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《音樂小史》以親切流暢的文字，帶領讀者穿越古今，從史前時代的骨笛，到當代的爵士樂、K-pop與音樂節，探索人類與音樂之間深厚的連結。書中介紹多元曲風與文化脈絡，包括印度拉格、爪哇甘美朗、聖歌、古典音樂等，並串連社會與歷史背景，是一本兼具深度與溫度的音樂導覽書，適合所有喜愛音樂與故事的讀者細細品讀。A superbly engaging guide to music around the world, from prehistory to the presentMusic excites and moves us perhaps more than any other art form. From a Neanderthal’s bone flute to the festivals of Glastonbury and Coachella, human beings have always made and enjoyed music.Covering a remarkable range, including Indian raga, Javanese gamelan, medieval chant, jazz and K-pop, this Little History celebrates the wonder of music, and why it is treasured across the world. Within its pages, readers will find familiar composers and musicians, and will be introduced to a host of exciting new discoveries.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds-------------------“Robert Philip surveys the vast sweep of a vast subject in A Little History of Music.”—John Check, Wall Street Journal, “Holiday Gift Books: Music”“To find a guide as thoughtful

《考古小史》由知名考古學家布萊恩・費根撰寫，以親切生動的筆觸，帶領讀者走訪全球重要遺址，從金字塔與馬雅遺跡，到龐貝古城與巨石陣，探索人類文明的發展足跡。書中不僅介紹重大的發現，也描寫考古學家的真實經歷與現代考古技術的演進，是一部適合各年齡層閱讀的精彩入門書，邀您一起透過考古，看見過去的世界。The thrilling story of archaeological adventure, and astonishing discoveries around the globeArchaeology tells the story of our ancestors: how they lived, what they believed in and how their cultures developed over millennia. Brian Fagan introduces us to pharaohs’ tombs, Mayan ruins, the first colonial settlements at Jamestown, mysterious Stonehenge, and Pompeii – the city buried by volcanic ash in AD 79.This Little History tells the riveting stories of great archaeologists and their amazing discoveries around the world. For readers of every age, this book explores archaeology’s history of controversies, discoveries, heroes and scoundrels, global sites and newest methods.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds--------------------------“In a book about the study of archaeology, it would be easy to fill the pages with tales of dig

《藝術小史》帶領讀者走過十萬年的藝術之路，從最早的人類創作到當代藝術在文化中的重要角色。藝術能啟發我們看世界的方式，也讓我們更理解自己的位置。本書從亞洲到美洲、從古代雕像到當代藝術家，涵蓋被忽略的創作者與經典名作，是一本豐富的藝術入門書，適合對人文與創造力感到好奇的每一位讀者。A thrilling journey through 100,000 years of art, from the first artworks ever made to art’s central role in culture today Art can help us see the world differently or understand our place in it a little more clearly. It can move us emotionally, even if sometimes we cannot explain why. It is powerful stuff.Roaming from Japan and India to South America and the Middle East, Charlotte Mullins showcases a host of overlooked artists, and celebrates art’s crucial place in our collective culture. This Little History introduces us to extraordinary anonymous creations such as the Terracotta Army, Renaissance masters like Donatello and Michelangelo, and modern trailblazers like Frida Kahlo, Barbara Hepworth and Yayoi Kusama.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds--------------------------------“This lively volume is ideal for the precocious high

《心理學小史》是一本深入淺出的心理學入門書，帶領讀者認識心理學如何從早期的行為觀察發展到今日對人類情感與思考的探索。書中介紹多位重要學者，如榮格、佛洛伊德、卡尼曼等，並搭配經典實驗與歷史故事，讓心理學變得既有趣又貼近生活。無論你是學生、老師，或單純對人類行為感到好奇，這本書都是理解人性的一扇溫和起點。A rich and engaging guide to psychology, the science devoted to understanding human naturePsychology is the science devoted to understanding human nature. Its practitioners have long sought to understand behaviour, feelings and thoughts. In her fascinating history, Nicky Hayes tells the story of psychology from its origins to the present day. She introduces key thinkers, including Carl Jung, Anna Freud, Frantz Fanon, and Daniel Kahneman. We see how they tried to expand our understanding, from Pavlov and his dogs to Milgram and his famous electric shock experiments to the CIA’s secret mind-control projects.This Little History taken us on a journey through the ever-advancing study of psychology, how the field has evolved over time – and how much more we need to learn.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds--------------------

《語言小史》由國際知名語言學家大衛・克里斯多撰寫，以輕鬆易懂的筆調，帶領讀者從嬰兒發聲、語言起源到網路用語與表情符號，深入探索語言的演變與魅力。全書篇幅短小、主題豐富，適合語文教學延伸閱讀，也是對語言有興趣讀者的入門之選，啟發我們重新思考日常溝通的本質與價值。A lively journey through the story of language, from an infant's first word to the languages of the internetLanguage never leaves you alone. It’s there in your head, helping you think. It’s there to help you make relationships – and to break them. It’s there to remind you who you are and where you come from.From the first words of an infant to texting and emojis, languages are full of mysteries and quirks. In this entertaining book, renowned author David Crystal sheds light on the development of unique linguistic styles, the origins of obscure accents, and the search for the first written word.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds---------------------"Demotic, lively, rigorous but unabashedly unpedantic David Crystal remind[s] us that living languages know no boundaries, that they adapt themselves joyously to new conditions. Here he indulges

《哲學小史》以清晰親切的筆調，帶領讀者認識西方哲學發展中的重要思想家與觀念，從蘇格拉底、笛卡兒，到漢娜・鄂蘭與彼得・辛格，勾勒出哲學如何影響我們對世界與人生的理解。全書共四十篇短章節，適合初學者閱讀，也是對思想世界充滿好奇者的入門之選，讓哲學不再遙遠，而是貼近每個人的日常思考。A lucid guide to humankind's greatest thinkers, from Aristotle to Peter Singer Philosophy begins with the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them just how little they genuinely understood.This engaging Little History introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the universe and our place in it. Nigel Warburton guides us on a tour of the lives and work of thought-provoking philosophers – from the certainty of Descartes (‘I think, therefore I am’) to Hannah Arendt who examined crimes against humanity and taught us ‘the banality of evil’.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds-------------------“Survey the entire history

《詩歌小史》以溫和流暢的筆觸，帶領讀者認識詩歌四千年來的發展，從最早的文字詩篇到當代詩人對語言與世界的回應。作者約翰・凱瑞介紹眾多詩人與經典作品，讓人感受到詩歌的力量與美，也邀請我們思考：什麼是詩？為什麼它能穿越時間、觸動人心？無論你是初學者還是詩的愛好者，都能從這本書中找到共鳴。A vital guide to poetry from ancient times to the presentPoetry is language made special, so that it will be remembered and valued. It does not always work – over the centuries countless thousands of poems have been forgotten. This Little History is about some that have not.John Carey tells the stories behind the world’s greatest poems, from the oldest surviving one written nearly 4,000 years ago to those being written today. Carey looks at poets whose works shape our view of the world – such as Shakespeare, Whitman and Yeats – and more recent poets like Sylvia Plath, Seamus Heaney, and Marianne Moore who have started to question what makes a poem ‘great’ in the first place.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds------------------“[The] book reviewer and Oxford don has great fun, galloping through 4,000 years of verse. Reputations ar

《美國小史》用溫和而生動的筆調，帶我們走過超過五百年的歷史旅程，從早期歐洲探險者與原住民的相遇，一路談到獨立宣言、南北戰爭、大蕭條與現代社會變遷。書中穿插許多關鍵人物故事，如富蘭克林、蘇族領袖坐牛、女權與平權先驅哈莉雅・塔布曼與羅莎・帕克斯，是一本幫助讀者認識美國多元與矛盾歷史的入門書。A character-filled history that brings the American saga to life The United States is one of the most powerful countries in the world. This is the remarkable story of how it came to be. Beginning with the first contact between the old world and the new over 500 years ago, this Little History moves through the centuries from the first European explorers and slave-owning farmers, to the Declaration of Independence and the Civil War, to the Great Depression and the wars of the twentieth century.We meet key figures, including founding father Benjamin Franklin, the Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull, the abolitionist Harriet Tubman and the civil rights activist Rosa Parks. This is a fast-paced, character-filled history that brings the great, diverse American saga to life.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds----------------------“Da

《經濟學小史》用平易近人的方式，帶領讀者認識經濟學的發展與核心觀念。從亞當・史密斯到馬克思，從貨幣的誕生到經濟大蕭條，本書穿梭於古今歷史與思想，說明經濟學如何影響我們的生活與世界。無論你是學生、老師，或對社會運作有興趣的讀者，這都是一本輕鬆入門又內容扎實的好書。經濟，其實離我們並不遠。An accessible account of the history of economics through the ideas of great thinkersEconomics explains the world. For example, the fact that you’re holding this book in your hands puts you in a special position. To many people around the globe, spending money on a book and being able to read it would seem as likely as a trip to the moon. But why can some countries afford the buildings, books and teachers they need to educate their children – and others can’t? The word ‘economics’ might sound a bit dry, but it’s really about getting to the bottom of questions like these.This is a lively, bestselling account of the history of economics, told through events from ancient to modern times and through the ideas of great thinkers in the field. From Adam Smith to Karl Marx and the invention of money to the Great Depression, this Little History illuminat

A vital, engaging, and hugely enjoyable guide to poetry, from ancient times to the present, by one of our greatest champions of literature--selected as the literature book of the year by the London Times “[A] fizzing, exhilarating book.”—Sebastian Faulks, Sunday Times, London“Delightful.’”—New York Times Book Review What is poetry? If music is sound organized in a particular way, poetry is a way of organizing language. It is language made special so that it will be remembered and valued. It does not always work—over the centuries countless thousands of poems have been forgotten. But this Little History is about some that have not. John Carey tells the stories behind the world’s greatest poems, from the oldest surviving one written nearly four thousand years ago to those being written today. Carey looks at poets whose works shape our views of the world, such as Dante, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Whitman, and Yeats. He also looks at more recent poets, like De

A lively account of the history of our planet, from its earliest origins to the present day, told through the major geological changes and scientific breakthroughs Where has our planet come from, and what lies beneath its surface? How have we come to understand its past and present environments, and what does its future look like? Thanks to scientists who study its rocks, fossils, and landscapes, we know that Earth history spans over four and a half billion years. But there is still much more to discover. This Little History recounts our planet’s fascinating past and the science which has shaped how we think about it.Taking us from the formation of the Solar System, the evolution of our atmosphere and oceans, and the first signs of life, through to dinosaurs, mammals, and the eventual arrival of humans, Woodward shows us the full span of Earth history, from deep time to the Anthropocene. Along the way, we learn about the major breakthroughs of the pioneering scientists who have unearth

A lively, engaging guide to music around the world, from prehistory to the present Human beings have always made music. Music can move us and tell stories of faith, struggle, or love. It is common to all cultures across the world. But how has it changed over the millennia? Robert Philip explores the extraordinary history of music in all its forms, from our earliest ancestors to today’s mass-produced songs. This is a truly global story. Looking to Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, and beyond, Philip reveals how musicians have been brought together by trade and migration and examines the vast impact of colonialism. From Hildegard von Bingen and Clara Schumann to Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin, great performers and composers have profoundly shaped music as we know it. Covering a remarkable range of genres, including medieval chant, classical opera, jazz, and hip hop, this Little History shines a light on the wonder of music—and why it is treasured across the wor

An engrossing history of the music of twilight and sleep, from the nocturnes of Field and Chopin to Max Richter

A compelling history of British imperial culture, showing how it was adopted and subverted by colonial subjects around the world As the British Empire expanded across the globe, it exported more than troops and goods. In every colony, imperial delegates dispersed British cultural forms. Facilitated by the rapid growth of print, photography, film, and radio, imperialists imagined this new global culture would cement the unity of the empire.But this remarkably wide-ranging spread of ideas had unintended and surprising results. In this groundbreaking history, John M. MacKenzie examines the importance of culture in British imperialism.MacKenzie describes how colonized peoples were quick to observe British culture-and adapted elements to their own ends, subverting British expectations and eventually beating them at their own game. As indigenous communities integrated their own cultures with the British imports, the empire itself was increasingly undermined. From the extraordinary spread of

Examines the lives and politics of important members of Tsar Nicholas II's government - the 215 men appointed by Nicholas to his State Council. It looks at the balance of power between bureaucrats and

《數學小史》用親切易懂的語言，帶領讀者走進數學的歷史長河，從古埃及與巴比倫時期，一路走到現代密碼學與數學理論的發展。書中不只介紹牛頓、帕斯卡等熟悉的名字，也細細描寫中國、阿拉伯、日本等地的數學成就，更特別介紹女性數學家的貢獻。這是一本融合人文與科學的溫暖數學故事書，適合對數字與知識充滿好奇的你。A lively, accessible history of mathematics throughout the ages and across the globeMathematics is fundamental to our daily lives. Science, computing, economics—all aspects of modern life rely on some kind of maths. But how did our ancestors think about numbers? How did they use mathematics to explain and understand the world around them? Where do numbers even come from?In this Little History, Snezana Lawrence traces the fascinating history of mathematics, from the Egyptians and Babylonians to Renaissance masters and enigma codebreakers. Like literature, music, or philosophy, mathematics has a rich history of breakthroughs, creativity and experimentation. And its story is a global one. We see Chinese Mathematical Art from 200 BCE, the invention of algebra in Baghdad’s House of Wisdom, and sangaku geometrical theorems at Japanese shrines. La

A revelatory history of the women who brought Victorian criminals to account—and how they became a cultural sensationShortlisted for The Wolfson History Prize 2025 From Wilkie Collins to the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the traditional image of the Victorian detective is male. Few people realise that women detectives successfully investigated Victorian Britain, working both with the police and for private agencies, which they sometimes managed themselves. Sara Lodge recovers these forgotten women’s lives.She also reveals the sensational role played by the fantasy female detective in Victorian melodrama and popular fiction, enthralling a public who relished the spectacle of a cross-dressing, fist-swinging heroine who got the better of love rats, burglars, and murderers alike. How did the morally ambiguous work of real women detectives, sometimes paid to betray their fellow women, compare with the exploits of their fictional counterparts, who always save the day? Lodge’s book takes us

《宗教小史》帶領讀者回顧人類從古至今對信仰的探索，從早期神話到世界主要宗教的發展，包括猶太教、基督宗教、伊斯蘭教、佛教、印度教等。作者理查・哈洛威用平實溫和的語調，介紹宗教如何回應我們對生命意義的提問，也鼓勵讀者在理解他人信仰的同時，更認識自己。無論有無宗教背景，都能從這本書中找到思考與共鳴的起點。A rich and inclusive history of belief, from humanity's earliest days to our own timesReligion is distinctly human. We can’t help wondering about where we come from and why we are here. Did some all-powerful being make the universe? When we die, is there anything else to come? And what will it be like? Questions like these have occupied human minds across the ages. In our search for answers, we have come up with different stories.Richard Holloway tells the history of the major religions from the dawn of belief to the twenty-first century. Ranging far beyond Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, he writes for those with faith and those without, and for those who might be making up their minds.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds----------------------“Holloway’s account is brimful of arresting facts.”—Ian Tho

Perspectives on a book that changed ways of thinking and writing about art around the world

A follow-up to Losing Small Wars, this book analyses the cost - both financial and human - of Britain's involvement in the Afghanistan war. It pieces together the enormous burden the Afghan interventi

這是一部寫給所有年齡讀者的人類歷史故事書。從史前時代到20世紀末，甘布里奇用溫柔易懂的文字，帶我們穿越千年，認識歷史中的人物與事件，像是孔子、莎士比亞、凱薩琳大帝，還有柏林圍牆的倒塌。這本書不講艱深的年代和專有名詞，而是用說故事的方式，讓我們重新感受歷史的溫度與人性的光亮。The internationally bestselling guide to the extraordinary human story, for the curious of all agesThe World has existed for over 4 billion years, but humanity arrived much more recently. Here E. H. Gombrich brings to life the full story of human experience on Earth. He paints a colourful picture of remarkable people and events, from Confucius to Catherine the Great, from the invention of art to the destruction of the Berlin Wall.This is a book dominated not by dates and facts, but by the sweep of mankind’s experience across the centuries. It is both a guide to humanity’s achievements and an acute witness to its frailties. The product of a generous and humane sensibility, this is a timeless account of our shared history.Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds-------------“In simple, vivid prose, Gombrich surveys the human past from pre-h

這本生動的著作非常適合早熟的高中生、懶惰的大學生……以及任何希望更好地掌握這一主題的成年人……Mullins給讀者留下了對藝術和人類故事的廣泛、深刻的賞析。——《華爾街日報》梅根·科克斯·古爾登（Meghan Cox Gurdon） “這是對我們所知的藝術史的全新解讀。”——凱蒂·赫塞爾（Katy Hessel），《The Great Women Artists Podcast》 Charlotte Mullins通過創作者的故事將藝術栩栩如生地展現出來，重新詮釋了故事中的角色，創造出一個更多元化、更令人興奮的藝術風景。他展示了藝術如何幫助我們以不同的方式看待世界，並理解我們在其中的位置，它如何幫助我們表達自己，激發我們的創造力，並有助於我們的整體健康和積極心理健康。 我們的祖先為什麼要創作藝術？藝術對他們意味著什麼，而他們的藝術對我們今天又代表了什麼？甚至於藝術為何重要呢？ 本書向讀者介紹了兵馬俑和諾克雕塑，文藝復興時期的藝術家如喬托和米開朗基羅，包括凱特·科爾維茨、巴布羅·畢加索、弗里達·卡羅等開拓者，以及將藝術視為抵抗的當代藝術家，如艾未未和雪林·內沙特。作者也描述了諸多「被遺忘的藝術家」，如索菲娜斯巴·安圭索拉、關道生和雅各布·勞倫斯。他還前往尼日河谷、秘魯、爪哇、復活島和澳大利亞，拓寬我們對藝術是什麼以及應該是什麼的理解。 這次跨越10萬年的非凡旅程，再次凸顯了藝術對於理解我們的集體文化和歷史，至關重要的地位。A thrilling journey through 100,000 years of art, from the first artworks ever made to art’s central role in culture today “This lively volume is ideal for the precocious high-schooler, the lazy collegian . . . and any adult who wishes for greater mastery of the subject. . . . Mullins leav[es] readers with an expansive, no-regrets appreciation of a