Product Description:
#10569 English Grammar - Introduction to Grammar / Parts of Speech (1) (Run time 26 min.) DVD $69.95
Can a noun have a number? What do demonstrative pronouns demonstrate? And is an article really an adjective? After a concise explanation of grammar and SEAE-Standard Edited American English-this program explains the ins and outs of common, proper, compound, and demonstrative nouns; personal, possessive, and demonstrative pronouns; and adjectives, including the tiny article. Singular and plural subjects are also covered. (26 minutes)
#10570 English Grammar - Parts of Speech (2) (Run time 35 min.) DVD $69.95
In this program, top verb experts including the yodeling Midori sisters and a circus sideshow barker demonstrate the past, present, and future forms of the simple, perfect, progressive, and perfect progressive tenses. Conditional statements, conjugation, helping verbs, and the verbals-gerunds, infinitives, and past and present participles-are considered as well. Dangling participles and other faux pas are also explained. (35 minutes)
#10571 English Grammar - Parts of Speech (3) / Sentences (Run time 34 min.) DVD $69.95
Part one of this program completes the study of the building blocks of grammar with a thorough explanation of adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections-wow! Then, part two covers the basic rules of syntax, featuring subjects and predicates; appositive and verb phrases; direct and indirect objects; linking verbs; predicate nominatives, nouns of direct address, and appositives; dependent and independent clauses; and compound and complex sentences. Also, the egregious sentence fragment is introduced. (34 minutes)
#10572 English Grammar - Flexibility in English / Common Errors (1) (Run time 28 min.) DVD $69.95
When is a noun not a noun? And is improper agreement really like wearing plaid with stripes? Part one of this program summarizes the parts of speech and then looks at the ways in which one part of speech can be used syntactically as another. In part two, tiny animated dancers and other helpers provide examples of errors in subject/verb agreement and article/noun agreement. Idiom is also addressed. (28 minutes)
#10573 English Grammar - Common Errors (2) / Acceptable Errors (Run time 25 min.) DVD $69.95
When should the red pen be wielded to the hilt, and when should writers and readers simply agree to disagree? Part one of this program deals with three unequivocal errors-sentence fragments, comma splices, and run-on sentences-and three major enemies of clarity-tense shifts, vague pronoun references, and faulty parallels. Contraction/possessive pronoun confusion is also sorted out. In part two, syntactical errors that many no longer consider unacceptable are examined: contractions, split infinitives, and dangling prepositions. (25 minutes)
#10574 English Grammar - Introduction to Punctuation / The End Marks (Run time 17 min.) DVD $69.95
Mastering punctuation requires both understanding and finesse. In this program, Mama Napoli, a crossing guard, and other savvy English authorities open a dialogue on punctuation and then skip to the end-of the sentence, that is. The use of the period in commands, in declarative sentences, and with abbreviations; the question mark in interrogative sentences and to show disbelief or sarcasm; and the exclamation point for emphasis are all discussed in detail. (17 minutes)
#10575 English Grammar - The Wily Comma (Run time 31 min.) DVD $69.95
This program inquires into the correct handling of the much-abused and frequently misused comma. Section one deals with the separation of items in a list. Section two shows how to set off introductory elements such as interjections, prepositional and participial phrases, and independent, dependent, and subordinate clauses. Section three demonstrates the use of interrupters, including nouns of direct address, appositive phrases, and non-restrictive clauses. Section four explains how to employ commas to provide emphasis and enhance clarity. (31 minutes)
#10576 English Grammar - The Semicolon, Colon, and Dash (Run time 22 min.) DVD $69.95
Filled with solid information and good advice, this program defines the rules for using the semicolon, the colon, and the dash, offering clear-cut caveats against misuse and overuse along the way. Litmus tests such as the "furthermore" test and the "and here it is" test make it easy to tell when to utilize these punctuation marks, while Thai food, spaghetti sauce, and even oatmeal with paprika spice up the numerous examples. (22 minutes)
#10577 English Grammar - Surrounding Information: Punctuation that Comes in Pairs (Run time 29 min.) DVD $69.95
Using a talking gingerbread man and an infomercial for punctuation marks, this program demystifies the art of working with quotation marks, parentheses, and brackets. Both the basics and the finer points are covered, including when to use double quotation marks and when to use singles, the difference between quoting and paraphrasing, and how quotation marks, parentheses, and brackets interact with other forms of punctuation. (29 minutes)
#10578 English Grammar - Punctuation Potpourri (Run time 22 min.) DVD $69.95
Ranging from the everyday to the esoteric, this program rounds out the study of punctuation by investigating the many functions of hyphens, apostrophes, slashes, and ellipses. Topics presented include the following: using hyphens to create compound nouns and adjectives, spell out numbers, and break lines of text; using apostrophes to form contractions, possessives, and plurals; using slashes to separate lines of poetry, offer a choice between words, and represent fractions; and using ellipses to indicate omitted text, a trailing-off of thought, and a lengthy pause. (22 minutes)
#2725 English Language & Language Arts - Fighting Back (Run time 26 min.) DVD $69.95
This program shows how poetry can be used, not just for "safe" subjects but also as a way to fight injustice, by identifying problems, heightening their impact, perhaps suggesting solutions. The program moves from a small individual situation to wider and more general issues; examples are presented from the works of John Lennon, Bertolt Brecht, and others. (26 minutes)
#2723 English Language & Language Arts - I See a Voice (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
This program shows how widely poems are used in our society-from punk rock lyrics to graffiti to advertising jingles to tombstone epitaphs. The nature of the use is no determinant of quality. By showing the range of applications for poems, this program provides a means of understanding poetry as a form, and it shows that poetry is not only for the intellectuals. (25 minutes)
#2727 English Language & Language Arts - Poetry of World War II (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
This program provides a detailed look at some poems that express different attitudes toward war, examining the circumstances that inspired the poems, their language and imagery, the historical and social context in which they were written, and pertinent biographical facts about the poets. (26 minutes)
#2820 English Language & Language Arts - History of the English Language (Run time 20 min.) DVD $89.95
Three versions of the Judgment of Solomon story illustrate the changes that have taken place in the English language across more than a millennium: from Aelfric's 10th-century account of how Solomon's wisdom reached to the truth, through Middle, to Early Modern and Modern English. At each stage, the grammar and vocabulary of the pieces are analyzed, as are the social assumptions of the writers. The Old and Middle English selections are read by scholars of the period. (20 minutes)
#2843 English Language & Language Arts - Which English? (Run time 20 min.) DVD $89.95
English is many languages-there are dialects and regional differences, rural and urban English, different types of English spoken by different social groups and in different contexts. This program explores how differences of accent and dialect arise, and argues the advantages for a form of "standard" English. (20 minutes)
#2844 English Language & Language Arts - Language Rules (Run time 18 min.) DVD $89.95
This program looks at the issue of freedom of expression within the context of language rules. Language, after all, is created by those who speak it in the process of social interaction in specific contexts. At the same time, language also appears to be a pre-existing system, a set of rules for classifying and structuring expression. It is this system of differentiation, of structuring and labeling, that makes communication possible-that enables the listener or reader to comprehend the thoughts of the speaker or writer. (18 minutes)
#2845 English Language & Language Arts - Says Who? (Run time 20 min.) DVD $89.95
For language to become communication requires a system of mutually accepted values and meanings between those who speak and those who listen. In school, at work, in the family, in court, with friends, language assumes different meanings depending on who is speaking, and to whom. Language itself is altered by the speaker to conform to the situation. This program looks at different types of language, and different ways of saying the same thing. (20 minutes)
#2847 English Language & Language Arts - Dialect (Run time 20 min.) DVD $89.95
For students of linguistics or anthropology, local dialects are a subject of study; for the older generation that grew up with them, they are the accepted means of communication; but for the young-raised by TV to understand a "national" language and required by the demands of the workplace to use it-dialects are a thing of the past. This program looks at an English region to show how distinct local words, pronunciation, and usage are dying out. (20 minutes)
#2848 English Language & Language Arts - Sexism in Language (Run time 20 min.) DVD $89.95
This program presents closely analyzed examples that show how sexism and antisexism may be contained in language use-in song lyrics, everyday conversation, newspaper reports, written conventions, and satire. (26 minutes)
#2849 English Language & Language Arts - The Language of Selling (Run time 20 min.) DVD $89.95
Here is a truly first-class introduction to the ways in which language can be used effectively to convert a browser into a buyer. Set in an upscale London clothing store, the program demonstrates basic techniques applicable to all selling situations: how the salesperson can learn what the customer wants and upsell; how important the knowledge of product is to success in selling; the role of nonverbal communication in selling. No viewer can help but learn from the inspired example offered by a salesman of expensive men's jackets, whose honest enthusiasm and pride in his product radiate the joy of good salesmanship. (20 minutes)
#5151 English Language & Language Arts - Expletives Deleted (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
What is the point of using expletives if people aren't shocked by them? This program looks at the origins of swear words and seeks to determine how some words have gained the power to shock and offend-and who decides what is shocking and offensive. Through film, TV clips, and interviews, it highlights some of the dilemmas faced by broadcasters as they try to present the realities of everyday speech without causing offense and reminds us of the enormous outrage against public decency committed by George Bernard Shaw in 1912 when he included in Pygmalion the phrase "not bloody likely." (26 minutes)
#7483 English Language & Language Arts - The Power of Speech (Run time 30 min.) DVD $89.95
As Maya Angelou points out in The Power of Speech, "If the words and delivery are powerful, they echo down the centuries." To emphasize the point, Angelou and other writers and orators examine the moving oratory of 14th-century tax protester John Ball, 19th-century slave Sojourner Truth, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Each speaker's technique is examined within the context of why the speech is being delivered, and to whom. Examples of how great orators throughout history have used their skills for good and evil drive home the immense power of the spoken word. A BBC Production. (30 minutes)
#9299 English Language & Language Arts - Sign, Symbol, and Script: Origins of Written Communications and the Birth of the Alphabet (Run time 40 min.) DVD $89.95
Written language is arguably humankind's most important invention. This delightfully accessible documentary uses maps, tables, artifacts, and copious examples to trace the progression of communication through its six stages: gestures, picture writing, pictograms, ideograms, phonograms, and acrophonic characters. Through detailed narration, the program explores topics such as the function of tokens, wall paintings, and wampum; the flowering of Egyptian hieroglyphs, Mesopotamian cuneiform, and Chinese ideograms; the influence of Ugaritic cuneiform and Sinaitic script; and the metamorphosis of the Phoenician alphabet into the Latin characters used today. (40 minutes)
#35675 English Language & Language Arts - Information Literacy: The Perils of Online Research (Run time 21 min.) DVD $89.95
In a world of information overload, information literacy has become a survival skill. But what exactly does information literacy mean? With a focus on the Internet, this video explains how to conduct solid online research by collecting information in an organized, efficient, and ethical way. Professor Maurita Holland of the University of Michigan School of Information provides expert commentary and guidance on a range of research activities, including evaluating the credibility of Web content, documenting online sources, and paraphrasing-not copying-the words of others. Additionally, a high school teacher and a graduate student demonstrate real-world examples to reinforce the challenges and rewards of online research. The consequences of plagiarism and shaky facts are emphasized. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. Correlates to all applicable state and national standards. A Cambridge Educational Production. (21 minutes)
#2816 Writing - Models of Writing: Reporting (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
In this program, the widely-respected press and television journalist John Pilger introduces ideas about reporting. He describes his basic training, and some of the editorial constraints on his writing. He advocates principles of simplicity, truthfulness, meticulous checking of facts, and steadfastness in the face of powerful censors. He gives examples of brave reporting by V. H. Russell (of the Crimean War) and W. S. Pritchett (of the Second World War); he admonishes contemporary newspapers, with examples from the tabloid press, for having abandoned what he sees as true journalistic principles, and presents other examples of what he considers appropriate and praiseworthy reporting. (25 minutes)
#2817 Writing - Models of Non-Fiction Writing: Presenting an Argument (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Ex-Monty Python member Terry Jones writes a weekly piece for the "Input" column of the Young Guardian, in which he argues a case for something he feels strongly about. Terry describes how he gets ideas and goes about the process of research and writing. Terry illustrates how he tries to find an unusual angle to writing an argument and compares different approaches. (26 minutes)
#2818 Writing - Models of Non-Fiction Writing: Reviewing Television (Run time 25 min.) DVD $89.95
Jaci Stephen is the television reviewer of the Evening Standard. She moves through the world of television in numerous ways-at launches and previews, inside television companies, and sitting at home watching programs. She describes how she goes about writing, the problems posed by different genres, and the restrictions placed upon her writing by the nature of her audience-the readers of a family newspaper. The program uses her review of a comedy show to demonstrate the process of writing a review. (25 minutes)
#2819 Writing - Models of Non-Fiction Writing: Informing People (Run time 26 min.) DVD $89.95
Mary Peplow and Debra Shipley write guidebooks. In this program, they describe different ways in which they accumulate information for their projects and how they select from their research, edit, and shape it. The program is based on their writing for London: The Good Tour Guide, and focuses in detail on the research, collection, and writing up of information for a tour around a Ford automobile factory and a trip over London in a helicopter. (26 minutes)
#6440 Literary Criticism - Jacques Derrida (Run time 39 min.) DVD $99.95
Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher credited with launching the Deconstructionist movement, argues his theories in this program. Derrida begins with a frank discussion on the ethical problems of Deconstruction, especially in relation to human rights. He argues that Deconstruction is not a dissolution of the subject, it is first and foremost a historical or genealogical analysis of that subject and an attempt to focus on a universal translation of it. Derrida points out that Deconstruction is mainly an affirmation-it goes further and changes the nature of the subject-and is neither "reconstruction" nor "destruction." (39 minutes)
#6441 Literary Criticism - Frank Kermode (Run time 39 min.) DVD $99.95
The esteemed English literary critic Frank Kermode discusses the whole notion of modern literary criticism in this program. Kermode attacks much of it as being purely concerned with theory and argues that it ignores much of what he considers to be fundamental-interpretation. Kermode traces his notions from those of Spinoza and raises essential questions of freedom and control over interpretation. He takes in modern thinking-attacking, for example, the uses to which Deconstruction has been put. Kermode also explains his idea of "canons" with fascinating examples, and argues that it is the constantly changing interpretation of each canon that keeps it alive. The program concludes with Kermode explaining his own roots, upbringing, and influences, particularly in the 1930s. (39 minutes)
#7713 Literary Criticism - Paul Ricoeur (Run time 39 min.) DVD $99.95
Beginning with the Aristotelian notion of rights, Ricoeur discusses the difference between the right of and the right to. He traces the concept of natural rights from the 18th century as expressed by Descartes and Hegel, to the modern political concept of universal human rights. He then discusses modern detractors-Lacan, Foucault, Heidegger, and Husserl-and their critique of traditional definitions of the subject. The implications are then examined in terms of literature. A critique of subjectivity leads to an explicit critique of the text and the implicit teleology of a narrative. Is only one interpretation possible, or are there multiple readings of a single text? Do these interpretations exist in perpetual conflict? Ricoeur concludes by examining the antithetical nature of Christianity and philosophy, and their respectively different definitions of justice and the law. (39 minutes)
#7714 Literary Criticism - Julia Kristeva (Run time 40 min.) DVD $99.95
In this program, French feminist theorist Kristeva explains her theory of difference and its importance to literature, institutions of higher education, and politics. Beginning with the idea of the "outsider" in contemporary politics, she explores the role of the "foreigner" in western culture and its earliest representation as a woman in the works of Aeschylus. She explores the role of psychoanalysis and the linguistic theories of Chomsky, Bakhtin, Levi-Strauss, Rabelais, and Dostoyevsky in relation to her own ground-breaking work, Revolution in Poetic Language, in order to analyze contemporary politics and culture. English with French responses and subtitles. (40 minutes)
#7715 Literary Criticism - Helene Cixous (Run time 40 min.) DVD $99.95
In this interview, Helene Cixous explores her childhood as a Jew in French-occupied Algiers and the impact it had on her work in the area of feminist theory and on her personal politics. Cixous turns to the classics-Freud's Dora and Shakespeare's Cordelia-to illustrate the legacy of phallocentricism in western culture. Its major effect-the silencing of women-is explored, as Cixous advocates the importance of writing for women as a means of creating an alternate body-une ecriture feminine-through which they can speak and express themselves. (40 minutes)
#7716 Literary Criticism - Terry Eagleton (Run time 38 min.) DVD $99.95
Responsible for introducing the Continental philosophical tradition to Britain, Terry Eagleton is the preeminent Marxist literary theorist. In this program, Eagleton begins with Marx's critique of morality, then explicates Marxist theory, its interpretation of history, and its impact on literary criticism today. He then examines the British Marxist tradition in relation to British history and literature, and the birth of literary theory and cultural studies in the English-speaking world. (38 minutes)
#33209 English Language & Language Arts - Birth of a Language (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
Melvyn Bragg begins the story of English in Holland, finding ancestral echoes in the Frisian dialect. What follows is a chapter on survival as the English language weathers Viking and Norman invasions, vying with and eventually absorbing rival tongues. Lively settings such as village pubs and markets bring home the lasting influence of Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, and Old French. The connection between Christianity, Latin, and an alphabet is explored, as well as the role of the language's first champion, King Alfred the Great. Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney reads from and discusses the first epic in English, Beowulf. (52 minutes)
#33210 English Language & Language Arts - English Goes Underground (Run time 51 min.) DVD $129.95
With the Norman invasion, English became a third language in its own country, behind French and Latin. In this program, Melvyn Bragg examines the impact of Old French on the development of English. Manuscripts, tapestries, and dozens of curious etymologies help illustrate a tremendous influx of vocabulary pertaining to romance, chivalry, and, of course, food. The influence of Eleanor of Aquitaine's patronage is heard in works of poets and troubadours as the cult of courtly love flourished in England. (52 minutes)
#33211 English Language & Language Arts - The Battle for the Language of the Bible (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
In late-medieval England, English quietly ousted French in law and government- but the move to make it God's language meant bloodshed. This program looks at the battle for a Bible in English, a struggle with huge impact on the language itself. Dramatic readings from successive English Bibles show the language's evolution. Location footage and original manuscripts illustrate key figures and events, such as John Wycliffe, the Lollards, and the first English Bible; William Langland's Piers Plowman; Henry V's official correspondence; the role of the Chancery or English civil service; William Caxton's printing press; William Tyndale's translation; and the King James Bible. (52 minutes)
#33212 English Language & Language Arts - This Earth, This Realm, This England (Run time 51 min.) DVD $129.95
Has any single person shaped English more than William Shakespeare? This program uses unparalleled access to some of the greatest English texts, including the first English dictionary and a rare first folio of Shakespeare's plays, to illustrate the great Bard's influence. John Barton, honorary associate director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, discusses the sound and accessibility of Shakespeare's words. His impact is also examined in the larger context of Elizabethan England and the Renaissance. (52 minutes)
#33213 English Language & Language Arts - English in America (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
When Massasoit hailed the Plymouth settlers in their own language, they might have taken it for a sign that English would dominate the New World. Packed with surprising etymologies and intriguing stories, this program traces the dynamic relationship between English and America, exploring the linguistic influence of westward expansion, cowboy culture, slave culture, and encounters with the French and Spanish languages. Key works examined include The New England Primer and Webster's The American Spelling Book. (52 minutes)
#33214 English Language & Language Arts - Speaking Proper (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
This program follows English through the 18th and 19th centuries, from attempts at reforming and standardizing the tongue in the Age of Reason to the soaring verse of Romanticism and the verbal prudishness of the Victorian era. Linguistic milestones are highlighted by original editions of critical texts, including Newton's Opticks, Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, Thomas Sheridan's British Education, and George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. Other key figures discussed include Jonathan Swift, Robert Burns, Jane Austen, and William Wordsworth. (52 minutes)
#33215 English Language & Language Arts - The Language of Empire (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
"Amok," "boomerang," "bungalow," "bangle," "dumdum," "plonk," "assassin"-these are some of the many words that have entered English by way of colonial expansion. This program explores how the British Empire in its heyday exported its language around the globe and how different forms of speech and vocabulary, as well as different attitudes to English, developed out of that colonial expansion. Rich variations of dialect, accent, and slang are heard in many samples from India, the Caribbean, and Australia. (52 minutes)
#33216 English Language & Language Arts - Many Tongues Called English, One World Language (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
This program explores how America's rise as an economic power made it the driving force behind the spread of English in the 20th century. A world tour illustrates how English has mixed with other languages-from "Franglais" in France to "Singlish" in Singapore-and how the dollar's power, coupled with the lure of consumerism, has made English the international trade language. Bringing it full circle, host Melvyn Bragg returns to the British Isles to survey English as it is spoken there now, measuring the influence of American slang and vocabulary from other languages. (52 minutes)
#36923 English Language & Language Arts - An English-Speaking World (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
English is a language spoken by two billion people, perhaps even more. This classic PBS program examines the prevalence of English in the world today and presents a historical overview of its rise. Focusing on the expansion of the British Empire and the emergence of English-language mass media, the program explains how widespread English usage survived Britain's post-WWII decolonization, particularly in India and Africa. It also examines the impact of American-and especially Californian-English, which has arguably become standard. Interviews with William Safire and Gloria Steinem provide insight into Americanization and the linguistic influence of feminism. (58 minutes)
#36925 English Language & Language Arts - A Muse of Fire (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
As the landscape of the New World awakened England's imagination, so did a new landscape of words-in the English of William Shakespeare and the King James Bible. This classic PBS program describes the spread of English to North America and explains how Shakespeare's prodigious vocabulary filled the language with startling new words, phrases, and constructions. Recording strong echoes of Shakespearean English in the little villages lying near Stratford, the program also describes the making of the Authorized Version of the Bible-the only great work of literature ever created by committee-and examines the linguistic dissent perpetrated by the Puritans. (59 minutes)
#36926 English Language & Language Arts - The Guid Scots Tongue (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
The Scottish tongue is one of the oldest in Britain, a Northern variety of English that, but for the accidents of history, might have become a separate language. This classic PBS program deals with the influence of the Scots in spreading the language of their historic enemies-the Sassenachs of the South-around the world. The program begins in the 15th century, the golden age of the Scottish tongue; it follows the linguistic path of the Scots as they settled in Ulster and then crossed the Atlantic into Appalachia and the American sunbelt. A look at the English of the Scottish Highlands is also included, studying the influence of the Gaelic languages that still survive on the Outer Hebrides. (58 minutes)
#36927 English Language & Language Arts - Black on White (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
Gullah-the African-influenced dialect of Georgia's Sea Islands-has undergone few changes since the first slave ships landed 300 years ago, and provides a clear window into the shaping of African-American English. This classic PBS program traces that story from the west coast of Africa through the American South, then to large northern cities in the 1920s. Studying the origins of West African pidgin English and creole speech-along with the tendency of 19th-century white Southerners to pick up speech habits from their black nursemaids-the program highlights the impact of WWI-era industrialization and the migration of jazz musicians to New York and Chicago. (59 minutes)
#36931 English Language & Language Arts - The Empire Strikes Back (Run time 59 min.) DVD $129.95
Will standard English, as it was known in the 20th century, disappear? Will English continue as the global tongue, or will its numerous varieties become, as offshoots of Latin did, a host of mutually unintelligible languages? This classic PBS program features new varieties of English that have transcended British and American influence. The program focuses on some of the most successful examples of "New English," including Jamaican creole, the English of India, and the pidgin of Melanesia, brought to Papua New Guinea by maritime trade. The program concludes with the possibility that the world's first global language will endure alongside its unrecognizable descendants. (59 minutes)
#7769 Science Fiction - Arthur C. Clarke (Run time 52 min.) DVD $129.95
Many writers attempt to predict the future in their work, but Arthur C. Clarke, with his scientific background, does so with unnerving accuracy. Clarke, who has written over 90 works of fiction and nonfiction, is perhaps the world's most famous science fiction writer. This program traces the development of his latest work, 3001: The Final Odyssey, then moves on to a wider account of Clarke's extraordinary life as told through interviews with friends and contemporaries. Included are extracts from works including 3001, which envisions a world where microchip brain implants make everyone a genius. Clips from Stanley Kubrick's Academy Award-winning adaptation of Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey are analyzed at a Cyberfest scientific and artistic symposium. (52 minutes)
#11305 Writing - In the Beginning: So You Want to Write a Story (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
After the pen and paper have been gathered, what comes next? In this program, Fay Weldon, Janet Evanovich, Richard Ford, Amit Chaudhuri, Isobelle Carmody, and other highly regarded authors share their approaches to launching a story. From how to jumpstart the imagination to deciding whether to write for a specific market, these writers candidly speak their minds-even about the dreaded writer's block. "If you stop [writing] and start artistically contemplating how desolate you are at stopping, of course you're going to come to a writer's block," says Carmody. (27 minutes)
#11306 Writing - The Write Stuff: Essentials of Becoming a Writer (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
In this program, Claire Messud, Jennifer Johnston, Tom Petsinis, Roger McDonald, Hilary Mantel, and other skilled authors talk about the personal qualities that writers depend on to cope with the creative, emotional, and psychological demands of writing. They also offer advice on how to develop the language skills that writers need, explain the importance of doing research, and stress the value of reading. "I think we need to have this passion for the written word first," says Petsinis. "If a writer is then to emerge, it will be a natural process out of the process of reading." (27 minutes)
#11307 Writing - The Long Haul: How Do Writers Go the Distance? (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
In this program, dedicated authors including A. Scott Berg, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Isobelle Carmody, Venero Armanno, and Thomas Keneally explore the ways in which writers deal with fatigue, rejection, and uncertainty in order to sustain their enthusiasm over the years it often takes to write a book and then find a publisher. In addition, they address three core issues involving the mechanics of writing: how to choose a narrative stance, how to develop a style, and how to revise that monolithic first draft-"You need to rework and rework and rework," says Carmody. (27 minutes)
#11308 Writing - Crafting the Story: Beginnings, Middles, and Ends (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
How important is the opening line of a book? Does a writer always have to know what is going to happen next? Where should the line be drawn between historic fact and historical fiction? And what are the particular challenges of writing a biography? Drawing on the expertise of Edvard Radzinsky, Fay Weldon, Anson Cameron, John Lanchester, Nicholas Shakespeare, and other respected authors, this program answers each question with candor and wit-and judging from the authors' responses, there are as many ways to approach storywriting as there are writers. (27 minutes)
#11309 Writing - Creating Characters: The Essence of Writing (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
In the world of literature, weak plots are lamentable, but weak characters are fatal. "You've got to be involved with them," says Vikram Seth. "You can't find them boring. If you find them boring, forget it." Gathering the insights of Seth, Dorothy Dunnett, Emma Tom, Neal Drinnan, Claire Messud, and other experienced authors, this program spells out the essentials of characterization, from creating realistic dialogue to developing a character's personality. The pros and cons of basing a character on a real person are weighed as well. (27 minutes)
#11310 Writing - The Sharp End: Dealing with Writer's Block and Rejection (Run time 27 min.) DVD $129.95
In this program, esteemed authors including Thomas Keneally, Christopher Koch, Eva Sallis, Luke Davies, and Nikki Gemmell focus on two of the most difficult things that inevitably come with a writer's livelihood: writer's block and rejection. The business side of writing-agents, publishers, and editors-is also considered. Some final advice on how to write a story? Sallis says, "Just write-let it rip." "Write as if you are dying," adds Gemmell. (27 minutes)
#6547 English Language & Language Arts - A Brief History of Slang (Run time 23 min.) DVD $149.95
In this program, slang expert Jonathan Green explores the history of English slang and its use around the world. Wittingly revealed are the derivatives and sources of some of the more famous words, such as bimbo-a derivative of the 18th-century Italian word for baby-bambino, and the word slang itself, thought to have derived from the Scandinavian word sling, meaning throw or shot. (23 minutes)
#8653 English Language & Language Arts - Early English Aloud and Alive: The Language of Beowulf, Chaucer, and Shakespeare (Run time 29 min.) DVD $149.95
Cultivating an appreciation of the English classics requires studying the mother tongue as it was originally spoken. In this program, Dr. Joseph Gallagher brings language to life by reciting examples of Old, Middle, and Early Modern English in their original dialects. In addition, he discusses the evolution of English syntax and morphology. A dramatization of a portion of Beowulf is also included, along with visits to historic literary sites important to the study of English, such as the Sutton Hoo burial grounds, Canterbury, and the remains of the Globe Theatre. Includes subtitles in Modern English, where necessary. (29 minutes)
#33883 English Language & Language Arts - Do You Speak American? Up North (Run time 57 min.) DVD $149.95
In this program, Robert MacNeil canvasses the North to learn firsthand about linguistic dialect zones, the tension between prescriptivism and descriptivism, the impact of dialect on grapholect, the northern cities vowel shift, the roots of African-American English, minority dialects and linguistic profiling, biases against nonstandard speech, and the general perception of the U.S. Midland dialect as "normal American." Hip-hop street talk, IM slang, Pittsburghese, and Gullah and Geechee are sampled, and Bill Labov, the dean of American linguists; Jesse Sheidlower, American editor of the august OED; and New York magazine's John Simon are featured. Some language may be offensive. (57 minutes)
#33884 English Language & Language Arts - Do You Speak American? Down South (Run time 57 min.) DVD $149.95
This program follows Robert MacNeil down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to Appalachia, Louisiana Cajun country, and the Tex-Mex border to examine Southern dialects and accents and the influences of French and Spanish on American English. Linguist Walt Wolfram, columnist Molly Ivins, pop country singer Cody James, and others talk about regional differences in vernacular, the steady displacement of Southern coastal dialect by inland dialect, the accents of JFK and LBJ, and the Texas border town of El Cenizo, where Spanish is the official language. Recordings of Eudora Welty and Appalachian storyteller Ray Hicks are included, as well as WPA recordings from around 1940. (57 minutes)
#33992 English Language & Language Arts - Teaching Writing: A Process Approach-Level 2 (Run time 44 min.) DVD $149.95
This program explores the process approach to writing instruction, asserting that the act of writing is more than simply the completion of a product; it is a complex, creative, and unpredictable progression of ideas and strategies. With commentary from veteran writing instructors-including Dr. Lois Matz Rosen, author of Within and Beyond the Writing Process in the Secondary English Classroom, and Michael Steinberg, author of The Writer's Way: A Process Approach to Writing-the program outlines specific group activities for each step in the process: invention, drafting, sharing work in progress, revising, and editing. Lively footage from high school and college classrooms shows instructors circulating among groups of highly engaged students, offering advice and suggestions through formative rather than summative evaluation. Accompanying the program is a workbook containing a teacher workshop outline and activities, as well as teacher resources, tools, and student-based learning projects. A stylish, inspiring guide to an effective and thoroughly tested teaching method, the Teaching Writing package provides vital preparation for any composition, journalism, or creative writing instructor. Recommended for teachers of grades 11-14. Correlates to English Language Arts standards and Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) Information. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences Production. (45 minutes)
#30072 Science Fiction - The Dream Pioneers: Visionaries of Science Fiction (Run time 50 min.) DVD $149.95
This program looks at the careers and manifold influence of The Los Angeles Science-Fiction League's most famous members: Forrest J. Ackerman, the mainspring of the group, who coined the term "Sci-Fi"; Ray Bradbury, renowned author of The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451; and Ray Harryhausen, master of stop-motion animation. Extended interviews with all three men and the numerous filmmakers, special effects artists, and NASA researchers they have inspired illuminate how so many of their dreams have become reality. (50 minutes)
#33991 Writing - Teaching Writing: A Process Approach-Level 1 (Run time 44 min.) DVD $149.95
This program explores the process approach to writing instruction, asserting that the act of writing is more than simply the completion of a product; it is a complex, creative, and unpredictable progression of ideas and strategies. With commentary from veteran writing instructors-including Dr. Lois Matz Rosen, author of Within and Beyond the Writing Process in the Secondary English Classroom, and Michael Steinberg, author of The Writer's Way: A Process Approach to Writing-the program outlines specific group activities for each step in the process: invention, drafting, sharing work in progress, revising, and editing. Lively footage from high school and college classrooms shows instructors circulating among groups of highly engaged students, offering advice and suggestions through formative rather than summative evaluation. Accompanying the program is a workbook containing a teacher workshop outline and activities, as well as teacher resources, tools, and student-based learning projects. A stylish, inspiring guide to an effective and thoroughly tested teaching method, the Teaching Writing package provides vital preparation for any composition, journalism, or creative writing instructor. Recommended for teachers of grades 6-10. Correlates to English Language Arts standards and Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) Information. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. A Cambridge Educational Production. (44 minutes)
#34866 Writing - The Drama of Creation: Writers on Writing (Run time 46 min.) DVD $149.95
How can a handful of words, scribbled on a napkin or a train schedule, grow into a timeless play? How does a storyteller create characters with lives and intentions of their own? Is writing a miraculous act, impossible to explain or describe, or is it 90 percent perspiration? In this program, a chorus of famous authors discuss creative strategies that lead to emotionally charged stories and dramatic narratives. The video weaves together rarely seen interviews featuring nuts-and-bolts commentary from Neil Simon, August Wilson, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, Peter Shaffer, Tina Howe, and other artists whose work profoundly moves readers and audiences. Exploring the writer's craft from several different angles-the roller coaster of inspiration, the pros and cons of collaboration, the importance of listening to a character's voice, and more-this luminous compendium of literary wisdom is an indispensable resource for any aspiring author or writing instructor. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences Production. (48 minutes)
#35085 Writing - Publishing Short Stories (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
In this volume, Amy Tan gives a talk called "Serendipity, the Muse, and Divine Intervention." Using examples from The One Hundred Secret Senses, she explores the role that these elements played in the development of her work. This volume also features a lively panel discussion in which authors Amy Tan and Richard Ford and editors Will Allison, Alan Cheuse, and Andrew Tonkovich field questions posed by moderator Stephen Kochand and members of the audience. Questions include What are the best markets for emerging fiction writers?, Are there trends to follow or avoid?, and What role does the editor play in selecting content for various publications? (91 minutes)
#35086 Writing - Writing the Novel (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
In segment one of this volume, "Writing the Landscape," Janet Fitch discusses landscape and how its use can distinguish professional writers from aspiring writers. In a clear and conversational style, she provides examples and recommends methods, tools, and exercises to help novelists elevate the level of their prose. In segment two, writers Sands Hall, Max Byrd, Varley O'Connor, and Stephen Koch present a wealth of information, humorously moderated by editor Andrew Tonkovich, on point-of-view. Topics such as the connection between POV and voice and how perspective, voice, and POV relate to character and place are included. (89 minutes)
#35087 Writing - What to Write (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
In segment one of this volume, screenwriter Gill Dennis gives a presentation that addresses how to find the story, develop memorable and realistic characters, uncover "significant irrelevancies" and apply them to fiction, and use emotions to develop story lines. In the second segment, "Psychological and Spiritual Distress of Writing," Anne Lamott provides good advice and great examples as she gives insights into topics ranging from what to write, to her fears about getting published, to how she copes with her critical voice. She also talks about what to do when your work doesn't get the response you were hoping for. (110 minutes)
#35088 Writing - Elements of Writing (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
This volume concentrates on successful storytelling. In a talk called "Scene, Summary, Silence," writer/educator Al Young tells how to engage readers and keep a story moving by creating believable narrative and maintaining a balance between scene and summary. A panel discussion moderated by Mark Childress follows, in which authors Olga Carlisle, James Brown, Lynn Freed, and Al Young examine the influence of their birthplaces on their work. With honesty and humor they answer questions including Do you think you'd be a writer if you came from another place in the world? and What impact did leaving your birthplaces have on your writing? (111 minutes)
#35089 Writing - Writing for Different Genres (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
Crime writing and the memoir are highlighted in this volume. In segment one, author/journalist Martin J. Smith shares his knowledge about the differences between mystery, crime, and suspense; how to know if you have a solid concept; and five elements that are necessary for success in a crime-related genre. In segment two, author and former columnist Adair Lara walks viewers through The Arc, an indispensable tool for developing the structure of a memoir and making it compelling-and marketable. In addition, Lara responds to questions such as How do you move the story forward?, How do you handle hurt feelings?, and Where do you start, how do you end? (82 minutes)
#35090 Writing - Agents, Editors, and Publishers (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
This volume looks at writing from the perspective of agents, editors, and publishers. It begins with a Q&A segment that spells out how to secure an agent. Moderated by agent Betsy Amster, the panel-BJ Robbins, Julie Barer, and Elyse Cheney-fields questions including What do you like to see in a query letter? and What is a good way to find the right agent? A panel featuring editors Ann Close and Joy Johannesson and publisher Michael Pietsch concludes the program. Questions in this segment range from the general-What makes a book sell?-to the very specific: How do you determine the advance amount an author receives? (99 minutes)
#35091 Writing - Readings and Conversations (Run time min.) DVD $149.95
In segment one of this volume, authors Mark Childress, Janet Fitch, and Glen David Gold read and talk about their previously unpublished works. In the second segment, "Conversations," Oakley Hall-founder of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, author of 24 novels, and former writing teacher-presents 15 tips that every writer needs to know, beginning with Write every day, Observe and listen, Employ all the senses, and Use strong verbs. (127 minutes)
#2973 Writing - Models of Non-Fiction Writing (Run time min.) DVD $359.8
4-part series, 25-26 minutes each.
#33882 English Language & Language Arts - Do You Speak American? (Run time min.) DVD $509.85
Why is the English spoken by Maine lobstermen so different from the English spoken by Texas cowboys? What constitutes "standard English" in the U.S. today? Will Spanish displace English altogether? And how is English linked to issues of race, gender, and class? In this three-part series, celebrated journalist and writer Robert MacNeil travels from north to south, east to west, to answer these and other sociolinguistic questions as he studies the ongoing evolution of American English-a language rich in regional variety, strong in global impact, and steeped in cultural controversy. Do You Speak American?-a follow-up to MacNeil's award-winning The Story of English-is an instant classic that merits a place in every academic library. 3-part series, 57 minutes each.
#11785 English Grammar - English: The Standard Deviants(r) Core Curriculum (Run time min.) DVD $599.95
This straight-talking ten-part set, adapted from the popular series developed for students to enhance their test-taking skills, combines serious academic content with a humorous presentation style to help make the rules of English more accessible. Elements such as high-tech special effects, computer animation, and entertaining vignettes boost retention and confidence while reinforcing essential principles through concise explanations and engaging examples. Modules include: • Introduction to Grammar / Parts of Speech (1) • Parts of Speech (2) • Parts of Speech (3) / Sentences • Flexibility in English / Common Errors (1) • Common Errors (2) / "Acceptable Errors" • Introduction to Punctuation / The End Marks • The Wily Comma • The Semicolon, Colon, and Dash • Surrounding Information: Punctuation that Comes in Pairs • Punctuation Potpourri Joining the Standard Deviants Academic Team in the creation of this set are Chris Thaiss, Ph.D., of George Mason University, and Charles Fisher, M.A., of The Madeira School. Correlates to all applicable state and national standards. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online.
#10568 English Grammar - English: The Standard Deviants(r) Core Curriculum (Run time min.) DVD $699.5
This straight-talking ten-part series, adapted from the popular series developed for students to enhance their test-taking skills, combines serious academic content with a humorous presentation style to help make the rules of English more accessible. Elements such as high-tech special effects, computer animation, and entertaining vignettes boost retention and confidence while reinforcing essential principles through concise explanations and engaging examples. Joining the Standard Deviants Academic Team in the creation of this series are Chris Thaiss, Ph.D., of George Mason University, and Charles Fisher, M.A., of The Madeira School. Correlates to all applicable state and national standards. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. 10-part series, 17-35 minutes each.
#11304 Writing - Writers' Workshop: Fiction and Nonfiction (Run time min.) DVD $779.7
How does a professional writer fill hundreds of pages with compelling characters and intricate plots? This stimulating six-part series investigates the writing process through interviews with significant authors of fiction and nonfiction, including A. Scott Berg (Lindbergh), Vikram Seth (A Suitable Boy), Fay Weldon (Godless in Eden), and Thomas Keneally (Schindler's List). 6-part series, 27 minutes each.
#33208 English Language & Language Arts - The Adventure of English: 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D. (Run time min.) DVD $1039.6
What started as a minor Germanic dialect spoken by the Saxons became perhaps England's greatest export. Written and presented by Melvyn Bragg, this eight-part series tells the story of how English became a global language. Along the way, each episode uses location footage, rare manuscripts, linguistic experts, and fascinating etymologies to chart the growth of English, its encounters with other languages, its history, and its far-ranging influence. 8-part series, 52 minutes each.
#35084 Writing - The Path to Publication: Advice from Authors, Editors, and Agents (Run time min.) DVD $1049.65
This seven-volume series takes viewers inside the prestigious Squaw Valley Community of Writers workshops, where the faculty comprises significant authors such as Amy Tan, Anne Lamott, Richard Ford, Janet Fitch, and Mark Childress as well as agents, editors, and publishers from New York and Los Angeles. Each volume contains two complete program segments and focuses on a different aspect of writing. An essential resource both for novices looking to improve their technique and for experienced writers who are polishing their manuscripts and looking for agents. Each DVD also provides background on the speakers, information about the Community of Writers, and previews of the other volumes in The Path to Publication. 7-part series, 82-127 minutes each.
#36922 English Language & Language Arts - The Story of English (Run time min.) DVD $1169.55
A work of profound scholarship and powerful storytelling from host Robert MacNeil, this classic nine-part PBS series remains one of the great narratives of linguistic studies-and is now available on digitally re-mastered, menu-driven DVD. Steeped in history, geography, sociology, and political drama, The Story of English has little to do with dictionaries, official documents, or highbrow literature. It is a tale of language used for immediate needs-in street talk, popular entertainment, war, and trade-and it covers more than a millennium of civilization's ebb and flow. Vividly capturing a sense of global dynamics, the series travels to 16 countries and across 5 continents as it follows the evolutionary path of the first worldwide language. 9-part series, 58-59 minutes each.
#36004 Writing - The Aspiring Writer's Collection (Run time min.) DVD $1349.55
Show your students how to stop dabbling and start publishing with this professional-caliber how-to guide to unleashing the inner writer! Covering novels, short stories, memoirs, screenplays, and stage plays, The Aspiring Writer's Collection is one series that all serious writers should have access to. It's packed with advice from agents, editors, publishers, and some of the most significant authors of our times-individuals who live the business of writing every day. Exclusively from Films for the Humanities & Sciences. 9-part series, 48-127 minutes each.
