Reviews (2)

Great Text!
I used this book for an English 101 class during my freshman year of college.This book inspired a composition class that I enjoyed thoroughly.Never had I had so much fun writing and analyzing before in a class.I would strongly recommend this text for any teachers/professors searching.Students love the non-traditional topics, diverse contributors, and unique voice this book provides to the class.

Highly Recommended for Composition Courses
I truly regret not ordering this text for my composition courses this semester but I definitely will teach it next semester. I have been reading through it and I find that it is carefully structured. The themes focused on are fascinating. I can well see how students would become drawn to this text. There are a wealth of essays, short stories, commentaries, and images here: the images are just a wonder, ranging many different subjects. The images are followed by questions designed to provoke deep thought. What a way to encourage class discussion and encourage students to stop and carefully examine what they see! I congratulate the author for a superb job. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. College readers    2. Composition & Creative Writing - General    3. English language    4. Language    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    7. Problems, exercises, etc    8. Report writing    9. Rhetoric    10. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing   

Reviews (29)

Great help for shaping your novel
If found this book delightfully helpful. Nancy Kress clearly lays out the way to shape a novel or short story. She emphasizes character development in for the "beginning" followed by a strong "middle" which is intended soley to set up the climax in the "end". I am writing a novel and found her viewpoint extremely useful. Thinking about the middle of a novel as the part that sets up the climax is very helpful when deciding what scenes to include. It helped me focus my writing and also helped me to understand why some parts of my novel seemed to work better than others. I reccomend this book highly for new authors or those who have already written novels/short stories and want to understand how to improve.

Beginnings, Middles and Ends- another Nancy Kress best!
This book is so helpful. After using Kress' Dynamic Characters book for my editing, I was so grateful to find another Kress writing book! The strategies and explanations Kress uses are the most logical and useful tools I have ever acquired from books. Beginnings,Middles and Ends pulls out elements that I would nerver have thought of on my own. I have many pages earmarked to use again and again.

Average.
After reading all of the reviews here I had to have this book! But after reading several pages things started reminding me alot of training seminars I've taken where most of your time is spent looking at your watch and hoping lunch-time arrives soon or the speaker has an emergency and needs to call it a day, sooner than later, if at all possible. It's boring the way frozen pizza is boring or most college courses are boring or selling shrimp from the roadside is boring. Large chunks of the book are the same stuff every writing book includes. And, in fairness, I did find one or two helpful hints that are new to me. But 5 Stars it aint. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Closure (Rhetoric)    2. Composition & Creative Writing - Fiction    3. Fiction    4. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    5. Openings (Rhetoric)    6. Reference    7. Technique    8. Writing Skills    9. Creative writing guides    10. Rhetoric   

Reviews (1)

Student's book of College English
This book was in excellent condition and the process for buying was very easy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. College readers    2. Composition & Creative Writing - Academic    3. Composition & Creative Writing - General    4. English Composition    5. English language    6. Grammar    7. Handbooks, manuals, etc    8. Language    9. Language Arts & Disciplines    10. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    11. Rhetoric    12. Writing Skills    13. Language & Linguistics    14. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing   

Subjects:  1. Composition & Creative Writing - General    2. English language    3. Grammar    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Language    6. Language Arts & Disciplines    7. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    8. Report writing    9. Rhetoric    10. English    11. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing    12. Writing skills   

Reviews (1)

Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning
Incredibly useful!Exactly what I need all in one place! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. English language    2. Foreign speakers    3. Language    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    6. Language and languages    7. Linguistics    8. Research    9. Second language acquisition    10. Study & Teaching    11. Study and teaching    12. Education / Bilingual Education    13. Language acquisition   

Editorial Review

The late Bruce Chatwin carved out a literary career as unique as any writer's in this century: his books included Read more

Reviews (51)

Best of the best
This is the kind of writing/reflecting many people do while travelling and is not a "how to" type of travel guide.I've recommended this book to several thoughtful people, given it to many thoughtful teens as they begin to self-discover, and re-read the book twice.VERY nice writing, good thoughts, great ideas about humans.

The Songlines
As i never wanted to go to Australia, i have to say that after reading this book i have not changed my mind, but it is not a point. It is not a book about traveling in Australia. It is more a book about walking, for example. As i like walking, i have found in this book so many great examples of what the walking is about, it is not just moving from one point on the Earth to another, it is also philosophy. And so on...this book is highly recommended for those who knows what the word "travel" means. In present time many people travel, but just a few ones deserve to be called "traveller". Bruce Chatwin is among them.

Read before you go!
I wish I had read this book prior to our traveling to Australia.
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Subjects:  1. 1940-1989    2. Aboriginal Australians    3. Australia    4. Australia & Oceania - Australia    5. Chatwin, Bruce,    6. Description and travel    7. Essays & Travelogues    8. General    9. History - General History    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Social life and customs    12. Travel    13. Chatwin, Bruce    14. Ethnic studies    15. Journeys    16. Social Science / Anthropology / General    17. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Composition & Creative Writing - Academic    2. General    3. Language    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    6. Literature (General)    7. Language Arts & Disciplines / General    8. Literary studies: general   

Reviews (5)

Write this way...
This book, `Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide' edited by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell, is a book widely used in colleges and universities, as well as advanced high school classes across the nation.It is a very useful text, and I use it when tutoring students in preparation for community college level writing and reading work.It is used at our college in the basic skills reading courses, too. This isn't just another college text.
For me, this collection of student and author essays was worth the purchase alone.However the chapters are also helpful how-tos for writing research papers and essays in college.The book provides a thorough look at different types of writing expected in college. Even for the casual reader
I used this book in a highschool course called Advance Composition.It was excellent, not only as a tutor in how to write essays, but because of it's choice of examples.Essays on everything from workaholics to environmental issues, made for hours of reading pleasure.Also, it drew on works of relevant authors of the time, including Deborah Tannen and even Al Gore.I didn't realize essays could have such value, even for the casual reader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Composition & Creative Writing - General    2. Language    3. Language Arts & Disciplines    4. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    5. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing   

Subjects:  1. College readers    2. Composition & Creative Writing - General    3. English language    4. Higher    5. Language    6. Language Arts & Disciplines    7. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    8. Problems, exercises, etc    9. Report writing    10. Rhetoric    11. English    12. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing   

Editorial Review

Once upon a time, journalism profs duly instructed their greenhorn grads to seek out community papers and the obit pages as logical entrance points into the world of newspaper reporting. Working for cash-strapped local papers allowed novices to practice writing everything from hard news to lifestyle features. Obituaries, meanwhile, were a rung on the ladder of major publications, albeit the lowest. The musty, dusty obit pages also traditionally hosted aging reporters put out to pasture. Not any more, argues Marilyn Johnson in her unabashedly knock-kneed love letter to the obit pages, Read more

Reviews (23)

Moribund Portraits as Art Form
I will admit it.I am fascinated by obituary columns.
Good writing and a great subject
Marilyn Johnson is a connoisseur of obituaries. At once an avid reader and occasionalwriter of obits--her words have ushered out such luminaries as Bob Hope and Princess Diana--Johnson has now become, with The Dead Beat, a chronicler of the history of obituaries and of the subcultures of obituarists and obituary enthusiasts. In her perfectly titled book, in perfectly readable prose, Johnson discusses a number of topics: the difference between American and British obituaries, how various newspapers memorialized the victims of 9/11, the online haunts of fanatical obituary watchers, the "revolution" in obituary writing that took place in the mid-1980's, when obituarists--in particular Jim Nicholson of the Philadelphia Daily News--began to write up the lives of the ordinary departed. Johnson profiles a number of obituarists in her book--I found them hard to distinguish from one another after a time--but her portrait of Nicholson, now retired and caring for his ailing wife, is particularly affecting.
A Morbidly Fascinating Romp That's Equal Parts Entertainment and Instruction (with a dash of creepy thrown in for good measure)
"Selma Koch, a Manhattan store owner who earned a national reputation by helping women find the right bra size, mostly through a discerning glance and never with a tape measure, died Thursday at Mount Sinai Medical Center. She was 95 and a 34B."
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Subjects:  1. Customs & Traditions    2. Death & Dying    3. History and criticism    4. Journalism    5. Journalism (Specific Aspects)    6. Language    7. Language Arts & Disciplines    8. Obituaries    9. Sociology    10. Thanatology    11. Social Science / Customs & Traditions   

Reviews (2)

Too flashy
There is nothing that ruins a good reference book so much as over-attention to graphics. This book is very busy in both its design and implementation. Compared to other writing handbooks (particularly Diana Hacker's A Writer's Reference), this book is very hard to use. For example, the ToC for the MLA documentation section is not listed on the tab for MLA, but is buried several pages in. There are nearly 200 pages that start this book that are a mixed and confusing grab-bag of the greatest hits of rhetoric and writing, but do little to engage students in the act of crafting a written artifact. Also, after using this book for a semester, the tabs began to fray. As a teacher of first-year composition, I strongly recommend A Writer's Reference if you are looking for a user-friendly and comprehensive handbook for writing courses. This Harbrace book, which is the "Brief" version at 592 pages, is difficult to use as a teacher and as a student, and some information is nearly impossible to find (e.g. block quotation style guidelines).

Comprehensive and Convenient
Here is a terrific reference resource for anyone who frequently composes letters, e-mails, reports, etc. That is, for just about everyone. Even with various aids provided within software (eg to correct spelling), basic mistakes of grammar go undetected...and "send the wrong message" (both literally and symbolically) to recipients ofwhat you write. Inside the front cover, the authors provide an especially handy detailed index (for questions concerning writing, grammar, effective sentences, diction, punctuation, and mechanics as well as glossaries of usage and terms) which directs their reader to the appropriate page or pages in the Handbook; on the back inside cover of the book, they then provide an equally handy list of checklists (also with page references) followed by a list of revision symbols. There are several such reference resources which will serve you well. In my opinion, this is the most comprehensive...and the easiest to use on a regular basis. I also urge you to check out Strunk & White's The Elements of Style and Stephen King's On Writing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Composition & Creative Writing - Academic    2. Composition & Creative Writing - General    3. English Grammar    4. Grammar    5. Language    6. Language Arts & Disciplines    7. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    8. Rhetoric    9. English    10. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing    11. Language Teaching & Learning (Other Than ELT)   

Reviews (12)

RFP Review
The book is an easy read and provides me with the needed understanding of developing an RFP and template.

Resource and guidelines with a coherent approach
There are literally hundreds of good books on proposal writing, but only a tiny handful on writing RFPs. From among the handful this book stands out for a number of reasons: Good Resource
A great resource for preparation and review of an RFP.A helpful guide for people with and without RFP experience. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business Writing    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Engineering    5. Computers    6. Programming - Software Development    7. Requests for proposals (Public    8. Requests for proposals (Public contracts)    9. Software Development    10. Software Engineering    11. Computer Programming    12. Computers / Programming / Software Development    13. Management & management techniques    14. Purchasing & supply management   

Editorial Review

With Read more

Reviews (395)

Slow But Pleasantly Realistic
If you enjoy the plot twists and legal thrills that Grisham's books generally bring, this short novel might let you down.There is little adventure and no surprises in Bleachers, a look into a small sleepy Texas town that finds its identity in its football program.Though not Grishamesque, the book is well written and enjoyable to read.The small Texas town and the characters that live there are undeniably real and the image Grisham puts into the minds of the readers through is pen is very vivid.The football fan will enjoy the many pages of play-by-play of a football game communicated through a radio announcer.Not only a novel about football and small town politics, the author explores other themes such as the power of expectations, death, the importance of discipline in life, and the value of relationships.

chick litfootball?
I am an avid sports fan and I love football, but sorry, I didn't enjoy this book one bit. I kept waiting for the Grisham who writes compelling dramas (The Broker, King Of Torts) to pop out, but realized midway through it wasn't gonna happen. As someone else here summarized - "it's chick lit about guys who played high school football"

The good, the bad and the ugly ... !
If you're looking for a legal thriller, "Bleachers", neither legal nor thriller, is certainly not the drink for which you thirst! In a quiet, pastoral yet moving style of writing which he was to re-use to incredible effect in "The Last Juror", Grisham has treated his audience to a powerful, evocative novella that paints a portrait of the final years of the century in Messina, a small town in deep south USA.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. General    4. Sports    5. Fiction / Suspense   

Reviews (1)

Good Refresher--refers to the 6th Edition
This review refers to the 6th Edition. I read this book as a refresher of the basics and found it very helpful. I especially value the simple, easy to understand definitions of the Literary Elements and the examples that accompany them.
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Subjects:  1. Collections    2. General    3. Literary Criticism    4. Literature    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Rhetoric    7. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    8. Literary studies: general   

Reviews (18)

Praise For Lono!
Once again HST delves deep into the dark side of the human mind. Whether it's fishing for drugs in an airplane toilet or running over stray dogs in a drunken stupor, Hunter takes his reader on a wild ride through mysterious Hawaii. If you want to take a trip without the airfare (or the acid) crack open this oversized volume and enjoy.

Amazing visual collectors item
This book is so big that it won't fit on my flippin' book shelf, and the reason for that is because of Ralph Steadman's full size color pictures throughout. As a matter of fact, there's more to the pictures than to the actual writings of the good doctor. It's an interesting read, all in all, but the book itself is only 200 some odd pages and a little less than half of these pages are dedicated to Ralphs artwork. The actual read only takes about an hour, and during the read, one can't help but think that there is whole chapters missing from the text. Anyways, I consider this an essential "collectors item" from the king of Gonzo, but not quite essential reading. Just because of the unique book design and layout (and artwork) it is a real treasure to own, but it is not the "Fear and Loathing in Hawaii", as some have called it. It is worth the money (36$)and if you find one cheaper (not hardcover) I would not buy it. This is an essential hardcover buy, and if it was reduced to anything less than it is, I would have been disappointed.

great release
this is a fantastic release of one of HST's least known works. not as crazy as fear and loathing in las vegas or as well written as the rum diaries, but still a fine read. ralph steadman's artwork infull color and at the large size they are printed in for this book are simply amazing ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Editors, Journalists, Publishers    4. Individual Artist    5. Popular Culture - General    6. Hawaii    7. Travel writing   

Reviews (2)

Terrific for Planning from the Ground Up!
I just can't say enough about this book.I am developing a training program for the first time and it has added outstanding depth to my process.It is simple to use.If you go step by step everything just seems to fall in to place. Very applicable
I read this book in 5 hours.After that, I had all the tools I needed to start developing a training course for a subject matter I still knew little about.Great book for someone who has a short time to develop a training course.Great reference for anyone who needs new approaches to their training development. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics / Training    2. Design    3. Education    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Instructional systems    6. Occupational training    7. Planning    8. Technical writing    9. Technology / Technical Writing    10. Business & Economics    11. Technology    12. Training   

Reviews (1)

Research paper
The book is very helpful to those students being busy on the thesis like me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Composition & Creative Writing - General    2. Handbooks, manuals, etc    3. Language    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    6. Report writing    7. Research    8. Rhetoric    9. English    10. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing    11. Writing & editing guides   

Editorial Review

For many years, Lajos Egri's highly opinionated but very enjoyable Read more

Reviews (28)

An excellent guide for any writer
The book is beautifully written in a style that makes you feel that the author wants you to succeed.Many books on writing seem more concerned with why the author himself/herself believes he/she is a great writer.This book is an actual guide for writing.Lajos Egri has a love for building memorable characters and through the use of examples and Q/A sessions, he teaches the craft.If you want to write, this book is a must.

A School In A Book For Writers
I'd reccomend that writers read this book and take notes and/or mark it up with a highlighter. Nuggets and chunks of information are scattered throughout.
The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri
This work offers some very good insight into preparing the dramatic work and is a must read for the serious student and learned writer.
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Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Composition & Creative Writing - General    3. Drama    4. General    5. Language    6. Language Arts & Disciplines    7. Performing Arts    8. Publishing    9. Technique    10. Theater - Playwriting    11. Writing Skills    12. Creative writing guides    13. Language Arts & Disciplines / General    14. Plays & playwrights    15. Reference works   

Reviews (4)

This is the most boring book
I have never read something that is so boring.It is somewhat hard to understand also.The writer uses many difficult words in the text.I still can't believe how boring this book is.

Elements of an argument
Excellent book that provides an excellent guide on how to present, state and support ones argument. Highly recommended.

Good Text
I found this book to be very help full for not only it's content but it's language and focus. Even though it could but you to sleep. I learned a lot about how to analize arguments not only oraly but on paper over all it's agreat book and I would recommed it for any learning envirnmont. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. College readers    2. Composition & Creative Writing - General    3. English language    4. Language    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    7. Persuasion (Rhetoric)    8. Reasoning    9. Rhetoric   

Reviews (2)

The Best of a Bad Lot
If you are looking for a writing handbook for a college writing class, this is the best there is.Ideally, you should get the paperback, but it appears to be out of print.
St.Martin's Handbook 3rd Edition
This is a excellent resourse for the young writter to get reference how to write up reference and other english grammer. This book helped me in writting up my thesis and papers. This book can be used by graduate and undergraduate students. I recommend every home,office, and researchlaboratories ,universities should had it on there desk for reference. Thisis good resourse for International students, involved in any type ofwriting papers in scenitific journals. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Composition & Creative Writing - General    2. Handbooks & Manuals    3. Language    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Reference    6. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing