Small talk, although seemingly superficial, is an integral part of everyone’s lives. We all need to make small talk once in a while, and it’s not so easy for most of us. We all need to put some effort into making small talk, especially with people we don’t know well. Mastering small talk requires some skill and practice, which is why this book was written. After listening to this book, you will gain a broader perspective about people in general. You have the ability to conquer anything and be the most charismatic person you could ever be!

3000語レベルの語彙がベースのリーディング素材で、「こんなに聴けた！」と実感できる！

The debate between science and religion is never out of the news: Emotions run high, fueled by polemical best sellers like The God Delusion and, at the other end of the spectrum, high-profile campaigns to teach "Intelligent Design" in schools. Yet there is much more to the debate than the clash of these extremes. As Thomas Dixon shows in this balanced and thought-provoking introduction, many have seen harmony rather than conflict between faith and science.

Eminent biblical scholar Michael D. Coogan offers here a wide-ranging and stimulating exploration of the Old Testament, illuminating its importance as history, literature, and sacred text.

世界であいつぐ迫害や人権侵害．「自国第一」を掲げるポピュリズムの台頭．状況が年ごとに複雑になるなか，国際社会は葛藤を抱えつつも難民保護の取り組みを続けている．各国はいかなる論理と方法で受け入れを行なってきたのか．

このままでは北方領土は返ってこない！　安倍晋三首相はいま、ロシアのプーチン大統領と首脳会談を重ねて関係を深めている。経済協力を通じた友好関係を深めた先に、念願の北方領土の返還が実現するのでは

The study of human evolution is advancing rapidly. Newly discovered fossil evidence is adding ever more pieces to the puzzle of our past, while revolutionary technological advances in the study of ancient DNA are completely reshaping theories of early human populations and migrations. In this Very Short Introduction, Bernard Wood traces the history of paleoanthropology from its beginnings in the 18th century to the very latest fossil finds.

ポピュリズムやナショナリズムの台頭，社会的分断の深化，Qアノンはじめ陰謀論の隆盛，専制主義国家による挑戦などを前に，理念の共和国・米国のアイデンティティが揺らいでいる．今日の米国内の分断状況を観察し続けてきた著者が，その実態を精緻に腑分けし，米国の民主主義，そしてリベラル国際秩序の行方を展望する．

Grammar! For many of us, the word triggers memories of finger-wagging schoolteachers, and of wrestling with the ambiguous and complicated rules of using formal language. But what is grammar? In fact, it's the integral basis of how we speak and write. As such, a refined awareness of grammar opens a world of possibilities for both your pleasure in the English language and your skill in using it, in both speech and the written word.

Sigmund Freud revolutionized the way in which we think about ourselves. From its beginnings as a theory of neurosis Freud developed psychoanalysis into a general psychology, which became widely accepted as the predominant mode of discussing personality and interpersonal relationships. Anthony Storr goes one step further and investigates the status of Freud's legacy today and the disputes that surround it.

世界がウクライナ戦争で大きく揺らぎ始めている。再び戦争の時代に戻りそうな端境期にある今だからこそ、歴史から多くを学ぶべきだと主張する著者は、これまで軍指導者や兵士など延べ四千人に取材し…

Written in simple and accessible language, this nontechnical introduction to cosmology, or the creation and development of the universe, explains the discipline, covers its history, details the latest developments, and explains what is known, what is believed, and what is purely speculative. In addition, the author discusses the development of the Big Bang theory, and more speculative modern issues like quantum cosmology, superstrings, and dark matter.

Quantum theory is the most revolutionary discovery in physics since Newton. This book gives a lucid, exciting, and accessible account of the surprising and counterintuitive ideas that shape our understanding of the sub-atomic world. It does not disguise the problems of interpretation that still remain unsettled 75 years after the initial discoveries. Uncertainty, probabilistic physics, complementarity, the problematic character of measurement, and decoherence are among the many topics discussed.

世界の恒久的平和はいかにしてもたらされるべきか．

日中戦争、アジア太平洋戦争を引き起こし、日本を崩壊させた天皇制ファシズム。その被害者とされてきた民衆がファシズムを支えていたこと、そして戦争末期の悲惨な体験から戦後デモクラシーが生まれたことを民衆が残した記録から明らかにしてゆく。

日本文学の名作10編を、アメリカ生まれの日本文学研究者が英語に翻訳。

This Very Short Introduction looks at the importance accorded to the bible by different communities and cultures and attempts to explain why it has generated such a rich variety of uses and interpretations. It explores how the Bible was written, the development of the canon, the role of biblical criticism, the appropriation of the bible in high and popular culture, and its use for political ends.

全国新聞初の外国人記者として東京の裏社会を駆け巡った著者。日本人顔負けの諺を放ち、日本社会に迎合しながらもアウトサイダーの立場を逆手に取る。大胆不敵で無鉄砲、茶目っ気たっぷりに色目も惜しまず独自の捜査スタイルを確立していった様を描く。世間を震撼させた愛犬家連続殺人事件の真相から歌舞伎町に潜む人身売買の闇まで、スクープを追い続けた12年。その果てに彼が手にしたのは、日本最大の暴力団組織と米国FBIが絡みあったスキャンダルだった･･････。 「記事を消すか、お前が消されるか」山口組分裂のきっかけともなった衝撃の事実を掴んだ記者は、人生最大の決断を迫られる。 日本の大手出版社が復讐を恐れ、出版を見送った禁断の暴露本が遂に日本解禁！ Audibleで臨場感そのままにこのスリルを体験。

This Very Short Introduction introduces listeners to the key concepts of political philosophy: authority, democracy, freedom and its limits, justice, feminism, multiculturalism, and nationality. Accessible and assuming no previous knowledge of the subject, it encourages the listener 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?"

This Introduction audiobook explores emerging geological research and explains how new advances in the understanding of plate tectonics, seismology, and satellite imagery have enabled us to begin to see the Earth as it actually is: dynamic and ever-changing.

ヒトラー(一八八九─一九四五)とは何者だったのか。ナチス・ドイツを多角的に研究してきた第一人者が、最新の史資料を踏まえて「ヒトラー神話」を解き明かす。生い立ちからホロコーストへと至る時代背景から、

This Very Short Introduction uncovers the history of our understanding of sexual selection, from Darwin's key insights to the modern day. Considering the investment animals place on reproduction, variation in mating systems, sexual conflict, and the origin of sexual dimorphism, authors Marlene Zuk and Leigh Simmons discuss questions such as whether females can really choose between males on aesthetic grounds and how sexual conflict is resolved in different species.

Energy is vital for a good standard of living, and much of the world's population does not have enough. Affordable and adequate sources of power that do not cause climate change or pollution are crucial; and renewables provide the answer. Wind and solar farms can now provide the cheapest electricity in many parts of the world. Moreover, they could provide all of the world's energy needs.

The concept of law lies at the heart of our social and political life. Legal philosophy, or jurisprudence, explores the notion of law and its role in society, illuminating its meaning and its relation to the universal questions of justice, rights, and morality. In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Raymond Wacks analyzes the nature and purpose of the legal system and the practice by courts, lawyers, and judges.

Exploring the cultural and institutional dimensions of Christianity and tracing its course over two millennia, Linda Woodhead provides a fresh, lively, and candid portrait of Christianity's past and present. Addressing topics including the competition for power between different forms of Christianity, the churches' use of power, and its struggles with modernity, this new edition includes up-to-date information on the growth and geographical spread of Eastern Christianity, reflecting the global nature of Christianity in our ever-shifting contemporary culture.