English Composition

Developed by experienced professors and professionally narrated for easy listening, this course is a valuable tool when preparing for your Advanced Placement English or AP English exam.

The two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter behind the groundbreaking album Exile in Guyville traces her life and career in a genre-bending memoir in stories about the pivotal moments that haunt her. When Liz Phair shook things up with her musical debut, Exile in Guyville—making her as...

Sequel to Grammy-nominated bestseller Under the Big Black Sun, continuing the up-close and personal account of the L.A. punk scene Picking up where Under the Big Black Sun left off, More Fun in the New World explores the years 1982 to 1987, covering the dizzying pinnacle of L.A.'s punk...

America's favorite writing coach returns with a guide to writing clearly and honestly in a world full of lies, propaganda, and misinformation. The darker and more dystopian the future appears, the more influential public writers become. But with so much content vying for our attention, and so...

A comprehensive guide to rocks and minerals—a must-have for any rock hound’s library. Rocks & Minerals is a field guide to 50 varieties of rocks and minerals. In this book, you’ll find profiles on individual specimens, each showcasing characteristics, chemical composition, origins, and key...

From drawing a map of a remembered neighborhood to signing a form releasing yourself to take risks in your work, Roorbach offers innovative techniques that will trigger ideas for all writers. Writing Life Stories is a classic text that appears on countless creative nonfiction and composition syllabi the world over. This updated 10th anniversary edition gives you the same friendly instruction and stimulating exercises along with updated information on current memoir writing trends, ethics, internet research, and even marketing ideas.

A major new biography of Duke Ellington from the acclaimed author of Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was the greatest jazz composer of the twentieth century—and an impenetrably enigmatic personality whom no one, not even his closest friends, claimed to...

From the acclaimed author of Rip It Up and Start Again and Retromania—“the foremost popular music critic of this era (Times Literary Supplement)—comes the definitive cultural history of glam and glitter rock, celebrating its outlandish fashion and outrageous stars, including David Bowie...

Ready to build a poem? First, you’ll need the right tools. Open this title in the Writer’s Toolbox series and discover plenty of tips and tools to get you started. Soon you’ll be writing rhythms and rhymes like a pro!

Ready to build a scary story? First, you’ll need the right tools. Open this title in the Writer’s Toolbox series and discover plenty of tips and tools to get you started. Soon you’ll be sharing scares like a pro!

Ready to build a picture book? First, you’ll need the right tools. Listen to this title in the Writer’s Toolbox series and discover plenty of tips and tools to get you started. Soon you’ll be writing and showing stories like a pro!

If the book tells a true story, you're listening to nonfiction. How else do you know? Quick, fun examples help you get the facts on nonfiction.

Young writers discover techniques for crafting persuasive opinion essays. Think rabbits make the best pets or that winter is better than summer? Share your opinion through writing! This engaging nonfiction book includes basic writing instructions, tips, and prompts tailored to beginning writers' needs. Perfect for research writing, browsing, or for fun!

If words describe a feeling or some words rhyme, you're listening to a poem. How else do you know? Quick, fun examples help you understand the beauty of poetry.

You can tell listeners how much an elephant eats. You can reveal key moments in Babe Ruth’s life. You can list facts about Mars, airplanes, or Halloween. You can write excellent reports!

Even the youngest listeners and writers need to learn about plagiarism. Give listeners and writers the tools they need to evaluate and understand ownership of work.

You can wish your cousin a happy birthday. You can share the latest news from school. You can ask your favorite basketball star for playing tips. You can write great letters and emails!

What exactly is a primary source? How does it compare to other types of sources? Emerging listeners need to know the difference. Listeners will also be introduced to the concept of plagiarism, how to choose sources for their writing and reports, checking source dates and accuracy, and more.

For anyone who wants to make fewer (not less) grammar mistakes, this “passionate, enlightening, and easily navigable manual is certainly the right book at the right time” (Publishers Weekly)—reminiscent of the New York Times bestseller Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Our language is changing...

Everyone has a story, and helping people tell their stories has been Nancy Slonim Aronie’s life mission. Building on her acclaimed Memoir as Medicine, this new guide tackles the short personal essay. With warmth and humor, Nancy provides prompts, inspiration, and hard-won wisdom to empower you to write an unforgettable narrative. You’ll learn to begin with an irresistible hook (“kill ’em with the first line”) and employ compelling direct quotes, drama, vulnerability, universal themes, and self-reflection to get readers into your corner.