When Mark Greenside—a native New Yorker living in California, doubting (not-as-trusting-as) Thomas, downwardly mobile, political lefty, writer, and lifelong skeptic—is dragged by his girlfriend to a tiny Celtic village in Brittany at the westernmost edge of France, in Finistère, "the end of the world," his life begins to change. In a playful, headlong style, and with enormous affection for the Bretons, Greenside tells how he makes a life for himself in a country where he doesn't speak the language or know how things are done. Against his personal inclinations and better judgments, he places his trust in the villagers he encounters—neighbors, workers, acquaintances—and is consistently won over and surprised as he manages and survives day-to-day trials: from opening a bank account and buying a house to removing a beehive from the chimney—in other words, learning the cultural ropes, living with neighbors, and making new friends. I'll Never Be French (no matter what I do) is a beginning and a homecoming for Greenside, as his father's family emigrated from France. It is a memoir about fitting in, not standing out; being part of something larger, not being separate from it; following, not leading. It explores the joys and adventures of living a double life.

    The reader is encouraged to toss off words such as ?disestablishmentarianism, ? ?descant, ? and ?autodidactic? ?words that will make the user sound learned, intellectual, and wise. For those who want to improve the quality and sophistication of their speech and writing, this is the book to keep on the nightstan

    Not since School House Rock have adjectives, adverbs, articles, conjunctions, interjections, nouns, prepositions, pronouns, and verbs been explored with such infectious exuberance. Read If You Catch an Adjective, Kill It and: Learn how to write better with classic advice from writers such as Mark Twain (“If you catch an adjective, kill it”), Stephen King (“I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs”), and Gertrude Stein (“Nouns . . . are completely not interesting”). Marvel at how a single word can shift from adverb (“I did okay”), to adjective (“It was an okay movie”), to interjection (“Okay!”), to noun (“I gave my okay”), to verb (“Who okayed this?”), depending on its use. Avoid the pretentious preposition at, a favorite of real estate developers (e.g., “The Shoppes at White Plains”). Laugh when Yagoda says he “shall call anyone a dork to the end of his days” who insists on maintaining the distinction between shall and will. Read, and discover a book whose pop culture references, humorous asides, and bracing doses of discernment and common sense convey Yagoda’s unique sense of the “beauty, the joy, the artistry, and the fun of language.”

    This book includes the following features:- Selective vocabulary found on recent SATs and PSATs used in context. No more memorizing the definitions of long lists of seemingly random words in a vacuum.- Relevant, vivid, and memorable examples from pop culture, historic events, literature, and contemporary issues.- Six easy-to-tackle chapters- A Fast Review for each chapter, with quick definitions- A Final Review with sentence completion questions just like real SATs and PSATs, including complete solution explanationsBuilding on the success of previous editions, the authors of "Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT" consulted secondary school teachers, tutors, parents, and students from around the world to ensure that these words and illustrations are on target to prepare you for success on the SAT. You will find that the process is effective, worthwhile, and even fun!

    In these pages you'll find old favorites like Paul Bunyan, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed, and legendary historic figures such as Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp, and Davy Crockett, not to mention a host of less familiar folk heroes and heroines from all across the nation.This is a book that will make you laugh and remember. It's filled with outrageously colorful characters: explorers and wayfarers, gamblers and boasters, cowboys and outlaws, preachers and politicians. In page after page we get an exhilarating look at pioneer life, at love and marriage, at gunslingers, Indian legends, ghosts, and witches. Perhaps you will find the riddles and rhymes of your own childhood, and you are certain to find all the old, familiar superstitions.And finally, Great American Folklore is a compendium of those American tall tales, those exuberant whoppers, that folks love to tell around the warmth of a country stove. Here is a volume that will appeal to all ages and will give the whole family hours of reading pleasure. It's an unparalleled collection of much-loved Americana.

    This comprehensive lexicon provides definitions of nautical terms, historical entries describing the people and political events that shaped the period, and detailed explanations of the scientific, medical, and biblical references that appear in the novels.

    They embrace family life and the lore of farmers, sailors, miners, and actors; offer advice on the signs to observe when contemplating a journey or a marriage; reveal the significance of animals, plants, stones, colors, food and drink, the elements, and heavenly bodies; outline the precautions to be taken after a death in the house or during a thunderstorm; and disclose the motives behind seasonal customs at New Year, in May, at Halloween, and Christmas. Each entry is arranged alphabetically according to its central idea or object, and illustrated with a selection of chronologically ordered quotations that indicate the history and development of each belief. And a thematic index helps the reader discover surprisingly coherent patterns in these mysterious and often misunderstood methods of comprehending the world and overcomingits perils, and shows the strong underlying connections with witchcraft and pagan religions. Superstitions have never before been treated in such depth or on such a scale. An entertaining volume for anyone curious about the beliefs of the past, A Dictionary of Superstitions also makes a valuable contribution to the study of folklore, providing the first systematic account of beliefs that form an integral part of our social life.

    A writer's right hand and a browser's delight, this reference contains thousands of entries in over 800 categories.

    This all-new fourth edition of the best-selling classic continues that tradition with its clear and precise definitions, its expert usage guidance, and its wealth of illustrations. Newly updated to reflect our changing language, this revised edition is the most up-to-date and authoritative dictionary available today.* More than a thousand new entries for such terms as e-tailer, zine, bioreserve, chatroom, red card, domestic partner * More biographical and geographical entries than any other paperback, thoroughly updated for the new millennium* The most lavishly illustrated dictionary on the market -- with over 400 images* Expert usage guidance based on the American Heritage® Usage Panel* Regional notes from around the country* Hundreds of synonym lists, fascinating etymologies, and much more

     It's a painless way to improve your French vocabulary and your confidence at reading and listening.(including Free MP3). No dictionary necessary-Each story is broken down with French and English Glossary. See example below; “Même si Laura est trop mauvaise cuisinière, et qu’elle est habituée à se nourrir uniquement de surgelés. Elle ne souhaite pas rater l’occasion de revoir toute sa famille. Elle réfléchit beaucoup mais ne trouve pas de solution. • est habitué = get used • se nourrir = feed • uniquement = only • surgelés = frozen food • rater l’occasion = miss the opportunity • réfléchit = think “ Never forget the vocabulary again: Vocabulary recap at the end of the book and each chapter. Practice your writing: Try to make your own summary. Compare it with an example for each chapter; Variety of situations: 7 stories about Travelling, Cooking, Shopping, Love, School, Relationship, Movie... Diverse Grammar structure and vocab: A good mix of dialogue and description. Improve your reading comprehension for newspaper articles, but also French spoken in the street. Practice your pronunciation and your listening with the free MP3!

    The last word on the right word includes new synonyms, new slang and colloquial expressions, new technical terms, and more.

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    This edition has been revised and edited by Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Justin Kaplan.

    Even so, many writers are stymied in getting their books published, never mind gaining significant attention for their ideas—and substantial sales. This is the book editors have been recommending to would-be authors. Filled with trade secrets, Thinking Like Your Editor explains:• why every proposal should ask and answer five key questions;• how to tailor academic writing to a general reader, without losing ideas or dumbing down your work;• how to write a proposal that editors cannot ignore;• why the most important chapter is your introduction;• why "simple structure, complex ideas" is the mantra for creating serious nonfiction;• why smart nonfiction editors regularly reject great writing but find new arguments irresistible.Whatever the topic, from history to business, science to philosophy, law, or gender studies, this book is vital to every serious nonfiction writer.

    Drawing on classical mythologies, Biblical themes, and traditional symbols from cultures worldwide, this user-friendly, attractively priced reference has comprehensive entries on everything from individual animals, plants, and objects to gods, goddesses, supernatural creatures, heroes, heroines, mythical episodes, prophets, saints, miracles, and myriad other subjects. Whether the topic at hand is Mercury or Merlin, the Egyptian ankh or the humble ant, engaging text reveals the origins and meaning of each symbol. Interspersed with the main entries are short articles on themes of special interest, such as the Sun, Moon, and stars, or common vices. Three hundred illustrations, an intuitive system of cross-referencing, and authoritative research make The Complete Dictionary of Symbols a reliable resource for school, home, or library.