This understated yet compelling look at ways of life both familiar and strange creates an instructive, affecting biography of modern humanity. Inspired by the idea that "every single person has got something interesting to say, and every single person has the right to say it," Arthus-Bertrand created a questionnaire of 40 prompts on universal topics such as family, happiness, money, and love, and dispatched six filmmakers to interview more than 5,000 subjects in 75 countries around the world. About one-tenth of the resulting 3,500 hours of film is available online, with subtitles.

    The original edition cost seventy-five cents, but there was something priceless about its eponymous piece. Although it gave a voice to the new generation that came of age in the conservative years following World War II, the poem also conferred a strange, subversive power that continues to exert its influence to this day. Ginsberg went on to become one of the most eminent and celebrated writers of the second half of the twentieth century, and "Howl" became the critical axis of the worldwide literary, cultural, and political movement that would be known as the Beat generation.The year 2006 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of "Howl," and The Poem That Changed America will celebrate and shed new light on this profound cultural work. With new essays by many of today's most distinguished writers, including Frank Bidart, Andrei Codrescu, Vivian Gornick, Phillip Lopate, Daphne Merkin, Rick Moody, Robert Pinsky, and Luc Sante, The Poem That Changed America reveals the pioneering influence of "Howl" down through the decades and its powerful resonance today.

    Linked by the theme of a writer's "first time" -- usually the first time he got paid for his work, but sometimes veering off into other, more unconventional, "first times" -- these always entertaining (and sometimes hilarious) pieces share what it takes to succeed, what it takes to write well, and other aspects of maintaining creativity and integrity while striving for a career in Hollywood. Richard LaGravanese (The Fisher King, The Horse Whisperer, Living Out Loud) confesses that his first paid writing job was crafting phone-sex scripts. Nicholas Kazan (Reversal of Fortune, Matilda) explains why, in Hollywood, an oral "yes" often turns out to be a written "no." Peter Casey writes about the unparalleled pitch meeting for the award-winning series Frasier. Virtually every big-name writer in Hollywood has contributed to this collection, making it essential research material for anyone trying to make it in the entertainment industry, and a perfect read for movie and television buffs everywhere.

    Storytime Yoga seeks to enlighten young minds with the magic of yoga while recounting some of the world's most delightful, instructive stories in a way that encourages literacy and vibrant physical health. Designed for parents, teachers and anyone interested in working with kids from Pre-K through 6th grade, it is packed with inspired and yet practical information. Here you'll find classical Hatha yoga poses used as gestural illustrations of a serious of specially rewritten "teaching stores," about the importance of love, generosity, peace and friendship. There are captivating tales ranging from the Rabbit in the Moon (India) to the Magic Pear Tree (China) and the Shipwrecked Sailor (Egypt) along with many more. The product of hundreds of hours of in-class work by Solis, Storytime Yoga is a worthy addition to the library of anyone interested in bringing the radiant health of yoga and storytelling to the youth of the world.

    But now meet another Terry Pratchett – a man of serious metaphysical ideas and sophisticated philosophical insights. In Philosophy and Terry Pratchett thirteen professional philosophers survey such key philosophical issues as personal identity, the nature of destiny, the value of individuality, the meaning of existentialism, the reality of universals and the existence of alternative realities. In considering these and many other equally fascinating themes, close reference is made to more than 35 Discworld novels as well as to the ideas of some of history's greatest philosophers including Aristotle, Hobbes, Rousseau, Kant, Mill, Kierkegaard, Wittgenstein and Rawls.During your journey, you will be surprised by numerous provocative conclusions including the startling claim that the existence of Discworld is logically possible!

    Fusing family memoir with a meditation on creative block, depression, solitude, class, place and the intractable politics of our present moment, Dan Fox draws upon his experiences as a writer to consider the role that fallow periods and states of impasse play in art and life. LIMBO is an essay about getting by when you can't get along, employing a cast of artists, exiles, ghosts, hermits and sailors - including the author's older brother who, in 1985, left England for good to sail the world - to reflect on the creative, emotional and political consequences of being stuck, and how these are also crucial to our understanding of inspiration, flow and productivity. From Thomas Aquinas to radical behavioural experiments, from creative constraints to the social horrors of THE TWILIGHT ZONE and Get Out's SUNKEN PLACE, LIMBO argues that there can be no growth without stagnancy, no movement without inactivity, and no progress without refusal.

    Some novelists write with the goal of becoming a best seller, hoping for wealth and fame. Some just want to write novels that earn them a steady income so they can feed their families and pay their bills. Some write to express their creativity and don’t care if anyone ever reads their books. Then there are the other writers. They want to write an unforgettable novel—the kind of book that gets called a classic, that endures the ravages of time, that stays long in readers’ hearts and changes their lives. These writers want to know the secret of how to reach the heart of their readers. If you are one of those writers, Writing the Heart of Your Story is the book you’ve been waiting for. Inside, you’ll learn: what the most important key elements are that must be in the very first scene of your novel—and some in the first paragraph. how to tap into the heart of your story, characters, setting, plot, and themes by employing specific writing exercises. ways to brainstorm ideas for plot, themes, motifs, setting, and rich characters through asking a series of questions that will take you deeper below the surface of your story. what the most important question is that must be asked in the opening scene in order to write an unforgettable novel. what three things each character must be asked for them to become truly believable and compelling. the secrets to structuring powerful scenes by focusing on the “high moment.” Don’t just write a good novel. Write a great one—by mining the heart of your story! Here's what the best writing instructors and bloggers have to say about this essential writing craft book: “A fresh and motivating take on conventional wisdom, but with unconventional heart. This is highly accessible teaching that transcends ‘how to’ and goes deep into ‘why to’ in a way that will force you to choose between reading it again and jumping on your own project. Bravo.” —Larry Brooks, best-selling author of Story Engineering and Story Physics “As authors, our job is to make people feel, and to do this we need to connect with our own deepest selves in the hope that we can meet the reader where they are. This book will teach you how to delve into your own heart in order to impact those who read your words.” —Joanna Penn, author of From Idea to Book “A veritable compendium of sound writing advice and technique. Written in a style that is both accessible and fun, Lakin's book will be a welcome companion on your writing journey.” —James Scott Bell, best-selling author of Conflict and Suspense and Plot and Structure “I read dozens of writing craft books every year. All too many of them are ho-hum, been-there-done-that. This one is absotively posolutely not. Lakin offers a refreshingly structured—and yet freeing—approach to not just creating a solidly entertaining story but to crafting a tale of emotional resonance and resilience.

    Joyce's Voices is both a helpful guide through Joyce's complexities, and a brief treatise on the concept of objectivity: the idea that the world can be perceived as a series of reports to our senses. Objectivity, Kenner claims, was a modern invention, and one that the modernists--Joyce foremost among them--found problematic. Accessible and enjoyable, Joyce's Voices is what so much criticism is not: an aid to better understanding--and enjoying more fully--the work of one of the world's greatest writers.

    'Yes' connects us to the world, and carries us into the future. So why do we find it so hard to get others to agree? And how can we improve our chances?The Little Book of Yes contains 21 short essays that outline a range of effective persuasion strategies, each proven to increase the chances that someone will agree to your request. That someone could be a friend, a colleague, a partner, a lover, a manager, a sibling, a parent, even a stranger. The timeless principles and practical lessons in this collection can be used to tackle a variety of everyday challenges, from repairing a soured relationship to negotiating a higher fee for your work, from convincing a dithering friend to take action, to building your social network and personal brand.Full of wisdom from the leaders in influence, with carefully curated advice, this little book is essential reading for any freelancer, manager, entrepreneur, parent or person who wants more from their world.