To satisfy the inquisitive mind, Oxford University Press has since the year 2000 published books offering ‘A Very Short Introduction’ to a whole range of subjects. For example, 2013 saw the publication of introductory guides to, among other topics, happiness, food, fractals, Mao, medical law, the Napoleonic wars, and thought. Books in the series that may be of interest to medical writers include one on statistics and another on epidemiology.