- Table View
- List View
The Art of Asking Questions
by Stanley PayneWhile the statisticians are trying to knock a few tenths off the statistical error, says Mr. Payne, errors of tens of percents occur because of bad question wording. Mr. Payne's shrewd critique of the problems of asking questions reveals much about the nature of language and words, and a good deal about the public who must answer the poller's questions.
The Art of Being In-Between: Native Intermediaries, Indian Identity, and Local Rule in Colonial Oaxaca
by Yanna YannakakisIn The Art of Being In-between Yanna Yannakakis rethinks processes of cultural change and indigenous resistance and accommodation to colonial rule through a focus on the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, a rugged, mountainous, ethnically diverse, and overwhelmingly indigenous region of colonial Mexico. Her rich social and cultural history tells the story of the making of colonialism at the edge of empire through the eyes of native intermediary figures: indigenous governors clothed in Spanish silks, priests' assistants, interpreters, economic middlemen, legal agents, landed nobility, and "Indian conquistadors. " Through political negotiation, cultural brokerage, and the exercise of violence, these fascinating intercultural figures redefined native leadership, sparked indigenous rebellions, and helped forge an ambivalent political culture that distinguished the hinterlands from the centers of Spanish empire. Through interpretation of a wide array of historical sources--including descriptions of public rituals, accounts of indigenous rebellions, idolatry trials, legal petitions, court cases, land disputes, and indigenous pictorial histories--Yannakakis weaves together an elegant narrative that illuminates political and cultural struggles over the terms of local rule. As cultural brokers, native intermediaries at times reconciled conflicting interests, and at other times positioned themselves in opposing camps over the outcome of municipal elections, the provision of goods and labor, landholding, community ritual, the meaning of indigenous "custom" in relation to Spanish law, and representations of the past. In the process, they shaped an emergent "Indian" identity in tension with other forms of indigenous identity and a political order characterized by a persistent conflict between local autonomy and colonial control. This innovative study provides fresh insight into colonialism's disparate cultures and the making of race, ethnicity, and the colonial state and legal system in Spanish America.
The Art of Being: Poetics of the Novel and Existentialists Philosophy
by Yi-Ping OngIn this account of how the novel reorients philosophy toward the meaning of existence, Yi-Ping Ong shows that the existentialists discovered a radical way of thinking about the relation between the form of the novel and the nature of self-knowledge, freedom, and the world. At stake are the conditions under which knowledge of existence is possible.
The Art of Bible Translation
by Robert AlterAn award-winning biblical translator reflects on the art of capturing the literary power of the Bible in EnglishIn this brief book, award-winning biblical translator and acclaimed literary critic Robert Alter offers a personal and passionate account of what he learned about the art of Bible translation over the two decades he spent completing his own English version of the Hebrew Bible.Alter’s literary training gave him the advantage of seeing that a translation of the Bible can convey the text’s meaning only by trying to capture the powerful and subtle literary style of the biblical Hebrew, something the modern English versions don’t do justice to. The Bible’s style, Alter writes, “is not some sort of aesthetic embellishment of the ‘message’ of Scripture but the vital medium through which the biblical vision of God, human nature, history, politics, society, and moral value is conveyed.” And, as the translators of the King James Version knew, the authority of the Bible is inseparable from its literary authority.For these reasons, the Bible can be brought to life in English only by re-creating its literary virtuosity, and Alter discusses the principal aspects of style in the Hebrew Bible that any translator should try to reproduce: word choice, syntax, word play and sound play, rhythm, and dialogue. In the process, he provides an illuminating and accessible introduction to biblical style that also offers insights about the art of translation far beyond the Bible.
The Art of Blessing the Day
by Marge PiercyWinner of the 2000 Paterson Poetry PrizeAbout Marge Piercy's collection of her old and new poems that celebrate the Jewish experience, the poet Lyn Lifshin writes: "The Art of Blessing the Day is an exquisite book. The whole collection is strong, passionate, and poignant, but the mother and daughter poems, fierce and emotional, with their intense ambivalence, pain and joy, themes of separation and reconnecting, are among the very strongest about that difficult relationship."These striking, original, beautifully sensuous poems do just that. Ordinary moments--a sunset, a walk, a private religious ritual--are so alive in poems like 'Shabbat moment' and 'Rosh Hodesh.' In the same way that she celebrates ordinary moments, small things become charged with memories and feelings: paper snowflakes, buttons, one bird, a bottle-cap flower made from a ginger ale top and crystal beads. "She celebrates the body in rollicking, gusto-filled poems like 'Belly good' and 'The chuppah,' where 'our bodies open their portals wide.' So much that is richly sensuous: 'hands that caressed you, . . . untied the knot of pleasure and loosened your flesh till it fluttered,' and lush praise for 'life in our spines, our throats, our knees, our genitals, our brains, our tongues.'"I love the humor in poems like 'Eat fruit,' the nostalgia and joy in 'The rabbi's granddaughter and the Christmas tree,' the fresh, beautiful images of nature--'In winter . . .the sun hangs its wizened rosehip in the oaks.'"I admire Piercy's sense of the past alive in the present, in personal and social history. The poems are memorials, like the yahrtzeit candle in a glass. 'We lose and we go on losing,' but the poems are never far from harsh joy, the joy that is 'the wine of life.'"Growing up haunted by Holocaust ghosts is an echo throughout the book, and some of the strongest poems are about the Holocaust, poems that become the voices of those who had no voice: 'What you carry in your blood is us, the books we did not write, music we could not make, a world gone from gristle to smoke, only as real now as words can make it.'"Marge Piercy's words make such a moving variety of experiences beautifully and forcefully real."
The Art of Brevity: Crafting the Very Short Story
by Grant FaulknerWith increased compression, every word, every sentence matters more. A writer must learn how to form narratives around caesuras and crevices instead of strings of connections, to move a story through the symbolic weight of images, to master the power of suggestion.With elegant prose, deep readings of other writers, and scaffolded writing exercises, The Art of Brevity takes the reader on a lyrical exploration of compact storytelling, guiding readers to heighten their awareness of not only what appears on the page but also what doesn&’t.
The Art of Character
by David CorbettThe ultimate guide for creating captivating characters Former private investigator and New York Times Notable author David Corbett offers a unique and indispensable toolkit for creating characters that come vividly to life on the page and linger in memory. Corbett provides an inventive, inspiring, and vastly entertaining blueprint to all the elements of characterization—from initial inspiration to realization—with special insights into the power of secrets and contradictions, the embodiment of roles, managing the "tyranny of motive," and mastering crucial techniques required for memorable dialogue and unforgettable scenes. This is a how-to guide for both aspiring and accomplished writers that renders all other books of its kind obsolete. .
The Art of Civilized Conversation: A Guide to Expressing Yourself With Style and Grace
by Margaret Shepherd Sharon HoganIn our fast-paced, electronic society, the most basic social interaction—talking face-to-face—can be a challenge for even the most educated and self-assured individuals. And yet making conversation is a highly practical skill: those who do it well shine at networking parties, interviews, and business lunches. Good conversation also opens doors to a happier love life, warmer friendships, and more rewarding time with family. For those intimidated by the complexity of personal interaction, or those simply looking to polish their speaking skills,The Art of Civilized Conversationis a powerful guide to communicating in an endearing way. In its pages, author Margaret Shepherd offers opening lines, graceful apologies, thoughtful questions, and, ultimately, the confidence to take conversations beyondhello. From the basics—first impressions, appropriate subject matter, and graceful exits—to finding the right words for difficult situations and an insightful discussion of body language, Shepherd uses her skilled eye and humorous anecdotes to teach readers how to turn a plain conversation into an engaging encounter. Filled with common sense and fresh insight,The Art of Civilized Conversationis the perfect inspiration not only for what to say but for how to say it with style.
The Art of Comic Book Writing
by Mark KneeceA practical guide for beginner and advanced comic book writers that outlines the steps needed to successfully craft a story for sequential art. With this latest book in the SCAD Creative Essentials series from the esteemed Savannah College of Art and Design, comics writer and instructor Mark Kneece gives aspiring comic book writers the essential tools they need to write scripts for sequential art with confidence and success. He provides a practical set of guidelines favored by many comic book publishers and uses a unique trial and error approach to show would-be scribes the potential pitfalls they might encounter when seeking a career in comics writing. Supported by examples of scripting from SCAD's students, faculty, and alumni,The Art of Comic Book Writing strips away the mysteries of this popular artform and provides real-world advice and easy-to-follow examples for those looking to write for the comics medium.
The Art of Communication in a Polarized World
by Kyle ConwayPeople’s minds are hard to change. In North America and elsewhere, communities are fractured along ideological lines as social media and algorithms encourage individuals to seek out others who think like they do and to condemn those that don’t. This social and political polarization has resulted in systemic discrimination and weaponized communication trends such as gaslighting and fake news. In this compelling new book, Kyle Conway confronts the communication challenges of our modern world by navigating the space between opposing perspectives. Conway explores how individuals can come to understand another person's interpretation of the world and provides the tools for shaping effective arguments capable of altering their perspective. Drawing on the theory of cultural translation and its dimensions of power, meaning, and invention, Conway deepens our understanding of what it means to communicate and opens the door to new approaches to politics and ethics. An essential guide for surviving in our polarized society, this book offers concrete strategies for refining how values and ideas are communicated.
The Art of Communication: Semiotic Foundations and Strategic Applications (ISTE Invoiced)
by Peter StockingerThe Art of Communication combines over two decades of research and teaching into a comprehensive guide on strategic communication. Grounded in the theoretical and methodological frameworks of 'situated communication' and 'communication project', this book highlights an understanding of both traditional and emerging communication practices. It particularly focuses on new genres, such as branding, design and digital communication strategies, and introduces the innovative concept of 'textscapes' – specially crafted environments to fulfill communicative objectives. This book is enriched with practical examples and is particularly relevant in multicultural and international settings, providing essential insights for adapting communication strategies to diverse cultural contexts.
The Art of Comparison: How Novels and Critics Compare
by Catherine Brown"Comparison underlies all reading. Readers compare words to words, and books to all the other books which they have read. Some books, however, demand a particular comparative effort - for example, novels which contain parallel plot lines. In this ambitious and important study Catherine Brown compares Daniel Deronda with Anna Karenina and Women in Love in order to answer the following questions: why does one protagonist in each novel fail whilst another succeeds? Can their failure and success be understood on the same terms? How do the novels' uses of comparison compare to each other? How relevant is George Eliot's influence on Lev Tolstoi, and Tolstoi's on D. H. Lawrence? Does Tolstoi being a Russian make this a 'comparative' literary study? And what does the 'comparative' in 'comparative literature' actually mean? Criticism is combined with metacriticism, to explore how novels and critics compare."
The Art of Conscious Communication: Effective Personal and Professional Communication Skills
by Jem Fuller&“An enlightening guide to redefining masculinity . . . helping [the modern man] navigate conversations with empathy, clarity, and respect.&” —Scott Jeffrey Miller, bestselling author and podcast host Embrace the power of conscious communication and become part of a new generation of emotionally aware, respectful men. Your journey towards enhanced relationships and a more fulfilling life begins here. In this transformative guide, author Jem Fuller draws on 20 years of coaching and leadership, providing strategies to enhance communication skills. Explore the depths of personal discovery through honest stories, discovering how small steps in awareness can lead to significant changes in relationships and results. It&’s not just a book. In a world where communication shapes the essence of our relationships and results, Fuller challenges conventional norms that may hinder effective expression. The Art of Conscious Communication for Thoughtful Men is a guide to thinking, focusing, acting, and communicating in ways that profoundly impact both individual lives and the lives of those around you. The book urges men to break free from societal constraints, offering practical strategies for navigating complex emotions and conversations. As you delve into Jem&’s colorful life experiences and leadership insights, witness the potential for positive societal change and a more fulfilling life through the profound impact of conscious communication. Inside, you&’ll find: Masterful coaching strategies for effective communication Leadership insights honed over two decades Practical guidance for navigating complex emotions Stories from a diverse life, enhancing cultural understanding If you liked books such as The First Minute, The Effective Communication Method, or 7 Winning Conflict Resolution Techniques, you&’ll love The Art of Conscious Communication for Thoughtful Men.
The Art of Conversation
by Catherine BlythEvery day we use our mobiles and computers to communicate, but ironically we are losing touch with face-to-face talk. Catherine Blyth reveals the endless possibilities of conversation and shows that when it works it can come close to heaven. With examples from Elizabeth I to Tommy Cooper, courtesans to nomads, The Art of Conversation is full of tips on listening, the perfect handshake, talking shop and surviving conversational bores. Be it sharing a joke with a stranger, sparking a new idea or just letting off steam with a friend, there are infinite adventures to be had if you break the ice and say hello . . .
The Art of Conversation: A Guided Tour of a Neglected Pleasure
by Catherine BlythIn The Art of Conversation, Catherine Blyth eloquently points out the sorry state of disrepair that conversation has fallen into and then, taking examples from history, literature, philosophy, anthropology, and popular culture, she gives us the tools to rebuild.
The Art of Conversion
by Cécile FromontBetween the sixteenth and the nineteenth centuries, the west central African kingdom of Kongo practiced Christianity and actively participated in the Atlantic world as an independent, cosmopolitan realm. Drawing on an expansive and largely unpublished set of objects, images, and documents, Cecile Fromont examines the advent of Kongo Christian visual culture and traces its development across four centuries marked by war, the Atlantic slave trade, and, finally, the rise of nineteenth-century European colonialism. By offering an extensive analysis of the religious, political, and artistic innovations through which the Kongo embraced Christianity, Fromont approaches the country's conversion as a dynamic process that unfolded across centuries. The African kingdom's elite independently and gradually intertwined old and new, local and foreign religious thought, political concepts, and visual forms to mold a novel and constantly evolving Kongo Christian worldview. Fromont sheds light on the cross-cultural exchanges between Africa, Europe, and Latin America that shaped the early modern world, and she outlines the religious, artistic, and social background of the countless men and women displaced by the slave trade from central Africa to all corners of the Atlantic world.
The Art of Creative Research: A Field Guide for Writers (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)
by Philip GerardAll writers conduct research. For some this means poring over records and combing, archives but for many creative writers research happens in the everyday world—when they scribble an observation on the subway, when they travel to get the feel for a city, or when they strike up a conversation with an interesting stranger. The Art of Creative Research helps writers take this natural inclination to explore and observe and turn it into a workable—and enjoyable—research plan. It shows that research shouldn’t be seen as a dry, plodding aspect of writing. Instead, it’s an art that all writers can master, one that unearths surprises and fuels imagination. This lends authenticity to fiction and poetry as well as nonfiction. Philip Gerard distills the process into fundamental questions: How do you conduct research? And what can you do with the information you gather? He covers both in-person research and work in archives and illustrates how the different types of research can be incorporated into stories, poems, and essays using examples from a wide range of writers in addition to those from his own projects. Throughout, Gerard brings knowledge from his seasoned background into play, drawing on his experiences as a reporter and a writer of both fiction and nonfiction. His enthusiasm for adventure is infectious and will inspire writers to step away from the keyboard and into the world. “Research can take you to that golden intersection where the personal meets the public, the private crosses the universal, where the best literature lives,” Gerard writes. With his masterly guidance, anyone can become an expert in artful investigation.
The Art of Creative Writing
by Lajos Egri'Every type of creative writing depends upon the credibility of a character. ' This fundamental observation serves as the basis of Lajos Egri's book. In it he offers a step by step guide for the development of fiction, plays, and TV and radio scripts. He shows how to probe the secrets of human motivation to define flesh-and-blood characters who create suspense and conflict, who grow emotionally under stress and strain.
The Art of Creative Writing: The Classic Guide to Writing Fiction
by Lajos Egri&“One of the few truly helpful books on fiction writing.&” —Chicago Tribune Go beyond Stephen King&’s On Writing to master the fundamentals of great storytelling with this foundational guide that reveals the essential elements of what makes the best fiction. The Art of Creative Writing is a timeless testament to the power of dialogue and character development that is accessible for every level of writer from beginner to established author. As in the bestselling The Art of Dramatic Writing, still considered one of the most essential books on playwriting more than 75 years after publication, the author outlines in detail his highly acclaimed Egri Method of Creative Writing and shows how to apply it to all fiction formats—novels, short stories, and screenplays. Grounded in Egri&’s assertion that &“Every type of creative writing depends upon the credibility of a character,&” here is concise, clear advice on the most important element of good writing: characterization. Step by step, Egri shows writers how to probe the secrets of human motivation to create flesh-and-blood characters who create suspense and conflict, and who grow emotionally under stress and strain. As practical as it is inspiring, The Art of Creative Writing remains a timeless, illuminating guide that teaches every writer, and aspiring writer, how to create works that are both compelling and enduring.
The Art of Crime: The Plays and Film of Harold Pinter and David Mamet (Studies in Modern Drama #21)
by Leslie KaneFirst Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
The Art of Daring: Risk, Restlessness, Imagination (Art of...)
by Carl PhillipsThe award-winning poet Carl Phillips's invaluable essays on poetry, the tenth volume in the celebrated Art of series of books on the craft of writingIn seven insightful essays, Carl Phillips meditates on the craft of poetry, its capacity for making a space for possibility and inquiry. What does it mean to give shapelessness a form? How can a poem explore both the natural world and the inner world? Phillips demonstrates the restless qualities of the imagination by reading and examining poems by Ashbery, Bogan, Frost, Niedecker, Shakespeare, and others, and by considering other art forms, such as photography and the blues. The Art of Daring is a lyrical, persuasive argument for the many ways that writing and living are acts of risk. "I think it's largely the conundrum of being human that makes us keep making," Phillips writes. "I think it has something to do with revision—how, not only is the world in constant revision, but each of us is, as well."
The Art of Death: Writing the Final Story (Art of...)
by Edwidge DanticatA moving reflection on a subject that touches us all, by the bestselling author of Claire of the Sea LightEdwidge Danticat’s The Art of Death: Writing the Final Story is at once a personal account of her mother dying from cancer and a deeply considered reckoning with the ways that other writers have approached death in their own work. “Writing has been the primary way I have tried to make sense of my losses,” Danticat notes in her introduction. “I have been writing about death for as long as I have been writing.” The book moves outward from the shock of her mother’s diagnosis and sifts through Danticat’s writing life and personal history, all the while shifting fluidly from examples that range from Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude to Toni Morrison’s Sula. The narrative, which continually circles the many incarnations of death from individual to large-scale catastrophes, culminates in a beautiful, heartrending prayer in the voice of Danticat’s mother. A moving tribute and a work of astute criticism, The Art of Death is a book that will profoundly alter all who encounter it.
The Art of Description: World into Word (Art of...)
by Mark Doty"It sounds like a simple thing, to say what you see," Mark Doty begins. "But try to find words for the shades of a mottled sassafras leaf, or the reflectivity of a bay on an August morning, or the very beginnings of desire stirring in the gaze of someone looking right into your eyes . . ." Doty finds refuge in the sensory experience found in poems by Blake, Whitman, Bishop, and others. The Art of Description is an invaluable book by one of America's most revered writers and teachers.
The Art of Digital Video
by John WatkinsonThe industry "bible" is back and it's better than ever. The Art of Digital Video has served as the ultimate reference guide for those working with digital video for generations. Now this classic has been revised and re-written by international consultant and industry leader John Watkinson to include important technical updates on this ever-evolving topic. The format has also been improved to include optional sections that provide additional information that you can choose to skip or investigate further, depending on your interests and comfort level with the subject. As the worlds of film, digital imaging, and computing have converged, this book has evolved to remain current and relevant, while still remaining the classic that experts in the field have trusted for years.
The Art of Discrimination: Thomson's The Seasons and the Language of Criticism (Routledge Revivals)
by Ralph CohenFirst published in 1964, The Art of Discrimination is a study in the relation between critical theory and practice, taking as its test-case James Thomson’s The Seasons, the poem which was, according to Johnson, of "a new kind". Professor Cohen explores the different applications of criticism from 1750 to 1950, analysing specific interpretations of the poem that altered, contradicted or supported poetic theory. In doing so, he introduces new techniques to supplement traditional critical commentary: illustrations are treated as interpretations and critical language is related to non-literary as well as literary information. In treating the history of critical interpretation, the reprinting of editions and past interpretations are considered along with contemporary statements as necessary to define a literary period. The book offers alternatives to theories of organicism and to those of the arbitrariness of literary history by defining the kinds of continuities that exist in criticism. As analysis of criticism, it studies how men think about literature, the extent to which such thinking resists systematization and those elements in it which can be controlled and organized and transmitted. The book will appeal to students of literature and critical theory.