Experience the thrill of reading Ender's Game all over againGo deeper into the complexities of Orson Scott Card’s classic novel with science fiction and fantasy writers, YA authors, military strategists, including:Ender prequel series coauthor Aaron Johnston on Ender and the evolution of the child heroBurn Notice creator Matt Nix on Ender's Game as a guide to lifeHugo award–winning writer Mary Robinette Kowal on how Ender’s Game gets away with breaking all the (literary) rulesRetired US Air Force Colonel Tom Ruby on what the military could learn from Ender about leadershipBestselling YA author Neal Shusterman on the ambivalence toward survival that lies at the heart of Ender’s storyPlus pieces by:Hilari BellJohn BrownMette Ivie HarrisonJanis IanAlethea KontisDavid Lubar and Alison S. MyersJohn F. SchmittKen ScholesEric James StoneAlso includes never-before-seen content from Orson Scott Card on the writing and evolution of the events in Ender's Game, from the design of Battle School to the mindset of the pilots who sacrificed themselves in humanity’s fight against the formics
Explore the world of the Mortal Instruments with Cassandra Clare and more Join Cassandra Clare and a Circle of more than a dozen top YA writers, including New York Times bestsellers Holly Black , Rachel Caine , and Kami Garcia , as they write about the Mortal Instruments series, its characters, and its world.Inside you’ll read:• A cinematic tutorial on why the best friend (Simon) always loses out to the bad boy (Jace)• The unexpected benefits of the incest taboo• What we can read between the lines of Alec and Magnus’ European vacation• The importance of friendship, art, humor, and rebellion• And more, from the virtues of Downworlders to the naughty side of Shadowhunting
This e-book only Booster Pack is designed for readers who have read the first edition of The Girl Who Was on Fire.The Booster Pack includes ONLY the three brand new essays included in The Girl Who Was on Fire – Movie Edition, plus access to 10,000 words of extra, e-book only content: the contributors' thoughts on the Hunger Games film.The first edition of The Girl Who Was on Fire offered even more to think about for readers already engrossed by the world of the Hunger Games. From the trilogy’s darker themes of violence and social control to reality television, fashion and weaponry, the collection’s exploration of the Hunger Games by other YA writers revealed exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.These three new essays discuss game theory in the Hunger Games, mixed opinions about Mockingjay, and why we shouldn't forget about Gale, just because Katniss chose Peeta.This e-book also gives you access to special content from our writers right after the release of The Hunger Games on the big screen: their thoughts on the film.
Includes 3 brand new essays on Gale, the Games, and Mockingjay ! **Already read the first edition of The Girl Who Was on Fire ? Look for The Girl Who Was on Fire – Booster Pack to get just the three new essays and the extra movie content.**Katniss Everdeen’s adventures may have come to an end, but her story continues to blaze in the hearts of millions worldwide.In The Girl Who Was on Fire – Movie Edition , sixteen YA authors take you back to the world of the Hunger Games with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to fashion and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, Panem, and the series, really is.• How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch’s drinking, Annie’s distraction, and Wiress’ speech problems?• What does the rebellion have in common with the War on Terror?• Why isn’t the answer to “Peeta or Gale?” as interesting as the question itself?• What should Panem have learned from the fates of other hedonistic societies throughout history—and what can we?CONTRIBUTORS: Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Mary Borsellino, Sarah Rees Brennan, Terri Clark, Bree Despain, Adrienne Kress, Sarah Darer Littman, Cara Lockwood, Elizabeth M. Rees, Carrie Ryan, Ned Vizzini, Lili Wilkinson, Blythe Woolston, Diana Peterfreund (NEW), Brent Hartinger (NEW), Jackson Pearce (NEW)
Flirtin’ with the Monster is a compelling journey through the complexities of Hopkins’ beloved bestselling works.
Theologians, psychologists, academics, feminists, and fantasists offer humor, insight, and fresh perspectives on the enchanting and beloved Chronicles of Narnia series. Such contributors as fantasists Sarah Zettel and Lawrence Watt-Evans, children's literature scholar Naomi Wood, and C.S. Lewis scholars Colin Duriez and Joseph Pearce discuss topics such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle Earth's influence on the conception of Narnia, the relevance of allegory for both Christians and non-Christians, the idea of divine providence in Narnia, and Narnia's influence on modern-day witchcraft. Fans of the wildly popular series will revel in the examination of all aspects of C.S. Lewis and his magical Narnia.
The scientific consensus is that our ability to understand human speech has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. After all, there are whole portions of the brain devoted to human speech. We learn to understand speech too quickly and with almost no training and can seamlessly absorb enormous amounts of information simply by hearing it. Surely we evolved this capability over thousands of generations.Or did we? Portions of the human brain are also devoted to reading. Children learn to read at a very young age and can seamlessly absorb information even more quickly through reading than through hearing. We know that we didn’t evolve to read because reading is only a few thousand years old.In «Harnessed,» cognitive scientist Mark Changizi demonstrates that human speech has been very specifically “designed” to harness the sounds of nature, sounds we’ve evolved over millions of years to readily understand. Long before humans evolved, mammals have learned to interpret the sounds of nature to understand both threats and opportunities. Our speech—regardless of language—is very clearly based on the sounds of nature.Even more fascinating, Changizi shows that music itself is based on natural sounds. Music—seemingly one of the most human of inventions—is literally built on sounds and patterns of sound that have existed since the beginning of time.
Colleges look much the same as they did five or ten years ago, but a lot has changed behind the scenes. While some mixture of study and play has always been part of college life, an increasing number of schools have completely abandoned the idea that students need to learn or demonstrate that they've learned. Financial pressures have made college administrations increasingly reluctant to flunk anyone out, regardless of performance, although the average length of time to get a degree is now five years, and for many students it's six or more. Student evaluations of professors—often linked to promotion and tenure decisions—have made professors realize that applying tough standards, or any standards, only hurts their own career progress. For many professors, it's become easier and more rewarding to focus on giving entertaining lectures and to give everyone reasonably good grades. The worst of these schools are the «subprime» colleges, where performance standards and accountability have been completely abandoned. Students enjoy a five year party with minimal responsibilities while their parents pay the bills. These schools' investment decisions (first-class gyms and dining centers) are all geared to attracting students that want to have a good time, and their brochures all emphasize the fun aspects of the college experience—there are very few pictures of students actually studying or in class. And after graduation, former students are frequently unable to find work in their chosen fields, thanks to their school’s reputation with employers, and unable to afford the payments on sizeable student loans.The subprime colleges, which «teach» a significant percentage of college students, are only the tip of the iceberg. All colleges, even the most elite, have moved in this direction to some extent. If you are a parent sending your child to college, The Five-Year Party will give you critical information you need about what is really happening at your child's college, and what you can do to ensure help your child gets a real education.
Bookstore shelves are crowded with books offering advice to college students, yet—astonishingly—none of these books offer needed advice to the majority of college students in the United States … those attending community college. Of the approximately 21 million full- and part-time college students, 11 million attend community colleges.The Community College Guide aims to help fill this huge gap. The authors of this book have decades of experience between them as professors and administrators in both two-year and four-year colleges, have written numerous books for a general readership and thoroughly understand what community college students need to know to succeed in their college careers.From how to apply to community colleges to what to expect from your courses, from the truth about what you’ll pay to actual financial aid opportunities, The Community College Guide offers a wealth of information for the millions of American students who desire higher education at the community level.
The focus of this excellent textbook is the topic of molecular reaction dynamics. The chapters are all written by internationally recognised researchers and, from the outset, the contributors are writing with the young scientist in mind. The easy to use, stand-alone, chapters make it of value to students, teachers, and researchers alike. Subjects covered range from the more traditional topics, such as potential energy surfaces, to more advanced and rapidly developing areas, such as femtochemistry and coherent control. The coverage of reaction dynamics is very broad, so many students studying chemical physics will find elements of this text interesting and useful. Tutorials in Molecular Reaction Dynamics includes extensive references to more advanced texts and research papers, and a series of 'Study Boxes' help readers grapple with the more difficult concepts. Each chapter is thoroughly cross-referenced, helping the reader to link concepts from different branches of the subject. Worked problems are included, and each chapter concludes with a selection of problems designed to test understanding of the subjects covered. Supplementary reading material, and worked solutions to the problems, are contained on a secure website.