Writing & Reading

In the tradition of E. M. Forster's "Aspects of the Novel" and Milan Kundera's "The Art of the Novel", "How Fiction Works" is a scintillating and searching study of the main elements of fiction, such as narrative, detail, characterization, dialogue, realism, and style. In his first full-length book of criticism, one of the mo... read more

Fully updated with important new theory and practical material, this second edition of "Learning Journals" offers guidance on keeping and using journals and gives step-by-step advice on integrating journal writing on taught courses, in training and professional development, and in supporting personal development planning (PDP... read more

'So this is supposed to be about the how, and when, and why, and what of reading - about the way that, when reading is going well, one books leads to another and to another, a paper trail of theme and meaning; and how, when it's going badly, when books don't stick or take, when your mood and the mood of the book are fighting ... read more

The Stuff of Thought is an exhilarating work of non-fiction. Surprising, thought-provoking and incredibly enjoyable, there is no other book like it - Steven Pinker will revolutionise the way you think about language. He analyses what words actually mean and how we use them, and he reveals what this can tell us about ourselves... read more

Over last thirty years, new technology, fashion, and social set-ups have spawned new cliches galore. Everything on the Internet is available at the 'click of a mouse', TV presenters ask the audience to 'give it up' when they want them to applaud, call centres tell us 'we value your call' even though 'all our operators are bus... read more

A fresh and delightful examination of the character of Oscar Wilde by looking at him through the prism of the books he read. An entirely new kind of biography, Oscar's Books explores the personality of Oscar Wilde through his reading. It argues that reading exercised a formative influence on Wilde's character and was the ins... read more

For so many of us a Jane Austen novel is much more than the epitome of a great read. It is a delight and a solace, a challenge and a reward, and perhaps even an obsession. For two centuries Austen has enthralled readers. Few other authors can claim as many fans or as much devotion. So why are we so fascinated with her novels?... read more

In Dictionary of Proverbs Linda and Roger Flavell trace the origins and histories of over 400 proverbs, detailing the changes of meaning and usage that have occurred throughout each proverb's life and offering literary examples dating back over 2000 years. Entries have been selected because they have a tale to tell and becaus... read more

Offers advice on improving one's writing and editing skills, discusses writer's block, techniques for generating new ideas, procrastination, and revision, and suggests useful exercises.

In his national bestseller, A Gentle Madness, Nicholas Basbanes explored the sweet obsession people feel to possess books. Now, Basbanes continues his adventures among the "gently mad" on an irresistible journey to the great libraries of the past -- from Alexandria to Glastonbury -- and to contemporary collections at the Vati... read more

Do you ever feel like an acephalous dandiprat? Want to amimadvert with anfractuous brimborions? Have you ever simply felt unable to dapatically deblaterate to the best of your ability? Then here is the book for you! The 600 new words included are just as outlandish (and useful) as the 500 in the previous volume. Regrettabl... read more

This guide helps potential writers to break down mental obstacles and move past the proverbial blank page with a multitude exercises designed to get you writing. By encouraging women to use their own life experiences as a platform from which to write, it enables storytellers to feel confident.

Stephen Fry believes that if you can speak and read English you can write poetry. But it is no fun if you don't know where to start or have been led to believe that Anything Goes. Stephen, who has long written poems, and indeed has written long poems, for his own private pleasure, invites you to discover the incomparable deli... read more

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There remains at work - in both Britain and America - a group of literary journalists and academics committed to the evaluative criticism of fiction, to a criticism that approaches novels as novels. "The Good of the Novel" is a collection of specially commissioned essays - edited by Ray Ryan and LIam McIlvanney - on the conte... read more

In 2009 it was How Not to Write a Novel ("A hilarious, wickedly observed and deeply useful guide". "Observer"). In 2010 it's "Read This Next" - Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark have written the perfect book for anyone who has ever struggled to choose what to read next. But this is far more than a guide for book groups. Cov... read more

Regardless of the writer's level or ability, there is something extremely daunting about putting together a submission. It doesn't matter if it is for an article for a magazine, or short story for a competition, a humorous anecdote, a play or TV script, a novel or non-fiction book, "The Writer's ABC Checklist" will provide an... read more

• Post-earthquake work from Christchurch artists and writers • Special tribute to Allen Curnow on the centennial of his birth • Announces the winner of The Kathleen Grattan Award for Poetry 2011 • Announces and publishes the winner of the Landfall Essay Competition 2011 • Art portfolios by Julia M... read more

From Alan Bennett's Baffled at a Bookcase, to Lucy Mangan's Ten Library Rules, famous writers tell us all about how libraries are used and why they're important. Tom Holland writes about libraries in the ancient world, while Seth Godin describes what a library will look like in 2020. Lionel Shriver thinks books are the best i... read more

Is there any sex in Austen? What do the characters call each other, and why? What are the right and wrong ways to propose marriage? And which important Austen characters never speak? In What Matters in Austen, John Mullan shows that you can best appreciate Jane Austen's brilliance by looking at the intriguing quirks and intri... read more