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What About the Baby?: Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction
by Alice McDermottA collection of essays, lectures, and observations on the art of writing fiction from Alice McDermott, winner of the National Book Award and unmatched "virtuoso of language and image" (Rebecca Steinitz, The Boston Globe)What About the Baby? Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction gathers the bestselling novelist Alice McDermott’s pithiest wisdom about her chosen art, acquired over a lifetime as an acclaimed writer and teacher of writing.From technical advice (“check that your verbs aren’t burdened by unnecessary hads and woulds”) to setting the bar (“I expect the fiction I read to carry with it the conviction that it is written with no other incentive than that it must be written”), from the demands of readers (“they’d been given a story with a baby in it, and they damn well wanted that baby accounted for”) to the foibles of public life (“I’ve never subscribed to the notion that a film adaptation is the final imprimatur for a work of fiction, despite how often I’ve been told by encouraging friends and strangers, ‘Maybe they’ll make a movie of your novel,’ as if I’d been aiming for a screenplay all along but somehow missed the mark and wrote a novel by mistake”), McDermott muses trenchantly and delightfully about the craft of fiction.She also serves throughout as the artful conductor of a literary chorus, quoting generously from the work of other great writers (including Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Nabokov, Morrison, and Woolf ), beautifully joining her voice with theirs. These stories of lessons learned and books read, and of the terrors and the joys of what she calls “this mad pursuit,” form a rich and valuable sourcebook for readers and writers alike: a deeply charming meditation on the unique gift that is literature.
What America Read
by Gordon HutnerDespite the vigorous study of modern American fiction, today's readers are only familiar with a partial shelf of a vast library. Gordon Hutner describes the distorted, canonized history of the twentieth-century American novel as a record of modern classics insufficiently appreciated in their day but recuperated by scholars in order to shape the grand tradition of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Faulkner. In presenting literary history this way, Hutner argues, scholars have forgotten a rich treasury of realist novels that recount the story of the American middle-class's confrontation with modernity. Reading these novels now offers an extraordinary opportunity to witness debates about what kind of nation America would become and what place its newly dominant middle class would have--and, Hutner suggests, should also lead us to wonder how our own contemporary novels will be remembered.
What Animals Mean in the Fiction of Modernity
by Philip ArmstrongWhat Animals Mean in the Fiction of Modernity argues that nonhuman animals, and stories about them, have always been closely bound up with the conceptual and material work of modernity. In the first half of the book, Philip Armstrong examines the function of animals and animal representations in four classic narratives: Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver’s Travels, Frankenstein and Moby-Dick. He then goes on to explore how these stories have been re-worked, in ways that reflect shifting social and environmental forces, by later novelists, including H.G. Wells, Upton Sinclair, D.H. Lawrence, Ernest Hemingway, Franz Kafka, Brigid Brophy, Bernard Malamud, Timothy Findley, Will Self, Margaret Atwood, Yann Martel and J.M. Coetzee. What Animals Mean in the Fiction of Modernity also introduces readers to new developments in the study of human-animal relations. It does so by attending both to the significance of animals to humans, and to animals’ own purposes or designs; to what animals mean to us, and to what they mean to do, and how they mean to live.
What Are Children For?: On Ambivalence and Choice
by Rachel Wiseman Anastasia BergHaving children is one of the biggest decisions you&’ll make in your life. Increasingly, we aren&’t making it at all. 'A book for lovers of sound reasoning.' THE NEW YORKER Across the developed world, fewer and fewer people are becoming parents. We seek self-fulfilment; we want women to find meaning and self-worth outside the household; we wish to protect the planet from the ravages of climate change; we do what we can to protect others from senseless suffering. On the face of it, none of these goals are served by having children. Amid such pressures, how on earth can we make the choice to do so? Anastasia Berg and Rachel Wiseman offer a way out of this inertia and indecision by reminding us that in making the individual decision whether to have children, we confront a profound philosophical question: for all its pains and failures, is human life worth living? What Are Children For? is a stirring call to overcome fear and dread and embrace the value of human existence and a human future.
What Are Intellectuals Good For?: Essays & Reviews
by George ScialabbaEssays and reviews concentrating on politics, economics, sociology and culture. When George’s What Are Intellectuals Good For? appeared it was greeted by an NPR review that sang the book’s praises. Pressed Wafer was totally unprepared for the blizzard of orders that came from Amazon. We hustled out and purchased the George Scialabba Two Wheeler to cart the books to the Post Office! The current cliché is that America has no public intellectuals. Every sentence George writes gives the lie to this bit of lazy journalese.
What Are We Fighting For?: Sex, Race, Class and the Future of Feminism
by Joanna RussA study of the future of feminism calls for a return to the radical roots of feminism's direct political struggle during the 1960s and early 1970s and a move away from the de-politicized focus on women's psychology and personal relations of today.
What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write Humor for Screenplays, Stories, and More
by Brad Schreiber Chris Vogler“People have forgotten how to be funny,” says Chris Vogler in his foreword to What Are You Laughing at? Luckily, experienced and award-winning humor writer Brad Schreiber is here to remind us all how it’s done. If laughter is the best medicine, be prepared to feel fit as a fiddle after perusing these pages. Brad’s clever wit and well-timed punch lines are sure to leave you grasping your sides, while his wise advice will ensure that you’re able to follow in his comedic footsteps.With more than seventy excerpts from such expert prose and screenwriters as Woody Allen, Steve Martin, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr., as well as unique writing exercises for all situations, this comprehensive tutorial will teach you how to write humor prose for any literary form, including screenwriting, story writing, theater, television, and audio/radio. Additionally, readers are given sage advice on different tactics for writing comedic fiction versus comedic nonfiction. Some of the topics discussed include:Life experience versus imaginationHow to use humor to develop theme/setting, character, and dialogueRhythm and sound of wordsVulgarity and bad tasteHow to market your humor prose in the digital marketThoroughly revised and updated, and with new information on writing short, humorous films, What Are You Laughing at? is your endless source to learning the art of comedy.
What Art Is Like, in Constant Reference to the Alice Books
by Miguel TamenThis comic, serious inquiry into the nature of art takes its technical vocabulary from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. It is ridiculous to think of poems, paintings, or films as distinct from other things in the world, including people. Talking about art should be contiguous with talking about other relevant matters.
What Became of Wystan: Change and Continuity in Auden's Poetry
by Alan JacobsIn this lucid and balanced treatise, Alan Jacobs reveals the true parameters of Auden's change after his move to America in 1939. By carefully examining poems that represent transitional moments in Auden's thinking, he demonstrates the steady qualities of thought and expression found throughout Auden's poetry and shows how, in great art, as in great minds, change and continuity may powerfully coexist.
What Can You Do?
by Linda Lott Ginger NielsonThe fun and excitement of English and Language Arts learning continues in Grade 2 of Reading Street. This comprehensive and dynamic curriculum for homeschooling is geared toward young children who have some foundational English and Language Arts knowledge and are ready to strengthen their skills. Comprised of engaging activities, challenging content and weekly quizzes, Reading Street: Grade 2 is the next step in your child's path toward becoming a lifelong learner and reader. As with all Reading Street products, the Grade 2 system is formatted to help students meet certain age-appropriate goals. After completing this English and Language Arts homeschool program, your child should be able to: Read and comprehend two-syllable words. Identify common prefixes (such as pre-, un-, or re-) and suffixes (such as -able, -ad and -er). Correct mistakes made when reading out loud. Read books with two or more chapters. Understand the structure of stores (i. e. beginning, middle and end). Start selecting reading materials based on his/her own interests. Identify the "who," "what," "when," "where," "why" and "how" of the text. While the goals of second Grade English and Language Arts are numerous, Reading Street will help you craft engrossing lessons. Your child will garner important English and Language Arts skills while completing a workbook, reading stories and poems, and taking assessments. Planning these lessons will be easier than ever, as all Reading Street systems are broken down into weekly Big Ideas. All the work your child does on a given week is formulated around that single concept for an organized and challenging curriculum. With six easy-to-follow units, Reading Street: Grade 2 is the perfect tool for homeschooling parents. Your child will enjoy the reading selections and activities, and you'll love to see your student growing into a knowledgeable individual. We're confident that this product is the right one for you. For more information on the specific materials found in Grade 2 of Reading Street, check out the Features and Benefits page.
What Christians Believe
by C. S. LewisThe Essentials Explained Master storyteller and essayist C. S. Lewis here tackles the central questions of the Christian faith: Who was Jesus? What did he accomplish? What does it mean for me? In these classic essays, which began as talks on the BBC during World War II, Lewis creatively and simply explains the basic tenets of Christianity. Taken from the core section of Mere Christianity, the selection in this gift edition provides an accessible way for more people to discover these timeless truths. For those looking to remind themselves of the things they hold true, or those looking for a snapshot of Christianity, this book is a wonderful introduction to the faith.
What Counts: Focus and Quantification
by Elena HerburgerIn What Counts, Elena Herburger considers the effects of focus on interpretation. She investigates how focus affects the pragmatics and truth conditions of a sentence by rearranging its quantificational structure. Adopting a neo-Davidsonian stance, Herburger claims that various pragmatic and truth-conditional effects of focus sustain a uniform explanation if focus is viewed as imposing structure on otherwise unrestricted quantification. Phenomena discussed include "free" focus, the interaction between focus and negation, the quantificational structure of adverbs of quantification, the semantics of onlyand even, and the differences between weak and strong determiners. One of Herburger's aims is to show that a simple semantics, without reliance on such notions as semantic presupposition, can account for the truth-conditional and pragmatic effects of focus. The book will be of interest to anyone exploring the syntax-semantics interface and current theories of quantification. Linguistic InquiryMonograph No. 36
What Did You Say: The Art of Giving and Receiving Feedback
by Charles N. Seashore; Edith Whitfield Seashore; Gerald M. WeinbergFacts and Fantasies about Feedback; Giving Feedback; Receiving Feedback; Feedback as a Process of Interaction; Facilitating Improved Interactions; Epilogue: Feedback Artistry.
What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Fiction, Grades 3-8: Your Moment-to-Moment Decision-Making Guide (Corwin Literacy)
by Gravity Goldberg Renee W. HouserStreamline formative assessment for readers in just minutes a day. With What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Fiction, learn how to move your students forward in their reading with this 4-step process—lean in, listen to students’ talk about books, look at their writing about reading, and then make teaching decisions based on what they′ve conquered and what challenges they need to take on next. This practical approach shows you how to notice when readers are doing mostly literal, "right there" on the page thinking; when they are doing "over-time" synthesizing across a text; and when they are ready to kick into high gear and connect ideas across texts and real word themes. The authors provide next-step resources for whole-class, small-group, and one-on-one instruction, including: Tips for what to look for and listen for in reading notebook entries and conversations about books Reproducible Clipboard Notes pages that help you decide whether to reinforce a current type of thinking, teach a new type of thinking, or apply a current type of thinking to a new text More than 30 lessons on understanding characters and themes, meaningful note taking, strategy use, and more Reading notebook entries and sample classroom conversations to use as benchmarks Strategies for deepening the three most prevalent types of thinking about characters: Right-Now Thinking (on the page), Over-Time Thinking (across a picture book, a chapter, or a novel), or Refining Thinking (nuanced connections across text and life themes) Strategies for deepening the three most useful types of thinking—frames, patterns, lessons learned—about themes Online video clips of Renee and Gravity teaching, conferring, and discussing what fiction readers need to do next With What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Fiction, discover how to move your readers forward with in-class, actionable formative assessment. Your readers are showing you what they need next—lean in, listen, look, assess. "Goldberg and Houser – both former staff developers at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project – have perfectly combined theory and practice to help teachers put students first in their decision-making process. Best of all, they’ve provided the tools necessary to assist teachers in making those decisions become a reality right away." — Reviewed by Pam Hamilton for MiddleWeb
What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Fiction, Grades 3-8: Your Moment-to-Moment Decision-Making Guide (Corwin Literacy)
by Gravity Goldberg Renee W. HouserStreamline formative assessment for readers in just minutes a day. With What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Fiction, learn how to move your students forward in their reading with this 4-step process—lean in, listen to students’ talk about books, look at their writing about reading, and then make teaching decisions based on what they′ve conquered and what challenges they need to take on next. This practical approach shows you how to notice when readers are doing mostly literal, "right there" on the page thinking; when they are doing "over-time" synthesizing across a text; and when they are ready to kick into high gear and connect ideas across texts and real word themes. The authors provide next-step resources for whole-class, small-group, and one-on-one instruction, including: Tips for what to look for and listen for in reading notebook entries and conversations about books Reproducible Clipboard Notes pages that help you decide whether to reinforce a current type of thinking, teach a new type of thinking, or apply a current type of thinking to a new text More than 30 lessons on understanding characters and themes, meaningful note taking, strategy use, and more Reading notebook entries and sample classroom conversations to use as benchmarks Strategies for deepening the three most prevalent types of thinking about characters: Right-Now Thinking (on the page), Over-Time Thinking (across a picture book, a chapter, or a novel), or Refining Thinking (nuanced connections across text and life themes) Strategies for deepening the three most useful types of thinking—frames, patterns, lessons learned—about themes Online video clips of Renee and Gravity teaching, conferring, and discussing what fiction readers need to do next With What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Fiction, discover how to move your readers forward with in-class, actionable formative assessment. Your readers are showing you what they need next—lean in, listen, look, assess. "Goldberg and Houser – both former staff developers at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project – have perfectly combined theory and practice to help teachers put students first in their decision-making process. Best of all, they’ve provided the tools necessary to assist teachers in making those decisions become a reality right away." — Reviewed by Pam Hamilton for MiddleWeb
What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Nonfiction, Grades 3-8: Your Moment-to-Moment Decision-Making Guide (Corwin Literacy)
by Gravity Goldberg Renee W. Houser"Well, that was a great minilesson—now what?" For every teacher who has uttered those words, this book is for you. In What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Nonfiction, educators Gravity Goldberg and Renee Houser take the guesswork out of determining students’ needs with a moment-to-moment guide focused on the decisions that make the biggest impact on readers’ skill development. With the authors’ guidance, you put their next-step resources into action, including: Tips for what to look for and listen for in reading notebook entries and conversations about books Reproducible Clipboard Notes pages that help you decide whether to reinforce a current type of thinking, teach a new type of thinking, or apply a current type of thinking to a new text More than 30 lessons on synthesizing information and understanding perspectives, writing about reading, organizing thinking, and more Reading notebook entries and sample classroom conversations to use as benchmarks Strategies for deepening the three most prevalent types of thinking students do when synthesizing: Right-Now Thinking (on the page), Over-Time Thinking (across a picture book, a chapter, or longer text), or Refining Thinking (nuanced connections across text and life concepts) Strategies for deepening the three most useful types of thinking—feelings, frames, and opinions—when considering perspectives Online video clips of Renee and Gravity teaching, conferring, and "thin slicing" what nonfiction readers need next With What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Nonfiction, you learn to trust your instincts and trust your students to provide you with information about the next steps that make the most sense for them. Teaching students to engage with and understand nonfiction becomes personal, purposeful, and a homegrown process that you can replicate from year to year and student to student. "Goldberg and Houser – both former staff developers at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project – have perfectly combined theory and practice to help teachers put students first in their decision-making process. Best of all, they’ve provided the tools necessary to assist teachers in making those decisions become a reality right away." — Reviewed by Pam Hamilton for MiddleWeb
What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Nonfiction, Grades 3-8: Your Moment-to-Moment Decision-Making Guide (Corwin Literacy)
by Gravity Goldberg Renee W. Houser"Well, that was a great minilesson—now what?" For every teacher who has uttered those words, this book is for you. In What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Nonfiction, educators Gravity Goldberg and Renee Houser take the guesswork out of determining students’ needs with a moment-to-moment guide focused on the decisions that make the biggest impact on readers’ skill development. With the authors’ guidance, you put their next-step resources into action, including: Tips for what to look for and listen for in reading notebook entries and conversations about books Reproducible Clipboard Notes pages that help you decide whether to reinforce a current type of thinking, teach a new type of thinking, or apply a current type of thinking to a new text More than 30 lessons on synthesizing information and understanding perspectives, writing about reading, organizing thinking, and more Reading notebook entries and sample classroom conversations to use as benchmarks Strategies for deepening the three most prevalent types of thinking students do when synthesizing: Right-Now Thinking (on the page), Over-Time Thinking (across a picture book, a chapter, or longer text), or Refining Thinking (nuanced connections across text and life concepts) Strategies for deepening the three most useful types of thinking—feelings, frames, and opinions—when considering perspectives Online video clips of Renee and Gravity teaching, conferring, and "thin slicing" what nonfiction readers need next With What Do I Teach Readers Tomorrow? Nonfiction, you learn to trust your instincts and trust your students to provide you with information about the next steps that make the most sense for them. Teaching students to engage with and understand nonfiction becomes personal, purposeful, and a homegrown process that you can replicate from year to year and student to student. "Goldberg and Houser – both former staff developers at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project – have perfectly combined theory and practice to help teachers put students first in their decision-making process. Best of all, they’ve provided the tools necessary to assist teachers in making those decisions become a reality right away." — Reviewed by Pam Hamilton for MiddleWeb
What Do You Mean I Have a Learning Disability?
by Kathleen M. DwyerTen-year-old Jimmy just accepts the fact that other kids can do things better than he can. It's always been that way--but now Jimmy is starting to think there must be a reason. One day he whispers to his cat, "I'm so stupid. I know I am." This true story has a happy ending. One of Jimmy's teachers encouraged his parents to have Jimmy tested, and it turned out that he had a learning disability. Hard work and perseverance, and the support of his family, helped Jimmy overcome his disability. For children who are learning disabled, and for their families and friends, this inspiring book offers encouragement and support in a shared effort.
What Do You Say When . . .: Talking to People with Confidence on Any Social or Business Occasion
by Florence IsaacsHave you ever walked alone into a room of chattering people and felt nervous? Is the idea of attending a wedding or job interview where you won't know many people intimidating? The art of conversation is a necessary skill for navigating life’s social and business occasions, and with practice you can develop the ability to easily talk to people. What Do You Say When ... is a smart, useful tool that helps you assess all situations and approach people with confidence.When you can chat easily and know the right things to say, you not only feel more relaxed, but also make others feel comfortable. What Do You Say When ... provides a complete guide to conversation in a variety of circumstances. It teaches the basics, plus helpful rules that work anywhere and with anyone—at cocktail parties, dinners, charity benefits, job interviews, conferences and conventions, dates, and even at family reunions and other gatherings. Also covered are can’t-fail conversation openers and strategies for expanding conversation and getting to know casual social or business contacts better. You’ll learn how to find appropriate words for difficult times, such as a friend’s divorce, illness, or job loss, or when someone’s loved one has died. Included, too, are tips on teaching your children to converse politely.Filled with examples, ideas, and practical advice, What Do You Say When ... helps you master one of life’s most essential skills.
What Do You Think, Mr. Ramirez?: The American Revolution in Education
by Geoffrey Galt HarphamGeoffrey Galt Harpham’s book takes its title from a telling anecdote. A few years ago Harpham met a Cuban immigrant on a college campus, who told of arriving, penniless and undocumented, in the 1960s and eventually earning a GED and making his way to a community college. In a literature course one day, the professor asked him, “Mr. Ramirez, what do you think?” The question, said Ramirez, changed his life because “it was the first time anyone had asked me that.” Realizing that his opinion had value set him on a course that led to his becoming a distinguished professor. That, says Harpham, was the midcentury promise of American education, the deep current of commitment and aspiration that undergirded the educational system that was built in the postwar years, and is under extended assault today. The United States was founded, he argues, on the idea that interpreting its foundational documents was the highest calling of opinion, and for a brief moment at midcentury, the country turned to English teachers as the people best positioned to train students to thrive as interpreters—which is to say as citizens of a democracy. Tracing the roots of that belief in the humanities through American history, Harpham builds a strong case that, even in very different contemporary circumstances, the emphasis on social and cultural knowledge that animated the midcentury university is a resource that we can, and should, draw on today.
What Does a Lion Say?: And Other Playful Language Games
by Between the Lions StaffFoster a love of reading with your friends from Between the Lions®!Children and parents love Between the Lions, an award-winning public television series that celebrates the joy of reading and offers a playful approach to introducing key literacy skills.What Does a Lion Say? builds on the appeal and literacy focus of Between the Lions.With on-the-go games that are perfect for busy lifestyles, this book is filled with fun and easy literacy games for you to play with your children anytime, anywhere. Children will love learning along with their favorite characters, whether in the car or at the doctor's office, at home, or on a trip. These games introduce the world of letters and reading, while building skills all children need for a lifetime of learning.With alphabet games like "License Plate Lingo," writing games like "Au-Toe-Graph," and describing games like "Silly Scenarios," What Does a Lion Say? helps you make the most of playful, everyday moments with your child.
What Does the Bible Say About...: The Ultimate A To Z Resource (A to Z Series)
by Thomas NelsonHave you ever wondered: what does the Bible have to say about___? Now you fill in the blank. This Ultimate A to Z Resource applies biblical insight to hundreds of contemporary topics ranging from:AddictionPolitical infightingWorld hungerBirth controlFreewillDysfunctional familiesPrejudiceand Natural disastersIn this handy, portable index, you can easily locate any topic—from the broad (conflict resolution, anxiety, and companionship), to the very specific (contracts, debt, and pornography). Each entry contains a summary of the topic, theological/biblical considerations, and verse references to point you directly to the larger scriptural context.The Bible may be 2,000 years old, but it has relevant and wise words on just about any subject, ancient or modern—it is the Living Word of God, and this quick guide is one great way to familiarize yourself with its contents...one topic at a time.Also contains illustrations from Christian cartoonist Jonny Hawkins.
What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Book Editing (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)
by Peter GinnaEditing is an invisible art where the very best work goes undetected. Editors strive to create books that are enlightening, seamless, and pleasurable to read, all while giving credit to the author. This makes it all the more difficult to truly understand the range of roles they inhabit while shepherding a project from concept to publication. In What Editors Do, Peter Ginna gathers essays from twenty-seven leading figures in book publishing about their work. Representing both large houses and small, and encompassing trade, textbook, academic, and children’s publishing, the contributors make the case for why editing remains a vital function to writers—and readers—everywhere. Ironically for an industry built on words, there has been a scarcity of written guidance on how to actually approach the work of editing. This book will serve as a compendium of professional advice and will be a resource both for those entering the profession (or already in it) and for those outside publishing who seek an understanding of it. It sheds light on how editors acquire books, what constitutes a strong author-editor relationship, and the editor’s vital role at each stage of the publishing process—a role that extends far beyond marking up the author’s text. This collection treats editing as both art and craft, and also as a career. It explores how editors balance passion against the economic realities of publishing. What Editors Do shows why, in the face of a rapidly changing publishing landscape, editors are more important than ever.
What Editors Want: An Author's Guide to Scientific Journal Publishing
by Philippa J. Benson Susan C. SilverResearch publications have always been key to building a successful career in science, yet little if any formal guidance is offered to young scientists on how to get research papers peer reviewed, accepted, and published by leading scientific journals. With "What Editors Want," Philippa J. Benson and Susan C. Silver, two well-respected editors from the science publishing community, remedy that situation with a clear, straightforward guide that will be of use to all scientists. Benson and Silver instruct readers on how to identify the journals that are most likely to publish a given paper, how to write an effective cover letter, how to avoid common pitfalls of the submission process, and how to effectively navigate the all-important peer review process, including dealing with revisions and rejection. With supplemental advice from more than a dozen experts, this book will equip scientists with the knowledge they need to usher their papers through publication.