Introducing... (book series)

The Introducing... series is a book series of graphic guides covering key thinkers and topics in philosophy, psychology and science, and many others in politics, religion, cultural studies, linguistics and other areas. Books are written by an expert in the field and illustrated, comic-book style, by a leading graphic artist.

Introducing...
CountryEngland
LanguageEnglish
PublisherIcon Books
Published1992–present
Media typePaperback
Preceded by...For Beginners

History

The Introducing... series, like the For Beginners series, has its origins in two Spanish-language books, Cuba para principiantes (1960) and Marx para principiantes (1972) by the Mexican political cartoonist and writer Rius, pocket books which put their content over in a humorous comic book way but with a serious underlying purpose. An English-language version of the first book was published in 1970 by Leviathan Press of San Francisco and Pathfinder Press of New York, to no particularly great impact. However, when Richard Appignanesi edited the first English edition of Marx for Beginners (1976) for the London-based Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative, of which he was a co-founding member with Glenn Thompson and others, it was soon clear that the collective had a hit on their hands.[1][2] With a successful format identified, further "... for Beginners" titles soon began to appear. The line's most enduring titles, all published during this period, were Marx for Beginners (1976), Freud for Beginners (1979), Einstein for Beginners (1979), and Darwin for Beginners (1982).[3] In the early 1980s schism arose over questions of control after some members of the cooperative sold U.S. rights to part of the For Beginners series to Pantheon Books and the Cooperative officially disbanded in 1984.

In 1992, Richard Appignanesi, who had been the first editor in London for the series and had also written several of the titles, co-created the new London-based publisher Icon Books, under whose imprint he republished several of the For Beginner titles and continued to publish and expand a new version of the series. Meanwhile, Glenn Thompson, who, since 1987, had continued the For Beginners through his New York-based Writers and Readers Publishing, Inc., also established the London-based Writers and Readers Limited[4] in 1992, to protect his own continuation of the series. These two publishers continued their series in several cases commissioning new authors to create alternate books to those being published by the other, leading to a number of examples where the two series were publishing two different books under the same title. The situation was eventually resolved in 1999 by the Icon series being rebranded as the Introducing... series, with titles starting with that word instead of ending "For Beginners".

Beginning in 2008, Icon's new titles and reissues played down the "Introducing..." to the level of a series name, and the titles were instead prominently subtitled "A Graphic Guide." In 2011, a second "Introducing..." series was launched with the subtitle "Practical Guides" focusing on topics within business, psychology and counselling.

Reception

Science writer Brian Clegg, author of Introducing Infinity (2012) in the series, states that, "It is almost impossible to rate these relentlessly hip books - they are pure marmite," as the series, "puts across the message in a style that owes as much to Terry Gilliam and pop art as it does to popular science."[5]

List of titles

Graphic Guides

The following Graphic Guides titles have been published or republished by Icon Books since 1992.

TitleISBNWriter(s)Artist(s)PagesPublication DateNotes
Aesthetics978-1-84831-167-1Christopher Kul-WantPiero1762007 
Alain Badiou978-1-84831-665-2Michael J. KellyPiero1762014 
American Politics978-1-84046-098-8Patrick BroganChris Garratt1921999 
Anthropology978-1-84831-168-8Merryl Wyn DaviesPiero1762002 
Aristotle978-1-874166-36-8Rupert WoodfinJudy Groves1761996Originally published as Arostotle for Beginners
Artificial Intelligence978-1-84831-214-2Henry BrightonHoward Selina1762003 
Astrology978-1-87416-626-9Geoffrey Cornelius, Maggie HydeChris Webster1761995 
Barthes978-1-84831-204-3Philip ThodyPiero1761997Originally published as Barthes for Beginners
Baudrillard978-1-874166-36-8Chris HorrocksZoran Jevtic1761996Originally published as Baudrillard for Beginners
Bertrand Russell978-1-84831-302-6Dave RobinsonJudy Groves1762002
Buddha978-1-84831-011-7Jane HopeBorin Van Loon1761994Originally published as Buddha for Beginners
Camus978-1-84046-000-1David MariowitzAlain Korkos1761998Originally published as Camus for Beginners, discontinued
Capitalism978-1-84831-055-1Dan Cryan, Sharron ShatilPiero1762009 
Chaos978-1-84831-013-1Ziauddin SardarIwona Abrams1761998Originally published as Chaos for Beginners
Chomsky978-1-87416-642-9John MaherJudy Groves1761996Originally published as Chomsky for Beginners
Consciousness978-1-84046-115-2David PapineauHoward Selina1762000 
Continental Philosophy978-1-84831-417-7Christopher Kul-WantPiero1762013 
Critical Theory978-1-84831-059-9Stuart SimBorin Van Loon1762001 
Cultural Studies978-1-84046-074-2Ziauddin SardarBorin Van Loon1761997Originally published as Cultural Studies for Beginners
Cyberspace978-187416-624-5Joanna BuickZoran Jevtic1761995Originally published as Cyberspace for Beginners, discontinued
Darwin978-1-84831-117-6Jonathan MillerBorin Van Loon1761992Previously published as Darwin for Beginners (Writers and Readers, 1982)
Derrida978-1-874166-38-2Jeff CollinsBill Mayblin1721996Originally published as Derrida for Beginners (distinct from Derrida for Beginners by Jim Powell & Van Howell, Writers and Readers, 1997)
Descartes978-1-84046-719-2Dave RobinsonChris Garratt1761998Originally published as Descartes for Beginners
Eastern Philosophy978-1-84046-150-3Richard OsborneBorin Van Loon1761996Originally published as Ancient Eastern Philosophy for Beginners
Economics978-1-84831-215-9David OrrellBorin Van Loon1762011 
Einstein978-1-874166-02-3Joseph SchwartzMichael McGuinness1741992Previously published as Einstein for Beginners (Writers and Readers, 1979), discontinued
Empiricism978-1-84046-545-7Dave RobinsonBill Mayblin1762004 
Enlightenment978-1-84831-179-4Lloyd SpencerAndrzej Krauze1761997Originally published as The Enlightenment for Beginners
Environmental Politics978-1-874166-03-0Stephen CroallWilliam Rankin1741992Previously published as Ecology for Beginners (Writers and Readers, 1981), discontinued
Epigenetics978-1-84831-862-5Cath EnnisOliver Pugh1762017 
Ethics978-1-84831-008-7Dave RobinsonChris Garratt1761996Originally published as Ethics for Beginners
Evolution978-1-84831-186-2Dylan EvansHoward Selina1762001 
Evolutionary Psychology978-1-84831-182-4Dylan EvansOscar Zárate1761999 
Existentialism978-1-84046-266-1Richard AppignanesiOscar Zárate1762001 
Fascism978-1-84046-154-1Stuart HoodLitza Jansz1761993Originally published as Fascism for Beginners
Feminism978-1-84831-121-3Cathia JenainatiJudy Groves1762007 
Feminism978-1-874166-04-7Susan Alice WatkinsMarisa Rueda, Marta Rodriguez1761992Originally published as Feminism for Beginners, discontinued
Foucault978-1-84831-060-5Christopher HorrocksZoran Jevtic1761997Originally published as Foucault for Beginners
Fractals978-1-84831-087-2Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon, Will RoodRalph Edney1762000Originally published as Introducing Fractal Geometry
Freud978-1-84046-851-9Richard AppignanesiOscar Zárate1761992Originally published as Freud for Beginners (Writers and Readers, 1979)
Freud Wars978-1-84046-381-1Stephen WilsonOscar Zárate1762002Discontinued
Game Theory978-1-78578-082-0Ivan Pastine, Tuvana PastineTom Humberstone1762017 
Genetics978-1-84831-295-1Steve JonesBorin Van Loon1761993Originally published as Genetics for Beginners
Hegel978-1-84046-111-4Lloyd SpencerAndrzej Krauze1761996Originally published as Hegel for Beginners
Heidegger978-1-84831-174-9Jeff CollinsHoward Selina1761998Originally published as Heidegger for Beginners
Hinduism978-1-84831-114-5Vinay LalBorin Van Loon1762001 
Holocaust978-1-87416-616-0Haim Bresheeth, Stuart HoodLitza Jansz1761994Originally published as The Holocaust for Beginners
Infinity978-1-84831-406-1Brian CleggOliver Pugh1762012 
Internet978-187416-684-9Laurel BrunnerZoran Jevtic1761997Originally published as The Internet for Beginners, discontinued
Islam978-1-84831-084-1Ziauddin SardarZafar Abbas Malik1761994Originally published asMuhammad for Beginners (distinct from Islam for Beginners by Nabil Ibrahim Matar & H.N. Haddad, Writers and Readers, 1992)
Jesus978-1-87416-610-8Anthony O'HearJudy Groves1761993Originally published as Jesus for Beginners, A.K.A. Introducing Christianity
Joyce978-1-87416-619-1David NorrisCarl Flint1761994Originally published as Joyce for Beginners
Jung978-1-84831-010-0Maggie HydeMichael McGuinness1761992Originally published as Jung for Beginners
Kafka978-1-84046-122-0David Zane MairowitzRobert Crumb1761993Originally published as Kafka for Beginners, discontinued
Kant978-1-84046-664-5Christopher Kul-WantAndrzej Klimowski1761996Originally published as Kant for Beginners
Keynes978-1-84046-157-2Peter PughChris Garratt1761993Originally published as Keynesian Economics for Beginners
Kierkegaard978-1-84046-758-1Dave RobinsonOscar Zarate1762003 
Lacan978-1-84046-168-8Darian LeaderJudy Groves1762000 
Learning & Memory978-1-840463-50-7Ziauddin Sardar, Richard AppignanesiRalph Edney1202002discontinued
Lévi-Strauss978-1-87416-662-7Boris WisemanJudy Groves1761997Originally published as Lévi-Strauss for Beginners
Linguistics978-1-84831-088-9R. L. TraskBill Mayblin1762000 
Literary Criticism978-1-84831-904-2Owen HollandPiero1762016 
Logic978-1-84831-012-4Dan Cryan, Sharron ShatilBill Mayblin1762001 
Machiavelli978-1-84046-116-9Patrick CurryOscar Zarate1761995Originally published as Machiavelli for Beginners
Mafia978-1-87416-620-7Arnd SchneiderOscar Zarate1761995 
Mandela978-187416-622-1Tony PinchuckRoger Trask1761994 
Marx978-184046-055-1RiusRius1601999Translated from Marx para principiantes (1972)
Marxism978-1-84831-058-2Rupert WoodfinOscar Zárate1762004 
Mathematics978-1-84046-011-7Ziauddin SardarBorin Van Loon1761999 
Media Studies978-1-84046-114-5Ziauddin SardarBorin Van Loon1762000discontinued
Melanie Klein978-1-87416-661-0Robert Hinshelwood, Susan RobinsonOscar Zarate1761997Originally published as Melanie Klein for Beginners
Mind & Brain978-1-84046-854-0Angus GellatlyOscar Zárate1761998Originally published as Mind & Brain for Beginners, discontinued
Modernism978-1-84831-116-9Chris RodriguesChris Garratt1762001 
Newton978-1-87416-607-8William RankinWilliam Rankin1761993Originally published as Newton for Beginners
Nietzsche978-1-84831-009-4Laurence GaneKitty Chan (1997), Piero (2005)1761997Originally published as Nietzsche for Beginners
Particle Physics978-1-84831-589-1Tom WhyntieOliver Pugh1762013 
Philosophy978-1-84046-853-3Dave RobinsonJudy Groves1761999Originally published as Western Philosophy for Beginners
Philosophy of Science978-1-84046-358-3Ziauddin SardarBorin Van Loon1761998Originally published as Science Studies for Beginners
Picasso978-1-874166-29-0Andrew BrightonAndrzej Klimowski1761995Originally published as Picasso for Beginners, discontinued
Plato978-1-84046-113-8Dave RobinsonJudy Groves1762000
Political Philosophy978-1-84046-450-4Dave RobinsonJudy Groves1762003 
Postfeminism978-1-84046-010-0Sophia PhocaRebecca Wright1761999Discontinued
Postmodernism978-1-84046-849-6Richard Appignanesi, Chris Garratt, Ziauddin SardarPatrick Curry1921995Originally published as Postmodernism for Beginners
Psychiatry978-1-84046-537-2Nigel C. BensonPiero1762004discontinued
Psychoanalysis978-1-84046-176-3Ivan WardOscar Zárate1762000 
Psychology978-1-84046-852-6Nigel C. BensonNigel C. Benson1761998Originally published as Psychology for Beginners
Psychotherapy978-1-84046-441-2Nigel C. BensonBorin Van Loon1762003 
Quantum Theory978-1-84046-850-2J.P. McEvoyOscar Zárate1761996Originally published as Quantum Theory for Beginners
Relativity978-1-84831-057-5Bruce BassettRalph Edney1762002 
Romanticism978-1-84046-009-4Duncan HeathJudy Boreham1761999 
Rousseau978-1-84046-232-6Dave RobinsonOscar Zarate1762001 
Sartre978-1-84046-007-0Philip ThodyHoward Read1761998Originally published as Sartre for Beginners
Semiotics978-1-84046-073-5Paul CobleyLitza Jansz1761997Originally published as Semiotics for Beginners
Shakespeare978-1-84831-115-2Nick GroomPiero1762001 
Slavoj Žižek978-1-84831-057-5Christopher Kul-WantPiero1762011 
Sociology978-1-84831-085-8Richard OsborneBorin Van Loon1761996Originally published as Sociology for Beginners, discontinued
Sociology978-1-78578-073-8John NaglePiero1762016Replaces previous edition.
Statistics978-1-84831-056-8Eileen MagnelloBorin Van Loon1762009 
Stephen Hawking978-1-84831-094-0J. P. McEvoyOscar Zárate1761995Originally published as Stephen Hawking for Beginners
Thatcherism978-1-87416-653-5Peter PughCarl Flint1761997Originally published as Thatcher for Beginners
Time978-1-84831-120-6Craig CallenderRalph Edney1762001 
Trotsky978-1-84046-001-8Tariq AliPhil Evans1761998Previously published as Trotsky for Beginners (Writers and Readers, 1998), discontinued
Universe978-1-84046-761-1Felix PiraniChristine Roche1761993Originally published as The Universe for Beginners, discontinued
Wagner978-1-87416-627-6Michael WhiteKevin Scott1761995Originally published as Wagner for Beginners
Walter Benjamin978-1-84831-692-8Howard Caygill, Alex Coles,Andrzej Klimowski1761998Originally published as Walter Benjamin for Beginners
Wittgenstein978-1-84831-086-5John M. HeatonJudy Groves1761994Originally published as Wittgenstein for Beginners

Practical Guides

The following Practical Guides titles have been published by Icon Books since 2011.

TitleISBNWriter(s)PagesPublication DateNotes
Assertiveness978-1-84831-505-1David Bonham-Carter2242013 
Body Language978-1-84831-421-4Glenn Wilson2242012 
Business Creativity978-1-84831-400-9Roger Neill2242013 
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)978-1-84831-254-8Elaine Iljon Foreman, Clair Pollard2242011 
CBT for Work978-1-84831-419-1Gill Garratt2242012 
Child Psychology978-1-84831-258-6Kairen Cullen2242011 
Confident Speaking978-1-84831-679-9Alan Woodhouse2242014 
Counselling978-1-84831-626-3Alistair Ross2242013 
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)978-1-84831-662-1Judy Byrne2242014 
Emotional Intelligence978-1-84831-422-1David Walton2242012 
Entrepreneurship978-1-84831-625-6Alison Price, David Price2242013 
Ethics for Everyday Life978-1-84831-341-5Dave Robinson2242012 
Family Psychology978-1-84831-518-1James Powell2242013 
Getting the Job You Want978-1-84831-506-8Denise Taylor2242013 
Happiness978-1-84831-362-0Will Buckingham2242012 
Leadership978-1-84831-511-2Alison Price, David Price2242013 
Management978-1-84831-401-6Alison Price, David Price2242012 
Mindfulness978-1-84831-255-5Tessa Watt2242012 
NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming)978-1-84831-256-2Neil Shah2242011 
NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) for Work978-1-84831-380-4Dianne Lowther2242012 
Overcoming Phobias978-1-84831-650-8Patricia Furness-Smith2242014 
Overcoming Problem Eating978-1-84831-721-5Patricia Furness-Smith2242015 
Personal Finance978-1-84831-723-9Michael Taillard2242015 
Persuasion978-1-84831-722-2Anthony McLean2242014 
Philosophy for Everyday Life978-1-84831-356-9Trevor Curnow2242012 
Positive Psychology978-1-84831-277-7Bridget Grenville-Cleave2242012 
Productivity978-1-84831-649-2Graham Allcott2242014 
Psychology of Relationships978-1-84831-359-0John Karter2242012 
Psychology of Success978-1-84831-259-3Alison Price, David Price2242011 
Resilience978-1-84831-512-9Gladeana McMahon2242013 
Self-Esteem978-1-84831-365-1David Bonham-Carter2242012 
Sport Psychology978-1-84831-257-9Arnold LeUnes2242011 
Stress Management978-1-84831-420-7Graham Price2242014Publication cancelled.
Well-Being978-1-84831-796-3Patricia Furness-Smith2242015 

See also

References

  1. The history of Introducing books, introducingbooks.com. Accessed 2011-01-29.
  2. Our Story Archived 2014-10-16 at the Wayback Machine, For Beginners books. Accessed 2011-01-29.
  3. MacDonald, H. (2003), "Pantheon re-offers 'for beginners' series," Publishers Weekly, 250(51), 26.
  4. "Writers and Readers Limited," DueDil.com Accessed Jan. 12, 2015.
  5. "Introducing Evolution: A Graphic Guide". Popular Science. Retrieved 2017-01-21.
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