The benefits of Very Short Introductions

Random visits to the Warwick Bookshop for me are therapeutic and a treat. On one visit I noticed the Very Short Introductions (VSI) collection by Oxford University Press. It was so exciting to see books on so many topics: some I found random, others I thought were too simple to need an introduction and some focused on topics I had never heard of.

Firstly, they made me think about the things I do and do not know. I am always prepared to discuss my passionate political opinions but I began wondering how I cannot give you a concise definition of many terms such as socialism and capitalism. I absolutely love learning about chemistry but how do the non-chemists perceive chemistry or the elements, I wondered. I identify myself as a ‘developing’ feminist and here was my perfect opportunity to begin educating myself more about it.

Reading these introductory books, I realised how many things there are in this world which I need an introduction to. Even if you know how to define something, is your understanding sufficient for you to have an opinion on it? As a very opinionated person but also one with a hard-core academic background in science, I see it as a responsibility to educate myself about everything else so my opinions are as informed as possible and the VSIs served as the perfect beginning.

Some I found random, others I thought were too simple to need an introduction and some focused on topics I had never heard of

These books are introductory so you don’t have to worry about the complicated jargon or any theorems from mathematics making you sweat. They are written with the intention to allow you to dip a toe into different fields, gain an insight into how people in those fields think and the tools they use to solve their problems and answer their questions. For example, I read the VSI on economics and whilst I still probably can’t solve a problem in economics, I can tackle the more complicated articles on The Market Mogul or the Financial Times without feeling lost (and somewhat patronised). 

I found the VSI books a very simple way to explore potential genres in the world of non-fiction that I may enjoy. Instead of investing in a textbook to make the process of reading non-fiction more like doing an additional degree, the VSIs give you a feel for the topic without hurting your brain (too much). In my case, this has meant deciding to not read up on economics any further (because I really cannot) but reading more about the application of economics, be it in terms of the environment or sustainability. In this way, the VSIs have provided me with basic information I can use to then research further into the topics that interest me. The VSIs can be found about generic or very specific topics. There is a whole book on environmental economics that I have also read and globalisation is on the list. In this way, you can read about a whole new field if you want or broaden your horizons about something very specific that interests you.

The VSIs are written by those experts in their fields therefore you don’t have to worry about the reliability of the information in the books. Whilst this should by no means hold you back from criticising a book, you can read it with the peace of mind that it discusses what it states without any hideous bias.

The VSIs are written by those experts in their fields therefore you don’t have to worry about the reliability of the information in the books

If you haven’t yet seen the VSI books, I would argue that they are pretty student-friendly. They can easily fit into your coat pocket and are small enough to also fit into your packed schedule.

I personally still felt like there was a lot to take in with every page therefore took about a fortnight to finish a book, but you can certainly finish them earlier, especially if you get addicted to a topic. So, if you’re feeling particularly keen to exceed your Goodreads challenge for the year, reading a few of these books may be a good idea.

I sense a superiority in the tone of some students on campus, both online and offline, who enjoy trying to undermine the knowledge and skills of others gained through their degrees. If you’re someone equally disinterested in this race to rank degree courses, perhaps we can turn the situation on its head. The VSIs may be just the catalyst we require to change the trend and start valuing knowledge and understanding of different elements of society rather than boasting about belonging to a specific department.