Description : The Act of Writing is a classic Canadian text that is known for its ability to interest students and generate discussion. This text offers flexibility and encourages individualization. The combination of three to nine essays per chapter, with more identified in cross-references, yields ample choice and flexibility. Instructors can individualize their classes by choosing readings that best suit the needs and interests of their particular class. This book also offers a range of difficulty, from essays that are easily accessible to almost all students to others that are extremely challenging.
New Features :
Increased Global Content ? A variety of subjects are covered including content dealing with global issues such as the genocide in Rwanda (Romeo Dallaire).
Currency - A third of the readings are new, including such current authors as Romeo Dallaire, Linda McQuaig, Jack Layton, Ian and Will Ferguson, and Margaret Atwood.
Readings are timely and thought-provoking ? for example, one reading discusses SUVs and another discusses the Rwanda genocide.
Retained Features :
Balanced Coverage ? A balance of 50 percent women writers along with writers from a variety of cultures, geographic regions, and ages has been maintained.
Superior Pedagogy ? The text is known for its superior pedagogy, especially the very precise and thoughtful introductions to the writers of each reading.
Multicultural Content ? Readings by minority and Native writers have been included.
Canadian Content ? A Canadian-conceived book containing only Canadian content. This is a distinct competitive advantage over other adapted texts in the market. Writers from a variety of cultures, geographic regions, and ages are included (i.e., 30 percent of the essays are from Western Canada).
Table of Contents :
Introduction: The Act of Writing
Note: new writers are underlined and female writers are in italics Chapter 1: Narration
Encounter/Shields Coming of Age in Putnok/Gabori
My Other Self/Fraser Growing up Native/Geddes Chapter 2: Example
Ten Things the Chinese Do Much Better Than We Do/Wong The Fabulous Poodles, Etc.: Naming Your Band/Bidini The Importance of Email Punctuation/Nestruck
Busy, Busy, Busy/Wente Outharbor Menu/Guy
Goodbye Muse, Hello Prada/Simic
Chapter 3: Description
August 4/Connelly Suitcase Lady/C. McLaren In the Trenches/Harrison D'Sonoqua/Carr Chapter 4: Cause and Effect
Avoiding the Big C: A Little Simple Advice/Pearson The Step Not Taken/D?Angelo
Canadian Guys Rule/L. McLaren Hidden Lessons/Suzuki
My Body Is My Own Business/N. Mustafa Killing Machines/McQuaig The Seven-Minute Life of Marc Lepine/Petrowski The Year I Learned to Love a German/Richler
Chapter 5: Comparison and Contrast
The 51-Per-Cent Minority/Anderson Measuring the New Prosperity/Layton An Offering from the Dead/Coffey Chicken-Hips/Pigott The Bond of Nightmares/R. Mustafa
This Boat is My Boat/Taylor Remarks of Security of Person and Property in Canada/Traill Black + White = Black/Hill
Chapter 6: Analogy and Related Devices
The Trail-Hiker's Guide to the Workplace/Magahay It's Not Just the Weather That's Cooler in Canada/Bennett Modern Cannibals of the Wild/Johnson
The Family House/Leclerc
Chapter 7: Classification
Pulling Together/Lam
Theatre/Ferguson, Ian and Will Your New Job, Your New Life/Pitts
Chapter 8: Process Analysis
Yes, It Is Brain Surgery/Bernstein Hockey Etiquette for the Beginner/Koehl I Sing the Song of My Condo/Lau How to Live to Be 200/Leacock
Chapter 9: Argumentation and Persuasion
Capping the Great Cup Debate/Hocking
The Scar/Dobbs
Grinning and Happy/Kogawa Letter to America/Atwood Local Foreign Policy/Klein Thanks for Not Killing My Son/Schindler Job/Brand Life with Cerebral Palsy/Christy
Cri de coeur (A Cry from the Heart)/Dallaire
Glossary
About the Author:
Ronald Conrad Ronald Conrad is a Professor Emeritus of English at Ryerson Polytechnic University. While at Ryerson he taught in many areas including Canadian literature, Victorian literature, composition, and creative writing. His focus on teaching effective writing skills has resulted in the publication of many well-received composition textbooks. Ronald Conrad has lived and travelled throughout the world, and speaks French and Spanish fluently. Now retired from teaching, he enjoys pursuing many activities including hiking, skiing, and wilderness canoeing.
![[]](/highereducation/images/icon_cart1.gif "Shopping Cart"){kind=icon}
Act of Writing