Frankly Studymates books are NOT for everyone. BUT they do give you access to world class experts with amazing insights into their subjects.

Are they the cheapest books you can buy? The answer is definitely no. But they most certainly are the best and this short article will explain why this is so.

As a student or a teacher you have to make decisions, in fact life is about decisions. When you buy a car you make decisions. You can buy a cheap Asian car and know that it will function well for a short time. Alternatively you can buy a hand crafted car that costs more but lasts far longer. There is a car company in Britain who will build you a sport's car on a wooden frame and it is so well built that if you live long enough you might be lucky enough to own two of them.

Books work in the same way. There is a publishing company in the UK who 'pile em high and sell em cheap'. The way they do this is to literally have a hostel of young writers. These young writers are young graduates who have never taught a lesson in their lives and they churn out the books with cheap clip art. They look exactly what they are, cheap and uninformed, so if that is your thing then best of luck.

However you are reading this so it suggests that you actually care about your future. This is the mark of a superior person.

A Superior person is someone who:

• takes control of their life.
• values quality and wants to learn from experts.
• they are planning to have a successful life where they are in charge not dependent on others.
• plans and sets targets using the SMART system.

 

This is why when I took over the Studymates list I was determined to make a difference. All Studymates titles are written by experts from around the world. For instance The Academic Essay is written by Dr Derek Soles who teaches at University level. Our book on poetry is so good that the leading writer and former teacher Gervase Phinn called it ' the best book on the market'.

These are men and women at the top of their profession. They teach in top universities and schools around the world. They are respected professional people who quite honestly love their subject so much that they want to share those joys with you. For example from the University of Oxford we have Dr Robert Johnson. Dr Johnson is a highly respected military historian and is the author of Hitler and Nazi Germany which we believe is the first title to debunk The Goldhagen Controversy.

Dr Robert Johnson's Warfare: How War became Global

Similarly we have Professor Alan Barnard from Edinburgh University as author of Social Anthropology. Professor Barnard is a world renowned expert in social anthropology and is highly respected in academic circles.

Professor Alan Barnard of Edinburgh University. A World renown expert in Social Anthropology.

 

Vicky Billingham is an internationally known expert in Project Management, one of our Studymates Professional Business Books. Vicky Billingham flies around the world on expenses (of course) to teach project management skills.

Her book is a real gem but don't just take our word for it, here is just 1 review on amazon:

The amount of research carried out to compile this book is astonishing. The author is very knowledgeable about all aspects of management and makes reference to many known and less well-known principles. The book is written in an easy style with a slightly light hearted approach and is not at all heavy going as some books on this subject I have studied.

This book is helpful to any form of management structure. I particularly like the practical assignments which many books don't consider. It is also full of definitions and explanatory paragraphs which make this book essential management reading.

I would recommend this book to anyone wishing to progress in management.

So how do we do it?

Well first of all we use an approach based on a concept called Social Constructivism. This means we structure the writing on the page so that is highly focussed, targeted writing that takes you to the kernel of the concept being taught and avoids using 'bulking' words that simply fill up the page.

This contributes to you spending less time studying and can help you get better grades.

The paper used is high quality so that your book will last well into your studies and beyond. The printing mechanism used is the state of the art printing available in Europe. The contrast with the print is good so it makes it easier on the eye, this has a major effect on your studying efficiency. I could send the books to India or China to print, as some cheaper books are printed but frankly I am not prepared to compromise on quality, you want the best so we are aiming to give you the best.

The covers are illustrated with top quality photographs and top design. This was incredibly expensive because it was created by a top UK designer but we think you will agree it was worth it. This is what has made the Studymates list so well known around the world. They are literally beautiful products to own and as others have said, ' books can dress a room'. We also laminate the covers so you can easily keep them clean. A wipe over with a damp cloth and they sparkle like new. Ever wondered about the size of a studymate? They are what we call demi octavo size, and for a reason. May young people study whilst travelling and this size is brilliant for fitting into bags and pockets. That gives you some indication of the amount of thought that went into the design. That is how important it is to us, to give you a top quality product.

The students who use our books often write to the authors to say thank you. That is the power of the studymate approach. Many are often amazed when they get responses back from the authors themselves. The point is we all want to help you to learn, that is our mission and one which we are very good at, in fact we are experts.

We believe that you can, with the right support, succeed and that is why we want to help you. So why not sign up for our newsletter now, on the home page so that you are kept in touch. You can also see our titles on the major internet book sites and in top bookshops, so welcome to the team, together we are making a difference!

Graham Lawler

Dr Graham Lawler

Publisher