Language Arts Books

WAR TORN is a brilliant and riveting collection of essays by the handful of smart and courageous women who actually went to the battlefields in Asia to report on the Vietnamese War. For everyone who served in the war or had loved ones who did, for those of us who lived through these events at home, and for younger readers who have no sense of this history, this compelling book reveals these critical years from a perspective most of us never knew existed. The stories of these nine brave women will capture your minds and break your heart a bit. A thorougly uplifting and informative book with stories you've never heard before.

A unique insight to the ravages of the wars of the mid 20th century from the viewpointss of a group of female corrrespondents who had to claw their way through the jungles
of the eastern asia and the media industry to get their views
across....highly recommended to gain an added persective of a
turbulant time in world history

I don't know much about Vietnam, but I was drawn to the book by the sad and thoughtful face on the cover. My highest praise to these women. They brought the Vietnam war alive to someone who was not even born at its conclusion. The stories are beautiful, sad, funny and touching. My thanks to the authors for putting such a wonderful piece of writing and important part of history down on paper.

The stories in War Torn are riveting and capture the will and determination of women journalists to have equal access to cover the war. But they also bring Saigon and Vietnam in the 60s and 70 alive to anyone too young to remember. I applaud these women for making the Vietnam war accessible to a generation who grew up after the war.
War Torn leave the reader happy and sad but thoroughly enchanted. For anyone who is a history buff, a traveler planning to visit Vietnam or simply a lover of great tales, I highly recommend this book.

" Having been born in the early forties, Vietnam was MY war. Unlike the women of WAR TORN, I busied myself with raising a family in the good, old, safe & sound USA. I cannot say enough about the impact this book had on me. These selfless, courageous, determined correspondents took me on a tour of a Vietnam that I never knew existed. Reading WAR TORN was truly an educational, eye-opening experience for me. They way these women express their adventures, insights, and emotions is absolutely glorious. This is a must read for people of all ages."

This book is so informative and practical for parents of preschoolers. I came across it when looking for an age appropriate book list for my preschooler. I am trained as a reading teacher and love the reasearch this book is based on. It is clear and easy to understand and really helps parents to know what skills to focus on with their kids. I also take it with me to the library and use the list in the back to help me select books for my daughter. Way to go Core Knowledge! I love your stuff!

This is a good book that is full of songs and things to do with your preschooler. We really like it and have fun with it.

This book is fantastic! It's extremely well designed and engaging for preschool aged children. The illustrations are beautiful which makes the book fun and interesting to young children. There are also companion activity books that are available through the Core Knowledge Foundation that are excellent! I have three children from ages 1-5 all of whom will benefit from this book!

I received this book as a gift to use with my small children. My children ages 20 months and 3 years thoroughly enjoy it. They like each section, especially the stories, the history and the science. It is presented in a simple format that helps children learn.

The nursery rhymes and stories are great. I was even excited to be reminded of some fond childhood memories of certain nursery rhymes and songs, etc. I agree with the other reviewer, I wish that a CD (or even the sheet music) was included to help with the songs if you do not remember the tune.

If you teach your children using units, this book can be a great resource. For instance, it helped me with a unit we were studying at home about the American Flag. When I ask my 3 year old who was the first to sew an American Flag, she responds "Betsy Ross". She will also tell you that there are 50 stars on the flag, each representing a state in the United States of America. She also has learned that George Washington was the first president of the United States. All of this knowlege is because of this book and because of reinforcing exercises that we do at home.

I would recommend this book to anyone with small children who has the desire to help their children have a love of learning.

I love this series of core knowledge books. The new preschool book contains everything from nursery rhymes and other simple poems, delightful stories from around the world, simple science, history lessons (LOVE the history!) to pictures of famous artworks and recommendations for preschool music and more. It's a great beginner's guide to start a preschooler on a lifetime journey of being in love with learning.

The Woman's Public Speaking Handbook is an essential tool for women in all walks of life--from students, to professionals, to occasional public speakers at volunteer or even personal events. I learned many tips that I'm incorporating into my presentations. Thanks to the authors for recognizing the need for this important book.

I found this book to be an exceptional "tool" for any woman in the business world. It takes the daunting task of speaking in public, and makes it almost easy.

I have implemented many of the tips and training techniques with my staff (of women)and have seen marked improvement in their presentation skills.

Moreover, I have witnessed a positive change in the confidence level of my staff.

Particularly helpful to me are the pullout tools. I have used the Presentation Checklist and the Speech Outline Template with much success.

This is not just a textbook for students...it is a necessity for any successful business women.

I found this book to be an exceptional "tool" for any woman in the business world. It takes the daunting task of speaking in public, and makes it almost easy.

I have implemented many of the tips and training techniques with my staff (of women) and have seen marked improvement in their presentation skills.

Moreover, I have witnessed a positive change in the confidence level of my staff.

Particularly helpful to me are the pullout tools. I have used the Presentation Checklist and the Speech Outline Template with much success.

This is not just a textbook for students...it is a necessity for any successful business women.

The Woman's Public Speaking Handbook is an essential text for professional women. This book has helped me improve my public speaking in a number of contexts -- including traditional speeches, meetings, professional panel presentations, and awards ceremonies. In addition, the chapter on public persona has helped me choose the role I want to play in public contexts -- something I had never thought of before that has changed how I approach a number of formal and informal speaking situations. Best of all, the book is fun to read. The examples Professors Natalle and Bodenheimer use are informative and engaging and the tone is direct and personal. This is a great book for personal use or for educating other women as public speakers.

A corporate trainer with 15 years professional experience, I was surprised to find so many gems in The Woman's Public Speaking Handbook that directly apply to my role. While I've always been fascinated with great female public speakers like Elizabeth Dole and Patricia Ireland, I've always assumed they possessed a rare je ne sais quoi. It was motivating for me to read such detailed analyses that highlight specific public speaking behaviors that contribute to these women's success. That coupled with the authors' common-sense approach to readers to develop their own style makes this Handbook an excellent resource. I recommend it for any woman who cares about communicating effectively.

Public speaking is a wonderful way to gain self-confidence and self-esteem. This book is a gem in that it helps women become more sure of themselves in the competitive world of men.

The book is well-written and helpful to all who wish to know how to speak clearly.

Watching women break through the glass ceiling when I was an executive at Catalyst convinced me of the importance of effective communication skills for women's success in the workplace. Written in a winningly personal style by two seasoned pro's, Women Seen and Heard is chock-full of practical advice, insights on overcoming the stereotypes that women speakers still face, and exercises sure to yield immediate results. Whether you are new to public speaking or an old hand at the podium, you need this book!

I wanted to pass on to you some of the great ideas I have
personally been using from this book.
First, I have been actively learning from the women speakers I have come across. Developing my "role models" is important to me at this stage of the game.
Second , as a woman of color, I really appreciated chapter 10. The points that are touch on are so crucial. Establishing your credibility from the start -and keeping it- is so important, not only in speaking engagements but also in life.
For any woman that wants to seen and heard in her life this book is a very valuable tool!!!

Both very useful and fun to read, unlike a lot of "How-to" public speaking books. I appreciated the history mixed in, too.
I do public relations for high tech companies so I'm required to be a good communicator, but I often run into huge challenges because of the fact that I work with technologists (who are notoriously bad communicators) and 99% of whom are male and have a tendency to immediately dismiss me as a source of valuable insight because I'm young, attractive, and female. In battling past those first impressions, I've found that effective communication is 20% what you say and 80% how you say it. Although at first blush this seems to be geared only to professional public speaking, the examples in it are really good for everyday interactions as well. A great book!

Here, at last, is a practical guide to enable women to assess how they present themselves not only on the podium but in almost every context of their lives. The accomplished authors are not male aversive, but very supportive of our capitalizing on our feminine perspective and it's delivery in a riveting manner that is "seen and heard". As a psychotherapist, I wish I had had this book long ago as a support to my clients who could not find or doubted their true voice on stage, in the workplace, and even in their interpersonal relationships. Bravo! and thank you Lois and Anita.

All wordsmiths, and even those who just like to laugh, will enjoy this very clever and funny book which is, in many ways, a good-natured spoof on our culture, values and outlook.

It's not so much that the words in Word Fugitives are in flight, but rather they are waiting to be created. Ms. Wallraff has captured a moment in a highly fertile time for neologisms. Since publication of this slim volume, many new words have entered our language, but the real value of this book is the author's establishment of a perspective in which to view the birth of a new vocabulary.

Having (barely) survived a period in which so many new words were added to our language not from necessity, but from ignorance (e.g. :incentivize" where motivate has long served us well), it's exciting to think we are at the beginning of an era in which linguistic creativity serves a real need.

I recommend Word Fugitives to anyone who revels in the vitality of the English language and the inventiveness of the Anglophones.

Barbara Wallraff has written one of the most fun word books I have yet to read. We are always looking for new ways to express ourselves and she not only acknowledges the wisdom of this practice, but makes it safe and secure while fitting the neologisms into the existing structure with care and panache.

This fantastic mind expanding book has grown out of Ms.Barbara Wallraff's column in The Atlantic Monthly. Something that I have followed for years. It overflows with diversions, (e.g. "English hasn't had a new pronoun for about a thousand years, and there is no sign it will acquire one any time soon") quizzes, contributions and comments from people who are authorities, linguists, authors and plus the fact that it is made sprightly cheerful by supplications from people who are groping for words that remain to be found. Quoted as "English at a Loss for Words",even when Global Language Monitor, an organization estimates there are more than 900,000 words in the English language, and more are being added every day.

To explain about this book, even when we know that feeling it is often that we are not able to find the exact word that defines it - often that word does not exist, (Or it is a sniglet - "word that should be in the dictionary, but isn't) - despite the exuberant and extravagant richness of our language. This endeavor by Ms. Wallraff proves, and I am beginning to be convinced that perhaps even language such as English is dismayingly inadequate. This book comes to rescue providing hundreds of words minted, coined, redefined or delimitated. Just like when you're looking for a word that can mean either "a phantom" or "an ideal" -- eidolon would come handy.

- People who blabber loudly and annoyingly on cell-phones in public? Yakasses.

- Disposable plastic bags caught in trees? Fouliage.

- And when look up a word in a dictionary, and get distracted by something totally off the subject, on the other side of the page? This is called double-entry-bookpeeping. Or is it lexploring?

- What would you say of the times your car or washing machine or TV breaks down, and you pay a repairman to take a look at it, but when he or she - turns it on , IT WORKS ! you can call it deus hex machine. Or how about? Hocus operandi?

Another example to serve the purpose - like what would you call the experience of having recently heard about something for the first time and then starting to notice it everywhere? How are toujours vu, newbiquitous or coincidensity.

What would you call the feeling when you revisit the same refrigerator you had left disappointed few minutes ago, hoping to find - this time, the perfect snack -- which you overlooked before. Well that's leftoveractive imagination. Other choices such as Cold comfort, refrigerator magnetism, smorgasboredom, and freonnui have also been suggested. Somebody has even called it stirvation another one terms it as procrastifrigeration.

Would it be handy to use a word for that momentary confusion everyone experiences when they hear a cell phone ringing and wonder if it is theirs? There - fauxcellarm, phonundrum, pandephonium , phonundrum , ringchronicity , ringmarole or ringxiety are the suggested choices.
And what would like to call your offspring who are adults? (Try unchildren or offsprung.) Or the word for the irrational fear when you're throwing a party that no one will show up? (That might be guestlessness, empty fest syndrome, or fete alism.)

Again what is a word to describe the process of going through the dirty-clothes hamper to find something clean enough to wear? which one would you like to take skivvy-dipping snifferentiate, brainwashing or laundry composting. Or even the laundry alternative is known as dry gleaning.

This book captivates and inspires. I cannot say any further, lest you call it Fullabullacolumnia - some description that goes on and on and on

Every language in the world has the capability of producing an infinite number of words. Just think of constructions like "anti-ballistic missile" or "anti-anti ballistic missile" or "anti-anti-anti ballistic missile" and so on. After awhile, making them up becomes a bore. Not so in "Word Fugitives." Here the trick is to come up with words to name situations as yet unnamed. What do you call the feeling, for example, just after you thought you had stepped off the curb and suddenly realized you were falling? Bad news? "Word Fugitives" does much better than that. It is a funhouse of a book, finding new words for old situations in clever, amusing and quite unexpected ways. This book is first and foremost fun to read. Then it will provoke you. And finally, it will enlighten you. For those of you lost in the thicket of lexicography, this book is a machete.

Just what the teacher ordered. There were none in all of San Diego so I thought let me check with Amazon...you have not let me down. My grandaughter got one and I ordered an extra one for one of the poor parents that could not find it anywhere! Thank you!

This is an excellent series which I've used for all my homeschooling children. No matter what their ability was at the time, by the end of each book they were able to use words effectively and decode the meaning of other words they hadn't learned through knowing what other similar words meant.

One note of caution: Book 4 is NOT necessarily for fourth graders. The EPS website lists this as a 7th grade book. Most of the sellers on Amazon have listed the numbered books as if this was the recommended grade level for each. Check the original website and look at the sample pages before ordering.

Really helped in vocabulary, but it was so biased! The most important topics of discussion for the book was women's rights and saving the planet.

My kids have used this series for years! Teachers sometimes omit part C, which asks questions such as this: Which of the following can "abate"? (a) anger, (b) high winds, (c) silence, (d) applause. Answers to these are often open to debate, and some teachers do not like those gray areas. For the Gifted/Talented program in our area, they start with Book 2 in third grade. Homeschoolers should like these! (We are in public school but always get a "home" copy for the days when the school copy doesn't make it into the backpack.)

This really helped me with my overall vocabulary. It also turned out to be fun, and some of the questions make you want to think really hard. I recommend it strongly for one who is studying for SAT exams etc...Although learning may not be fun for some of you, I think this might brighten your day! But honestly, every one of these Wordly Wise books have very important words that a worth while learning.
Book 1~ 3rd Grade & above
Book 2~ 4th grade & above
Book 3~ 5th grade & above
Book 4~ 6th grade-8th grade
Check it out!

Fifteen professions are analyzed to uncover the unique vocabulary which lends to specialized communication skills and colorful approaches. WORDS AT WORK: AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE LANGUAGE OF PROFESSIONS covers all kinds of positions, from everyday jobs such as a printer or hotelier to a pharmacist or symphony musician. As a light reference which doubles as a leisure browser's delight, it will provide special attraction for trivia and word fans and is a pick not just for business collections, but for general-interest libraries.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Words at Work by Mim Harrison. Illustrations by Lee Passarella, Walker And Company. New York.



Mim Harrison picked fifteen professions and in her professional and thoroughly charming style, she has introduced her readers to some unusual vocabulary that is unique to those professions. The range of the professions that Mim has chosen encompasses everything from words used by pharmacists and microbiologists to airline pilots and venture capitalists. Rather than being just a dictionary this is a unique compendium of sayings, words and phrases that you may not have encountered before but may want to know.
As I prowled through this book I marveled at the scope of the vocabulary used and the remarkable patience Mim had in selecting the words and phrases. For instance, once you know that those scratches on many airline passenger windows are caused by volcanic ash, you may dazzle your seatmate with the information. Do you know that "a tipping fee" and garbage collection have something in common? The next time you're in a restaurant, your table might be referred to as "HM" by the staff. Mim's book will translate this for you.
Words at Work by Mim Harrison is one of those rare books that comes along every once in a while and is delightful and educational. Lee Passarella's charming illustrations capture the essence of the words. You really should have a copy.

A charming book that entertainingly unlocks the secret language used by different professions. The book's short, well designed and easy to read. It's good to know that people still play with words and even better to know that Mim Harrison has recorded them and explained their meanings.

Recently I've been traveling quite frequently for work and was getting bored with the same issue of "Skymall". While at a friend's house I came across this lively little book on her shelf and eagerly flipped through the pages. The content was so fun and interesting that when I returned home to Nashville I purchased a copy for my next flight. These little pearls and glimpses into a variety of professions have kept me entertained for hours. So now while traveling I keep this little gem in my carry on. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves variety and who loves to impress their friends with industry lingo. A real must have!

This book is an utter delight for so many reasons. As a word-lover, you'll enjoy discovering the clever twists and turns of language that arise in terminology specific to these professions. You'll also get a revealing behind-the-scenes glimpse at the worlds in which these professionals work. I was, frankly, surprised at how much I didn't know! And simply, you'll have fun paging through this book that will certainly equip you with plenty of bon mots to impress your friends and should you be so inclined, come up with the right "question" on Jeopardy. Mim Harrison's love for language and deft hand has resulted in a little gem...will be looking for Part II.

At several points reading Christmas's 'Write in Style', I was tempted to write a glowing review. Now, I selfishly don't want to. Everyone has at least one book inside them. I don't want you all to know how Bobbie's Christmas's guidance will guide you to tell your story. I want 'Write in Style' all to myself.

I could give a thorough review, of content and chapters, proving myself an excellent writer. But why? With Bobbie's guidance I stand a better chance of writing best sellers. Why write a review when you can write a book. Read 'Write in Style', study it for yourself. It's written by a master.

Not only does 'Write in Style' teach to write clearly, and give you a secret tool to reduce the work, Bobbie's guidance helps to get the story out from your imagination onto paper in the way readers want to read. 'Write in Style' encourages confidence and thereby enthuses you to write with the belief you have a guardian angel on your shoulder.

Thanks Bobbie.

Sorry Bobbie. I want to keep you all to myself.

just Jack

Let's say you're a good writer, have lots of good ideas, interesting characters, whiz-bang plots, all of it, but--you're not getting published. Maybe your writing needs a style upgrade. Maybe you're using passive constructions, dangling participles, weak modifiers, and variant English. Maybe the editors are tossing your manuscripts after the first page. You need to read this book to write with genuine, publishable style.

Author Bobbie Christmas teaches writers like us how to use the Find function on our word processors to track down and eliminate unstylish usages and write tighter, stronger sentences. Not only that, she is witty, clever and easy to read. She doesn't hesitate to poke fun at herself, which makes her teachings easy to swallow. Guess what? This reviewer makes a lot of the mistakes she talks about in her book. Not any more. Armed with Write In Style I will do better, and you will, too.

Writers, run out and get Write In Style today. You will be glad you did. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

An invaluable book for any writer or aspiring writer. Most writing books aren't very objective, but this does it well, showing you how to improve your own style instead of incorporating someone else's. It shows you how to use your computer to help you find and fix problems. It's incredibly helpful, even to the experienced writer. It helped me tighten up my style and make it much more readable and appealing.

Every good writer knows that judicious rewriting makes for a better book. Bobbie Christmas gives us specific helpful tools so that we can do our own revising BEFORE we send our books to the agent/editor/powers that be.

WRITE IN STYLE is packed not just with "Don't Do This" directions, but with often-hilarious examples of how to repair the problems. I use WRITE IN STYLE frequently as a reference tool when writing my cat mysteries. It's handy when I'm editing other people's books, too. But just as often I browse through it simply to get a laugh.

If you write -- this is a must-read. Buy it. Use it.

Unless you are still writing on a typewriter or with paper and pencil, this book will improve your work. First it tells you the kind of mistakes you should be looking for, then tells you how to find and correct them using your word processor.

You won't find lessons on characterization or plot. You will find ways to make your writing tighter and more presentable to both the reader and the agent or publisher you are trying to impress with your work.

The book is more than worth the $13 being asked for it.

I do like the book and use it alot for school. The part that I use most is the Directory of Words Cited. Unfortunately, many times the exact type of work to be cited is not listed. For instance, a book with an editor in multiple volumes in an edition other than the first is not covered. Neither is an article from a journal obtained from a database.

I found it very helpful as I was not familiar with APA or other writing styles and took my class online so I had no live instructor to question.

I first purchased this book when I was a freshman in college seven years ago. It is without a doubt the best and easiest reference guide to writing I have ever read. I love the plastic tabs that mark each section. This guide is easy to read and follow it is organized in basic steps that are categorized accourding to section. So for example if you need to find out how to cite a web page or a video tape, etc using the MLA style you just flip to the section called doucmentation clearly marked with a plastic tab. I have since purchased an updated guide for myself and also bought one for my brother - a freshman in college. I really wish I had this book when I was in high school. I highly recommend this book to any high school, college, graduate student or writer. I especially recomend this book for students with learning disabilities, I myself have ADD and before I got this guide I could not understand how to write a paper in the MLA style or in any style other than a book report. I promise this is the easiest reference guide to writing ever published.

I first purchased this book when I was a freshman in college seven years ago. It is without a doubt the best and easiest reference guide to writing I have ever read. I love the plastic tabs that mark each section. This guide is easy to read and follow it is organized in basic steps that are categorized accourding to section. So for example if you need to find out how to cite a web page or a video tape, etc using the MLA style you just flip to the section called doucmentation clearly marked with a plastic tab. I have since purchased an updated guide for myself and also bought one for my brother - a freshman in college. I really wish I had this book when I was in high school. I highly recommend this book to any high school, college, graduate student or writer. I especially recomend this book for students with learning disabilities, I myself have ADD and before I got this guide I could not understand how to write a paper in the MLA style or in any style other than a book report. I promise this is the easiest reference guide to writing ever published.

This book is the best on the market - I highly recommend it to all students in high school and college -- and it is a must for every person who writes in business! It has everything you need to know about professional writing from the sentence to the essay or research paper, as well as resumes and letters. It should be added to the desk collection along with the dictionary and thesarus. I love the way it opens and lays flat; I love the tabs for easy recognition of sections; it has large enough print and enough whitespace to make it very easy to read; it has great explanations and examples, and the MLA section is complete and easy to follow. It even has a section for people who speak English as a second language and are dealing with the special problems related to English. This is a must have book !

I actually started with Lyon's "Sell Your Novel Tool Kit", but quickly realized I had not reached that point with my novel yet. So I backtracked and bought this book, which I have found to be incredibly helpful. Her approach is systematic and rational, while still allowing for the creative and inspired. This is by far the best of all the books I've read on writing fiction, especially novels, and it has in some ways completely changed my approach. She manages to be supportive and inspiring without getting sappy, and her experience as an editor makes her insights especially penetrating and pertinent.

Though Ms. Lyon generously recommends other books on fiction techniques within the text of her own, this title is the one absolute must-have for serious novelists. Its companion title on selling a novel is likewise highly recommended and required.

Thank you, Elizabeth Lyon, for your invaluable guidance!

Lyon's book is thoroughly thought out, well organized, and touches all the important topics for writers and "would-be" writers.

...a great book, i learned alot about writing for fiction, its really easy to get and the explaination is very clear, i highly recommend it!!

For the serious, advanced fiction writer, this book is the best thing I've found on the market. I went to sleep reading Elizabeth Lyon's Guide to Fiction and woke up with a new beginning for my novel in progress. I couldn't more highly recommend a guidebook for the serious writer.

This book covers everything, though it lost me in the 6 Sherpas chapter. It should have more examples and explanation of concepts from that point on.

A Writer's Guide to Fiction should serve anyone well, with many careful re-readings, but if a second edition were released with better examples and more thorough explanation I'd dump my copy in a minute and buy the new edition. The 6 Sherpas chapter could have been broken up into 3 chapters, and the book should be closer to 500 pages.

Overall this is a must-have book for fiction writers, with content not available anywhere else and almost equal treatment of short story and novel writing with no bias against genre fiction. Be prepared to read it much more than once.