Showing results by publisher "Recorded Books" in Words, Language & Grammar

A baby is found by wood nymphs in the forest of Burzee. They raise him as their own and give him the name Neclaus. When he grows up, Neclaus has to leave the forest so he makes a home for himself in the laughing valley of Hohaha, where he lives amongst humans for the first time. He discovers there that many children are very poor and neglected so, to cheer them up, he whittles wooden toys as gifts. Eventually he makes presents for all the children and so the story of Santa Claus is born.

Like its predecessor, Vocabulary Energizers II builds vocabulary by presenting the fascinating histories behind those words we need for more effective communication and comprehension. Focusing on a core of 100 words and their back ground stories, the author links these words with hundreds of synonyms and antonyms.

Zane Grey, an author synonymous with the daring tales of the Wild West, delivers an exciting tale in this phenomenal best-seller, The U.P. Trail. As the country changes around them, a group of Wyoming residents ban together to fight the coming of the Union Pacific Railroad. But railroad engineer Warren Neale, struggling against the terrain, the climate, the populace and even his girlfriend’s abduction, is determined to see his project to completion.

Legendary writer Zane Grey earned legions of devoted fans with his gritty westerns. In To the Last Man, he dramatizes the events of the Pleasant Valley War of Arizona, a bloody feud that nearly wiped two families off the face of the Earth. Jean Isbel has settled in Oregon and is growing comfortable with his new home when an urgent letter arrives from his father. Trouble is brewing in Arizona between the Isbel cattlemen and the Jorth clan of sheepmen. Rushing to his father’s side, Jean arrives just before the first bullets start flying. But matters are complicated when Jean and Ellen Jorth, daughter of the sheepmen’s leader, fall in love.

The renowned author of Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, made his literary debut with the 1921 classic Crome Yellow. Set in post-WWI England, this perennial favorite satirizes the fads and fashions of the time with the tale of a hapless couple who join a colorful mix of British aristocrats attending a party at a rural country estate.

In The Dictionary Wars, Peter Martin recounts the patriotic fervor in the early American republic to produce a definitive national dictionary that would rival Samuel Johnson's 1755 Dictionary of the English Language. But what began as a cultural war of independence from Britain devolved into a battle among lexicographers, authors, scholars, and publishers, all vying for dictionary supremacy and shattering forever the dream of a unified American language.

At 7:30 a.m. on June 16, 1944, George Junius Stinney, Jr., was escorted by four guards to the death chamber. Wearing socks but no shoes, the 14-year-old Black boy walked with his Bible tucked under his arm. The guards strapped his slight, five-foot-one-inch frame into the electric chair. His small size made it difficult to affix the electrode to his right leg and the face mask, which was clearly too large, fell to the floor when the executioner flipped the switch. That day, George Stinney became the youngest person executed in the United States during the 20th century.  

Ever wonder what makes us buy from a certain salesperson or prefer one TV news announcer over another? In each case, a human voice is subtly captivating our ear and commanding our attention. Now celebrity voice coach Renee Grant-Williams reveals the trade secrets behind those persuasive voices and shows listeners how to apply positive vocal techniques to business and personal situations. Much more than a guide to proper breathing or voice projection, this is a life-altering "owner's manual" to unleashing and directing the powers of communication within one's speaking voice.

This essential guide is the first of its kind to chart a path to publication that is writer led, community based, and accessible to all. How to Submit speaks to writers who want to publish short stories, essays, or poems in literary magazines, as well as to those looking for a fresh route to publishing a full-length book. Whether you’re a first-time submitter or you have experience sending out your work, How to Submit provides you with the tools and knowledge to successfully share your writing. 

On any given day, at any given hour, across the various platforms constituting what we call social media, someone is angry. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. Reddit. 4Chan. In The Rhetoric of Outrage: Why Social Media Is Making Us Angry, Jeff Rice addresses the critical question of why anger has become the dominant digital response on social media. He examines the theoretical and rhetorical explanations for the intense rage that prevails across platforms and sheds new light on how our anger is not merely a reaction against singular events but generated out of aggregated beliefs and ideas.

A moving reflection on a subject that touches us all, by the best-selling author of Claire of the Sea Light. Edwidge 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. A moving tribute and a work of astute criticism, The Art of Death is an audiobook that will profoundly alter all who encounter it.

Janet Allen provides an inside look at some of the problems faced by teenagers in the classroom from the viewpoint of a teacher. This practical "how-to" audiobook will appeal to teachers, parents, and anyone else concerned about indifferent or hostile students. The author enters the teaching profession with plans for sharing her love of literature with her high school English class. The first day shatters her dreams. Instead of having a roomful of students eager to learn, she is faced with teenagers who not only never read Shakespeare, they never read anything.

When Orange County, Florida, began its Literacy Project in 1994, Kyle Gonzalez set out to instill the lifelong joy of reading into her at-risk middle school students. She and Janet Allen delved into research and studied classroom approaches. As they reflected on the results, they discovered effective strategies that turn nonreaders into the most avid bookworms.

In this collection of essays woven with poems and folklore, author Judith Ortiz Cofer tells the story of how she became a poet and writer. She explores her love of words, her discovery of the magic of language, and her struggle to carve out time to practice her art. Cofer recalls the family cuentos, or stories, that inspire her and shows how they speak to all artists, women, and people. Her story and encouragement to pursue our passions are invaluable resources for everyone.

This highly respected veteran newsman shares the stories he's long kept under wraps. Schieffer goes beyond the news everyone is familiar with to share the compelling anecdotes only his colleagues were previously privy to. Says the author, "I want to tell you about the parts that didn't get on television or in the paper." The result is an eye-opening glimpse behind the scenes of the news business.

Drawing on his journey as an author, collaborative writer, and decade-long tenure as a memoir writing workshop instructor, Chris Epting offers invaluable insights and practical advice to guide writers to their unique voice and shape their personal stories. This book delves into the essential aspects of memoir writing, from uncovering inspiration to developing compelling narratives to organizing and structuring the autobiographical narrative for maximum emotional impact.

Even though artificial intelligence is based on a technology called “machine learning,” computers can’t learn to be creative—but you can. This book will show you the way. AI is, by definition, derivative, not creative. It can’t bring rational judgment to determine the quality or value of its work. When you bring those capabilities to your writing, your stories will touch listeners’ hearts and minds.