Originally published in 1984, Iris Murdoch, widely regarded as one of the major British novelists of her generation at the time, was undoubtedly one of the most popular and prolific, having published twenty-one novels since 1954 (she went on to write many more). But the course of her fiction-writing career was regarded with unease by some of her readers in that it seemed marked by an increasing conservatism of approach which could not have been foreseen in her earliest published fiction. She was acknowledged as one of Britain's leading moral philosophers and although this study is careful to respect the distinctive integrity of her fiction-writing and her philosophy, it none the less assumes her active presence in contemporary debate as one of the most powerful and original theorists of fiction writing at the time. In this study, Richard Todd systematically, but discriminatingly, surveys all her fiction to date, and attempts to show how her fundamental theme, the interplay between the roles of artist and saint, is developed and expressed in her fiction.

Originally published in 1984, Iris Murdoch, widely regarded as one of the major British novelists of her generation at the time, was undoubtedly one of the most popular and prolific, having published twenty-one novels since 1954 (she went on to write many more). But the course of her fiction-writing career was regarded with unease by some of her readers in that it seemed marked by an increasing conservatism of approach which could not have been foreseen in her earliest published fiction. She was acknowledged as one of Britain's leading moral philosophers and although this study is careful to respect the distinctive integrity of her fiction-writing and her philosophy, it none the less assumes her active presence in contemporary debate as one of the most powerful and original theorists of fiction writing at the time. In this study, Richard Todd systematically, but discriminatingly, surveys all her fiction to date, and attempts to show how her fundamental theme, the interplay between the roles of artist and saint, is developed and expressed in her fiction.

A.S. Byatt (1936) has become known world-wide for her award-winning novel Possession (1990). This thrilling story of romance and literary detection, spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, has prompted a widespread reappraisal of Byatt's entire oeuvre throughout Europe, the United States, and elsewhere, where she is often read in translation. Richard Todd's assessment of Byatt's literary identity treats the entire range of her writing from her earliest novels and essays to the present. Topics covered include Byatt's conviction that all her writing forms part of one activity along with her astonishing range of reading; her fictional treatment of families and biographers; her belief that her characters must be portrayed as thinking being profoundly affected by joy and loss; her interest in writing about painting; and her articulately-held belief on matters such as religion and philosophy, metaphor and fairy tale.

Two adventures from the early 1980s with Peter Davison starring as the Time Lord. In 'Kinda' (1982), the Doctor (Davison), Tegan (Janet Fielding), Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) and Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) land on paradisical Deva Loka, for rest and recuperation. However, the military expediton on the planet has lost several crew members, and the Doctor and Adric are taken hostage by the near hysterical Hindle. Meanwhile, Tegan's dreams have provided the gateway to an ancient evil, the snake-like Mara. The Doctor must prevent the Mara from taking over the Kinda and destroying the expedition, as the wheel of creation begins to turn. In 'Snakedance' (1983), a loose sequel to 'Kinda', Tegan must have made a mistake when she was setting the co-ordinates for the TARDIS, because the Doctor certainly hadn't intended landing on Manussa. When the Doctor learns that Manussa was once the home of the Sumaran Empire, he realises that an evil force has begun to take over Tegan's will. This force, the Mara, is planning to use Tegan as a vehicle to retake power on Manussa. Just as the celebrations to commemorate the destruction of the Sumaran Empire by the Federation are about to take place, the Legend of Mara is about to come true.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY "KIRKUS REVIEWS"
"Good Prose" is an inspiring book about writing--about the creation of good prose--and the record of a warm and productive literary friendship. The story begins in 1973, in the offices of "The Atlantic Monthly, " in Boston, where a young freelance writer named Tracy Kidder came looking for an assignment. Richard Todd was the editor who encouraged him. From that article grew a lifelong association. Before long, Kidder's "The Soul of a New Machine, " the first book the two worked on together, had won the Pulitzer Prize. It was a heady moment, but for Kidder and Todd it was only the beginning of an education in the art of nonfiction.
"Good Prose "explores three major nonfiction forms: narratives, essays, and memoirs. Kidder and Todd draw candidly, sometimes comically, on their own experience--their mistakes as well as accomplishments--to demonstrate the pragmatic ways in which creative problems get solved. They also turn to the works of a wide range of writers, novelists as well as nonfiction writers, for models and instruction. They talk about narrative strategies (and about how to find a story, sometimes in surprising places), about the ethical challenges of nonfiction, and about the realities of making a living as a writer. They offer some tart and emphatic opinions on the current state of language. And they take a clear stand against playing loose with the facts. Their advice is always grounded in the practical world of writing and publishing.
"Good Prose"--like Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style--"is a succinct, authoritative, and entertaining arbiter of standards in contemporary writing, offering guidance for the professional writer and the beginner alike. This wise and useful book is the perfect companion for anyone who loves to read good books and longs to write one.
Praise for "Good Prose"
"Smart, lucid, and entertaining."--"The Boston Globe"
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"You are in such good company--congenial, ironic, a bit old-school--that you're happy to follow Kidder and Todd] where they lead you."--"The Wall Street Journal"
" A] well-structured, to-the-point, genuinely useful, and fun-to-read guide to writing narrative nonfiction, essays, and memoir . . . Crisp, informative, and mind-expanding."--"Booklist"" "
"A gem . . . The finer points of creative nonfiction are molded into an inspiring read that will affect the would-be writer as much as Anne Lamott's" Bird by Bird "or Stephen King's "On Writing. ." . . This is a must read for nonfiction writers."--"Library Journal"
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"As approachable and applicable as any writing manual available."--Associated Press

"From the Hardcover edition."

A compelling story of an addict's valiant attempt to do the difficult and challenging work to move into sustained recovery. Sitting Still sheds light on one of the country's most successful alcohol and drug treat programs, displaying in gripping detail why it consistently maintains such a high rate of recovery for its participants. Meet some of the typical residents in this long-term treatment program and discover why some of them succeed while others fail.

Richard Todd Canton describes himself as a working man. Never one to sit around for long periods of time, he's made a habit of keeping busy-and paying attention. He entered the working world at twelve, when he stepped through the back door of a restaurant and asked for a job.

Since then, he's learned from some masters and has applied that knowledge to every aspect of his life. Along the way, he's also met some interesting characters-and you'll meet many of them in this collection of anecdotes from his colorful and unusual life.

As one of nine children, he learned early on that the observant person can find inspiration in every person he encounters. His brother, seven sisters, and widowed mother were among the first to inspire him.

This memoir invites you to join him on a journey through life, love, and other lessons. He shares some of the experiences and lessons he learned growing up in the food business (and in business in general). You'll meet some intriguing characters who have influenced Canton in one way or the other; you might even recognize yourself or your friends within the tales.

Take a journey with him back through time as you meet some of the magnificent people who have made an impact on his life.

Richard Todd Canton describes himself as a working man. Never one to sit around for long periods of time, he's made a habit of keeping busy-and paying attention. He entered the working world at twelve, when he stepped through the back door of a restaurant and asked for a job.

Since then, he's learned from some masters and has applied that knowledge to every aspect of his life. Along the way, he's also met some interesting characters-and you'll meet many of them in this collection of anecdotes from his colorful and unusual life.

As one of nine children, he learned early on that the observant person can find inspiration in every person he encounters. His brother, seven sisters, and widowed mother were among the first to inspire him.

This memoir invites you to join him on a journey through life, love, and other lessons. He shares some of the experiences and lessons he learned growing up in the food business (and in business in general). You'll meet some intriguing characters who have influenced Canton in one way or the other; you might even recognize yourself or your friends within the tales.

Take a journey with him back through time as you meet some of the magnificent people who have made an impact on his life.

1950s mystery thriller adapted by Victor Canning from his novel about a detective who gets caught up in a murder plot. Private detective Edward Mercer (Richard Todd) travels to Venice on a mission to find an Italian veteran who is due to be rewarded for his efforts in the Second World War. When he arrives, however, Mercer realises he is being set up with both the police and a group of partisans hot on his trail.

Rational Polemics: Tackling the Ethical Dilemmas of Life There's a whole host of beliefs that most people simply repeat without question. They are chanted so often as to have nearly lost all meaning, and are rarely challenged. Rational Polemics dares to expose the contradictions that are rife in many of these blindly accepted beliefs. The book endeavors to question all things to expose the folly and hypocrisy of universally held beliefs, including accepted religious dogma. It is geared toward open-minded readers with the courage to challenge convention and political correctness to consider alternative viewpoints. Rational Polemics by Richard Devens presents a provocative, controversial, outrageous challenge to the ideas and values that most of the world merely accepts on faith ideas that, upon closer examination, make little sense. I wrote this book to encourage people not to blindly accept what others believe just because it is 'politically correct' to do so, or just because the majority does, Devens says. I encourage people to think for themselves, and to live by the courage of their convictions. I encourage people to have the integrity of living by their own moral code if, by rational thought and reflection, they are convinced they are right. Told through personal anecdotes, with tongue-in-cheek humor and refreshing candor, Rational Polemics is a breath of fresh air to anyone ready to consider the true nature of evil, the hypocrisies inherent in religion and other prickly debates. Rational Polemics opens readers' minds to new ideas about deep and often difficult topics, sans the sugarcoating.

Cats & Dogs are People Too

Since we have no kids of our own, people often assume that our pets have become our children. Well, I think it runs a little deeper than that. It has to do with how much love is exchanged between man and beast. That love can run pretty deep where certain individuals are concerned. I may very well be one of those. Let me introduce you to our family and you can decide for yourself.

Christmas means different things to different people. To Richard Todd Canton, it means his revisiting life as a boy in a house that his father built for his family on Russell Street in Amherst, Nova Scotia. Christmas also brings with it fond memories of his mother, who filled their home with life, laughter, and love. "All Things Family and Christmas" offers both a sentimental journey and a reminder to all busy people that it's important to take a moment to slow down and enjoy the holidays.

"All Things Family and Christmas" is the second collection of stories based upon Canton's life growing up on Russell Street. It offers a poignant, heartfelt window into the life and memories of a grateful son and husband. From the wonderful memories of Christmases long past to the memorable characters that he encountered while working at Kmart, Canton paints a picture of interesting people and wondrous memories that are the foundation of his history.

Christmas means different things to different people. To Richard Todd Canton, it means his revisiting life as a boy in a house that his father built for his family on Russell Street in Amherst, Nova Scotia. Christmas also brings with it fond memories of his mother, who filled their home with life, laughter, and love. "All Things Family and Christmas" offers both a sentimental journey and a reminder to all busy people that it's important to take a moment to slow down and enjoy the holidays.

"All Things Family and Christmas" is the second collection of stories based upon Canton's life growing up on Russell Street. It offers a poignant, heartfelt window into the life and memories of a grateful son and husband. From the wonderful memories of Christmases long past to the memorable characters that he encountered while working at Kmart, Canton paints a picture of interesting people and wondrous memories that are the foundation of his history.

It was upon the rude awakening of my father's death that I first took notice of my mother. There she stood at 43 years of age, overweight and slovenly. Our father had always been so immaculate about himself but our mother seemed to let herself go. Perhaps it was because she had so many children to take care of, or even that her marriage had soured, who knows? Whatever it was that was going on with her personally at the time was immensely overshadowed by the fact that her husband was dead, and she was left with a pile of children to raise. A financially strapped future faced us all. She, being of sound mind and body took on the task at hand, putting her family and it's needs fi rst, quite often doing without for herself. Vivian Gillis Canton, these are her stories........

What goes on in a college classroom? For all that has been written in recent years about higher education, scant attention has been paid to the heart of the matter: teaching. These 13 essays by members of the Amherst College Faculty aim to correct that oversight. In defining itself, Amherst College focuses on the life of the classroom. No faculty member, no matter how senior, is excused from teaching; no cadre of graduate students shoulders the load of introductory courses. To teach is the central mission of each professor. But it is seldom the only mission, since almost everyone who teaches at Amherst also pursues research. Maintaining a balance between the two activities is sometimes frustrating, but more often nourishing and exhilarating. In his foreword, college president Peter R. Pouncey speaks of the ways in which teaching and research cross-fertilise each other. These essays demonstrate that the pleasures and challenges of the classroom are inexhaustible. Contributors include Benjamin DeMott (English), George Greenstein (astronomy), Rhonda Cobham (black studies), Austin Sarat (political science), Tekla Harms (geology), Peter R. Pouncey (classics), Jay Caplan and Marie-Helene Huet (Romance languages), Lisa Raskin (psychology and neuroscience), William H. Pritchard (English), Jan E. Dizard (sociology), William E. Kennick (philosophy), Robert H. Romer (physics), and Robert Sweeney (fine arts).