Book picks similar to
Word Mysteries and Histories: From Quiche to Humble Pie by Barry Moser
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101 Conversations in Simple French: Short Natural Dialogues to Boost Your Confidence & Improve Your Spoken French
Olly Richards - 2019
Real French people don’t speak like your textbook… so it’s no wonder you feel unprepared when it’s your turn to speak! This book fixes that. For the first time, you’ll learn to speak French in the REAL world, with 101 authentic conversations in simple, spoken French, so you can become confident in the words, phrases and expressions you need to communicate like a local.You’ll be transported into a real-world story that unfolds between six French characters, told by the people themselves in 101 authentic conversations. Over 15,000 words of real French, you’ll immerse yourself in a gripping French drama and get an education in natural French in the process. Here’s what you’ll get:
101 conversations in simple French, so you can learn the real French spoken in the street, understand spoken French with ease, and have French roll off your tongue more fluently
Over 15,000 words of dialogue - an unparalleled resource that will immerse you in French, at a level you can understand, so you can learn real spoken French without getting lost or overwhelmed
Real, daily spoken French throughout - it’s as if we held up a microphone and recorded the exact words coming out of people’s mouths - so you can learn the expressions that real people use on the street (not in textbooks). You’ll sound more authentic when you speak and make French-speaking friends more easily.
Situational dialogues from typical daily circumstances, so you’ll prepare yourself to survive realistic French encounters, in shops and cafés, and make meeting people and making arrangements second nature
Conversations that are carefully written to be accessible for beginners (A2-B1 on the CEFR), so you can start to learn from real, spoken conversations, even as a beginner, without having to go through the rollercoaster of difficult conversations with strangers
Each conversation is limited to around 15 lines of dialogue (150 words), so you can get that crucial sense of achievement and motivation when you finish each conversation, and say “I actually understood all of that!”
Word lists with English definitions in every chapter, so you can get instant translations of any difficult words and focus on reading and enjoying the stories rather than wasting time in a dictionary
Summaries of each conversation which contextualise each dialogue, so you can easily follow the plot and enjoy the story without getting lost
The story is set in France and includes expressions that are typical in standard French. However, since the conversations use mostly “neutral” French, you’ll find them useful whether you’re learning the French of Canada, North Africa or any other French-speaking community. Created by Olly Richards, internationally-renowned language teacher and author, 101 Conversations in Real Spoken French gives you an education in real French that you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll be better prepared for using French in the real world, speak with more confidence, and take a giant leap towards fluency in French!SCROLL UP AND GRAB YOUR COPY NOW
Nobody Eats Parsley: And other things I learned from my family
David Oakley - 2020
They're so ridiculous you may think they're fiction. Like the time I went to a drive-in X-rated movie without realizing my parents were in the next car. Or the time I let my kid throw a rock through our living room window. There's the time I bought a camouflage thong in a bait shop and the time I ruined a kid's birthday party. And the other time I ruined a kid's birthday party. I can't guarantee that these stories will make you laugh, but I can guarantee that I didn't make them up.
An Exaltation of Larks: The Ultimate Edition
James Lipton - 1968
Lipton in the Books of Venery that were the constant study of anyone who aspired to the title of gentleman in the fifteenth century. When Mr. Lipton's painstaking research revealed that five hundred years ago the terms of venery had already been turned into the Game of Venery, he embarked on an odyssey that has given us a "slouch of models," a "shrivel of critics," an "unction of undertakers," a "blur of Impressionists," a "score of bachelors," and a "pocket of quarterbacks." This ultimate edition of An Exaltation of Larks is Mr. Lipton's brilliant answer to the assault on language and literacy in the last decades of the twentieth century. In it you will find more than 1,100 resurrected or newly minted contributions to that most endangered of all species, our language, in a setting of 250 witty, beautiful, and remarkably apt engravings.
Best Books of 2013: Reader's Guide
Amazon Books - 2013
This free Kindle book features interviews, essays, excerpts, and other fun extras about the year’s top 20 titles: Donna Tartt talks about her eating habits while writing The Goldfinch; Khaled Hosseini’s publicist discusses what it’s like to be on a national tour with him; David Finkel discusses the emotional impact following the 2-16 infantry battalion in Thank You for Your Service; and much more.
Body by Design: The Complete 12-Week Plan to Transform Your Body Forever
Kris Gethin - 2010
"Body by Design "is a plan that promotes health from the inside out, starting by breaking down the mental blocks that are holding you back, then by building up the muscles on your body, and finally by adding delicious, healthy food onto your plate.Rather than subtracting things from your life-- cutting out calories, losing weight, banishing your belly--here's how to add more of the right things: more muscle, more support, and more success. Motivation is the key factor that drives permanent change, and with "Body by Design "you can finally learn how to activate your inner motivation and with the proper balance of weight training, make fit happen forever. cardiovascular exercise, and nutrition--along with the motivational tools to stick with that program for the long term--even people who have struggled with fitness for their entire lives can achieve spectacular, lasting results. Join the "Transformation Nation" and create your own story that will inspire others--with "Body by Design."In "Body by Design, "you'll learn the optimal balance of weight training, cardiovascular exercise, and nutrition--along with the motivational tools to stick with your goals and achieve dramatic results. Rather than subtracting things from your life (cutting calories, losing weight, banishing your belly), here's how to more muscle, more support, and more success.Based on the best practices found at Bodybuilding.com (the world's leading online fitness site), "Body by Design "shows that amazing things can happen when people get the tools they need to achieve their fitness goals.***YOU CAN TRANSFORM YOUR BODY. GET AND STAY MOTIVATED.Identify your "Transformation Trigger" and create a system of radical accountability in your life--whether your goal is to lose 30 pounds of fat or gain 30 pounds of muscle.EXERCISE FOR OPTIMUM RESULTS with a fully illustrated, 12-week workout. By changing your routine often, you will "shock" your body into doing more than you ever thought you could.EAT CLEAN TO GET LEAN with simple, inexpensive, and delicious recipes. Supercharge your metabolism and keep hunger under control.***TIFFANY FORNI is a self-professed "fat girl turned fitness nerd" who turned her newfound passion for health into a career as a personal trainer.ROCHELLE FORD came from a family of unhealthy eaters but eventually lost more than 100 pounds--and converted her family to her good habits in the process.CLAUDIO RAMOS has more energy than ever after his 135-pound weight loss--"It's like I've been reborn."RICKY HOWELL achieved a stronger body and a newfound sense of confidence after his divorce.PLUS, YOU'LL READ AMAZING STORIES-- and see remarkable before-and-after photos-- from people just like you who have experienced dramatic, life-changing results.
Miss Manners on Painfully Proper Weddings
Judith Martin - 1995
In her trademark bossy, witty, and authoritative way, Miss Manners gives advice that will make the big day more pleasant for one and all, including the bride. 15 line drawings.
Road Swing: One Fan's Journey Into The Soul Of America's Sports
Steve Rushin - 1998
So he jumped into his fully alarmed Japanese S.U.V. and drove to American sports shrines for a year, everywhere from Larry Bird's boyhood home in French Lick, Indiana, to the cornfield just outside of Dyersville, Iowa, where Field of Dreams was filmed. Now in paperback, Road Swing is the story of his journey.
The Pirate Primer: Mastering the Language of Swashbucklers and Rogues
George Choundas - 2007
A comprehensive course in pirate vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and syntax, The Pirate Primer contains three centuries of distinctive terms and usages uttered by (and attributed to) pirates in film, TV, literature, and history.Discover more than 100 pages of threats, curses, oaths, insults, and epithets; 31 types of pirate drink; 60 different pirate terms for ''woman''; 67 kinds of pirate torture and punishment; 44 distinct definitions of ''aargh''; and more.Each entry in the Primer is accompanied by an excerpt, so you can see the words and phrases used in proper context by actual pirates. And each linguistic concept is introduced by a related anecdote or narrative account, so you can live the language while you learn it.Whether you're simply fascinated by the culture of the Brethren of the Coast or you fancy yourself a modern-day corsair, The Pirate Primer is your guide to authentic pirate speak. Should you ever stare down Davy Jones and he demands proof that you're one who flies no flag, despair not.You'll be able to talk the talk, and no mistake.
Essential Portuguese Grammar
Alexander da R. Prista - 1966
The author covers the most important points of Portuguese grammar in the clearest possible way, concentrating upon the expressions that you would be most likely to use. All grammatical rules are illustrated with phrases and sentences that you can incorporate directly into your working vocabulary, and hints are generously sprinkled throughout, showing you how to replace difficult constructions with simpler ones.Constantly drawing comparisons with English construction, it presents in logical order all the major aspects of Portuguese grammar: word order, forming questions, nouns and articles, adjectives and adverbs, possessives, demonstrative adjectives and pronouns, how to form negatives, personal pronouns, conjunctions and prepositions, how to conjugate verbs in the major tenses, prepositions and infinitives, and so on.This grammar does not assume prior knowledge of either Portuguese grammar or of grammatical terms: one section is devoted to the definition of all grammatical terms used in the book.This is not a simplified study, but rather a selected grammar for adult use that points out many time-saving short cuts. It can be used alone either as a beginner or as a refresher course in Portuguese grammar or it can be an ideal supplement to a phrase book or record course for home study or class use. Contains four appendices covering regular conjugations, orthographic-changing verbs, and irregular verbs. Glossary of grammatical terms. Index.
Biggest Secrets
William Poundstone - 1993
Fields Cookies... What backward messages on records are really trying to tell you... Frank Sinatra's real age... Why you can't counterfeit a lottery ticket... Barbra Streisand's blue movie... The other Boy Scout rituals... Ingmar Bergman's soap commercials... The formula for Play-Doh... and more.
Inside the Real Area 51: The Secret History of Wright Patterson
Thomas J. Carey - 2013
Only a select few have ever had access to the truth about what became known as Area 51.But what happened to the remnants of that crash is shrouded in even greater mystery. What began in the high desert of New Mexico ended at Wright-Patterson, an ultra top-secret Air Force base in Dayton, Ohio. The physical evidence of extraterrestrial visitation was buried deep within this nuclear stronghold.How tragic that such seismic news should be kept from the people of the world...pieces of history, now quickly dwindling into oblivion as the last of the secret-keepers passes on.In spite of its rich history of military service to our nation, Wright-Patterson also stands as the secret tomb of one of the greatest occurrences in recorded history. But be prepared...the real Area 51--Wright-Patterson's vault--is about to be opened.
The Hippie Handbook: How to Tie-Dye a T-Shirt, Flash a Peace Sign, and Other Essential Skills for the Carefree Life
Chelsea Cain - 2004
In illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions, author Chelsea Cain -- who grew up on an Iowa hippie commune -- provides practical and playful know-how for the hippie and hippie-at-heart. Learn how to milk a goat, build a compost pile, play "Kumbaya" on the guitar, teach a dog how to catch a Frisbee, and get your file from the FBI. Discover the finer points of caring for a fern, choosing a mantra, organizing a protest, naming your hippie baby, and making sand candles as holiday gifts. Including primers on cooking, dressing, driving, telling time, dancing, and celebrating your birthday in classic hippie style, and a righteous appendix of essential hippie books, movies, and slang, The Hippie Handbook knows the score. Right on.
The United States of Australia: An Aussie Bloke Explains Australia to Americans
Cameron Jamieson - 2014
Written for Americans, but equally amusing to anyone visiting the shores of the Great Southern Land, this book examines the relationship between Australia and the U.S., including how Australians view their American cousins. The author has plenty of experience of working and dealing with Americans. He is married to an American nurse and has lived his life within the massive cultural influence that America has shared with Australia since the Second World War. The author’s stories are brimming with empathy and jokes for his American audience. The book is written from the opinion of an Aussie Bloke and the easy-to-digest chapters are just long enough to leave the reader smiling and well informed.Topics include Blokes and Sheilas, Bloody Foster’s, Dangerous Creatures, Talking to Dogs, The GAFA, Speaking Strail-yun and Working for the Queen. Confused? You won’t be after reading this book!
Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide: Seasons 1-3
Steve Callaghan - 2005
Learn more about Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie, Brian, and friends than you can shake a stick at -- or, in Brian's case, shake a martini at!There's a ton of insider stuff too:Commentary from the show's creator, producers, writers, and voice-over artists, including thoughts about those guys at Fox who did the unthinkable (like canceling the show) ...and then the unheard of (like bringing it back to the network!)Behind-the-scenes jokes and pranksSubtle things you may have missedAnd lots moreIt's all here -- Family Guy, uncanceled, unbanned, and uncensored!It's a must-have for all Family Guy fans.
The Snark Handbook: Insult Edition: Comebacks, Taunts, and Effronteries
Lawrence Dorfman - 2010
That means that I don’t have to be nice anymore.” So, if you love a good insult, or find yourself the snarkiest wit in the room, then his book is for you. Don’t Worry! Be Snarky!Here Dorfman is in delicious form, dishing it out without any real consequences. Readers will find material to actually use in day-to-day life, including:Streamlined instructions on when and how to mock your peersHow to use retorts with your spouse and childrenHow our late, great ancestors used insults throughout history.And much more!This is not a mere collection of quotations. Dorfman speaks directly to his audience, serving as teacher, ringleader, and historian. After all, not all insults are snarky, and not all snark is insulting. It takes a certain genius to define and navigate the fine line between idiotic commentary and intelligent snark, a genius that has been isolated and packaged with aplomb in the Snark Handbook: Insult Edition.