Knowing the rules is as easy as ABC.Writing an academic paper or business document need not be a daunting task. The Pocket Idiot’s Guide® to Grammar and Punctuation provides the basics rules of grammar and punctuation, along with the examples readers need to make points clearly and quickly.• Straightforward, no-frills rules of grammar and punctuation with clever, interesting examples that clarify points without complicating them.• E...

Vampires are the hottest topic in popular culture today. From the now classic novels of Anne Rice, to the mega-selling series by Stephanie Meyer to the hit HBO series True Blood based on the bestselling novels of Charlaine Harris, the undead are certainly not dead in terms of books sales.Now, those curious about the history and lore of these creatures can get up to speed in the refreshed edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Vampires. It provides a detailed ex...

You’re no idiot, of course. You know Eastern philosophy encompasses many countries and concepts, but when it comes to breaking down the basics—to discuss with others or for your own enlightenment—you can’t tell Confucius from Krishna.Don’t nix nirvana just yet! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Eastern Philosophy is an extensive, reader-friendly guide that maps out the terrain along the various paths of knowledge. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get:• A ...

A newly visual approach, this updated edition will include infographics, photos, and pull quotes to help reinforce learning of the subject of philosophy. Beginning with the pre-Socratics and Eastern philosophers, all of the major schools of thought are covered. Content includes religious philosophy, Renaissance humanism, enlightenment philosophers, idealism, existentialism, post-structuralism and post-modernism, and more.

Socrates' admonition that "the unexamined life is not worth living" still resonates with many people, and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Philosophy is a great introduction to that mental exercise. Jay Stevenson skillfully covers the subject both historically and topically and brings the reader all the way up to the present, with insights into 21st-century philosophical thought.In this audiobook, listeners will find a fully comprehensive guide to the essential philosophers and their ...

This newly revised and updated all-in-one grammar reference is a quick and easy way to look up sticky punctuation questions for all style manuals including AP (Associated Press), MLA (Modern Language Association), APA (American Psychological Association), and Chicago Manual of Style.These days, writers wear many different hats: they write college essays, magazine and news articles, sales copy, online newsletters, books, and reports. It's hard to keep the p...

One of the most influential works ever written on mythology and religion.James George Frazer's monumental study transformed the modern understanding of myth, ritual, and belief, and helped establish anthropology as a serious scientific discipline. Drawing on traditions from Europe, the Near East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, Frazer explores magic, sacred kingship, fertility rites, taboos, and the origins of religious thought across human cultures.This

The Bhagavad Gita is the best known of all the Indian scriptures, and Eknath Easwaran’s best-selling translation is reliable, readable, and profound.Easwaran's 55-page introduction places the Bhagavad Gita in its historical setting, and brings out the universality and timelessness of its teachings. Chapter introductions clarify key concepts, and notes and a glossary explain Sanskrit terms.Easwaran grew up in the Hindu tradition in India, and learned Sanskri...

On Liberty is a philosophical work by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill, originally intended as a short essay. The work, published in 1859, applies Mill's ethical system of utilitarianism to society and the state. Mill attempts to establish standards for the relationship between authority and liberty. He emphasizes the importance of individuality, which he conceived as a prerequisite to the higher pleasures—the summum bonum of Utilitarianism. Furthermore, Mill criticizes the errors ...

The prominent Zen Buddhist scholar and author of The Wisdom of Insecurity draws on Taoism, Christianity, and other world religions to explore the dilemma of seeking your true selfIn this collection of writings, including nine new chapters never before available in book form, Alan Watts displays the intelligence, playfulness of thought, and simplicity of language that has made him so perennially popular as an interpreter of Eastern thought for Westerners. H...

This collection of essays from the Ralph Waldo Emerson includes works on the following topics: SELF RELIANCE, FRIENDSHIP, HEROISM, MANNERS, and others.

Lynne Truss's 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' injected new life into the long-standing arguments over rights and wrongs in English usage. Now David Crystal brings together his own distinctive style and unique expertise to provide the first thorough-going assessment of the ongoing debate. With a lively, humorous, and accessible approach, Crystal charts the battles past and present, illustrating the characters and attitudes involved from a wide range of written sources. He combines a chronological...