Library

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines

Thomas C. FosterWhat does it mean when a fictional hero takes a journey?. Shares a meal? Gets drenched in a sudden rain shower? Often, there is much more going on in a novel or poem than is readily visible on the surface—a symbol, maybe, that remains elusive, or an unexpected twist on a character—and there's that sneaking suspicion that the deeper meaning of a literary text keeps escaping you.

In this practical and amusing guide to literature, Thomas C. Foster shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock those hidden truths, and to discover a world where a road leads to a quest; a shared meal may signify a communion; and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just rain. Ranging from major themes to literary models, narrative devices, and form, How to Read Literature Like a Professor is the perfect companion for making your reading experience more enriching, satisfying, and fun.

The Writer's Harbrace Handbook, Third Edition

Cheryl Glenn, Loretta GrayThe Writer's Harbrace Handbook, Third Edition, is grounded in the belief that an understanding of the rhetorical situation-the writer, reader, message, context, and exigence (the reason for writing)-provides the best starting place for effective writing and reading. This edition guides student writers in employing that rhetorical understanding as they choose the most effective information to include, the best arrangement of that information, and the most appropriate language to use. This writing-first handbook moves students through the steps that constitute successful writing, from finding appropriate topics and writing clear thesis statements to arranging ideas and developing initial drafts.

The Writer's FAQ's: A Pocket Handbook

Muriel G. HarrisFor writers who want a clear, concise, user-friendly pocket guide beside them while they write, this book has it all. Its easy-to-navigate coverage offers a wide variety of traditional topics as well as the most current information on conducting online research, and using MLA, APA, Chicago Manual, and CSE citation formats. Writers will find valuable assistance with the writing process; argument reading and writing; all major areas of grammar and mechanics; conducting research in libraries and online; using the World Wide Web as a resource; and documenting and evaluating both print and electronic sources. Writers don't need to be familiar with grammatical terms because lists of frequently answered questions lead them to needed explanations offered in a friendly, informal tone and a highly readable style. For writers and others needing a compact, comprehensive writer's reference.

On Writing: 10th Anniversary Edition: A Memoir of the Craft

Stephen KingImmensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.

“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

The Art of the Novel

Milan KunderaKundera brilliantly examines the work of such important and diverse figures as Rabelais, Cervantes, Sterne, Diderot, Flaubert, Tolstoy, and Musil. He is especially penetrating on Hermann Broch, and his exploration of the world of Kafka's novels vividly reveals the comic terror of Kafka's bureaucratized universe.

Kundera's discussion of his own work includes his views on the role of historical events in fiction, the meaning of action, and the creation of character in the post-psychological novel.

Why We Write: 20 Acclaimed Authors on How and Why They Do What They Do

Meredith MaranTwenty of America's bestselling authors share tricks, tips, and secrets of the successful writing life.

Anyone who's ever sat down to write a novel or even a story knows how exhilarating and heartbreaking writing can be. So what makes writers stick with it? In Why We Write, twenty well-known authors candidly share what keeps them going and what they love most—and least—about their vocation.

Contributing authors include:
Isabel Allende
David Baldacci
Jennifer Egan
James Frey
Sue Grafton
Sara Gruen
Kathryn Harrison
Gish Jen
Sebastian Junger
Mary Karr
Michael Lewis
Armistead Maupin
Terry McMillan
Rick Moody
Walter Mosley
Susan Orlean
Ann Patchett
Jodi Picoult
Jane Smiley
Meg Wolitzer

Economical Writing

Deirdre McCloskeyAnyone who cares about direct, clear expression should read this lucid, delightful gem by an author who practices what she advises.

Titles of related interest also available from Waveland Press: Brooks-Quigley, Words' Worth: Write Well and Prosper, Second Edition (ISBN 978-1577666776) and Gerard, Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life (ISBN 9781577663393).

Reading Around: Journalism on Authors, Artists, and Ideas

John J. MillerThis collection of excellent short essays includes many of the most popular and important pieces by John J. Miller, the respected author, journalist, and academic. From literature to music, from movies to writing, from culture to politics, "Reading Around" shows Miller — the talented director of the Dow Journalism Program at Hillsdale College — at his peak performance. This best-of book draws from National Review, Wall Street Journal, and other publications and includes pieces on the ancient epics "Gilgamesh" and "Beowulf"; thriller writers Michael Crichton, Daniel Silva, and Brad Thor; science-fiction authors Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein; fantasy novelists J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis; the horror fiction of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft; movies such as "The Exorcist" and "Red Dawn"; the music of Iron Maiden; the art of Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo; and much more, including essays on the purpose of libraries, writer's block, and the conundrum of having a common name. The Chronicle of Higher Education has called Miller "one of the best literary journalists in the country," and this volume shows why. For anyone who loves and admires excellent writing, "Reading Around" is an enjoyable must.

The War Against Grammar

David MulroyProvocative, thoughtful, informative, combative-a book that challenges us to come to terms once more with the teaching of English grammar.

How can we improve the verbal skills of American students? How can we strengthen them as readers and writers? How can we best prepare America's youth to succeed in the study of a foreign language? According to Classics professor David Mulroy, the most important answer is grammar! Whether championing the grammatical analysis of phrases and clauses or arguing for the vital importance of sentence diagramming, Mulroy offers a lucid, learned, passionate account of the history, importance, and value of grammar.

Both erudite and entertaining, The War Against Grammar disagrees with the establishment view that the teaching of traditional grammar is a waste of classroom time. According to Mulroy, both history and commonsense make clear that students benefit from diagramming and learning their parts of speech-both during their school years and beyond. Drawing upon his classical training, Mulroy offers a close reading of the history of language study and of linguistic research to support his view that English teaching must revitalize grammar education-and that it will produce a generation better able to read and write complex texts.

Smartly conceived and soundly executed, The War Against Grammar should initiate renewed debate on this critically important subject within the discipline of English Studies.

The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century

Steven Pinker“Charming and erudite," from the author of Enlightenment Now, "The wit and insight and clarity he brings . . . is what makes this book such a gem.” —Time.com

Why is so much writing so bad, and how can we make it better? Is the English language being corrupted by texting and social media? Do the kids today even care about good writing—and why should we care? From the author of The Better Angels of Our Nature and Enlightenment Now.

In this entertaining and eminently practical book, the cognitive scientist, dictionary consultant, and New York Times–bestselling author Steven Pinker rethinks the usage guide for the twenty-first century. Using examples of great and gruesome modern prose while avoiding the scolding tone and Spartan tastes of the classic manuals, he shows how the art of writing can be a form of pleasurable mastery and a fascinating intellectual topic in its own right. The Sense of Style is for writers of all kinds, and for readers who are interested in letters and literature and are curious about the ways in which the sciences of mind can illuminate how language works at its best.

The Tale of the Unknown Island

Jose SaramagoA man went to knock at the king's door and said, Give me a boat. The king's house had many other doors, but this was the door for petitions. Since the king spent all his time sitting at the door for favors (favors being offered to the king, you understand), whenever he heard someone knocking at the door for petitions, he would pretend not to hear . . ." Why the petitioner required a boat, where he was bound for, and who volunteered to crew for him, the reader will discover in this delightful fable, a philosophic love story worthy of Swift or Voltaire.

The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition

William Strunk Jr., E. B. White, Test EditorYou know the authors' names. You recognize the title. You've probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was first offered.This book's unique tone, wit and charm have conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use the fourth edition of "the little book" to make a big impact with writing.