NEWS, NEW RELEASES AND UPCOMING RELEASES

For Beginners is pleased to announce the
upcoming release of five new titles:

Gender & Sexuality For Beginners (available June 11, 2013)
Greek Mythology For Beginners (available July 2, 2013)
The History of Opera For Beginners (available Sept. 3, 2013)
 Ben Franklin For Beginners (available Oct. 1, 2013)
 Paul Robeson For Beginners (available Nov. 12, 2103)

What does sexual orientation mean if the very categories of gender are in question? How do we measure equality when our society’s definitions of “male” and “female” leave out much of the population? There is no consensus on what a “real” man or woman is, where one’s sex begins and ends, or what purpose the categories of masculine and feminine traits serve. While significant strides have been made in recent years on behalf of women’s, gay and lesbian rights, there is still a large division between the law and day-to-day reality for LGBTQIA and female-identified individuals in American society. The practices, media outlets and institutions that privilege heterosexuality and traditional gender roles as “natural” need a closer examination.

Gender and Sexuality For Beginners considers the uses and limitations of biology in defining gender. Questioning gender and sex as both categories and forms of compulsory identification, it critically examines the issues in the historical and contemporary construction, meaning and perpetuation of gender roles. Gender and Sexuality For Beginners interweaves neurobiology, psychology, feminist, queer and trans theory, as well as historical gay and lesbian activism to offer new perspectives on gender inequality, ultimately pointing to the clear inadequacy of gender categories and the ways in which the sex-gender system oppresses us all.

Gender and Sexuality For Beginners examines the evolution of gender roles and definitions of sexual orientation in American society, illuminating how neither is as objective or “natural” as we are often led to believe.

Would we be able to define our civilization and ourselves without some reference to the grand, violent, and venal doings of those denizens of Mount Olympus?

Greek Mythology For Beginners presents the pantheon – that immortal collection of rogues and heroes, misfits and tyrants - and the stories about these deities and their dealings with the mortals. It delves into their undying influence on our thought and culture, and how each age from Rome to Shakespeare to Freud down to our own Marvel Comics and NASA has been enlightened, informed, and inspired by these tales.

So strap on Hermes’ winged sandals, saddle-up Pegasus, or even grab the nearest Harpy (remember to keep your eyes closed) and come along for the ride of your life. So let’s fly to that world that’s as old as Chaos—the ancient and refreshingly                                                                  timely Greek myths!

For Beginners^® is a documentary, graphic nonfiction book series

For Beginners® is the graphic nonfiction series that deconstructs complex ideas making them accessible to the everyday reader. Every book in the series serves one purpose: to present the works of great thinkers and subjects alike in a straightforward, accessible manner. With subjects ranging from philosophy, to politics, to art and beyond, the For Beginners series covers a range of topics in a humorous comic book-style. Every book takes a comprehensible approach that respects the intelligence of its audience condensing important ideas so readers can know more and read less.

Dedicated to Glenn Thompson, the inventor and the inspiration for the series.

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