Showing titles in Words, Language & Grammar

If you had been a court poet during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero, irritating the megalomaniac ruler would not have been wise. And one of the things which would have really angered Nero would have been the effort to write an epic poem about the struggle between Pompey and Caesar in which the noble hero (portrayed by Pompey) was the man who fought to preserve the Republic, and the selfish villain (portrayed by Caesar), the man who destroyed it. Yet Lucan wrote just such a poem.

Looking for a beginner language course that fits into your busy lifestyle and gets you speaking a new language in a matter of weeks, not years? Michel Thomas's unique method is designed to overcome the frustrations usually faced by language learners.

Where do writers learn their best moves? They use a technique that Roy Peter Clark calls X-ray reading, a form of reading that lets you penetrate beyond the surface of a text to see how meaning is actually being made. In The Art of X-Ray Reading, Clark invites you to don your X-ray reading glasses and join him on a guided tour through some of the most exquisite and masterful literary works of all time, from The Great Gatsby to Lolita to The Bluest Eye and many more.

When Kenny Albert was growing up, family gatherings sounded a lot like a dispatch from the first all-sports radio station. There was his father, Marv, whose voice shaped the sound of modern basketball, and there too were his uncles Al and Steve—a trio of professional play-by-play men with a listenership that spanned the country. It was only a matter of time before Kenny, armed with a toy tape recorder, yearned to follow in their footsteps. Some 3,000 broadcasts later, Kenny Albert has amassed countless stories from the world of sports and media. A

This first audio edition of Poetry in Person: 25 Years of Conversation with America’s Poets (Knopf, 2010), invites listeners into an intimate classroom with eight acclaimed poets. Full of compelling, in-depth conversation about manuscripts and drafts by the poets themselves, plus readings of the finished poems, these historic recordings offer one of the most detailed portraits ever produced of how poems are actually made.

This is the first volume of The Travels and Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Rudolf Erich Raspe. The Baron relates his fantastical experiences and exploits, telling of the many singular incidents such as climbing to the moon on a beanstalk, riding on a cannon ball, being swallowed by a fish and being rescued from its insides, flying on an eagle from Margate to America, and many other incredible adventures, and challenges anyone who doubts him, asserting he is "a traveler of veracity!"

Afraid of facing the public for your next big (or small) speech? Discover how to become a natural when it comes to public speaking, all without breaking a sweat... Public speaking strikes fear into the hearts of many, yet it's a crucial life skill that can transform your personal and professional success. This interactive, hands-on guide will help you reframe your fear of public speaking as a source of motivation and make your voice truly count.

Information literacy is about as attractive as teeth extraction. However, for PhD students and citizens more generally, information literacy enables us to sift and sort knowledge from opinion, and expertise from a vibe. Know What You Do Not Know: Information Literacy for PhD Students provides a context around the folk devils of our time: plagiarism, self-plagiarism, influencers and populists. Most importantly, Know What You Do Not Know demonstrates how to take notes, how to reference with clarity, and how to build an opinion into a referenced and considered argument.

Would you receive a ‘char and a wad’ with a grateful smile? If asked to take a ‘dekko’, would you be offended? And if spotted reading the ‘yellow press’, would you be embarrassed?The meaning of these and many other intriguing phrases are defined, and their loss lamented, in this wonderfully nostalgic look at how language has changed over the past few decades.

Even the most unique and interesting characters will not engage readers if their journey - the plot - fails. In this audiobook, best-selling author William Bernhardt reveals the secrets that will keep readers riveted to the page. He explains the importance of matching character to plot and the key distinction between surprise and coincidence. Bernhardt discusses how to enrich your story by layering three levels of conflict and, in the final chapter, analyzes the primary plot structures that delight readers.

In Becoming Fluent, Richard Roberts and Roger Kreuz draw on insights from psychology and cognitive science to show that adults can master a foreign language if they bring to bear the skills and knowledge they have honed over a lifetime. Adults shouldn't try to learn as children do, they should learn like adults. Roberts and Kreuz report evidence that adults can learn new languages even more easily than children.

Carol Fleming wants to show you that small talk is not as “small” as you might think. It’s the foundation of every relationship, professional and personal. It is the sound of people reaching out to each other, searching for similarities, shared interests, goodwill, connections, and friendship. And it’s something we all do every day with people we know. It’s just the one little bit about strangers that throws some people off. Graceful social conversation can be learned, even by those requiring the smallest of baby steps.

Ever dream of writing a book, article, poem, or play that means something to you—and maybe to someone else as well? Do you have an idea you're ready to get down on paper? In Creative Writing For Dummies, you'll learn how to unleash your creative side and become a confident and productive writer.

Are you ready for readers? In January 2022, Joseph Nguyen had no platform, no followers, and no brand—just an idea for a book. By December 2024, he was a New York Times bestselling author with over 1 million copies sold. What happened in between? Whether you're a first-time author or looking to reignite sales, Before the Bestseller reveals the proven paths nonfiction authors take to launch books that sell—and keep selling.

How’s your Spanish? Do you have the feeling that you are prepared to improve your language skills, but you don’t have time for lessons? Or maybe you’re tired of going over the basics every time you start a new book or course.…

In How to Write Romantasy, Moreci takes you from your first kernel of inspiration through the resolution of your novel, ensuring you hit all the key elements along the way. Chapters are organized around specific plot points, necessary skills, and common questions, covering topics such as building a fantasy framework, creating compelling characters, learning the art of the tease, and bringing home the happily ever after. Each chapter is followed by a summary that you can use for quick reference.

Master the craft of effective communication with the audiobook "The Art of Public Speaking" by Dale Carnegie, a timeless classic that has transformed the public speaking skills of countless individuals. Renowned for his wisdom and practical advice, Dale Carnegie offers invaluable techniques that can help anyone become a confident and persuasive speaker. In "The Art of Public Speaking," Carnegie breaks down the essentials of delivering compelling speeches and presentations.

Who else wants their dream book written today? If you can speak out loud, then you have what it takes to become a lightning-fast, best-selling author. Most people dream of writing a book, but those manuscripts end up shoved away in dusty drawers, half-finished and abandoned to be eaten by moths. Many of them are great writers, many of them have great ideas. Yet so many people come to the conclusion that they'll never finish their books.

Do you want to plan fast, effectively, and stress-free? You can finish your planning in less time and produce awesome lesson activities that your students will love. Written by an experienced teacher trainer, manager, and education blogger, Lesson Planning for Language Teachers will show you: a simple, four step planning process that works for every lesson, how to write laser-targeted goals in 30 seconds flat, how to set a context that motivates your students, how to know which lesson structure to use to avoid confusion and chaos, and much more!

Do you dream of becoming a published author and positioning yourself as an industry authority? Well the only way to make that dream a reality is to just write the damn book! In this book, Chloë Bisson shares a comprehensive roadmap for entrepreneurs who genuinely want to share their expertise, inspire others and leave a lasting legacy through writing and publishing their own book.