Language Arts & Linguistics & Literacy

21779 books

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$18.95

by John D'Agata (Author), Jim Fingal (Author)How negotiable is a fact? In 2003, after publishing his book of experimental essays, Halls of Fame, John D'Agata was approached by Harper's magazine to write an essay for them, one that was eventually rejected due to disagreements related to its fact checking. That essay which eventually became the foundation of D'Agata's critically acclaimed About a Mountain was accepted by another magazine, the Believer, but not before they handed it to their own...

$21.83

by A. Alvarez (Author)For a writer, voice is the problem that never lets you go. For a reader, voice is a profound mystery. What is it? How does it develop and why should it even matter? How does the reader hear and respond to an authentic voice, and what happens when the cult of personality threatens to subvert it? These are some of the slippery questions The Writer's Voice addresses with confidence and clarity.Aspiring young writers often confuse voice with stylishness, but the voice that m...

$20.99

by James Longenbach (Author)Why does a great lyric poem ask to be reread, even after we know it by heart? In How Poems Get Made, acclaimed poet and critic James Longenbach answers this question by discussing a wide range of exemplary poems, from Shakespeare through Blake, Dickinson, and Moore, to a variety of poets making poems today. In each chapter of How Poems Get Made, Longenbach examines a specific aspect of the poetic medium--including Diction, Syntax, Rhythm, Echo, Figure, and Tone--an...

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The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself - Paperback

$15.95

by Susan Bell (Author)The Artful Edit explores the many-faceted and often misunderstood--or simply overlooked--art of editing. The book brims with examples, quotes, and case studies, including an illuminating discussion of Max Perkins's editorial collaboration with F. Scott Fitzgerald on The Great Gatsby. Susan Bell, a veteran book editor, also offers strategic tips and exercises for self-editing and a series of remarkable interviews, taking us into the studios of successful authors such as M...

Describer's Dictionary: A Treasury of Terms & Literary Quotations - Paperback

$22.95

by David Grambs (Author), Ellen S. Levine (Author)A singular and indispensable reference tool, The Describer's Dictionary--now expanded and updated--has served for over twenty years as the go-to resource for writers who are determined to capture the world in just the right words. The dictionary uses a unique reverse definition-to-term format that makes it easy to zero in on the term you're seeking. Turn to the new section on sensory impressions, for example, to find vivid terms for "loud or j...

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To the Point: A Dictionary of Concise Writing - Paperback

$21.95

by Robert Hartwell Fiske (Author)Who doesn't hate wading through wordy paragraphs? Unfortunately, many writers don't realize when they are padding their sentences and obscuring their meaning. Enter To the Point, the essential guide to writing succinctly. Featuring hundreds of new entries, this freshly updated edition is complete with: - A guide to the basics of writing concisely, including how to reduce the number of words in a phrase, substitute a single word for a phrase, and delete extrane...

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Ordinary Genius: A Guide for the Poet Within - Paperback

$17.95

by Kim Addonizio (Author)The creative process is just that, maintains Kim Addonizio. Not a means to an end, but an ongoing participation. A widely acclaimed poet and finalist for the National Book Award, Addonizio meditates on her own process as she encourages writers to explore both their personal and political worlds, to seek inspiration from poets new and old, and to discover the rich poetic resources of the Internet. Lively, accessible, and informative, Ordinary Genius?provides wisdom gle...

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Wit's End: What Wit Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It - Paperback

$14.95

by James Geary (Author)In "this inventive and playful book" (Tom Beer, Newsday), James Geary explores every facet of wittiness, from its role in innovation to why puns are the highest form of wit. Adopting a different style for each chapter--from dramatic dialogue to sermon, heroic couplets to a barroom monologue--Geary embodies wit in all its forms. Wit's End agilely balances psychology, folktale, visual art, and literary history with lighthearted humor and acute insight, demonstrating that ...

Old English: Language and Literature - Paperback

$31.05

by Albert H. Marckwardt (Author), James L. Rosier (Author) Number of Pages: 416 Dimensions: 0.93 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN Publication Date: April 09, 2008

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The Art of Voice: Poetic Principles and Practice - Paperback

$15.95

by Tony Hoagland (Author), Kay Cosgrove (With)In this accessible and distilled craft guide, acclaimed poet Tony Hoagland approaches poetry through the frame of poetic voice, that mysterious connective element that binds the speaker and reader together. In short, essayistic chapters and an appendix of thirty stimulating exercises, The Art of Voice explores the myriad ways to create a distinctive poetic voice, including vernacular, authoritative statement, speech register, tone-shifting, and us...

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Greek to Me: Adventures of the Comma Queen - Paperback

$15.95

by Mary Norris (Author)Mary Norris, The New Yorker's Comma Queen and best-selling author of Between You & Me, has had a lifelong love affair with words. In Greek to Me, she delivers a delightful paean to the art of self-expression through accounts of her solo adventures in the land of olive trees and ouzo. Along the way, Norris explains how the alphabet originated in Greece, makes the case for Athena as a feminist icon, and reveals the surprising ways in which Greek helped form English. G...

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Storyville!: An Illustrated Guide to Writing Fiction - Hardcover

$21.95

by John DuFresne (Author), Evan Wondolowski (Illustrator)Whether you are daunted by a blinking cursor or frustrated trying to get the people in your head onto the page, writing stories can be intimidating. It takes passion, tenacity, patience, and a knowledge of?and faith in?the often-digressive writing process. A do-it-yourself manual for the apprentice fiction writer, Storyville! demystifies that process; its bold graphics take you inside the writer's comfortingly chaotic mind and show you ...

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Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks - Paperback

$18.95

by Keith Houston (Author)A charming and indispensable tour of two thousand years of the written word, Shady Characters weaves a fascinating trail across the parallel histories of language and typography. Whether investigating the asterisk (*) and dagger (+)--which alternately illuminated and skewered heretical verses of the early Bible--or the at sign (@), which languished in obscurity for centuries until rescued by the Internet, Keith Houston draws on myriad sources to chart the life and tim...

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Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen - Paperback

$15.95

by Mary Norris (Author)Mary Norris has spent more than three decades working in The New Yorker's renowned copy department, helping to maintain its celebrated high standards. In Between You & Me, she brings her vast experience with grammar and usage, her good cheer and irreverence, and her finely sharpened pencils to help the rest of us in a boisterous language book as full of life as it is of practical advice. Number of Pages: 240 Dimensions: 0.7 x 8.2 x 5.5 IN Publication Date: April 04,...

$30.00

by Nina Rappaport (Editor)This book presents the work and the advanced studios of Gregg Pasquarelli in "Versioning 6.0," Galia Solomonoff in "Brooklyn Civic Space," and Mario Gooden in "Global Typologies. It features interviews and the work of the architects along with their studio projects. Number of Pages: 160 Dimensions: 0.52 x 11.63 x 8.34 IN Illustrated: Yes Publication Date: April 30, 2008

Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror: Speculative Genre Exercises from Today's Best Writers and Teachers - Paperback

$24.00

by Laurie Lamson (Author)Featuring speculative fiction-writing exercises from Harlan Ellison (R), Piers Anthony, Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, screenwriters of The Twilight Zone and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and many more. The fifth volume in the acclaimed Now Write writing-guide series offers a full toolbox of advice and exercises for speculative fiction writers hoping to craft an engaging alternate reality, flesh out an enthralling fantasy quest, or dream up a bloodcurdling plot twi...

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The Berlitz Self-Teacher -- French: A Unique Home-Study Method Developed by the Famous Berlitz Schools of Language - Paperback

$17.00

by Berlitz (Author)You acquired English naturally. Not through the memorization of long list of vocabulary, not through the tedious chore of learning bare-bones grammar but through actually speaking it. . . If you speak English you can speak French, the natural Berlitz way. Only the Berlitz Self-Teachers guarantee all these special features: - A unique series of specially designed oral exercises - Simple, practical pronunciations-at-a-glance - Exercise to make you think in your new language ...

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The Berlitz Self-Teacher: Spanish - Paperback

$15.95

by Berlitz (Author)You acquired English naturally. Not through the memorization of long lists of vocabulary, not through the tedious chore of learning bare-bones grammar--but through actually speaking it. This fact of nature is at the heart of Berlitz method for learning a new language, a method that has helped thousands enter an exciting multilingual world. Only the Berlitz Self-Teachers guarantee all these special features: - A unique series of specially designed oral exercises - Simple, ...

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Signing Made Easy: A Complete Program for Learning Sign Language. Includes Sentence Drills and Exercises for Increased Comprehension and Signing Skill - Paperback

$20.00

by Rod R. Butterworth (Author), Mickey Flodin (Author)A comprehensive guide to learning and using Sign Language in everyday life The authors of the acclaimed Perigee Visual Dictionary of Signing and The Pocket Dictionary of Signing have created a text and workbook in one. This volume will teach you how to use signing in English sentence format. Signing Made Easy offers the most thorough, step-by-step approach to learning sign language, complete with drills and practice exercises to increase ...

Signing Illustrated: The Complete Learning Guide - Paperback

$22.00

by Mickey Flodin (Author)Here is the complete learning guide that teaches American Sign Language by "category," the most popular and preferred method of teaching and learning. This easy-to-use guide is updated and expanded to include new computer and technology signs and offers a fast and simple approach to learning. Includes: - Vocabulary reviews- Fingerspelling exercises- Sign matching and memory aids- A complete glossary and a comprehensive index- Clear instructive drawingsAuthor Biography...

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Signing for Kids: The Fun Way for Anyone to Learn American Sign Language, Expanded - Paperback

$17.00

by Mickey Flodin (Author)The bestselling Parents' Choice Award Winner-now expanded with a new section on computer and technology terms. Fully illustrated in a large format with clear, easy-to-read instructions, Signing for Kids features the clearest instructions and easiest-to-follow illustrations of any signing book available. And, Signing for Kids is as relevant to today's young readers as it is easy-to-use, with a new 16-page section of computer and technology terms. With helpful hints a...

$17.00

by Keri Smith (Author)From the internationally bestselling creator of Wreck This Journal, a collaborative creative journey where you become the author... One dark and stormy night, author Keri Smith found some strange scattered pages abandoned in a park. She collected and assembled them, trying to solve the mystery of this unexpected discovery, and now she's passing the task on to you, her readers. Your mission is to become the new author of this work. You will continue the research and provi...

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You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--And Their Tangled Histories of Misuse - Hardcover

$14.99

by Ross Petras (Author), Kathryn Petras (Author)For word nerds and grammar geeks, a witty guide to the most commonly mispronounced words, along with their correct pronunciations and pithy forays into their fascinating etymologies and histories of use and misuse. With wit and good humor, this handy little book not only saves us from sticky linguistic situations but also provides fascinating cocktail-party-ready anecdotes. Entries reveal how to pronounce boatswain like an old salt on the deck o...

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Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps, Third Edition: Crafting a Winning Personal Statement - Paperback

$14.99

by Alan Gelb (Author)The definitive guide to writing an amazing essay and mastering the college applications process.Writing a memorable personal statement can seem like an overwhelming project for a young college applicant, but college essay coach Alan Gelb's organized and encouraging step-by-step instructions take the intimidation out of the process, enabling applicants to craft a meaningful and polished college admissions essay. Gelb teaches students to identify an engaging topic and use c...

You Have a Point There: A Guide to Punctuation and Its Allies - Paperback

$76.12

by Eric Partridge (Author)This standard work on punctuation has long been judged the foremost study of the subject. It reveals punctuation to be both an indispensable craft and an invaluable art - a friend, not an enemy. Number of Pages: 244 Dimensions: 0.55 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN Publication Date: April 21, 2005

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The Look of the Book: Jackets, Covers, and Art at the Edges of Literature - Hardcover

$50.00

by Peter Mendelsund (Author), David J. Alworth (Author)Why do some book covers instantly grab your attention, while others never get a second glance? Fusing word and image, as well as design thinking and literary criticism, this captivating investigation goes behind the scenes of the cover design process to answer this question and more. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW As the outward face of the text, the book cover makes an all-important first impres...

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The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know - Paperback

$15.99

by June Casagrande (Author)Language columnist June Casagrande presents a fun and breezy guide to everything a grown-up interested in grammar needs to know. When it comes to grammar, it seems like everyone--even die-hard word nerds--feel they "missed something" in school. The Joy of Syntax picks up where sixth grade left off, providing a fresh foundation in English syntax served up by someone with an impressive record of making this otherwise inaccessible subject a true joy. With simple, pithy...

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Improv for Writers: 10 Secrets to Help Novelists and Screenwriters Bypass Writer's Block and Generate Infinite Ideas - Paperback

$15.99

by Jorjeana Marie (Author)Free yourself from writer's block and inner critics with the creative power of improv "Jorjeana Marie's generous, joyful, and oh-so-useful book shows writers--both seasoned and new--how to unleash their creativity and find their best story."--Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and I Have Lost My Way Improv instructor and writer Jorjeana Marie reveals a new way to generate idea after brilliant idea. Applying the rules of improv to fiction wr...

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The Little Book of Lost Words: Collywobbles, Snollygosters, and 86 Other Surprisingly Useful Terms Worth Resurrecting - Hardcover

$15.99

by Joe Gillard (Author)The founder of History Hustle presents a handy guide for expressing yourself with history's best words. This collection features scores of unique words from history that deal with surprisingly modern issues like sleeping in and procrastination--proving that some things never change! The Little Book of Lost Words presents each term that's ready to be brought back into modern-day use, complete with definition, hilarious sample sentence, and cheeky historical art. You'll ...

Stylistics: A Resource Book for Students - Paperback

$92.32

by Paul Simpson (Author)Assuming no prior knowledge, books in the series offer an accessible overview of the subject, with activities, study questions, sample analyses, commentaries and key readings - all in the same volume. The innovative and flexible 'two-dimensional' structure is built around four sections - introduction, development, exploration and extension - which offer self-contained stages for study. Each topic can be read across these sections, enabling the reader to build gradually...

Foreign Vocabulary in Sign Languages: A Cross-Linguistic Investigation of Word Formation - Paperback

$116.62

by Diane Brentari (Editor)This book takes a close look at the ways that five sign languages borrow elements from the surrounding, dominant spoken language community where each is situated. It offers careful analyses of semantic, morphosyntactic, and phonological adaption of forms taken from a source language (in this case a spoken language) to a recipient signed language. In addition, the contributions contained in the volume examine the social attitudes and cultural values that play a role i...

Savoir Faire Plus: Le Français À l'Université - Paperback

$85.84

by Géraldine Enjelvin (Author)Written by an experienced tutor, Savoir-Faire Plus is specifically designed to meet the requirements of today's generation of language undergraduates. Focusing on the life of an Anglophone first year undergraduate studying French in the UK and sharing a house with four francophone students, this engaging textbook provides: a clear, logical structure a blend of communicative, research-based and traditional exercises a wide range of activities covering the four ...