal

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 0198724705

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This Very Short Introduction explores different approaches to myth from several disciplines, including science, religion, philosophy, literature, and psychology. In this new edition, Robert Segal considers both the future study of myth as well as the impact of areas such as cognitive science and the latest approaches to narrative theory.


Teeth: A Very Short Introduction

Teeth: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Peter S. Ungar

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2014-03

Total Pages: 153

ISBN-13: 0199670595

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Teeth are a vital component of vertebrate anatomy and a fundamental part of the fossil record. It was the evolution of teeth, associated with predation, that drove the evolution of the wide array of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and then mammals. Peter S. Ungar looks at how, without teeth, none of these developments could have occurred.


Celtic Bards, Celtic Druids

Celtic Bards, Celtic Druids

Author: R. J. Stewart

Publisher: Blandford Press

Published: 1999-03

Total Pages: 159

ISBN-13: 9780713727845

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Through poems, tales, songs, aphorisms, and commentaries, discover the enchanted history of these poets. The Celts relied on them to teach why a river had a certain name or the meaning of a stone in a field. Follow the bards and druids on their journey to uncover the treasures and truths of the Celts.