Language Arts Books

If you want to make it as a screenwriter, you MUST read this book. Not only is it chock full of great info, inside advice and suggestions for strategies that will work for you... it is a REALLY FUN READ! The author does a great job of grabbing your attention, and making you want to hold on for dear life as he takes you inside the Hollywood system and tells it like it is, dirty laundry and all. By the time you get done with this book, you will know what to do, what not to do, and how to persuade others to see things your way in pitch meetings, that you are SURE to B$ A SCRIPT SALE! Filled with advice you can USE, information that will help you succeed, and strategies for B$'ing that will get you to where you want to be in less time, with less pain and aggravation along the way. A truly necessary resource for ANY serious screenwriter!
MARIE JONES, Screenwriter and Book Reviewer, ABSOLUTEWRITE.COM and BOOKIDEAS.COM

This ebook focuses on the best strategies on how to write a good screenplay to sell. It is comprehensible with up-to-date information and exceptionally inspirational. When you think on how to write a good screenplay a lot of things come to mind but Paul Sinor has compile for us the most important survival tips to win in this game. There is no doubt that this book will inspire anyone to be a screenwriter or to become a better one. There is an unbeatable combination that only Paul Sinor can compose for you to begin your journey at the same time that your own drive, ambitions and writing skill will expand like you never seeing it before.

Those who buy this book will be fortunate enough to learn about the screenwriting trade and expand their horizon whether it is for writing or just for education. Don't hesitate to get it today.

This is a great read... I think that it's a great book for a screenwriter to have especially when you don't live in a city that lives and breathes the film industry. It does give you a step up in a great direction and I highly recommend it!

Excellent book!!! A must read for anyone looking to get there screenplay into Hollywood. The entertainment business is tough but Paul Sinor makes it a lot easier and a lot more manageable with his new book. It covers everything you could possibly think of, from the role agents, managers and attorneys play to finding the right production company and negotiating a contract. The best part is, you don't have to live in Hollywood to get someone to read your screenplay. There's an entire chapter on what to do if you don't live in Hollywood. If you are serious about writing screenplays and breaking into the entertainment industry then this book is definitely for you!!

I am a screenwriter for over 10 years and recently I've just bought this easy download e-book "B$ Your Script Sale". Every single tip that Sinor mentions in the book is valuable! They are true to life tactics that I think every screenwriter in town should know to get the best deal out of their script sale. How I wish I have the book 10 years ago! Nice page design and layout as well. It makes the whole reading experience more fun and interesting!!! Two thumbs up!!

Now in an updated second edition, B. S. Detecting: The Flip Side of Success-Possible Communicating is a treasury of information everybody needs to know about how language (and other forms of communication, but language in particular) can be abused and misused, whether intentionally or obliviously. A simple color-coding of different types of speech (silver = verifiable facts, black = demands and orders, white = important truths that are left out, red = emotionally angry speech, brown = plain old B.S., etc.) is the precursor to an in-depth, layman's terms guide to language abuses ranging from misunderstandings to manipulations to pathological behavior. B. S. Detecting is more than simply learning to beware the high-pressure salesman threatening to take away the "limited-time" deal or the Isolator who lures new people into his group by excluding and villifying others (the worst Isolators include drug pushers and cult leaders); it also includes ways to focus on communication problems, and know when to make overtures or when to recognize that an individual is simply too disturbed to deal with. B. S. Detecting especially mentions solid advice for discerning whether a person will be a compatible and trustworthy mate (hint: if he won't give you verifiable details about his address, phone number, family, or job he's probably a con man or worse) but also applies to sifting through lies, manipulative dogma, and half-truths in every aspect of life. And when one is dealing with an honest person, B. S. Detecting gives practical tools to mediate disagreements - especially Operational Definitions (clarifying the initial definitions both parties are working from) and Anecdotal Reporting (a meticulous description of a series of actions, comments, and responses in order to discover patterns). B. S. Detecting is quite literally a self-help manual for dealing with the complexities of human beings. In a world where increasingly savvy con artists cannot be identified by their appearance or mannerisms, B. S. Detecting gives the reader need-to-know information to sift the truth from a line, and warns that no one can B. S. you as thoroughly as you can B. S. yourself. Unless you are a hermit with zero contact with any and all other human beings, B. S. Detecting is an absolute "must-read".

This is a defense manual for everyday life! The book's interactive, with each chapter's method of detecting and coping with words clearly and vividly explained. The concepts in it provide skills that empower the reader, and can improve your life!

To get us out of the "error messages and gobbledygook" we so often fall into, this book gives clear, practical, fun-to-read
specific guides to communicating more effectively. Among the 17
chapters, "What do you mean, he loves you?" "Says Who?" and "Who
started the fight?" Valuable reading for everyone! Highly
recommended.
Leon Fletcher, author of How to Speak Like a Pro,and How to Design and Deliver Speeches.

I purchased this book as a graduation gift for my granddaughter. Of course, I had to read it first, just to check it out. ;)

I wish I'd known before what this book reveals. Mz Thompson's behind-the-scenes knowledge of the ad industry, how to use and misuse words to entice us to "buy" what someone is selling, whether it's a product or just some B.S. was enlightening.

I hope she writes another one. I'd purchase that one too.

If you know a parent struggling with communicating with teenagers or preteens, this book would be a real help. And any
married couple would find it helpful in discussing decisions or disagreements without loss of harmony.
The book would also be a boon to a youngster. Remember all the difficult situations when you weren't sure what to say, or what to make of what was said to you? Imagine having a book that could tell you how to use words to help you progress in life, and how to deal with verbal abuse!

This book served me well through middle school and high school, and is now being used in college. Lucid, well-indexed, concise, yet detailed enough to be useful to students of all levels, this book cannot be recommended highly enough.

Unfortunately, it has not been updated in many years, and lacks information on how to cite electronic resources, etc. It's still worth buying if you can find a copy, though.

This book is great! I used it as a high school, and college student, and now I refer to it as a college teacher. I like to remind my students when they write papers that there are resources like this available.

I have used this book as a reference for the past 15 years! I was hoping to get another copy for my office, as I was fearful of misplacing my ancient high school copy. What a shame it is now out of print.

Basic English Revisited: A Student Handbook was a required resource by my english teacher when I was a junior in high school. Not only did the book prove useful for her class, but for my life even after graduation. The mark of a truly valuable book is one that keeps revealing information in new ways during the passage of time; you can go back to it, in other words, learning new information in new ways. "Basic English Revisited" is one of those books.

The book is designed to span all aspects of writing, from simple punctuation to the authoring of a theme paper. Every rule for every punctuation mark is explained, complete with examples. How many people do you know that really know how to write using semi-colons? Sentence structure are covered, as well as paragraph formation, bibliographies, etcetera.

This is a book worth searching for. If you can find a copy - even with a shabby cover - latch onto it and don't let go. You won't be sorry. I promise.

This is an excellent book for students. It has been very useful & insightful not only for myself but also my son. I have had this book for over 14 years & have used it many times to help my son understand more about language arts. This book was first given to me when I was a junior in high school and I can't thank my teacher enough for the years of use it has given me. Altough I wish it was a bit more updated in some aspects I still love it. I'm sure my son will continue to use it and my young daughter will also enjoy it's use. It's like having your English taecher standing over your shoulder reminding you of all the rules & helping you when you forget.

This book is a magnificent addition to our book club! Reading through it I found many great ideas to implement into our group. I love the recommended reading with the reviews, and the recipes. I was especally thrilled with the ideas on how to turn the book club meetings into events that everyone really looks forward to.
I started using the book right away and it comes along now to every meeting! If you have a book group, this is a must have!

I bought this book a few years ago while browsing for book group picks at my local book store. I have to say, it has become a great source for suggestions for my book groups. While I may not actually use the grups for the meetings, a group meeting in members' homes might really wear this one out--with its recipes and themed meetings, and even tips about pet behavior!
I often just pick this one up when I need something to read myself. Indispensible.

I love books about books. I love books about book clubs. Fiction, or non-fiction. Diana got everything perfect in this Book Club Companion. I've been in a book club for 5 years. She addresses everything we've encountered except what to do when my birds want to sing through our discussion! I could not put this book down. The book reviews/suggestions are very helpful. I know this because my group has done many of the suggested titles and I have read even more of them on my own. Her handling of book group problems is candid and gracious. The questions she asked the authors were more unusual than most. Her scrapbook/keepsake suggestions are the only things at which I truly excel ~ I've been keeping a scrapbook since my group began and have just started a 2nd one because the 1st one popped its binding! What is really wonderful about this book is that I will never forget a title I'm interested in reading; all I have to do is pick this up. Thank you, Diana! I look forward to meeting you when you come to my library!

When I thumbed through this book, I discovered that many of the suggested titles were among my favorites. So I have been reading a number of books from Loevy's lists, some familiar and some unfamiliar, and I have grown to trust her suggestions. Although I belong to a book club, I am less interested in the recipes and some of the articles about book club etiquette, such as whether to have pets present at meetings or not. The entry on pros and cons of knitting during discussion brought chuckles from the knitters in my book club. They did agree that if a famous author were one of our guests, the knitting would stop!

This informative and interesting book is a great guide to many different books that most book clubs will love, especially if they have eclectic tastes. It also includes an amusing feature that lists what books were popular in book clubs in various decades past. Many books are profiled very well, and some are books that have recently come back into print.

My title says it best. Twenty-four hours with this book was like Manna from Heaven! It answered so many of my questions, yet managed to raise (and answer) questions that I didn't know to ask. Best of all, not only does the author advocate the POD-life, he lives it. Thanks to his insights and my additional research on the topic, my company will also thrive in the POD world! Thanks Bruce!!!

This is a morale builder, a practical and encouraging how-to for selling books in an industry completely transformed by digital technology. Most authors set out to be writers, not marketers, and, faced with repeated rejection of their work by a series of publishers, turn only reluctantly to self-publishing. While past guides to self-publishing have dwelt on the art of haggling with bookstore owners over credit for returned books (how much scuffing of the cover is too much, etc), Batchelor reveals surprising new opportunities, and shows how authors take advantage of the changing situation. He notes, for example, that publishers have traditionally rejected manuscripts on the basis that they are written for audiences that are "too narrow." The internet has turned that upside down by making it practical to identify and sell to niche audiences. Thank goodness! This book is stuffed with information about the changing structure of the publishing business, who does what, relative costs, how to figure out what to do, and then how to go about it. This is what the overwhelmed author needs to figure out a rewarding course of action. Good stuff.

Author Bruce Batchelor, a publisher and consultant, has done a nice job of distilling his wisdom into 180 pages that spell out how an author can successfully market a book. Using examples from his experience as a publishing industry pioneer and the advice of many top selling authors, Batchelor provides the reader with a smart and sound format on how to market your book.

It often comes as a shock when newly published authors discover that they must bear most of the burden of marketing their books to the general reading public -- even if they are fortunate enough to be published by one of the major New York publishing firms like Random House, Simon & Schuster or Penguin-Putnam. For self-published authors that marketing responsibility is completely theirs. Most authors are aware of the many 'how to' books that are available to them for the purpose of helping them master the craft of writing, There are also instruction books on turning raw manuscripts into finished books. What is not so obvious is that there are a number of excellent instructional guides for authors on how to market their books after they have been published. One of the best of these marketing manuals is "Book Marketing De-Mystified" by Bruce Batchelor, the man who founded Trafford (Canadian based and one of the larger POD companies servicing North America) and is widely acknowledged as the creator of the print-on-demand (POD) publishing process that has shattered the book publishing monopoly of the traditional publishing firms by allowing anyone to easily become their own publisher. This 167-page compendium of practical advice offers an especially 'user friendly' introduction to the art and science of book marketing because of its conversational style, it comprehensive coverage of book marketing issues, and Bruce Batchelor's unique perspective. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is positively cited (page 120) as a resource for authors and independent publishers. "Book Marketing De-Mystified" is especially useful in terms of its discussion of where to sell books, price/value setting, personal sales, paid advertising, sales promotions, publicity and public relations. Simply stated, every author and every small press publisher needs to have a competent marketing plan -- and Bruce Batchelor's "Book Marketing De-Mystified" specifically and effectively addresses that need.

Reading this book is like having the pieces of a puzzle come together! I started my book 18 months ago and after reading BMD I was inspired to finish it and make a marketing plan that reflects my goals and is actually achievable. Whether you are an indie POD author or working with a big name publisher, this book provides a wealth of information that helps anyone understand the publishing world. It is full of specific information, real ideas and examples and it really gets you thinking about how you might market your own book. A must have for any author.

This book is not perfect. There are suggestions that I think are ridiculous, like you must read 100 books in your chosen genre before starting to write your own novel. Yes, read the books, but get writing as well. Yet, the point is well taken, if a bit skewed. Yes, you should be well read, in your chosen genre and in others as well, if you want to have an original voice.

This book is not perfect, but there are enough gems, that I want to finish the book and buy her other book as well. It is clear that she is a writer who has spent many nights in the trenches, who loves writing and wants to encourage others to write. She, however, pulls no punches in telling you that you must be well equipped to make the commitment to writing, to make time, and do the work.

This will probably become a classic in its genre.

Chapter After Chapter is a winner. I keep this and Heather Sellers other book Page after Page on my writing desk as a reminder of what the writing process is all about. It was like having a good friend by my side encouraging me to keep at it. Heather breaks down the writing process into doable pieces. Not since Bird by Bird have I read a book on writing that's stimulated my brain intellectually and technically as well as being a pleasure to read.

The best part about "Chapter After Chapter" is that Sellers assures writers that they are not alone, and that great works need time to create. This may not be the book for those who are into the "novel in 30 days" school, but it does offer a perspective that can help bring one up to speed. The book is a winner, a sigh of relief.

Update: I've been re-reading this book until now, months after I first picked up the book. I may sound like a gushing high-schooler, but I can't believe that a book can reassure me the way "Chapter After Chapter" does. I'm almost done with the writing of my next graphic novel, and Heather Sellers' words help keep me going.

I always go back to her impressions about dealing with writer's block, warding off tempting new story ideas and learning more about the craft. When it comes to writing projects, I have a hard time finishing what I start, so her musings about having a relationship with your book are dead-on.

I tried reading this book but I found it to
be too cutesy. She also picks on people
that had a tragic childhood after a famous
writer comes to her class and tells a student
that if she didn't go through bad things as
a child, she couldn't be a writer. I disagreed
with this writer as well as Sellers who then
blames these types of writers for her lack
of success. I really hate it when writers
write books and then make their own writing
experiences as the absolute GOSPEL for other
would-be writers( i.e. not needing an agent to
get published, how much money you can expect to
make, which is different for her than most people
because she wrote a poetry book, etc.)
Although she does give good pointers on how to
overcome writer's block, I found much of the
same information in Victoria Nelson's On Writer's
Block, which she recommends in the back of her
Page after Page book. I found Nelson's information
to be more concise whereas Sellers was more general.

I gave her three stars for effort but if you are
serious about becoming unblocked then read Victoria
Nelson's On Writer's Block.

Well-written, motivating, at times a bit talky, but still way above the average for 'How to Write' kind of books... That's pretty much how I'd sum up this book. Also, it's oddly good. Never since Stephen King's "On Writing" have I actually enjoyed reading a book like this simply to read the writer's prose. Seller's writing is quirky and fresh, and I will soon be buying more of her books.

Now onto the meat and potatoes. The book is motivation on paper, pure and simple. I actually was unable to finish certain sections because parts of the book had me so excited to do my own writing that long stretches of time passed before I was able to find time to read this again. Every chapter had something different, and overall helpful, to say, ending with a skill-enhancing exercise. I found these exercises to be the most interesting part of the book, and--for me--made it so darn good. I have to say though; not every chapter will help every person. I found myself skipping more than one chapter, feeling the information didn't apply to me. Every writer is different, and will take the advice in a different way. Not to mention, it's a very attractive book. The design of the pages is very handsome, and is what initially drove me to pick up this book.

So, to sum this up quickly, you don't get much better than this (other than the previously mentioned "On Writing"). If you're writing a novel, a collection of short stories/essays, or your ten-thousand (eek) page autobiography, this book is for you. Plain and simple, it'll help you avoid writer's block and push you to do what you need to do to get your dream job done.

9/10

Glyer's book provides valuable insight for fans and scholars of The Inklings collective works. She has a fresh slant on material that most Tolkien and Lewis readers have seen in other formats. Her agenda, though, presents the idea of "influence" in a changing light. I think that she opens doors of critcical opportunity that will allow much more fruitful sorts of investigations of Lewis, Tolkien, and William's work.

The Company They Keep is scholarly writing at it's best. I used it with gifted high schoolers with excellent results. The students became excited about how Glyer did such extensive research and then wrote about it in such an interesting and readable way.

The fantasy literature of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein is so imaginative and idiosyncratic that one accepts that they wrote such lasting works somewhat obstinately and mainly privately almost as a hobby with little hope they would ever be published, much less popular. The picture of J. R. Rowling writing the beginnings of the first Harry Potter book sitting along at a table in an English shop comes to mind with this image of the earlier authors. Lewis and Tolkein are known to be good friends as well as professional colleagues at Oxford University. But as professor of English at Azusa Pacific U. in California Glyer puts forward, Lewis and Tolkein were part of a circle of academics and writers who had a large, discernible, and often documented influence on their works. From diaries, memoirs, letters, and other sources, Glyer finds that this influence is most evident with Tolkein. This circle which acquired the name "The Inklings," "modeled the behavior of poets and storytellers, provided feedback on his drafts, helped him develop his own critical faculties, recommended reading material that supported and shaped his imagination, and suggested that certain pieces be started, reworked, completed, or submitted for publication." Glyer continues, "It is no small matter that all of this early influence took place within a highly interactive group setting." What the author says with respect to Tolkein applies as well to Lewis, though not quite so overtly recognizably. In their turn, Tolkein and Lewis were active participants in the group offering the same support and suggestions to its other members. Shortly after arriving at Oxford as a student, Tolkein founded the literary society named the "Apolausticks."

In an appendix by a David Bratman, relevant background on 17 members of the Inklings besides Tolkein and Lewis is given. Most became university professors of English or medieval literature or of language studies, with most doing scholarly writings on literary criticism. This work of literary criticism and author biography is obviously timely given the current interest in these authors as evidenced by widely-popular movies made from books of theirs.

This book shows scholarly intellect, hard work, dedication, and insightful thought that I have only achieved in lofty dreams. Diana Glyer presents interesting, insiteful, and inspiring information about the Inklings that you will not find anywhere else. I have never read a book that so skillfully puts scholarship in such an accessable read. For anyone who is a fan of the Inklings, Lewis, Tolkien, Williams, or anyone remotely related to these men do yourself a favor and read this book.

Glyer has put together an incredibly researched study of the relationships of "The Inklings," the social gathering that included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien among others. "The Company They Keep" is not a casual read for the Narnia fan; it is a scholarly exposition of the influence that the Inklings had upon one another and the way that that influence appears in their works.

Using a formula for determining influence created by another scholar, Karen Lefevre, Glyer analyzes the way the Inklings served as Resonators (encouraging voices), Opponents (thoughtful critics), Editors, and Collaborators (project teammates) for one another. She then adds her own fifth category, that they were Referents who wrote about one another and promoted one another's books to publishers and the public. Ultimately, Glyer rejects what Inkling scholarship heretofore has asserted: that the Inklings by their own admission did not largely influence each other. Glyer argues that such claims were aimed at acknowledging their independent credibility, but that in fact they had significant roles in shaping one another's works.

So the book is important on two levels. It contributes notably to biographical scholarship on the Inklings. But is also makes thoughtful contributions to literary criticism, which traces and debates the nature of influence. Glyer is immersed in the field and defends her thesis well.

It's a great book; not a "fun" read, but definitely a fascinating one for the serious reader.

James W. Miller is the author of God Scent: A Devotional

I've bought speed reading software (Speed Reader X: Speed Reading Made Easy) in the past and found it quite disappointing. Yes, you DO learn how to read faster with comprehension, but you are limited on what you learn.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading is extremely helpful in learning MANY new methods to speed reading. It's up to date to include speed reading on-screen, and offers many tips on increasing your comprehension as well. You'll learn to try out many methods to keep pace (single-finger, multiple-finger, card), and, with experimentation, can figure out which method works best for you. You also learn about picking out key words to get the main idea, while skipping the smaller, less-important words (filler). Or, if that method doesn't work well for you, there's always "though-chunking," reading words as groups. This method works best for me, and increased my reading speed because my eyes stop on 3 or 4 points per line instead of stopping to read each word in a 13-word line. In a sense, you're stretching your peripheral vision to read more than one word at a time. And the book offers many exercises on improving that.

There are a number of sample readings for you to practice on, along with space to keep track of your progress. This is very helpful to boost motivation and confidence, which the book points out is very helpful in making progress. If you feel and know you can speed read, then you will. The book offers a number of tips and strategies on how to remain focused while you read, where the best (and worst) places to read are, and how to give your eyes a rest.

I've just finished reading this book and continue to practice, practice, practice everyday. That is ESSENTIAL in learning a new method. With the tips I've learned in this book I was able to increase my reading speed from 235 WPM (words per minute, an average reader), to 390 WPM with about 80% comprehension, the same as I would get with my normal speed. I was able to read Johnny Got His Gun, a 320 page novel, in 2 days, something that might have taken me over a week with my normal reading. And I understood it all. A great book.

Bottom line:
Get this book if you really want to learn how to speed read. It DOES take practice, but you WILL get results.

I have always looked for books on speed reading and have many books on the subject. I have read one of the author's previous speed reading books, and I think this is the best by far. When using your hands as a guide to reading, it does help read faster. She has many great tips on how to read, what not to speed read through, and so on. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learning to read at a faster rate.

I recently had the opportunity to read Abby Marks Beale "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading". Like many people, I feel overwhelmed with stuff I have to read to be up-to-date. There is the pile of reading I have-to-read, but not to be outdone is my want-to-read pile too. I am thinking about going back to school, again, so I looked at this as an opportunity to learn how to read not only better, but smarter.

I have gotten into the habit of using a blank index card not only as my bookmark, but also as my pacer card. I have found that this keeps me focused on what I want to read, and not what I have already read. It really does help me to keep a quicker pace while I'm reading. I tend to use this for my want-to-read pile.

For my have-to-read pile I find that I use my index finger as my pacer. I can get into a steady rhythm and that helps me to keep moving along with what I'm reading. That combined with sitting up straight and a quite place, has increased my speed and comprehension.

What I liked best about the book, aside from the tidbits of info contained in the speed tips, speed secrets and speed bumps, is that there is not just one method to read faster, but several. The book presents many options and lets you decide what works best for you. And "Speed Reading" gives you a variety of articles to use to test you effectiveness with the different methods. It has everything you need to track your speed reading progress.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speed Reading" is destined to a classic, much like "Elements of Style" by Strunk & White. It is something that everyone can benefit from, young and old alike. It would make a great gift for someone going off to school, going back to school or graduating from school. And anyone who likes to read for that matter. If you can read this book and master the techniques, just imagine what you can read...

Beale's book is well written and practical. She shares a variety of techniques and encourages the reader to try them and pick the ones that work for him or her. Included are seven practice readings and a chart to track your progress. The author's approach is upbeat, flexible and enjoyable. I look forward to continuing to use the techniques Beale suggests, improve my speed and comprehension, and enjoy my reading.

I bought 3 extra copies and gave to teachers who teach reading. I also tutor Adult literacy and am using it to help with teaching my student. As a reading teacher myself, I enjoyed the tips throughout the book and got many ideas to incorporate in the classroom. I manage mechanics on a full time basis have bought 2 extra to have for use at their leisure. As for helping me, the chapter on electronic mail and organizing that was very helpful. I now spend less time and energy through techniques in the chapter.THIS BOOK IS WORTH EVERY PENNY! Thank you Abby!

In 524 AD Boethius was confined under severe house arrest while awaiting trial for treason. The imprisonment did apparently permit access to some books and writing materials. He had been a very honored Roman aristocrat, and had received an excellent classical education in his youth. He had translated several Greek books into Latin.

His present situation left him very depressed; it was not at all the future that he had expected. Then Lady Philosophy appeared in his imagination. She was commanding, and chased away the muses of the theater who had been occupying his attention with tragedy and superficial entertainment. He at first did not recognize Philosophy. Then he remembered her as the teacher of his youth. She had come to claim her own, and to nurse him back to mental health.

Boethius and Philosophy had an extended discourse. Boethius recorded it in "The Consolation of Philosophy" (translated by P. G. Walsh, Oxford, 2000). He was troubled by the frequent apparent absence of justice and goodness in human affairs. Boethius was a Christian, but this book utilized dialectics as practiced by Socrates and recounted by Plato in his "Republic". The Christian point of view is founded on faith that God, goodness, and a final purpose exist because they are revealed in the Bible. In the Platonic view taken by Boethius, the presence in human affairs of God and purpose ("purpose" appears in Richard Green's translation of "The Consolation of Philosophy".) can be established by reasoning. The reasoning does require faith in something, namely in the orderly and lawful progression of events in the natural world, as suggested for instance in the orderly motions of the heavenly bodies (Walsh, p. 17, "...this tiniest of sparks will cause life's heat to be resuscitated in you."). In the language of the time, orderly progression was determined by divine reason.

"The Consolation of Philosophy" was little noticed in the turmoil following the final collapse of the Western Empire. But it was transcribed under Charlemagne in the eighth century, and it remained thereafter a very influential book for a thousand years. Chaucer translated it into English. One can imagine that its very deterministic outlook was too constraining as the later Renaissance burst forth and demanded unbounded freedom for the individual.

We may be entering more sober times. Some of us may find that our present realities do not meet our expectations. We share this with Boethius. If we have never achieved the success or fame accorded Boethius, we still may have reverses due to the economy or old age. Can "The Consolation of Philosophy" help us? If we turn to it as a reasoned approach, does it hold up in the light of modern science?

Our most highly developed science is physics. How does a modern physicist regard the world? Based first of all on quantum mechanics, he is apt to feel that reality at the fundamental level is probabilistic rather than deterministic. But there have been those who seem to disagree, most notably Einstein and Schrödinger. Einstein's vision of reality involves a space-time continuum. Doesn't this imply that any part of the whole is predetermined by the requirement that it fit adjacent parts? This corresponds with the medieval belief that the world, present, past, and future, is known to God. Boethius felt that this is compatible with free will for humans, in a way that is not immediately evident to out human reason. He resolves this after finding why human affairs do not seem to be guided by the hand of God, as is the material world.

Physics is not the only science. Biology is much closer to human concerns. The most spectacular aspect of modern biology is the discovery of the structure of DNA and the mode of its expression in the body. DNA bridges the gap between organismic biology and evolutionary biology. The structure of DNA is described with a mechanistic model, and its expression results from causal relationships. This is very deterministic.

In organismic biology perhaps the greatest accomplishment in the twentieth century was the theoretical and quantitative explication of the firing of the giant neuron in the Atlantic squid, since the same model can be applied to many other neurons and species simply by adjusting parameters. Eric Kandel has extended the quantitative and molecular understanding of neural behavior further in his work on synapses. This establishes the molecular basis of memory. In his Nobel address ("Science", 2 November 2001, pp. 1030-1038), Kandel noted that the solution of the general problem of neural functioning in memory will require a systems approach, and he is confident that this and other questions in the biology of learning will be addressed in the near future. I wonder if Kandel is too optimistic?

A neuropsychological theory of memory and learning was advanced by Donald Hebb in 1949, and used by Hebb in his teaching of psychology (Hebb, D.O., "Textbook of Psychology" (3rd Ed.), Saunders, Philadelphia, 1972. See also Hebb, D.O., "The Organization of Behavior", Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002.). Hebb's theory introduced cell assemblies in neural networks, but was nonmathematical. Hebb was not a mathematician, and in addition the tools for putting the theory in mathematical form were not available. Powerful computers did not exist (a modern PC would suffice for a small idealized network), and the mathematical field of nonlinear dynamics was relatively undeveloped. Now those tools exist, but apparently the approach has never been tried. Has contemporary science gone beyond such fundamental things?

Now let's consider a bit of social science. Going back 56 years, the Second World War had been over long enough to give people time to think about how to change human culture and prevent another war. One idea for changing social behavior was offered by the behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner. He presented it in the form of a novel, titled "Walden Two" (reissued 1976, Prentice-Hall). Walden Two was an imagined utopian community. The description and history of such communities is interesting in itself, but my purpose here is to compare the formative influences in Walden Two with those that our society has brought to bear in recent decades. Walden Two had been in existence for ten years, and its population after the war was about 1000. At that time its educational procedures for children had been worked out. They began at birth, and were so thorough in instilling cooperative attitudes that male aggression never appeared in early childhood. I wonder whether that might interfere with normal male hormonal balance. Maybe, if the cooperative attitude is desirable, training should begin after proper male development. At any rate, if we aimed to develop a socialist society, training for reduction of male aggression should be introduced at some age. We are now going in the opposite direction. In our society, fathers encourage aggressive behavior in their sons, so that they will be able to get their share in the capitalistic culture. The development of aggressive instincts does not stop there. The influence of television on all ages promotes violent attitudes. Whether Skinner considered this in his later years I don't know. He did not live long enough to see the development of violent computer games, but surely he would be appalled. As things stand, we appear to be committed irrevocably to an unrestrained capitalistic society, in which waste could be unbounded. Can we halt this with recycling? Or are we headed for social disaster? The wise course for the individual is to prepare for acceptance, whatever comes.

Coming back to the present, many of us are disappointed, and are looking for encouragement or consolation. Some will find it in religion based on faith, especially the forgiving Christian faith revealed in the Bible. There will also be mystics, who have a direct experience of God, and therefore don't need a conscious act of faith. Others may turn to a more secular view. Notable is the outlook expressed by Stephen Jay Gould in "Wonderful Life" (Norton, 1989). Gould sees precious value in human life precisely because its origin was dependent on contingent events, and hence was so unlikely. This is very different from the deterministic view I have taken. Gould draws further assurance from the apparent release of the free will from determinism.

Finally there is the path chosen by Boethius. It is the way of a rational mind that has been confronted with the harsh reality of reversals or deprivations. It is the path of acceptance, as a higher value becomes evident. Again we question whether this view makes sense in the light of modern science. Is there something about the human mind that makes it override material values? Many have tried to define the source of the difference between human perception and that of other animals. One current view is that consciousness is the special human resource. But do we really know that other animals don't possess consciousness?

The difference between humans and animals may be that humans have passed a threshold in symbolic activity. When our ape-like ancestors left the forest, and began hunting on the hilly savannas, they became more social, both to hunt big game in groups and to prepare food at the camp. This promoted a dramatic development of language. Brain regions involved in symbolic activity expanded. It became possible to tell stories of hunting adventures. Stories cultivated imagination, and imagination led to visions of what might be over the next hill. This in turn led to the concept of a space beyond all hills, an abstract space. The regularity of the Sun and Moon demonstrated order in the abstract space. Maintained by what agency? There must be a divine will that promotes order. At that point our ancestors were DISCOVERING the spiritual realm.

Ages later writing appeared, which made it possible to transmit precise knowledge, and so led to advanced culture. We discovered mathematical relations, and made a start in learning physical laws. These developments depended on the conscious mind, but also involved the subconscious in an essential way. The subconscious is not limited by sequential logic. Like nature, it considers everything at once. And so we draw closer to God. It is the above characteristics that make the individual human mind precious. It depends on culture, but rises above culture. The individual mind comprehends a whole world. Except perhaps when we pass our threshold of tolerable pain, the mind is able to rise above physical discomforts and deprivations, and find refuge in comtemplation of the world within.

The next time you have a bad day and get mired in self-pity, think about Boethius. Born into a wealthy Roman family around 480 C.E., Boethius was a successful scholar and politician. Early in his career, he wrote influential treatises on Aristotle's logic and Christian theology. He became a senator and found favor with the rulers of the Roman world, ultimately taking the highest post in the Western government (then located in Ravenna, rather than Rome). But his world fell apart when his king, Theoderic, charged him with treason. Confined to his house and awaiting a particularly gruesome execution (you don't want to know), Boethius comforted himself with philosophical reflection. Working partly in verse and partly in prose, as translated by P.G. Walsh, Boethius crafted a long dialogue with the goddess Philosophy, who slowly convinces him that happiness based on worldly things is fleeting and false, and that true happiness can come only from knowledge of God and his goodness. getAbstract is glad to offer a look at this classic work, which inspired people from Dante to C.S. Lewis, even in their darkest hours.

The particular edition I am reviewing is the Oxford World's Classics translation by P. G. Walsh.

This is one of those classics that can catch an unsuspecting reader completely by surprise, especially if one has read many other works by near contemporaries. The circumstances under which it was composed are legendary, and lend the work a legitimacy granted to few other works. Boethius was among the foremost government officials in what was essentially the successor government to the end of the Roman Empire. Rome and much of the rest of what would later become Italy was under the control of the Ostrogoth king Theodoric. A product of one of the leading Roman familes, Boethius ascended to a power of great honor and authority under Theodoric, only to be accused of treason late in the latter's life, at which point Boethius was imprisoned and condemned to death. While awaiting his fate (including whether Theodoric actually intended on carrying out the sentence), Boethius wrote this remarkable dialog between a prisoner whose situation closely resembles Boethius' and Philosophy personified as a woman. Although many topics are discussed, the heart of the dialog is the nature of true happiness.

Although few of its readers are likely to face circumstances as dire as Boethius', the work remains remarkably pertinent in an age where ideals of happiness are dictated almost entirely by our modern consumer society. Philosophy carefully explains to the prisoner that that happiness can never be found in such things as fame or power or riches and other things that are confused with the true source of happiness. For Boethius' Philosophy, happiness is ultimately rooted in the Christian God, but even for non-Christians, the lightly theological tone of the work provides much reflection on the nature of happiness in almost any kind of situation.

The Walsh edition of this work is, in my opinion, the finest readily available edition in English. The notes are marvelous, both providing overviews to each upcoming section as well as providing detailed comments on specific lines in the text. The introduction gives any new reader of the work all the context and background that he or she would need to digest the work. Best of all, the translation is exceptionally readable, and the translations of the many poems far above the average for most academic translations of verse.

I recommend this work strongly to either of two kinds of readers. First, for anyone who is a student of intellectual history the work remains for an understanding of a host of writers in the middle ages, as well as for many 19th century poets. Second, anyone interested in devotional or reflectional works, whether religious or philosophical, this remains one of the most essential works in the history of thought. By almost any standard, this is a work that demands careful reading and study.

For a long time, this would stand as the last major work in which philosophy played the role it was accustomed to play in Antiquity; most medieval thinkers would make philosophy the servant of theology and strip it of its profoundly ethical roots - after all, Christianity became the philosophical way of life par excellence. By using philosophy as a character, Boethius emphasizes its vital role in everyday life and the choices that life entails. Although Boethius is usually mentioned in conjunction with Aristotelian and Christian thought, this work is especially linked to Platonism, Stoicism and Neoplatonism: a) it follows the progression of Socratic discourse in a journey that leads one from the suppression of false beliefs towards a gradually clearer approximation of what Good is, and Philosophy is akin to the priestess Diotima of Plato's Symposium; b) the harrowing context in which it was written mirrors the composition of Seneca's Letters to Lucilius; c) its frequent allegorical use of poetry and myths follows the path set forth by the Stoics and Neoplatonists. The first few books free Philosophy's interlocutor from his errors, and Boethius then explores the work's central subjects: justice, the nature of good and evil, providence (themes that also intensely preoccupied Plotinus late in his life). Treating 'Consolation...' only as a compendium of ancient Greek philosophy would be doing it a major disservice, as it would underscore the personal dimension lying at the very heart of the work. Those who forgot that philosophy is a lot more than the mere juggling of concepts should definitely read this key book.

Here you find the unequivocal declaration that not riches, not high position, not fame, not physical pleasure are worth pursuing in-and-of themselves. Such things are of value only if they are obtained in the pursuit of the highest Good. This highest Good is demonstrated to be God. Moreover, Boethius points out that when evil men succeed in obtaining such goals over the righteous, then they cease to truly be men- they are beasts and subhuman. This is a refreshing reminder in the modern world, a world not unlike that of late Roman times.

All happyness, all worth, all reason for being, lies in the One and the Good. Even when we commit immoral acts, it is a result of ignorance on our part in seeking this ultimate goal. Indeed, to turn from the quest of finding the One is to cease to exist at any meaningful level. There is no "fire and brimstone", or talk of eternal torment in hell here. There doesn't need to be. As long as you willfully or ignorantly stray from the Path then you are in hell. And to not find reconnection with the One and the Good is to cease to exist. All of our earthly existence is for the purpose of reawakening to our true nature. This truth lies within all of us and it is only reached by personal introspection (Know thyself.) Only in this way will we return to the eternal Source that lies beyond time itself.

The consolation of the Consolatio lies in the fact that suffering serves a purpose if it puts us back on the true Path. Moreover, earthly recognition of virtue is irrelevent. God always recognises the man of virtue if the masses do not.

Award-winning travel author and newspaper columnist Barbara Hudgins has
produced a road map for fledging travel writers in her new book, 'Crafting the Travel Guide Book."
Succinct and savvy in style, HUDGINS' book furnishes the framework for the would-be travel author.
She helps the writer define concept, category and audience, and builds on basic topics such as organization, structure and general format.
Extremely well-organized , this book covers such details as "front matter"(as Hudgins terms them)---namely titles, sub-titles, copyright,
foreward, acknowledgments and table of contents.
The section on "What Goes In and What Stays Out" includes definitions of plagarism, copyright and "second-hand prose, or re-told stories from a wire service or other source.
Clear and concise, Hudgins' book takes the reader on a tour of the byways and highways of travel writing ---and makes it an easy ride.

The previous five, all five star, reviews are dead on. Crafting the Travel Guidebook is an indispensable resource for anyone wishing to or already writing in the ever-expanding, increasingly popular travel guidebook field. Crafting the Travel Guidebook was pure joy to read. It is not the same old outdated information rehashed yet again. The information is detailed yet concise. Norman Goldman's review (either above or below, just find it and read it) gives an excellent breakdown of the book and its benefits to you, the writer. I only want to add that Hudgins, to her great credit, unlike many journalists and authors, really knows what she is talking about in the self-publishing field and the differences between self, vanity, subsidiary, and POD publishing. Many are the unwary authors that did not know the difference and suffered the consequences. If the book has a drawback, it is that the reader will come up with ideas for many new books as they read along. Having a legitimate excuse to research and travel to an exciting new place is some drawback, huh? Bravo, Barbara Hudgins, as C.S. Potter so aptly wrote.

Crafting the Travel Guidebook had some good information in it, mainly of the inspirational nature. However, it also had a lot of typos, strange formatting, omitted words, and other errors that made it seem unprofessional. Furthermore, some of the advice in the book - such as writing your own [[...] reviews and sending them to friends in other states to post for you, to drive up your ratings - were borderline unethical. Some tips were repeated over and over again, while other areas were very thin on content.

The good stuff included inspiration about famous travel guides who started out small, a good overview of self publishing, and a good overview of the different types of travel guides that you can write. Overall, what was good was great, but the book would have benefited from better editing and more solid content in several key areas. It was definitely worth reading, but I wish I'd borrowed this book from a library instead of buying it new.

My husband and I have been traveling for over forty years and we keep a journal of the places we have visited, from a cruise through the Panama Canal, renting a villa in Italy with friends, various hiking trips in Europe, and a three week visit to New Zealand, as well as drinking our way through Napa and Sonoma several times.

I've considered combining my journals into a book, but had no idea how to begin. When I discovered Crafting the Travel Guidebook, I knew I had found the tools to make that a reality. Honing in on a concept, figuring out your format and your parameters, finding a voice and constructing chapters that follow one another in a logical way--it makes everything so much easier.

There is also information on the construction of a book, particularly a travel book---from writing the disclaimer on the copyright page to listing what goes into the appendix. I also liked the information on how to approach a publisher and the rundown on the variety of self-publishers and subsidy publishers. All in all, a great buy for anyone who even comtemplates the writing of a travel book.

Travel writing in general, and the writing of travel guides in particular, is a very specialized genre for aspiring authors and is perhaps one of the most complicated areas in which to seek publication. Therefore it is especially satisfying to read travel writing expert Barbara Hudgins' practical, real-world, comprehensive compendium of sound advice and information on writing guidebooks, directories, travelogues, travel memoirs, in "Crafting The Travel Guidebook: How To Write, Publishing & Sell Your Travel Book". In addition to providing a wealth of useable information on traditional publishing, self-publishing, POD publishing, and subsidy publishing as it applies to travel oriented books, there are invaluable travel writing tips, advice on writing the book proposal, key information concerning publicity and promotion, and a list of publishers who specialize in producing travel books. More specifically to the advantage of the novice author seeking to write a travel guide or a travelogue is what "Crafting The Travel Guidebook" has to offer about finding a category to write about, creating a format, constructing the framework of the guidebook, finding an audience, and finding a 'voice' that will stand out from all the other travel books in competition for the traveler's attention. Simply indispensable reading for any beginning travel author, whether they are writing annotated directories, road guides, memoirs, outdoor recreation guides, destination and regional guidebooks, restaurant and winter guides, specialized audience guides, luxury or budget travel guides, guidebooks for the business traveler, or for the vacationer, "Crafting The Travel Guidebook" is also very highly recommended to seasoned travel journalists seeking to compile their magazine or newspaper travel columns into a travel book.