Words, Language & Grammar

Language evolves with time, and so does what we consider profane or unspeakable. Nine Nasty Words is a rollicking examination of profanity, explored from every angle: historical, sociological, political, linguistic....

Smart, edgy, hilarious, and unabashedly raunchy New York Times best-selling author Samantha Irby explodes in her uproarious first collection of essays....

Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer....

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

Learn Spanish for Beginners will empower you to step on the gas and peel rubber, taking you from beginner level - or even absolute beginner level - all the way to a level where you speak conversational Spanish - and with complete confidence....

For the last 20 years, George Saunders has been teaching a class on the Russian short story to his MFA students at Syracuse University. In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, he shares a version of that class with us....

In this groundbreaking synthesis of mindfulness, somatics, and nonviolent communication, Oren Jay Sofer offers simple yet powerful practices to develop healthy, effective, and satisfying ways of communicating....

Why do some ideas thrive while others die? And how do we improve the chances of worthy ideas....

Robert Cialdini shines a light on effective persuasion and reveals that the secret doesn't lie in the message itself but in the key moment before that message is delivered....

Sam Harris - neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author - has been exploring some of the most important questions about the human mind, society, and current events on his podcast, Making Sense....

Roughly half the world's population speaks languages derived from a shared linguistic source known as Proto-Indo-European. But who were the early speakers of this ancient mother tongue, and how did they manage to spread it around the globe? Learn more in this audiobook....

Since taking over TED in the early 2000s, Chris Anderson has shown how carefully crafted short talks can be the key to unlocking empathy....

An essential volume for generations of writers young and old, Bird by Bird is a modern classic. This 25th anniversary edition will continue to spark creative minds for years to come....

Verbal Judo is the classic guide to the martial art of the mind and mouth that can help you defuse confrontations and generate cooperation....

Difficult Conversations teaches you how to handle even the toughest conversations more effectively and with less anxiety, based on 15 years of work at Harvard Negotiation Project and consultations with thousands of people....

Speak French from day one with this beginner-level audio-only method for learning French....

How to Read a Book, first published in 1940, is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension. Now it has been completely rewritten and updated....

Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing....

The power of an effective speech is undeniable. It has the capacity to engage, inform, motivate, and create change in an audience - and in the world....

On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual false alarm....

There are few creative acts more mysterious and magical than writing a song. But what if the goal wasn't so mysterious and was actually achievable for anyone who wants to experience more magic and creativity in their life? Listen to find out more....

Three former CIA officers - among the world’s foremost authorities on recognizing deceptive behavior - share their proven techniques for uncovering a lie.....

One person talks; the other listens. It's so basic that we take it for granted. Unfortunately, most of us think of ourselves as better listeners than we actually are. Why do we so often fail to connect....

In a collection of original essays, the venerated television journalist Dan Rather celebrates our shared values and what matters most in our great country, and shows us what patriotism looks like....

In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways....

Have you ever wondered how to improve your English grammar skills with little to no effort at all? How about the most effective ways to master punctuation and structure sentences like a professional book editor? If so, keep reading because you’re in for a treat....

If you struggle when you speak, then you are not alone. Public speaking is the number one fear in America....

The musician and hip-hop legend - hailed as “the greatest MC of all time” and compared to Thelonious Monk - reimagines the writing handbook in this memoir and guide that incorporates the soulful genius, confidence, and creativity of a master artist....

Following on the heels of Lisa Cron's breakout first book, Wired for Story, this writing guide reveals how to use cognitive storytelling strategies to build a scene-by-scene blueprint for a riveting story....

James Gleick, the author of the best sellers Chaos and Ge­nius, brings us his crowning work....

The traditional writing workshop was established with white male writers in mind; what we call craft is informed by their cultural values. In this bold and original examination of elements of writing - including plot, character, conflict, structure, and believability - and aspects of workshop - including the silenced writer and the imagined reader - Matthew Salesses asks questions to invigorate these familiar concepts. He upends Western notions of how a story must progress. 

The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop is a call to create healthy, sustainable, and empowering classroom communities. Award-winning educator Felicia Rose Chavez exposes the invisible politics of power and privilege that have silenced writers of color for far too long. It's more urgent than ever that we consciously work against traditions of dominance in the classroom, but what specific actions can we take to achieve authentically inclusive communities? The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop is a clear, compelling guidebook on a necessary step forward. 

The most profound and important speeches ever delivered are here collected in this anthology, featuring some of the most influential figures in world history. From ancient times to the American Revolution to as recently as this past century, Fort Raphael Publishing has collected some of the most important and iconic speeches of all time and presented them in this series.

The Well-Spoken Thesaurus is your guide to eloquence, replacing the ordinary with the extraordinary. While a common thesaurus provides only synonyms as mere word-for-word equivalents, The Well-Spoken Thesaurus is filled with dynamic reinventions of standard words and phrases.

Can you speak with complete confidence? Perhaps, you have a vital job interview coming up. You've done your homework, prepared carefully, and know all the answers. But can you deliver this knowledge effectively? Or will your grammar let you down? Don't despair: Correct speech awareness can overcome fear of failure.

Many creative professionals focus too much on their artistic abilities, and too little on their business interests. In When Talent Isn't Enough, copywriter and journalist Kristen Fischer offers powerful strategies and practical stories from some of today's most prominent creative leaders to help you thrive. The result: an easy-to-understand guide that covers all aspects of launching and managing a successful business for any creative entrepreneur or solo practitioner.

A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia E. Butler offers a blueprint for a creative life from the perspective of award-winning science-fiction writer and “MacArthur Genius” Octavia E. Butler. It is a collection of ideas about how to look, listen, breathe - how to be in the world. 

With passion, wit, and good common sense, the celebrated poet Mary Oliver tells of the basic ways a poem is built - meter and rhyme, form and diction, sound and sense. She talks of iambs and trochees, couplets and sonnets, and how and why this should matter to anyone writing or reading poetry. Drawing on poems from Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop, and others, Oliver imparts an extraordinary amount of information in a remarkably short space.

In Pre-Suasion, Cialdini builds on his investigations into the subtle world of influence to reveal that the best persuaders succeed not only because of what they say or how they say it, but because of what they do in the moment before they deliver their message. In the process, he draws on a series of compelling case studies and a profound understanding of human psychology to offer a groundbreaking work that is both fascinating and brilliantly practical. 

50 Things to Know About Majoring in Journalism by Alicia Candela offers an approach to what journalism is and what you will gain from studying journalism. This book will help you understand what studying journalism is like in college and will also give you an idea of what it is like in the world. By the time you finish this book, you will find out if journalism is something you see yourself pursuing in the future.