Why not get your intellect in shape for fall by exploring a subject that has always fascinated you? We’ve got lots of pithy and substantive reads to help build your cerebral muscles, such as:

• An auditory introduction to opera? You bet! You can listen to opera and get expert commentary by going to the following titles in the UW Libraries Catalog:
  
  • An introduction to-- Rossini, the Barber of Seville
  • An introduction to-- Verdi, Aida
  • An introduction to-- Wagner: The Flying Dutchman
    
• Want to start slowly with pictures? You can! The Cartoon Guide to Statistics or The Cartoon Guide to Physics, both by Larry Gonick will get you revved up for more. Or try A Cartoon History of United States Foreign Policy from 1945 to the Present  by Nancy King.
  
• Not enough time on your hands for just a short introduction? Need a VERY short intro? We’ve got you covered—check out the ‘Very Short Introduction’ series from Oxford. The 150-volume series covers short introductions to topics ranging from political philosophy and mythology to contemporary art and feminism – and everything in between.

Tip of the Month:  

While the above books can get you started on a broad overview of a variety of topics, we have lots of specialized encyclopedias in the library that can give you an introduction to a very specific subject. For instance, you can learn about the general topic of racism in the book “Racism: a very short introduction” as listed above. However, to dive deeply into a specific topic on racism in America, you can consult the three volume Encyclopedia of racism in the United States, edited by Pyong Gap Min and get an started on subjects such as “institutional racism” to “Rodney King”. Each volume has primary documents and original writings included, and some entries include a further reading bibliography. Subject-specific encyclopedias are a great place to start your intellectual explorations—don’t hesitate to contact a librarian and begin your explorations today!

Carole Svensson is the assistant director of the UW Tacoma Library.

Got an idea for a book to feature in Book Dirt? E-mail Carole at svensson@u.washington.edu.