Social Linguistics

The double-act of Bertie Wooster and his faithful, omniscient butler Jeeves is the greatest comic pairing in literature. Millions of fans worldwide have laughed at the travails of bumbling Bertie and delighted at the felicitous solutions devised by Jeeves to extricate his master from 'the soup'. In this story Bertie Wooster finds himself on a losing streak and lands himself at the mercy of his aunts, Dahlia and Agatha, and only Jeeves is capable of extricating him from disaster.

This is the handwritten book that Carroll wrote for private use before being urged to develop it later into Alice in Wonderland. It was meant to entertain his family and friends. When a sick child in a hospital enjoyed it so much, the mother wrote him saying it had distracted her for a bit from her pain and led eventually to Carroll expanding the story.

The Lady, or The Tiger, written by Frank R. Stockton and narrated by Rebecca Thomas, invites the listener into a semi-barbaric world where justice is decided by fate. The right choice rewards the innocent with marriage; the wrong choice punishes the guilty by serving him to a starving tiger. When the princess' lover is sent to the arena, she discovers the secret of the choice. But what choice does she herself make?

After 40 years of making a living using words in every medium, print or electronic, Roy Blount Jr. still can't get over his ABCs. In Alphabet Juice, he celebrates the juju, the sonic and kinetic energies of letters and their combinations. Blount does not prescribe proper English. The franchise he claims is "over the counter" and concentrates more on questions such as these: Did you know that both mammal and matter derive from baby talk? Have you noticed how wince makes you wince?

David Korten argues that global corporate consolidation of power is but one manifestation of what he calls "Empire", the organization of society by hierarchies of dominance that have held sway for the past 5,000 years. Empire has always resulted in misery for the many and fortune for the few. Now it threatens the very future of humanity. The Great Turning traces the ancient roots of Empire and charts its long evolution from monarchies to the transnational institutions of the global economy.

This wonderful introduction to Greek mythology includes the tales of Perseus, Theseus, the Argonauts, and Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece. This particular edition also includes Kingsley's description of the "Twelve Labors of Heracles".

Renowned English surgeon Arthur Burdon is engaged to the beautiful Margaret Dauncey, who is studying art in Paris. The match is met with approval from all sides, and everyone is happy - until the mysterious Oliver Haddo enters the picture. Both Arthur and his fiancée dislike the enormously fat and eccentric Oliver but are fascinated by his stories of black magic, by his demonstrations of a power that seems inhuman. And while they scoff at his boasts, their dislike turns to loathing.

In this, the fourth book in the Tarzan series, some years have passed since the events of The Beasts of Tarzan. Tarzan and Jane reside in London, and they have a young son. An evil figure from their past, Alexis Paulvich, re-surfaces to destroy their happiness in a kidnap plot on their son. Young Lord Greystoke plunges into the wilds of Africa, accompanied only by an old friend - one of The Beasts of Tarzan. Can a civilized English lad survive the perils of the jungle? Well, he is The Son of Tarzan.

In this wildly entertaining A to Z of verbal acrobatics, Gyles takes you on a whirlwind tour of our mother tongue – from the origins of words and correct grammar and punctuation, to similes, euphemisms and record breaking tongue twisters (try getting your mouth around floccinaucinihilipification!). An idiosyncratic blend of history, word play, anecdote, and hyperbole, all in 60-second instalments, this is Gyles Brandreth at his word-perfect, Just-a-Minute best. You’ll never mix your metaphors again...

In this first novel by Agatha Christie, she introduces the inimitable Hercule Poirot, who would go on to appear in 33 Christie novels and 54 short stories. Outside of Sherlock Holmes and perhaps Philip Marlowe, he is the best-known detective in the history of the genre. The Mysterious Affair at Styles deals with the case of an old woman poisoned with strychnine for her money. Nothing is obvious, however, in the way Christie handles a plot.

Ann Eliza and Evelina Bunner are two unmarried sisters who own a small notions shop in a shabby section of New York City circa 1900. The older sister, Ann Eliza, buys a small clock for her sister's birthday from a tiny shop and meets the owner, a German immigrant named Herman Ramy. Once Mr. Ramy enters their lives, things begin to change in ways that neither sister could have imagined.

A charming but ineffective prince takes the road less travelled after a hunt, setting in motion events that result in him losing his wife and his kingdom of Grunewald in under a week. The plot is thick with disreputable characters (even the prince) as well as court intrigue, treachery, and deceit...but in the hands of master storyteller Robert Louis Stevenson, these larger-than-life characters are delightful, and the almost-serious events become part of a lighthearted and sweet fairy tale complete with a happy ending.

The master of adventure, Edgar Rice Burroughs, tackles the Frankenstein myth. A demented scientist discovers how to create human life - not perfect but improving steadily with each attempt. He is forced to flee to remote Borneo to continue his gruesome experiments; each experiment becomes one of the Monster Men. Add a beautiful young daughter, a scheming criminal as assistant, head hunters, and wild jungle terrain, and you have The Monster Men!

Ever wondered why we "let the cat out of the bag" or "kick the bucket"? Dive into the fascinating world of linguistics with "Say What? The Origins of Everyday Idioms and Phrases"–your ultimate guide to understanding the quirky expressions that pepper our language! From ancient proverbs to modern slang, this book takes you on an exhilarating journey through the history of our most beloved idioms and phrases. Discover how our language has evolved, shaped by culture, history, and human imagination.

Recent research suggests there are only six basic emotions. But if that makes you feel uneasy, suspicious, and maybe even a little bereft, The Book of Human Emotions is for you. In this unique book, you'll get to travel across the world and through time, learning how different cultures have articulated the human experience and picking up some fascinating new knowledge about yourself along the way.

En Sépalo decir, María Paula pondrá a nuestra disposición todas las herramientas que necesitamos para vencer los principales obstáculos que nos impiden una buena comunicación. Aquí conoceremos cuáles son las principales barreras comunicativas y cómo superarlas; también, nos hablará de las claves prácticas para las conversaciones del día a día, haciendo que cada persona se pueda convertir en un excelente comunicador, aquel que logra empatizar con su mensaje y construir puentes. Este es un audiolibro para todo aquel que quiera fortalecer vínculos y relaciones.

Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie's underground war against the nefarious genius of Dr. Fu-Manchu continues in this, the second in the Fu-Manchu series by Sax Rohmer. Join in the adventure of kidnappings, poisonous cats, a haunted house, rat torture, mummy attacks and more!

What does "say it straight or you'll show it crooked" mean? In essence, it means that if I have a strong feeling or a desire, and I don't do something effective about it, I will end up, internally or externally, somehow demonstrating that feeling or desire in an ineffective manner. Unexpressed negative feelings and unfulfilled desires get acted out in ways that are inappropriate if we don't express or act on them in ways that are appropriate.

“So many people have written and claimed that their families were the original of the Forsytes,” wrote Galsworthy, “that one has almost been encouraged to believe in the typicality of an imagine species.” It is the Spring of 1920, 34 years on from the beginning of the Saga. “Young Jolyon” is married to Irene after her divorce from Soames, and they now have a son, Jon. Soames has re-married and has a daughter, Fleur. A new generation of Forsytes comes of age and the Saga continues.

The legendary Tarzan claims his birthright title as Lord Greystoke and starts a small family with Jane, now his wife. But just when things are going right, the evil Rokoff kidnaps Tarzan's infant son, Jack, luring Tarzan into a trap. After Rokoff exiles him on an island near the African coast, Tarzan uses his skills learned from the jungle to win the favor of various wild animals. Tarzan must enlist these creatures to help him track down Rokoff in order to save his family from certain demise.