Showing titles in Words, Language & Grammar

From Pickwick to Scrooge, Copperfield to Twist, how did Dickens find the perfect names for his characters? What was Dickens' favourite way of killing his characters? When is a Dickens character most likely to see a ghost? Why is Dickens’ trickery only fully realised when his novels are read aloud? In 13 entertaining and wonderfully insightful essays, John Mullan explores the literary machinations of Dickens’ eccentric genius, from his delight in clichés to his rendering of smells and his outrageous use of coincidences.

SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘If you want to write a novel or a script, read this book’ Sunday Times ‘The best book on the craft of storytelling I’ve ever read’ Matt Haig ‘Rarely has a book engrossed me more, and forced me to question everything I’ve ever read, seen or written. A...

The Bible is held to be both universal and specific, the source of fundamental truths inscribed in words that are exact and sacred. For much of the history of Judaism and almost the entirety of Christianity, however, believers have overwhelmingly understood scripture not in the languages in which it was first written but rather in their own—in translation. This book examines how saints, scholars and interpreters from ancient times down to the present have produced versions of the Bible in the language of their day while remaining true to the original. 

Brought to you by Penguin. THE ACCLAIMED NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. Because Internet is for anyone who's ever puzzled over how to punctuate a text message or wondered where memes come from. It's the perfect book for understanding how the internet is changing the English language, why that's a...

Brought to you by Penguin. A guide to the healing power of journalling and a meditation on the central questions of life, featuring creative contributions from Salman Rushdie, Esther Perel, Alain de Botton, Hanif Kureishi, Jia Tolentino, Elizabeth Gilbert, Gloria Steinem, George Saunders, Lena...

While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you. That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.

There are three kinds of feelings when reading a story: boredom, interest, and wow! To become a successful writer, you must create the wow feeling on as many pages as possible, and this requires writing that engages the reader emotionally. In his best-selling book, screenwriter Karl Iglesias explored the working habits of A-list Hollywood scribes. Now, he breaks new ground by focusing on the psychology of the reader.

Brought to you by Penguin. An A-Z of hope and happiness from poet, Sunday Times bestselling author and national treasure Michael Rosen, with 26 ideas for bringing joy into every day Discover a world where finding joy is as simple as ABC. In an uncertain world, we need hope and happiness more...

A unique and perfectly brilliant way of learning languages. - Stephen Fry in Rescuing the Spectacled Bear Looking for a convenient intermediate language course that fits your lifestyle and gets you speaking a new language in a matter of weeks, not years? The original no-books, no-homework...

Does the idea of speaking in front of an audience make you nervous? You're not alone. Most people experience a natural fear of public speaking, but it doesn't have to hold you back. With the proper guidance and tools, you can turn your anxiety-ridden monologues into awe-inspiring speeches that captivate, educate, and motivate. This book offers practical strategies to help you overcome fear, boost your confidence, and deliver impactful speeches with self-assurance and skill.

Brought to you by Penguin. In The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature, Steven Pinker looks at how the relationship between words and thoughts can help us understand who we are. Why do so many swear words involve topics like sex, bodily functions or the divine? Why do some...

Tackle the challenges of memoir writing and share your story. 'Cathy is the person who first told me to write about my mental health when I was nervous to do so. She is a great writer herself and this is brilliant.' - Matt Haig, author of Reasons to Stay Alive Why do we want to write and what...

Brought to you by Penguin. What is the secret of good prose? Does writing well even matter in an age of instant communication? Should we care? In this funny, thoughtful book about the modern art of writing, Steven Pinker shows us why we all need a sense of style. More than ever before, the...

After writing three critically acclaimed memoirs and a decade of teaching memoir workshops at every level, Elissa Altman has helped students face the elephant in every writer’s room: how to craft the stories that are most vital to them despite the voices that have told them not to. Permission is a master course, not only on how to craft memoir, but how to begin and keep going when you’ve been told you can’t, and how to how to give yourself permission to transcend the fear that keeps vital stories from being written.

Roughly half the world's population speaks languages derived from a shared linguistic source known as Proto-Indo-European. But who were the early speakers of this ancient mother tongue, and how did they manage to spread it around the globe? The Horse, the Wheel, and Language solves a puzzle that has vexed scholars for two centuries and recovers a magnificent and influential civilization from the past. 

THE NUMBER ONE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER A FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS 2025 ‘The best memoir you will read all year’ NICK HORNBY ‘A triumph – a meditation on writing, suicide, guilt and silence’ GUARDIAN ‘Curious and idiosyncratic and enjoyable’ ZADIE SMITH...

Discover the secrets to a perfect TED Talk and learn how to hone your public speaking with internationally respected communications coach and Harvard University instructor, Carmine Gallo. With a new introduction from the author. ‘A smart, practical book that will teach you how to give a...

The Secrets of Story is a revolutionary and comprehensive writing guide for the 21st century, focused on clever ways to get an audience to fully identify with an all-too-human hero. Authors will learn to how to cut through pop culture noise and win over a jaded modern audience by rediscovering the heart of writing: shaping stories that ring true to our shared understanding of human nature.

Shhh. Did you know there is a secret Language of Leadership: a timeless set of cues and signals that still determines who reaches the top in politics and business today? The ancient Greeks were the first to study the art of communication 2,500 years ago. It is only now, with recent breakthroughs in neuroscience, that we can say for sure what works and how.

Experience a modern classic on writing as you've never heard it before. With nearly one million copies of Writing Down the Bones in print, Natalie Goldberg has helped change the way writing is practiced in homes, schools, and workshops across America. Through her heartfelt personal reflections...