就写作风格而言，作者往往着意摆脱学究之气，力求“在不牺牲准确性的前提下，尽可能写得简单”（戴维·米勒）；就叙述倾向而言，作者对相关主题虽则持有基本的立场，但在总体上仍能做到客观、周全，讲透基本问题。牛津大学出版社在介绍该丛书时称：“充满生气且流畅易读如斯，该系列丛书将改变你对所感兴趣之主题的思考方式；对于那些你未曾涉猎的领域，丛书又堪为绝佳的入门引领。”
近年以来，国内对西方、尤其是对英语世界学术作品的译介一直不遗余力，读者的选择范围愈加宽阔，面对不断更新的书架却又难免眼花缭乱；大学之中，通识教育的重要性已成共识，优秀读本的引介正当其时。或缘于此，本套丛书得到国内各相关领域知名学者的推荐；在序言中，诸位学者或为向导，或作桥梁，努力将读者带入知识与思想的丰富世界。
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