Author : Sandy Wood
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 260 pages
File Size : 25,57 MB
Release : 2008-01-01
Category : Reference
ISBN : 9781592577545
Frequently Asked Questions is one of the most popular categories of infotainment. From history to sports, business to science, movies to art, literature to comics - the curious-minded are always asking questions to expand their knowledge and try to stump their friends. Part game book, part trivia book and part information, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fun FAQs includes over 1,000 amusing, interesting questions (and their answers of course) to hundreds of popular subjects.
Author : Steve Miller
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 372 pages
File Size : 16,61 MB
Release : 2008-10-07
Category : Science
ISBN : 1440652031
“Why are most plants green?” Why doesn’t stomach acid dissolve the stomach itself? Why are there more tornados in the Midwest than on the coast? This volume answers these questions and over 200 more, shedding light on the science behind them. As informative as it is entertaining, it addresses every major branch of science, including physics, chemistry, biology, geology, meteorology, astronomy, and cosmology. It highlights some of the big ideas that helped shape science as we know it, and discusses the future of science with regards to nanotechnology, genetic modification, molecular medicine, and string theory. • Complete Idiot’s Guides® have a proven track record of simplifying science with great success, as with volumes on physics and chemistry. •Entertaining scientific overviews of this kind also successful, including such titles as The Pocket Idiot’s Guide™ to Not-So-Useless Facts and The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Understanding Einstein.
Author : James S. Bell Jr.
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 326 pages
File Size : 29,73 MB
Release : 2001-12-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1101199253
You’re no idiot, of course. You’re familiar with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Judgment Day—especially in the wake of the new millennium. However, the Book of Revelation has existed for almost 2,000 years and is open to countless interpretations. Don’t get confused by scholarly analysis and religious dogma! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to the Book of Revelation shows you how so many meanings are derived from the book’s text. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • Various ways to interpret Revelation and its symbols • A detailed examination of the key elements, including the Seven Seals and the Antichrist • A look at how the Jewish Old Testament and prophecies relate to Revelation
Author : Laurie E. Rozakis
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 500 pages
File Size : 34,38 MB
Release : 1999
Category : Literary Criticism
ISBN : 9780028633787
Looks at American authors from Washington Irving to John Updike and provides brief biographical sketches, excerpts and summaries of major works, and explanations of major literary movements
Author : Jay Stevenson
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 41,70 MB
Release : 2009-01-21
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 1101020016
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 explanation of the origins of vampires and insight into the fascination they hold in literature and belief. • Complete history and origins of this mythic creature • An explanation of the various rules that vampires exist by • A lively and exhaustive literary discussion of vampires and their importance in fiction
Author : Eric Nelson
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 412 pages
File Size : 16,62 MB
Release : 2002
Category : History
ISBN : 9780028641515
You’re no idiot, of course. The battle scenes in Gladiator had you on the edge of your seat and wondering where you could find more information on the rise and fall of ancient Rome. But so far, your search has left you feeling like a blundering barbarian. Pick yourself up off the coliseum floor! Consult The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to the Roman Empire—a fun-to-read introduction to the fascinating history, people, and culture of ancient Rome. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: --The history of the Roman Empire’s rise and fall. --An idiot-proof introduction to the great epic literature of the Roman Republic. --A survey of the Romans in arts and popular culture. --Fascinating details of some of history’s most nefarious emperors, including Nero, Caligula, and Commodus.
Author : James Mendrinos
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 356 pages
File Size : 41,32 MB
Release : 2004
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781592572311
You've always known writing comedy was about more than just being funny. But how do you create a joke and work it into a script or a stand-up routine? Comedian, writer, and teacher Jim Mendrinos has the answers. In The Complete Idiot s Guide to Comedy Writing, Mendrinos gives readers the principles he teaches in his popular courses, from understanding what funny is and how to find it, to how to actually construct comedy. Working through the basic constructions and forms including premises, points of view, and twists, he shows the variations of written, verbal, and physical comedy. With useful exercises, Mendrinos helps writers refine their writing, appeal to their audience, and even break writer's block by learning techniques for brainstorming, free association, lists, and finding infinite points of view.
Author : Steven J. Venturino, PhD
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 392 pages
File Size : 27,18 MB
Release : 2013-03-05
Category : Literary Criticism
ISBN : 1615643273
From Plato to Freud to ecocriticism, the book illustrates dozens of stimulating-and sometimes notoriously complex-perspectives for approaching literature and film. The book offers authoritative, clear, and easy-to-follow explanations of theories that range from established classics to the controversies of current theory. Each chapter offers a conversational, step-by-step explanation of a single theory, critic, or issue, accompanied by concrete examples for applying the concepts and engaging suggestions for related literary readings. Following a section on the foundations of literary theory, the book is organized thematically, with an eye to the best way to develop a real, working understanding of the various theories. Cross-references are particularly important, since it's through the interaction of examples that readers most effectively advance from basic topics and arguments to some of the more specialized and complicated issues. Each chapter is designed to tell a complete story, yet also to reach out to other chapters for development and debate. Literary theorists are hardly unified in their views, and this book reflects the various traditions, agreements, influences, and squabbles that are a part of the field. Special features include hundreds of references to and quotations from novels, stories, plays, poems, movies, and other media. Online resources could also include video and music clips, as well as high-quality examples of visual art mentioned in the book. The book also includes periodic "running" references to selected key titles (such as Frankenstein) in order to illustrate the effect of different theories on a single work.
Author : Rita S. Berkowitz
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 376 pages
File Size : 30,19 MB
Release : 2002-08-01
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 9780028643502
You’re no idiot, of course. You know life is a journey and that physical birth and death are its points of transition. Many people, across cultures and faiths, believe the spirit lives on—and have experienced contact with the spirits of loved ones who have passed to the higher side. This contact is joyous, comforting, and healing—but you wonder if it’s really real and whether you can share in it, too. Don’t give up the spirit! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Communicating with Spirits will show you exactly how to uncover your own mediumistic capabilities and connect with those no longer on the earth plane. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: --Tips on how to connect with your personal divine energy through prayer, meditation, and dreams. --Information on the birth of the human soul—as perceived through theological, metaphysical, and spiritual viewpoints. --Exercises to help you develop your mediumistic abilities. --Tangible evidence of the continuity of life as presented through the experiences and spirit drawings of medium Rita S. Berkowitz.
Author : Arlene Uhl
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 340 pages
File Size : 21,11 MB
Release : 2008-08-05
Category : Self-Help
ISBN : 1101217146
Learn the secrets of happiness. You’re no idiot, of course. You know how difficult to see the bright side of things when life seems to be a rut, much less in the face of adversity. But when you nurture a positive attitude, you also nurture your ability to find happiness in the moment—even if it doesn’t live up to your perfect expectations. The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to the Psychology of Happiness offers insights into human nature and techniques that will help you regain the sense of joy. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • The power of optimism and humor to enhance your outlook. • The blissful benefits of engaging in playful behavior and artistic expression. • The importance of nurturing positive relationships among friends and family. • The power of exercise and meditation to simulate joyful chemical reactions within the body.
