In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Jared Diamond argues that both geography and the environment played major roles in determining the shape of the modern world. This argument runs counter to the usual theories that cite biology as the crucial factor. Diamond claims that the cultures that were first able to domesticate plants and animals were then able to develop writing skills, as well as make advances in the creation of government, technology, weaponry, and immunity to disease

Writing at University offers guidance on how to develop the writing you have to do at university along with a greater understanding of what is involved in this complex activity. Writing is seen as a tool for learning as well as a product to be assessed. The importance of what you yourself can bring as a writer to your academic writing is stressed throughout the book. The book looks at an array of writing projects, including essays, reports and dissertations, and analyzes what is expected of each form of assignment. The authors provide examples of student writing and reflections on writing by both tutors and students. This edition includes new sections on: Making an argument and persuading your reader Using sources creatively Avoiding plagiarism Writing online Further sources of information about academic writing Writing at University is an essential resource for all college and university students, including postgraduates, who wish to develop their academic writing. It will also be an invaluable aid for tutors in supporting their students.

Rhetoric and Composition is a featured book on Wikibooks because it contains substantial content, it is well-formatted, and the Wikibooks community has decided to feature it on the main page or in other places.This wikitext is designed for use as a textbook in first-year college composition programs.This book is written as a practical guide for students struggling to bring their writing up to the level expected of them by their professors and instructors.This book is written by real college writers who know what it takes to earn an A on their writing projects.

Learn the basic techniques every successful playwright knows

Among the many "how-to" playwriting books that have appeared over the years, there have been few that attempt to analyze the mysteries of play construction. Lajos Egri's classic, "The Art of Dramatic Writing," does just that, with instruction that can be applied equally well to a short story, novel, or screenplay.

Examining a play from the inside out, Egri starts with the heart of any drama: its characters. All good dramatic writing hinges on people and their relationships, which serve to move the story forward and give it life, as well as an understanding of human motives -- why people act the way that they do. Using examples from everything from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" to Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House," Egri shows how it is essential for the author to have a basic premise -- a thesis, demonstrated in terms of human behavior -- and to develop the dramatic conflict on the basis of that behavior.

Using Egri's ABCs of premise, character, and conflict, "The Art of Dramatic Writing" is a direct, jargon-free approach to the problem of achieving truth in writing.

From writing top-notch resumes and sending tailored cover letters to going on winning interviews, this best-selling Vault guide is a comprehensive one-volume job search source.