Literary companions, book reviews and guides Books

Book SynopsisThough perhaps best known for his 1947 Pulitzer Prize winning novel All the King’s Men, Robert Penn Warren’s final phase of poetry from the 1960s through the 1980s demonstrates a maturity of thought not previously seen in his work. By wrestling with the fundamental questions of language and articulation throughout his work in this period, Warren seeks to understand how the poet can “say the unsayable.”Poetic Creation is John C. Van Dyke’s plunge into this liminal moment in Warren’s career, exploring Warren’s poetry from his 1969 Audubon: A Vision through his later works. By reading this late poetry in light of several of Warren’s critical essays—most notably his work on Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner—Van Dyke traces the development of Warren’s struggle with language through his unrelenting attention to the act of poetic creation itself. Warren’s open confrontation with language is marked by a shift from utilizing language as a tool toward understanding it as a play of difference, locating his later poetic creation within a postmodern discourse on language and the unsayable. Questions about the power and limitations of language color Warren’s later poetry with an earnest struggle only hinted at in his earlier works.Poetic Creation reads Robert Penn Warren’s later poetry in a unique way that places his work at the heart of contemporary discourses on language and the unsayable. Van Dyke invites the reader to return to the poems themselves to participate in Warren’s pursuit of poetry’s unique power to speak the unsayable into the world.

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Book SynopsisBorn Elsie Dunn in 1893 Clarksville, Tennessee, Evelyn Scott lived a tumultuous life that took her to New York, Brazil, western Europe, and the Caribbean. She published twelve novels during her lifetime and was a notable literary figure in the 1920s and 1930s. Published in 1937 alongside her penultimate novel, Background in Tennessee is an autobiographical work devoted to Scott's Tennessee birthplace, her family's history, and her broad view of Southern history. Her wide-ranging exploration of the south interweaves Scott's personal history with discussions of colonial settlement of the region, local leadership of Clarksville and the larger Nashville area, and race relations. In this new edition, Bill Hardwig provides an analytical introduction that guides the reader through Scott's intricate and winding exploration of early twentieth-century Tennessee and her own past. He notes at once Scott's ambivalence toward her native South and yet the nostalgia with which she recounts personal memories. Complicated yet critical to a full understanding of Evelyn Scott and her literary legacy, this edition of Background in Tennessee makes available an important voice in Tennessee's literary history for a new generation.

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Book SynopsisEvelyn Scott’s first novel, The Narrow House, depicts a family stricken by dysfunctional domesticity. Revolving around troubled members of the Farley family, Scott exposes notions of romantic love, longing, and the image of the Southern belle as damaging, unrealistic constructs, all against the backdrop of a seemingly normal middle-class existence that in previous decades had been idealized in Southern writing. Published to high praise when it appeared in 1921, The Narrow House vaulted Scott to literary celebrity in her day.In this new critical edition, Mary E. Papke contextualizes Scott’s first and possibly best writing effort with an astute introduction that discusses Scott and her contemporaries, the work’s importance to the genre of the novel, and the small but ongoing reclamation of Scott’s place in literary history. Completely updated and formatted for a modern readership, this critical edition of The Narrow House is sure to find its way into classrooms and onto bookshelves.

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Book SynopsisPercival Everett (b. 1956) writes novels, short stories, poetry, and essays and is one of the most prolific, acclaimed, yet under-examined African American writers working today. Although to date Everett has published eighteen novels, three collections of short fiction, three poetry collections, and one children's book, his work has not garnered the critical attention that it deserves. Perhaps one of the most vexing problems scholars have had in trying to situate Everett's work is that they have found it difficult to place him and his work within a prescribed African American literary tradition. Because he happens to be African American, critics have expectations of so-called authentic African American fiction; however, his work often thwarts these expectations.In Perspectives on Percival Everett, scholars engage all of his creative production. On the one hand, Everett is an African American novelist. On the other hand, he pursues subject matters that seemingly have little to do with African American culture. The operative word here is ""seemingly""; for as these essays demonstrate, Everett's works falls well within as well as outside of what most critics would deem the African American literary tradition. These essays examine issues of identity, authenticity, and semiotics, in addition to postmodernism and African American and American literary traditions--issues essential to understanding his aesthetic and political concerns.

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Book SynopsisMargaret Laurence Writes Africa and Canada is the first book to examine how Laurence addresses decolonization and nation building in 1950s Somalia and Ghana, and 1960s and 1970s English Canada.Focusing on Laurence's published works as well as her unpublished letters not yet discussed by critics, the book articulates how Laurence and her characters are poised between African colonies of occupation during decolonization and the settler-colony of English Canada during the implementation of Canadian multiculturalism. Laurence's Canadian characters are often divided subjects who are not quite members of their ancestral ""imperial"" cultures, yet also not truly ""native"" to their nation. Margaret Laurence Writes Africa and Canada shows how Laurence and her characters negotiate complex tensions between ""self"" and ""nation,"" and argues that Laurence's African and Canadian writing demonstrates a divided Canadian subject who holds significant implications for both the individual and the country of Canada.Bringing together Laurence's writing about Africa and Canada, Davis offers a unique contribution to the study of Canadian literature. The book is an original interpretation of Laurence's work and reveals how she displaces the simple notion that Canada is a sum total of different cultures and conceives Canada as a mosaic that is in flux and constituted through continually changing social relations.Table of Contents Margaret Laurence Writes Africa and Canada by Laura K. Davis Introduction: Writing and Region Part One: Writing About Africa Chapter One: Conflicts of Culture in The Prophet's Camel Bell and This Side Jordan Chapter Two: Toward Cross-Cultural Understanding: Margaret Laurence's Africa in The Tomorrow-Tamer and Other Stories Part Two: Writing About Canada Chapter Three: Community and the Canadian Nation in The Stone Angel and A Bird in the House Chapter Four: Narrating Nation in The Diviners Conclusion: Essays, Letters, and Politics Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisCatching the Torch examines contemporary novels and plays written about Canada's participation in World War I. Exploring such works as Jane Urquhart's The Underpainter and The Stone Carvers, Jack Hodgins's Broken Ground, Kevin Kerr's Unity (1918), Stephen Massicotte's Mary's Wedding, and Frances Itani's Deafening, the book considers how writers have dealt with the compelling myth that the Canadian nation was born in the trenches of the Great War.In contrast to British and European remembrances of WWI, which tend to regard it as a cataclysmic destroyer of innocence, or Australian myths that promote an ideal of outsize masculinity, physical bravery, and white superiority, contemporary Canadian texts conjure up notions of distinctively Canadian values: tolerance of ethnic difference, the ability to do one's duty without complaint or arrogance, and the inclination to show moral as well as physical courage. Paradoxically, Canadians are shown to decry the horrors of war while making use of its productive cultural effects.Through a close analysis of the way sacrifice, service, and the commemoration of war are represented in these literary works, Catching the Torch argues that iterations of a secure mythic notion of national identity, one that is articulated via the representation of straightforward civic and military participation, work to counter current anxieties about the stability of the nation-state, in particular anxieties about the failure of the ideal of a national ""character.Trade Review"Using McCrae as a point of entry, Gordon proceeds to argue that the works of literature she examines, including Jack Hodgin's Broken Ground , Frances Itani's Deafening , Joseph Boyden's Three Day Road , and Vern Thiessen's Vimy , among others, paradoxically disparage the mass destruction and loss of the First World War while simultaneously insisting on its cultural significance. As a result, instead of questioning the historical record, contemporary literary responses to the First World War, according to Gordon, endorse a national myth that 'promotes the collective by simply enlarging the category of the homogenous,' a tendency that is propelled by an anxiety about the instability of Canadian national identity. As a whole, Gordon's analysis is insightful and compelling." -- Alicia Fahey -- Canadian Literature" Catching the Torch , which examines numerous recently published novels and plays about Canadians' contributions to the First World War, underscores that war does not always take place during specific time periods or on specifically militarized fronts, but may require redefinition of temporal limits and settings to take into account the tales of traumatized veterans or, as was the case after the Great War, victims of influenza. It further insists that the stories of those previously excised from the canon, such as aboriginals, French Canadians, nurses, women volunteers serving on home fronts and battlefronts, and artists, are valid and valuable. Offering numerous insights into the ways contemporary Canadian writers commemorate their nation's participation in the Great War, this thoroughly researched and cogently argued book promises to be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of literature and history." -- Donna Coates, University of Calgary, editor (with Sherrill Grace) of Canada and the Theatre of War, vols. I and II"The work is ... highly convincing in its analysis of how depictions of the war function to shape concepts of the nation and authorial resistance to essentialist understandings of national characters.... The book's opening literature review will be helpful for many scholars, and, in its narrative development of critical understandings of the way in which the First World War figures in contemporary Canadian literature, Catching the Torch is unlikely to be superseded any time soon." -- James Gifford, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Vancouver -- BC StudiesTable of Contents Catching the Torch: Contemporary Canadian Literary Responses to World War I by Neta Gordon Acknowledgements Introduction: Contemporary Canadian First World War Narratives: Remembering Canada's Best Self Chapter One: The Dead Speak: Considering the Use of Prosopopoeia in Dancock's Dance, Mary's Wedding, and The Deep Chapter Two: The War and Concepts of Nation in Jack Hodgins's Broken Ground and Frances Itani's Deafening Chapter Three: Abandoning the Archivist: Commemorating the War Insider and Outsider in the World War One Novels of Alan Cumyn and Jane Urquhart Chapter Four: Other Canadians: The Representation of Alternate Versions of the War in Vimy, Unity (1918), Three Day Road, and A Secret Between Us Conclusion: Representations of the First World War and Wishing Notes Biblography Index

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Book Synopsis'Membering Austin Clarke reflects on the life and writing of Austin Clarke, whose depictions of Black life in Canada enlarged our understanding of what Canadian literature looks like.Despite being one of Canada's most widely published, and most richly awarded writers, Austin Clarke (1934-2016) is not a household name. This collection addresses Clarke's marginalization in Canadian literature by demonstrating that his writing on Black diasporic life and the immigrant experience is a foundational, if untold, part of the story of CanLit. Novelist, short-story writer, poet, and essayist, Clarke was born in Barbados, moved to Canada in 1995 and went on to establish Black Studies programs at a number of universities in America. He returned to Canada and became one of Canadian literature's most prolific authors and a public voice for Black people in Canada. Among his best-known works are the Giller Award-winning The Polished Hoe (2002) and his memoir 'Membering (2015).This collection of essays from colleagues, scholars, friends, and fellow writers addresses Clarke's work in all its richness and complexity in order to understand how Clarke's legacy continues to transform Canadian writing. It includes previously unpublished poems and short stories from Clarke's archives as well as personal reflections from friends, histories of the publication of his works, essays, interviews, and short stories and poems inspired by Clarke.

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Book SynopsisVittoria Colonna (1490-1547) was the genre-defining secular woman writer of Renaissance Italy, whose literary model helped to establish a decorous and wholly assimilated voice for women within the field of Italian literature. The Companion to Vittoria Colonna brings together an international and interdisciplinary group of leading scholars to assess Colonna’s contribution, both as a writer, a role model, and a contributor to important religious debates of the era. This book, while amply fulfilling the remit of providing a useful and comprehensive handbook to meet the needs of students and scholars at earlier and advanced levels, aims in addition to do more than this, by drawing into a single volume for the first time scholarship from across disciplines in which Vittoria Colonna’s influence has been felt, including literary criticism, religious history, history of art and music. Contributors are: Abigail Brundin, Stephen Bowd, Emidio Campi, Eleonora Carinci, Adriana Chemello, Virginia Cox, Tatiana Crivelli, Maria Forcellino, Gaudenz Freuler, Anne Piéjus, Diana Robin, Helena Sanson, and Maria Serena Sapegno.Trade Review“This volume gathers together much essential information that a scholar would wish to have at hand, including Colonna’s biography, thorough accounts of early editions of her poetry, a catalogue of known portraits, and the record of Michelangelo’s presentation drawings. But this is no mere handbook. The volume holds much that will be novel and engaging for even the most dedicated Colonna scholar.” Shannon McHugh, University of Massachusetts. In: Early Modern Women, Vol. 14, No. 2 (2020), pp. 179–182.Table of ContentsNotes on Editors and Contributors List of Figures Timeline: Vittoria Colonna in Context Note on the Text Bibliographical Abbreviations Part I: Vittoria Colonna: Life and Letters Introduction Abigail Brundin, Tatiana Crivelli, and Maria Serena Sapegno Chapter 1: Vittoria Colonna’s Epistolary Works Adriana Chemello Part II: The Poetry Chapter 2: Vittoria Colonna in Manuscript Abigail Brundin Chapter 3: The Print Tradition of Vittoria Colonna’s Rime Tatiana Crivelli Chapter 4: The Rime: A Textual Conundrum? Maria Serena Sapegno Chapter 5: Vittoria Colonna and Language Helena Sanson Part III: Vittoria Colonna and the Arts Chapter 6: Vittoria Colonna: The Pictorial Evidence Gaudenz Freuler Chapter 7: Colonna and Michelangelo: Drawings and Paintings Maria Forcellino Chapter 8: Musical Settings of the Rime Anne Piéjus Part IV: Vittoria Colonna and Religion Chapter 9: Prudential Friendship and Religious Reform: Vittoria Colonna and Gasparo Contarini Stephen Bowd Chapter 10: Vittoria Colonna and Bernardino Ochino Emidio Campi Chapter 11: Religious Prose Writings Eleonora Carinci Part V: Vittoria Colonna as Literary Model and Authority Figure Chapter 12: The Lyric Voices of Vittoria Colonna and the Women of the Giolito Anthologies, 1545–1559 Diana Robin Chapter 13: The Exemplary Vittoria Colonna Virginia Cox Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA must-have for every fan of literature, Booked inspires readers to follow in their favorite characters footsteps by visiting the real-life locations portrayed in beloved novels including the Monroeville, Alabama courthouse in To Kill a Mockingbird, Chatsworth House, the inspiration for Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice, and the Kyoto Bridge from Memoirs of a Geisha. The full-color photographs throughout reveal the settings readers have imagined again and again in their favorite books. Organized by regions all around the world, author Richard Kreitner explains the importance of each literary landmark including the connection to the author and novel, cultural significance, historical information, and little-known facts about the location. He also includes travel advice like addresses and must-see spots.Booked features special sections on cities that inspired countless literary works like a round of locations in Brooklyn from Be

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Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, a review quiz and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.

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Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.

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Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.

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Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.

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Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.

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Book SynopsisThe Mother of All Booklists: The 500 Most Recommended Nonfiction Reads for Ages 3 to 103 is written for parents, grandparents, and teachers unfamiliar with the bewildering array of award and recommended reading lists. This book is a long overdue composite of all the major booklists. It brings together over 100 of the most influential book awards and reading lists from leading magazines, newspapers, reference books, schools, libraries, parenting organizations, and professional groups from across the country. The Mother of All Booklists is to reading books what the website Rotten Tomatoes is to watching moviesthe ultimate, one-stop, synthesizing resource for finding out what is best. Mother is not the opinion of one book critic, but the aggregate opinion of an army of critics. Organized into five age group lists each with one hundred bookspreschoolers (ages 3-5), early readers (ages 5-9), middle readers (ages 9-13), young adults (ages 13-17), and adults (ages 18+)The Mother of All BookliTrade ReviewNonfiction, especially children’s, is a buzzword at the moment, thanks to the Common Core State Standards. And for a few years now, more authors and publishers have been answering the call and writing exceptional informational books. In an effort to separate the wheat from the chaff in a very crowded genre, bookstore owner and former education professor Martin has compiled this hefty guide to the 500 most recommended nonfiction books for ages 3 to 103. What makes the list stand out is that it culls from more than 100 other authorities (annual awards as well as recommendations from noteworthy sources including librarians, teachers, magazines, and more), providing a vast number of diverse points of view. Covers are shown and titles are annotated and there is a great multicultural representation. The book is divided into appropriate sections (e.g., preschoolers, early readers, young adults, etc.). . . .VERDICT Appropriate as an additional purchase for a parent-teacher collection. * Library Journal *Building on the current focus on nonfiction in schools, former education professor and bookstore owner Martin creates The Mother of All Booklists by offering citations and annotations for 500 of the most recommended nonfiction books. This unique booklist is particularly valuable because it does not rely on one person's view or even group opinion; the author created his rankings by compiling information from 155 awards and reading lists. For each of five age categories, sections comprise the top 100 most-cited works from all the sources. The brief annotations are conversational in tone, give a comprehensive overview of the work, and often end with a comment on the types of readers who would most likely connect to it. Topping off the useful information that this text offers, a 'Special Interests' section groups the titles into broad subject categories (e.g., 'Adventure,' 'Biography,' 'Nature'), and another features biographical sketches of 25 selected nonfiction authors. Other booklists abound, but the approach the author uses to collect data and his organizational scheme make this one stand out. Ideal for librarians doing readers' advisory or collection development and appealing to general audiences too, Martin's booklist will prove to be a staple for identifying good books. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, teachers, and librarians. * CHOICE *William Patrick Martin, former education professor at Temple and Monmouth Universities and unabashed book lover, has put together an attractive, informative, well-organized and readable collection that includes thumbnail covers and descriptions of the best available books of nonfiction written in English. . . .The Mother of All Booklists is a great resource, whether for cross-referencing, investigating, age/subject-appropriate narratives, or simply a pleasurable, random stroll through its interesting and entertaining pages. * Book/Mark Quarterly Review *The Mother of All Booklists is amazing. A valuable resource and a good read in itself! -- Judy Allen, author of Awaiting Developments, winner of the Whitbread Children’s Novel Award and the Friends of the Earth AwardA brilliant, heartfelt, beautifully written and well-chosen compilation of some of the best books for children, teens, and adults. A fabulous resource for teachers, librarians and parents. -- Dianna H. Aston, author of A Rock Is Lively, a Boston Globe’s Best Children’s Book of the YearA treasure trove for lovers of non-fiction! -- Don Brown, award-winning author of He Has Shot the President!: April 14, 1865: The Day John Wilkes Booth Killed President LincolnMartin’s The Mother of All Booklists provides a terrific resource for teachers, students, librarians, and anyone who loves books. Its focus on nonfiction not only caters to professionals looking for Common Core materials, but helps validate the interests of the huge number of readers who have always preferred factual books. Most of all, it’s just a great read, and will send people scurrying to the library. -- Sneed B. Collard, author of Animal Dads, The Prairie Builders, and Sneed B. Collard III's Most Fun Book Ever About LizardsThis is a resource I'll keep nearby, not just to guide my own reading, but as a secret reference to use when people ask me to recommend good books for them to read. Martin’s thorough and smart review of recent nonfiction will make me look smart when I'm asked to talk about books worth reading. This book is a must-have for school and public libraries. Patrons and librarians will wear out this resource in their search for great nonfiction books. Teachers at all levels will also find great value in it. Considering how much information this book contains, it's surprisingly easy to navigate, and the author has anticipated readers' needs by, for example, rearranging the master lists into smaller, subject-defined categories. I also appreciated the short biographies of 25 contemporary authors and the extensive bibliographies at the end of the volume. The annotations are engagingly written, and the range of books included impressive. If this book can't help someone find a nonfiction book they want to read, I don't know what will. -- Chris Crowe, professor of English at Brigham Young University and author of Death Coming Up the HillNow that my children are teenagers, I seem to have forgotten how to select books for kids of any other age. Fortunately, I’m among readers who can “listen to mother” to reliably make choices, and not just for children, but for readers of all ages. The mother in this case is Bill Martin, author of A Lifetime of Fiction: The 500 Most Recommended Reads for Ages 2 to 102 and its nonfiction sequel, The Mother of All Booklists: The 500 Most Recommended Nonfiction Reads for Ages 3 to 103. Bill took on the overwhelming task of delving into the opinions of a legion of book reviewers, and researching multi-year book lists across the board so that his selections represent the combined points of view of critics rather than the opinion of just one or a few. His exceptionally easy-to-use guide enables parents, teachers, and interested readers to quickly select books based on readers’ ages, in five categories, from preschool through adult. Each category contains 100 titles and descriptions. Thank you, Bill, for creating such a valuable resource. Your book will no doubt be one of the most dog-eared in every school and public library. -- Jennifer Keats Curtis, award-winning author of Kali’s Story: An Orphaned Polar Bear RescueA wide ranging and wonderfully varied celebration of nonfiction, proving that this genre provides a rich a nourishing diet to grow the minds of young readers. I wish we had this in the UK! -- Nicola Davies, zoologist, children’s author, one of the original presenters of the BBC wildlife program “The Really Wild Show”This is the most comprehensive and well-organized non-fiction booklist I’ve ever seen. An absolute must-have resource for readers and educators. -- Matt de la Pena, author of the critically-acclaimed young adult novel, The LivingWhat a useful resource William Martin’s The Mother of All Booklists will be! This guide reflects the best of today’s nonfiction for all ages. -- Kay Frydenborg, author of Wild Horse ScientistsFor those of us who know we’re living in the Golden Age of Nonfiction, The Mother of All Booklists is a godsend. Bill Martin has done the heavy lifting for parents, teachers, and devoted readers, providing us with a one-stop source for acclaimed modern nonfiction organized by age, genre, and interest category. Mother testifies to the brilliance, beauty, and sometimes-unbelievability of the Truth found in great nonfiction. -- Gary Golio, author and illustrator of Spirit Seeker, selected as one of the New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading & SharingThe Mother of All Booklists is the mother of all nonfiction best book guides. It belongs in every home, school, community, and university library. -- Greg Grandin, professor of history at New York University and prize-winning author of The Empire of Necessity: Slavery, Freedom, and Deception in the New WorldThe Mother of All Booklists is a well-organized composite of major award and booklists, a great timesaver for accessing the best nonfiction books for any age group. This guide will efficiently help educators, parents, and readers meet Common Core standards. -- Christy Hale, author and illustrator of Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building, a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s BookHow do you find the best nonfiction books for yourself or a child in your life? This well-researched, well-written, comprehensive “mother list” is the perfect place to start. An invaluable resource! -- Deborah Heiligman, author of Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith, winner of the first YALSA excellence in nonfiction awardThink of The Mother of All Booklists as a treasure chest filled with ideas for great reads. William Martin profiles a huge variety of wonderful books sure to inform, entertain, and inspire readers of all ages. -- Barbara Kerley, award-winning author of The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins and A Home For Mr. EmersonTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Preschoolers (Ages 3-5) Chapter 2 Early Readers (Ages 5-9) Chapter 3 Middle Readers (Ages 9-13) Chapter 4 Young Adults (Ages 13-17) Chapter 5 Adults (Ages 18+) Chapter 6 Special Interests Chapter 7 Twenty-Five Contemporary Writers You Should Know Appendix 1 Preschool Booklist Appendix 2 Early Reader Booklist Appendix 3 Middle Reader Booklist Appendix 4 Young Adult Booklist Appendix 5 Adult Booklist Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThis accessible text provides a roadmap for producing a high-quality literature review--an integral part of a successful thesis, dissertation, term paper, or grant proposal. Each step of searching for, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing prior studies is clearly explained and accompanied by user-friendly suggestions, organizational tips, vignettes, and examples of student work. Also featured are excerpts from peer-reviewed quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods articles. This is the first book to focus on crafting different types of reviews (systematic, traditionalânarrative, or hermeneuticâphenomenological) that reflect the writer's research question, methodological choices, and approaches to knowledge. It describes what all reviews have in common and highlights distinct characteristics of each type. The book includes dos and don'ts for evaluating studies and constructing an argument, and software suggestions for locating, organizing, and arranging sources. PedagoTrade Review"The clarity of the text is a strength. The tables and examples of various orientations and approaches are very helpful, especially if students have heard critical comments about other academic areas’ research methods. The chapter on developing arguments and supporting claims (which includes common mistakes to avoid) is particularly instructive. I plan to begin using the book immediately--it is thorough, well written, and will be meaningful to graduate students and professionals.”--Marsha Harman, PhD, Psychology Program, Sam Houston State University "This text adds a unique approach to writing the literature review; it is the only book on the topic that I have seen that connects the review to different research designs. As evidenced by the stories and scenarios throughout the book, it takes a learner-centered approach. I appreciate the use of graphic organizers as well as the chapter summaries in the form of numbered lists.”--Joyce Pittman, PhD, School of Education, Drexel University "This is a wonderful book that is a very user-friendly and effective tool to teach students how to complete a professional literature review. It is easy to follow and targeted toward readers at all academic levels. Each chapter contains simply stated content and great examples, templates, checklists, and group exercises. The checklists and group exercises will be particularly useful to incorporate into in-class work to strengthen student learning.”--Kelli Larsen, PhD, Department of Social Work, Marshall University "This is exactly the book my colleagues and I have been looking for. It thoroughly covers the processes that are important for students to grasp in conducting their literature reviews. Using this book will enable students to produce more rigorous and informed literature reviews than the basic summaries I often see. I like the figures that present information in a visual form as well as the ample examples, which set this book apart."--Stephanie J. Jones, EdD, College of Education, Texas Tech University "A comprehensive, step-to-step guide, this book will be highly useful for master’s and doctoral students in social sciences and education. Students may feel intimidated by the task of writing a literature review, assuming they should already know how to do it and therefore not asking for guidance. The book could be used as a main textbook in academic writing classes or a supplementary source in research classes. It covers both fundamental issues, such as what a literature review is and what it is not, and more sophisticated topics--for example, the author’s voice and positionality, and the importance of revision."--Maja Miskovic, PhD, Professor of Research and Executive Director, Division of Research and Doctoral Programs, Concordia University Chicago -Sometimes, wishful thinking comes too late in life….This easy-to-read, user-friendly book with step-by-step guides would have made an excellent companion for my experiences, both as a research writer and as an instructor….Efron and Ravid, like trailblazers and guides, have mapped out the whole process of research writing in easy steps in their book, Writing the Literature Review--making it easier and more comprehensible for researchers. They have defined parameters of each and every step of the journey….There is an abundance of information out there on literature review writing, but Efron and Ravid's book…is more distinct and conspicuous from the rest because of the simplicity with which this book is developed. I would highly recommend this easy-to-read book to all the instructors who teach Research Writing courses, and to all the graduate and doctoral students who are venturing out on their journey of the literature review writing processes.--Inquiry in Education, 4/1/2019Table of Contents1. What Is a Literature Review? 2. Different Orientations to a Literature Review 3. Choosing a Review Topic and Formulating a Research Question 4. Locating and Organizing Research Sources 5. Selecting, Analyzing, and Keeping Notes of Sources 6. Evaluating Research Articles 7. Structuring and Organizing the Literature Review 8. Developing Arguments and Supporting Claims 9. Synthesizing and Interpreting the Literature 10. The Writer Voice and the Writing Process 11. Acknowledging Sources: Citations, Quotations, and Plagiarism 12. Putting It All Together References Index

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Book SynopsisThis volume critically investigates current topics and disciplines that are affected, enriched or put into dispute by the burgeoning scholarship on Animal Studies.

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Book SynopsisThe Case of Sherlock Holmes' uncovers what is untold, partly told, wrongly told, or deliberately concealed in Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes saga.

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Book SynopsisWhat is steampunk? Going beyond the standard default definitions of Victorian science fiction, yesterday's tomorrow today, or some other equally vague or limited description, Steampunk FAQ provides a historical exploration of its literary and cinematic origins. The journey begins with a look at steampunk's genesis in the novels and short stories of three Californians who hung out a lot with Philip K. Dick, before moving on to the inspirations and antecedents of steampunk. Contrary to what many articles and books say, steampunk's direct inspiration is arguably far more cinematic than literary, a likely reaction to the many film adaptations, pastiches, and knockoffs of the scientific romances of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. While Verne, Wells, and a host of other Victorian and Edwardian writers have influenced steampunk fiction, cinematic elements from films such as Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and George Pal's Time Machine (1960) show up more often as immediate influences on the style we call steampunk. In offering a celebration of steampunk's style and cultural aesthetic, Steampunk FAQ also explores its connection to cyberpunk, the world of fashion, comics, and culture around the world.

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Book SynopsisAstra Magazine is the new literary magazine of the moment, a must-read for anyone interested in the most vital contemporary literature from around the world. Astra Magazine connects readers and writers from New York to Mexico City, Lagos to Berlin, Copenhagen to Singapore and beyond. Each issue contains prose, poetry, art and comics, artfully produced on silky smooth paper with luxurious French flaps. It's the most covetable accessory of the fall — dark and playful, pretty and smart. The Filth issue features work by Elif Batuman, Sheila Heti, Raven Leilani, Aracelis Girmay, Samuel R. Delany, Brontez Purnell, Wayne Koestenbaum, Clarice Lispector, McKenzie Wark, Mariana Enríquez, Safiya Sinclair, Maggie Millner, and many more. There is a moral element to filth. It is both what we have been taught to hide, and the subversive pleasure in revealing it. Many of the writers in this issue are queer or trans or otherwise outsiders. When you are taught that an intrinsic part of you is shameful, you find power in that shame. All that filth, compressed by the pressure, sparkles like diamonds when it is let it into the light. Have you ever felt the relief of telling your own secrets? There’s a reason why people revel in their own filth. It’s a place for revellingTrade Review“Astra argues for reviving the pleasure of engaging with literature while also holding a beautifully made object.”— T Magazine"A tour of contemporary international literature for the price of a single paperback. If you’re bored by a certain sameness, a deflating parochial quality to what you’ve been reading lately, give Astra a chance."— Ron Charles, The Washinton Post"A who's who of global superstar writers."— NY Post“Astra is like a gorgeously curated jewel-box you can’t wait to unpack. There is no other magazine like this.”— ELIF BATUMAN, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Possessed, The Idiot, and the forthcoming novel, Either/Or.“Destined to shine brightly in the literary firmament, Astra Magazine is here to remind us that we should always read and write with a joyful disregard for borders of any kind.”— HERNAN DIAZ, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of In the Distance and Trust"Astra is the magazine we need right now. It’s full of stunning work from a broad range of voices, a magazine both intimate and universal, in the way all good writing is."— NATHAN ENGLANDER, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of For the Relief of Unbearable Urges and What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank“As a writer whose work is often difficult to classify, I am attracted to Astra Magazine’s agenda of publishing writers who exist in the ”inter,” whose writing defies neat categorization. The debut ”Ecstasy” issue is stirring in its international orientation & ambitious in its scope and content. ”— LAURA LINDSTEDT, Finlandia Prize winning author of Oneiron and My Friend Natalia“Astra Magazine is vital. As an American citizen born outside the US, I am especially attracted to their idea of publishing writing that rejects borders, and that a writer should not, can not, represent an entire country. The first issue allows space for each extraordinary writer to speak only for themselves.”— IMBOLO MBUE, Bestselling author of Behold the Dreamers and How Beautiful We Were

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Book SynopsisDiscover artifacts from a thousand generations of Jedi history in this must-have guide to the galaxy's greatest heroes! A collection of treasures inspired by the galaxy's most legendary warriors, Star Wars: Jedi Ephemera Kit will take readers on a thrilling journey through the history of the Jedi Order. From the heroic days of the High Republic, to the eras of Ahsoka Tano, Luke Skywalker, and Rey, Star Wars: Jedi Ephemera Kit compiles exquisite artifacts inspired by the Jedi and their valiant adventures.

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Book SynopsisBarry Forshaw is acknowledged as a leading expert on crime fiction from European countries, but his principal area of expertise is in the British crime arena. After the success of earlier entries in the series, Nordic Noir and Euro Noir, he returns to the UK to produce the perfect reader's guide to modern British crime fiction. Every major living British writer is considered, often through a concentration on one or two key books, and exciting new talents are highlighted for the reader. Forshaw's personal acquaintance with writers, editors and publishers is unparalleled, so Brit Noir features interviews with (and quotations from) the writers, editors and publishers themselves.Trade ReviewUnsurprisingly Barry Forshaw's Brit Noir is a wonderful reference book that any self-respecting and serious connoisseur of crime fiction needs to have on their book-shelf -- Ayo Onatade * Shots Magazine *UK critic-author Barry Forshaw long ago established himself as an authority on English-translated Nordic mysteries, producing the guide Nordic Noir in 2013, which he followed up a year later with Euro Noir. Now comes Brit Noir: The Pocket Essential Guide to the Crime Fiction, Film & TV of the British Isles (Oldcastle/Pocket Essentials) -- J. Kingston Pierce * The Rap Sheet *Brit Noir is a book to dip into but also, as I did, to read from cover to cover. I've always considered Forshaw to be an honest reviewer and the book very much reflects his personality. It made the book a stimulating and, at times, amusing read -- Sarah Ward * Crime Pieces *very glad indeed to have a copy of this short and snappy book on my shelves -- Martin Edwards * Do You Write Under Your Own Name? *A must-have for crime fans: for reminding yourself about old favourites, for finding new authors, and for that 'What shall we watch?' moment -- Marsali Taylor * The Mystery People *

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Book SynopsisWith the republication of Garth St Omer's novels, around fifty years after their original publication, a new generation of readers has been discovering how modern a writer he is, whilst others have been remembering just how good the novels are. These qualities are documented in this casebook that brings together reviews from the time of first publication, later critical assessments, personal memories and contemporary re-assessments of St Omer's small but important body of work.

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Book SynopsisAll roads lead to Rome, the eternal city, the centre of Christendom, the lodestone of the pilgrim and the artist, the seat of the only Empire that has ever succeeded in uniting the European landmass. No literate traveller can escape its fascination, and many get drawn back year after year. Despite the triumphant remains of the forum, Imperial arch, public baths, gilded basilica and palace, it is only the bright flame of passion-filled poetry that can bring it to life. Glyn Pursglove has woven a delicate tapestry of ancient, medieval and modern poetry, from Virgil to Pasolini. It is a truly Olympian cast enough to fill the Pantheon, whose voices magically echo the city and its lessons to us. Who can equal the sensuality, power and crude honesty of Martial and Catullus. An extraordinary treat to read these masters of hungry sexuality, not banished amongst the ancient histories and the classics, but brought hungrily to life beside their poet peers.

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Book SynopsisStuff Dublin into your coat pocket. The perfect companion for a visit to the Fair City, or indeed to any inn, bar or cafe in Ireland. Some of the greatest writers in the English language were born in Dublin and every corner of the city has links with the written word, made explicit in this far-ranging collection. From Oscar Wilde to Rudyard Kipling, from Jonathan Swift to WB Yeats and Samuel Beckett: the city of Dublin has enchanted and inspired some great poetry.

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Book Synopsis'Tell me where you eat, what you eat, and at what time you eat, and I will tell you who you are'. This is the motto of Anka Muhlstein's erudite and witty book about the ways food and the art of the table feature in Honore de Balzac's writings. It is not a coincidence that Balzac was the first in French literature to tackle this appetizing topic. Before the French Revolution, a traveller in France was apt to find local food scarce, tasteless, and of doubtful appearance. Restaurants did not even exist! Just as the art of the table became a centrepiece of French mores, Balzac used it as a connecting thread in his novels, showing how food can evoke character, atmosphere, class, and social climbing. Full of surprise and insights, "Balzac's Omelette" invites you to taste a new French literature and cuisine.Trade Review'Anka Muhlstein's compact, elegantly written, illustrated and printed book makes me want to... revisit some of my favourite French cookbooks... not to be read with a depleted larder, or empty stomach.' -- Cyrus Todiwala

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Book SynopsisBetween 1400 and 1650 Scotland underwent a series of drastic changes, in court, culture, and religion. Renaissance and Reformation, the Union of the Crowns, and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms all shaped the nation, shifting and recasting Scotland's established relationships with Europe, the Mediterranean world, and with England. This International Companion traces the impact of these sweeping historical transformations on Scotland's literatures, in English, Gaelic, Latin and Scots, and provides a comprehensive overview to the major cultural developments of this turbulent age.

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