Strictly Speaking: Will America be the Death of English?


Edwin Newman - 1974
    One man's funny war against loose talk!

A Word A Day: A Romp Through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing Words in English


Anu Garg - 2002
    Now at last here's a feast for them and other verbivores. Eat up!-Barbara WallraffSenior Editor at The Atlantic Monthly and author of Word CourtPraise for A Word a Day"AWADies will be familiar with Anu Garg's refreshing approach to words: words are fun and they have fascinating histories. The people who use them have curious stories to tell too, and this collection incorporates some of the correspondence received by the editors at the AWAD site, from advice on how to outsmart your opponent in a duel (or even a truel) to a cluster of your favorite mondegreens."-John Simpson, Chief Editor, Oxford English Dictionary"A banquet of words! Feast and be nourished!"-Richard Lederer, author of The Miracle of LanguageWritten by the founder of the wildly popular A Word A Day Web site (www.wordsmith.org), this collection of unusual, obscure, and exotic English words will delight writers, scholars, crossword puzzlers, and word buffs of every ilk. The words are grouped in intriguing categories that range from "Portmanteaux" to "Words That Make the Spell-Checker Ineffective." each entry includes a concise definition, etymology, and usage example-and many feature fascinating and hilarious commentaries by A Word A Day subscribers and the authors.

Midsummer Meeting


Elvi Rhodes - 2000
    She was lonely and unsettled - her parents had been killed in a car accident, her boyfriend had decided to go back to his wife, and as a painter she led a solitary life in her North Yorkshire home town. But she felt immediately at home in the gracious stone house that had been bequeathed to her, and was made welcome by the local residents - in particular, by the members of the Mindon Amateur Dramatic Society (somewhat appropriately known as MADS) presided over by the formidable Ursula. Ursula liked to run things her way, and brooked no opposition when the ambitious decision was made (largely by herself) to put on A Midsummer Night's Dream as their next production. Petra , to her surprise and pleasure, was put in charge of the wardrobe. Rivalries, squabbles, love affairs and seething resentments threatened to scupper the production, and all Ursula's managerial skills were needed to prevent disaster. But Petra had more pressing things on her mind than the costumes for the cast. A mystery from her past began to haunt her - and the answer to that mystery might solve the puzzle of why she had been left such a beautiful house by a total stranger.

The Clique Set (The Clique, #1-9)


Lisi Harrison
    Included in this set are the following titles: The Clique, Best Friends For Never, The Revenge of the Wannabes, Invasion of the Boy Snatchers, The Pretty Committee Strikes Back, Dial L For Loser, It's Not Easy Being Mean, Sealed With a Diss, Bratfest at Tiffany's.

On the Road


John Escott - 2009
    [Penguin Readers Level 5]

Maeve Binchy: Three Great Novels (Scarlet Feather / Tara Road / Evening Class)


Maeve Binchy - 2002
    In Evening Class, she applies her signature warmth, wit and understanding to something new--a wickedly funny book for anyone who's checked into the hospital, headed for an operation or convalesced at home. Maeve Binchy can always be counted on to spin an involving tale about ordinary people that brings out the extraordinary in everyone. Here, she zooms in on the working-class of Dublin. Schoolteacher Aidan Dunne organises an evening class in Italian with the help of Nora O'Donoghue, an Irishwoman returning home after 26 years in Sicily. When the somewhat squashed-by-life denizens of the surrounding neighbourhood take the unexpected step of enrolling in the class, they find their lives transformed. Binchy tells her story from the viewpoints of eight different characters and rewards both them and her readers with happy endings after the requisite rocky road. Reading a novel by Maeve Binchy is like catching up with old friends--you know everything will turn out fine in the end, but you're still interested in how things get that way.

Back Road Curves (Surprise Shifters Book 1)


Krysta Fox - 2020
    She’s the fiercely independent woman who never planned to return to the town she left behind years ago. But when circumstances bring them back together, will they take a chance on each other and let love lead the way?MEREDITHSurprise was never really my home. It was more a safe place for me to run when I had no one but my Aunt Denise left in my life. I never expected to be living next to the hottest guy in town or that he would ever notice me. Years later, I’ve built a life of my own, until a desperate call from my aunt brings me back to the town I left behind. And right into his path. Ethan is strong, handsome and when he pulls me over for speeding, he sets my heart racing. But I’m only here for a short time. Can I walk away again when the time comes?ETHANI followed my father into a military life, but when my final tour ends, something calls me back to Surprise. As a Deputy, I can use my shifter abilities to help others. When I pull over a car driving too fast, I’m shocked to see that the woman of my dreams is back in town. Meri is even more beautiful than she was before, and my wolf demands that I get closer to her. But will I be able to let her go when her time here is up? Or will I lose my heart all over again?

A Child Called Hope: The true story of a foster mother's love (HarperTrue Life - A Short Read)


Mia Marconi - 2014
    The illegitimate child was her father, a lost soul who she idolised. Protecting him instilled in her an instinct to care for the vulnerable and, after a chance meeting with a chaotic foster family, she decided fostering was her vocation.In an incredible twist of fate, the first baby she fostered was born to an unmarried Italian girl. Then came Hope, so badly damaged by her teenage mother’s alcoholism she was in hospital for a year. Finally discharged and settled in Mia’s happy home, what happened next would make Mia question if she could carry on.www.harpertrue.co.uk

Lectures on Literature


Vladimir Nabokov - 1980
    Here, collected for the first time, are his famous lectures, which include Mansfield Park, Bleak House, and Ulysses. Edited and with a Foreword by Fredson Bowers; Introduction by John Updike; illustrations.

A History of the English Language


M.D.C. Drout - 2007
    The components of language are explained in easy-to-understand terms and the progression of the language from Germanic to Old, Middle, and Modern English is fully illustrated—including such revolutionary language upheavals as those brought about by the Norman Conquest and the Great Vowel Shift. One of the most interesting aspects of the English language lies in its variants, such as the “soda” vs. “pop” debate and the place of African-American English in modern culture. These and other dialectual curiosities are looked at in detail and placed in the context of today’s world. Finally, Professor Drout examines the future not only of the English language, but of all the world’s languages.

Conversational Klingon (Star Trek)


Marc Okrand - 1992
    A must have for Star Trek fans.

Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp


Judith Dean - 2000
    Accessible language and carefully controlled vocabulary build students' reading confidence. Introductions at the beginning of each story, illustrations throughout, and glossaries help build comprehension. Before, during, and after reading activities included in the back of each book strengthen student comprehension. Audio versions of selected titles provide great models of intonation and pronunciation of difficult words.

Nutribullet: Recipe Book


Stephanie Shaw - 2014
    The boost of vitamins, nutrients, minerals & antioxidants will start restoring you to your natural balance by cleansing & detoxing with the result being that you feel happier & more energetic than you've felt in a long time!As well as feeling amazing & so full of energy, you'll very soon notice the weight dropping off & your skin looking incredibly radiant.Furthermore, you'll find your that blood pressure & cholesterol levels will drop to optimum healthy levels. Your organ health, metabolism & immune system will all get that boost that you so much desire. It goes without saying that you'll have a longer, happier & healthy life.All of these benefits (& so much more) in the time it takes to throw a few ingredients into a big cup & with a quick & simple press of a button!Nutribullet smoothies are powerful because they extract every last drop of goodness that your raw & natural produce have to offer. You'll be shocked when you realise how much nutritional value you throw away by taking off the skin, stem & seeds from fruit & veg.Incidently, this is a great way to get your kids to have their fruit and vegetables with all of the vitamins, minerals & nutrients they need in a very quick & delicious way. They may even enjoy making the smoothies themselves!Nutribullet Recipe Book concentrates on seven main areas of smoothie recipes:- Healthy Heart- Detoxification- Weight Loss- Radiant Skin- Energy Boost- Anti-Aging- Super FoodsThe Nutribullet recipes include:- Chia Seed Rainforest Smoothie- Berry Breakfast Smoothie- Flat Belly Smoothie- Smoothie for Radiant Skin- Shamrock Smoothie- Antioxidant Anti-Aging Smoothie- Raw Mint Chocolate Smoothie- Bananarama SmoothieTake a step towards a longer, healthier & happier life. A life with more energy, more time & less weight. Your new radiance &that confidence awaits you. You won't regret buying the Nutribullet Recipe Book!

A Crown of Thorns: The Governors of the RBI


T.C.A. Srinivasa Raghavan - 2016
    The participants in the controversy which raged during June–July this year forgot that as many four previous governors of the RBI have had their terms cut short. The recent debate has to be seen in this context. This volume focuses on all the governors of the RBI since 1935 and describes how almost all of them had problems with the government. It is inherent in the tasks they are charged with. It also shows how, after 1957, when Jawaharlal Nehru accepted the resignation of Benegal Rama Rau after the latter’s quarrel with the finance minister, T. T. Krishnamachari, the RBI virtually became a department of the finance ministry. Its claims to independence have been revived only after 2002, when financial sector reform changed the structure of a large part of the financial economy. The book ends with advice to future governors about what they should remember: they are the servants of the sovereign, not independent Wu-li masters. They have to manage the government, not fight it. Theirs, as a former governor sensibly pointed out, is a circumscribed independence, the perimeters of which are defined by the government.

The Snake Charmer


Sanjay Nigam - 1998
    Magazine, The Snake Charmer tells the story of Sonalal, a middle-age snake charmer making a living with his been pipe and his beloved cobra, Raju. Despite his great skills, Sonalal's drinking and womanizing seem to have marked him for a life of insignificance. But that all changes one remarkable afternoon when he produces music so beautiful he is certain the gods must be listening. In a moment that will change his life forever, Raju bites Sonalal, and Sonalal bites back, destroying the one creature who loves him. The Snake Charmer traces Sonalal's bumpy journey through brief celebrity, profound remorse, and a quest for answers to unanswerable questions of love, life, and art. Sparely and beautifully written, this "novel of enchantments" (Oscar Hijuelos) is an unforgettable debut, confirming the Washington Post's comparison of Nigam to Arundhati Roy and Vikram Chandra.