Literature Recent Picks

July 2010

The underlined titles will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to a bookseller to enable you to read more information.

The Longman guide to style and writing on the Internet, Martha C. Sammons.
"The Internet Writer's Handbook is an easily accessible, vital reference tool for those who want to write and format effective Web documents. Too often, writers attempt to create Web pages by simply using the same techniques they use for print documents. The Internet Writer's Handbook offers those writers specific advice on writing and designing on-line hypertext documents. The book has been updated to reflect the latest Web writing terms and concepts such as Web page elements, Web page design, and types of Web writing. This dynamic handbook will appeal to anyone who needs help in creating a Web page." (Amazon.com)

How to write a damn good thriller : a step-by-step guide for novelists and screenwriters, James N. Frey.
"The author’s fifth guide to writing “damn good fiction” offers a useful and entertaining look at the process of writing a thriller. Some readers may be confused, at first, by his seemingly overbroad definition of a thriller (the Iliad? Miss Congeniality?), but thrillers, Frey argues, should be defined by their key elements: heroes with impossible missions, theatrically extreme villains, a series of obstacles, a rousing climax. The author leads us through the process of putting together a thriller by creating several stories and then showing us how to elaborate their plots and how to design their characters. It’s an interesting approach, sort of a hands-on seminar. He also refers frequently to various well-known thrillers (The Boys from Brazil, Jaws, The Day of the Jackal, etc.) and explains why they work the way they do. By adopting a practical approach—showing us in specific terms how to build a character, for example, rather than simply giving us general pointers—Frey makes the prospect of writing a novel feel considerably less daunting." (Booklist)

Who said that first? : the curius origins of common words and phrases, by Max Cryer.
"Believe it or not, this is probably the first book to attempt to identify the original sources of common expressions. We might think we know who first said famous for fifteen minutes, annus horribilis, the cold war and let them eat cake. A no brainer, you might say, but Max Cryer has a surprise or two in store for you. I kid you not. In this very readable book, he explores the origins of hundreds of expressions we use and hear every day – and comes up with some surprising findings. Never economical with the truth, he might just have the last laugh. We learn what they didn't say ... We are not amused; Elementary my dear Watson; Let them eat cake; First catch your hare. We learn that the Bible doesn't mention Salome – or seven veils ... We learn about the origins of the infamous Mile High Club. Written in Max Cryer’s delightfully witty style, Who Said That First? is a wonderful book to dip into or settle a friendly dispute. Remember, good books are few and far between, and you get what you pay for. So buy this book, go ahead, make my day." (Exisle website)

Poetry in person : twenty-five years of conversation with America's poets, edited and with an introduction by Alexander Neubauer ; postscript by Robert Polito.
"Starred Review. For almost 30 years, beginning in 1970, Pearl London taught a course at the New School called Works in Progress, to which she asked famous poets to come with drafts of new poems in hand. This book is a series of transcripts of discussions from those classes, taken from a series of previously unknown recordings found after London's death and edited by Neubauer (Nature's Thumbprint). Represented in these 23 conversations are such acknowledged masters of late 20th–century poetry as Robert Hass, Lucille Clifton, Amy Clampitt, and Charles Simic. London was a probing, highly intelligent reader who coaxes statements from her poets that perhaps no one else could: We both love and hate our parents, and it's difficult to accept that because we would like only to love them, Frank Bidart tells her. She goads Edward Hirsch into saying, I feel unmasked! I want to put my jacket on. More than anything else, though, she gets poets to explain their craft in sometimes shockingly clear terms, as when Muriel Rukeyser states, A poem is not about anything, as you who have been working in poems surely know. 22 photos." (Publishers Weekly)

How to write better essays, Bryan Greetham.
"Have you ever wondered why some people can produce a well-structured, relevant essay written in a style that seems to glide across the page with the minimum of fuss? Do you think some people simply have these skills, and others don’t, and that there is nothing we can do about it? This book just might change your mind. Addressing each landmark stage of the essay writing process, How to Write Better Essays teaches you how to… • analyse the question and break down difficult terms and concepts • brainstorm effectively and generate your own ideas • evaluate and criticise arguments • express your thoughts coherently and develop your own style of writing • plan and structure your essay from introduction to conclusion …and along the way, practical techniques show how to analyse, criticise, discuss and evaluate material, improve your style, revise your final draft and avoid plagiarism. This second edition features a unique troubleshooting section allowing you easily to locate solutions to your writing problems, additional chapters on paragraphs and style, and end of chapter summaries. In short, this book is the constant source of assistance and inspiration you need to tackle your essays with confidence!" (Amazon.co.uk)

Elmore Leonard's 10 rules of writing, illustrations by Joe Ciardiello.
""These are rules I've picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I'm writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what's taking place in the story." - Elmore Leonard For aspiring writers and lovers of the written word, this concise guide breaks down the writing process with simplicity and clarity. From adjectives and exclamation points to dialect and what he calls 'hooptedoodle', Elmore Leonard explains what to avoid, what to aspire to, and what to do when it sounds like "writing" (rewrite). Beautifully designed, filled with free-flowing, elegant illustrations" (Amazon.co.uk)

Holmes at large : the best of Paul Holmes' weekly columns, Paul Holmes.
"In this book, Paul Holmes presents the very best of his hugely popular weekly columns for the Herald on Sunday. The columns have coincided with a tumultuous two-year period in Holmes' life, and in many instances have added poignancy and pathos to his writings" (Mighty Ape)

Betting on the muse : poems & stories, Charles Bukowski.
"Recounts the life of Henry Chinaski, an indolent blue-collar intellectual, and his male and female friends, in a series of poems and stories." (Amazon.co.uk)

Manhire at 60 : a book for Bill, [edited by Fergus Barrowman and Damien Wilkins].

Goya rules, Harvey McQueen ; with a foreword by Vincent O'Sullivan.

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