A fully revised and updated edition with writing prompts and challenges in every chapterToday’s writers need more spunk than Strunk: whether it's the Great American e-mail, Madison Avenue advertising, or Grammy Award-winning rap lyrics, memorable writing must jump off the page. Copy veteran Constance Hale is on a mission to make creative communication, both the lyrical and the unlawful, an option for everyone.With its crisp, witty tone, Sin and Synt...

Are you a teacher trying to help struggling writers perk up their prose? Would you like to learn a little about language yourself as you put together lesson plans for your wards?Constance Hale's Lesson Plans for Teachers offers two semesters worth of material to prepare novice writers not just for college but for a lifetime of professional-grade work. Chock full of clear-headed explanations, dynamic exercises, and inspiring prompts, these lessons will transform the way novice write...

"Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch is more than just a writing handbook; it’s a key to unlocking every writer’s innate creativity by offering countless paths to verbal expressiveness." —San Francisco ChronicleGreat sentences pivot on great verbs. In Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch, Constance Hale, best-selling author of Sin and Syntax, zeroes in on verbs that make bad writing sour and good writing sing. Each chapter in Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch

Dear Mister Essay Writer Guy,I have a hot crush on the em dash. What does my need to stuff—while simultaneously fracturing—my sentences—with the meandering, the explanatory, the discursive, the perhaps not-entirely-necessary—say about me?—Cheryl StrayedHave you ever wished there were an advice columnist for writers, but one who didn’t take things so damned seriously? This unique writing guide pairs questions sent in by top contemporary essayists with hilariously witty...

"...Fresh, realistic, and comprehensive solutions for the millions of Americans who haven't saved enough for retirement."—NANCY COLLAMER, Public Speaker, Career Coach, and Author of Second-Act Careers: 50+ Ways to Profit Your Passions During Semi-RetirementWhen financial planning expert Melissa Phipps decided to quit her 9-to-5 and start her own business, she told herself, "the time is now." It wasn't retirement, but it was the first step. Not long after, she found...

An illuminating look at the surprising upside of ambiguity—and how, properly harnessed, it can inspire learning, creativity, even empathyLife today feels more overwhelming and chaotic than ever. Whether it’s a confounding work problem or a faltering relationship or an unclear medical diagnosis, we face constant uncertainty. And we’re continually bombarded with information, much of it contradictory.Managing ambiguity—in our jobs, our relationships, and daily...

A "wonderfully written account of America in the '30s," the follow-up to Only Yesterday examines Black Tuesday through the end of the Depression ( The New York Times).Wall Street Journal BestsellerOpening on September 3, 1929, in the days before the stock market crash, this information-packed volume takes us through one of America's darkest times all the way to the light at the end of the tunnel.Following Black Tue...

"The Dean of American Cuisine" and mentor to some of the country's most acclaimed chefs offers essential kitchen wisdom in this illustrated guide (Julia Child)."In my twenty-five years of teaching I have tried to make people realize that cooking is primarily fun and that the more they know about what they are doing, the more fun it is."So begins James Beard's expansive book of culinary terms, methods, tools, and techniques. No one knew food better than Beard,...

A 2016 James Beard Award nominee featuring more than eighty recipes from New York-based food writer and author of the popular dessert blog Love, Cake.Raise your desserts to a whole new level of flavor with The New Sugar & Spice, a collection of more than eighty unique, unexpected, and uniformly delicious recipes for spice-centric sweets. Veteran baker Samantha Seneviratne’s recipes will open your eyes to a world of baking possibilities: Her spicy,...

A practical, inspirational guide that shows how verbalizing your goals can help you achieve them.Refreshingly honest, fast-paced, and full of humor, The List is full of practical advice and inspiration that will help you achieve your goals. Already an international bestseller, the book began as a list of ten things the author wanted to accomplish in 400 days. He posted the list on his blog and asked for help—and within 24 hours was overwhelmed by responses...

In this revised and updated edition of her classic, bestselling book, Karen Kingston draws on her wealth of experience as a clutter clearing, space-clearing, and feng shui practitioner to show you how to transform your life by letting go of clutter.Her unique approach lies in understanding that clutter is stuck energy that has far-reaching physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual effects. You'll be motivated to clutter clear as never before when you realize just ...

"Makes the science of plant processes accessible to home gardeners." — The American GardenerWhy do container plants wilt even when they've been regularly watered? Why did the hydrangea that thrived last year never bloom this year? Plant physiology—the study of how living things function—can solve these and most other problems gardeners regularly encounter. In How Plants Work, horticulture expert Linda Chalker-Scott brings the stranger-than-fiction ...