CATALOGUES - Reference

A systematic, building block-style plan for mastering the most daunting aspect of learning Chinese--how to remember the meaning of more than 2,000 of the most common characters--is provided in this handbook. Beginning with the simplest of strokes, such as those for numbers, scepter, and earth, and progressing to the extremely complex, such as destroy, insert, and mouse, this manual presents a methodology employing memory techniques to associate meanings with the characters' visual components. A sequence of numbered panels displays ... read more

Concise alternatives for thousands of common, wordy phrases are provided in this guide to clean, strong prose. Updated and revised with hundreds of new entries, this new edition can tidy up any writer's long-winded phraseology with such helpful replacements as because for based on the fact that, cease for put an end to, and violate for fail to comply with. 396 pp.

This compilation of thousands of overused words and phrases, and alternatives to them, is the ultimate tool for the writer who seeks to weed out common, tired, language and replace it with crisp, concise writing. Humorous examples of bad language make for great browsing, while readers can also look up specific cliches and find fresh options. 381 pp.

Celebrating a language that is spoken by 1.6 billion people, this entertaining analysis explores the international growth of English and gives an in-depth examination of its history. Explaining the differences and similarities between the eight English-languages--African, American, Australian/New Zealand, British, Canadian, Caribbean, East Asian, and South Asian--this survey reflects on both dialect and usage. With humor and fascinating facts, the book illustrates the changes implemented by English and evaluates the impact of other... read more

Galvanized into action by a 2001 Time article on climate change, Wendy Abrams spearheaded Chicago's ?Cool Globes? public art exhibit, which showcased 123 artist-designed globes, each offering its own perspective on global warming. Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet, a companion piece to the installation, offers full-color photographs of the pieces, along with commentary from the artists, statistics about the environment, and useful advice on how each of us can change our lives to keep things cooler on planet Earth. Avoiding the ?doom an... read more

Most elephants in America live in circuses and zoos, and their lives are very different from what they would be in the wild. But there's a very special place in Tennessee called the Elephant Sanctuary, where elephants can finally have the freedom to roam and have elephant friends. Why do elephants come to the Elephant Sanctuary, and what is their everyday life like there? Some are like Shirley, who performed in a circus before an injury forced early retirement and a transfer to a zoo. She lived at the zoo for many years and receive... read more

Based on the author's disastrous first year of teaching - which began with no classroom-management skills - this personal account offers specific advice on how to become an adept classroom manager.

Aspiring writers learn how to avoid frauds and unsavory deals in this handbook for getting published. The editor of AbsoluteWrite.com and a seasoned publishing attorney share their expertise to help writers spot an honest agent or manager, determine the value of vanity publishing, and avoid getting conned out of hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars when signing a contract. Sections on writing contests teach writers how to determine which contests are useless; other sections offer tips on avoiding costly conferences and shady sem... read more

This is a practical tool for anyone who wants to sound smarter. It is a comprehensive grammar guide, covering everyday mistakes and questions like: who vs whom; and me vs myself or I. In a clear and friendly style, the "Geek's Guide to Grammar" helps readers to boost their competency and confidence when speaking or writing. The "Geek's Guides" are 192 pages of funny, cool, hip advice on how to get smart fast. Great for carrying around or keeping at a desk for reference.

This is a practical tool for people in the market for a house. It is a comprehensive guide, covering all the basics on mortgages, how to find your dream home, and how to get a good deal when you do find it. This guide also covers how to budget for buying a home and how to get all finances in order to get the best mortgage, and thus the most house for the money. With its clear style, the "Geek's Guide to Home Buying" makes readers instant experts, saving them time and money and making the entire home-buying process stress-free. Buyi... read more

The essential guide to finding a job, including resumes, interviews, letter-writing, follow-up calls, and job-hunting etiquette. This book covers the basics, such as how to qualify and market yourself, weed out non-jobs, and compete with other applicants, as well as how to present yourself well at interviews and handle salary negotiations.

Money management is not easy, until now. The "Geek's Guide to Personal Finance" makes getting a plan and sticking to it simple and straightforward. It is a practical tool for people who want to learn how to better manage their money and create financial wealth. In a clear and understandable style, the "Geek's Guide to Personal Finance" helps readers boost their confidence and their bottom line, and at a price that will not put them in the red.

Writers looking for more than elementary synonyms found in a standard thesaurus will find exceptional and thoughtful alternatives in this advanced thesaurus. Neither weird nor arcane, each listed synonym is carefully chosen, defined by a "clarifier," and used in an example from the popular press that demonstrates its contemporary usage. Words that may not be exact synonyms but anticipate what the reader was really looking for are also included; for example, in the listing for amusing, the word witling is featured, explained by the ... read more

Even good writers sometimes find the right word elusive. Or is it illusive? The correct usage for more than 2,000 words that people commonly misuse is provided in this concise and accessible handbook that assures, insures, and ensures that anyone who wants to communicate accurately and effectively chooses the right word every time. Arranged alphabetically in pairs (or threes when appropriate), entries are carefully explained with a sentence that illustrates correct usage and cross-referenced to ensure that readers find, for example... read more