Books
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Unspinning the Spin: The Women’s Media Center Guide to Fair and Accurate Language
Unspinning the Spin is a thesaurus-like collection of words and phrases that might be sexist, racist, ageist, heterosexist, or otherwise biased. Organized alphabetically, the book offers explanations and alternatives for dubious terms. Practical and easy-to-use, Unspinning the Spin is geared toward journalists, media specialists, bloggers, students, teachers, government officials, and communications professionals. It’s also (ahem) an entertaining and informative read. I’ve been working on biased language for 30 years, and have also published The Nonsexist Dictionary, The Bias-Free Dictionary, and Talking About People.
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Pieces of Eight
Pieces of Eight by Rosalie Maggio, Frank Maggio, Patrick Maggio, Kevin Maggio, Mary Maggio, Paul Maggio, Mark Maggio, and Matt Maggio introduces you to the insular world of eight brothers and sisters who grew up sharing everything from their fear of wild dogs to the neighbors’ watermelon patch. Humorous, occasionally touching stories from their Iowa childhood contrast with their good-natured e-mail exchanges of today. Banding together as children, their pack mentality blossoms into enduring adult friendships. Sixty-some essays and stories take you to a time and place that redefines both "belonging" and "nostalgia."
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How to Say It: Choice Words, Phrases, Sentences & Paragraphs For Every Situation
How to Say It: Choice Words, Phrases, Sentences & Paragraphs is in its third edition, and has been selling for over 25 years, purchased by nearly 3 million people unless, of course, family and friends have been helping me out. I wrote the book for busy people, people who were quite capable of writing great letters if only they had the time. Quick, logical, and comprehensive, the book keeps the user in mind on every page, letting you put together letters that sound like you but that are based on "what works." After all these years, I still slide this book off the shelf when I’m stuck usually on a letter that’s long overdue (one of the hardest kinds to write)
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The Art of Talking to Anyone: Essential People Skills for Success in Any Situation
The Art of Talking to Anyone: Essential People Skills for Success in Any Situation was great fun to write. Like it or not, we all end up talking with other people — and most of us agonize about our social inabilities. I did a number of radio talk shows, and callers were not shy about describing their faux pas and bloopers at work events, cocktail parties, and neighborhood potlucks. Turns out very few people believe they’re good conversationalists, whereas I think most people are more talented than they realize. They just need a few tips and a little encouragement (to be found in the book, of course). This title is also available as an audiobook.
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Marie Marvingt: La femme d’un siecle
Marie Marvingt: La femme d’un siecle is the French-language biography of "the most incredible woman since Joan of Arc" (Chicago Tribune). I was intrigued by the fact that she was truly outstanding, and truly unknown. How could that be? I’ve published several English-language pieces about her in Women Sports & Fitness, Jack and Jill, and Cricket (a 3-part series). I’m now almost finished writing her biography in English, and I’ll let you know when it’s published. In the meantime, to see more about her, go to www.mariemarvingt.com, where I’m still adding information to the site.
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The Art of Organizing Anything: Simple Principles for Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life
The Art of Organizing Anything: Simple Principles for Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life is one of my favorites whether for spring cleaning, guilt trips, or graduation gifts to unorganized offspring. Pretend for a minute that I had nothing to do with this book. You know what I like about it? It’s as simple as the subtitle claims it is. By using the commonsensical principles no elaborate plans to remember you decide what you want to do, and the book will work with you. Or you can do nothing at all! I don’t believe everyone needs to be "organized." This book is only for those who are looking for help.
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The Music Box Christmas
The Music Box Christmas, published by Morrow Junior in 1990, and named an International Reading Association Young Adults’ Choice in 1992, is now out of print. A 12-year-old realizes that Christmas is not coming to his house this year unless he makes it happen. A story based on it was published in Cricket, and I was in the audience when a group of schoolchildren turned it into a play. Some families read it together every Christmas. I’ve noticed you can buy copies online (or even from me). I’ve written a screenplay based on it, although the two media are so different the screenplay seems like a new work.
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How to Say It Style Guide
How to Say It Style Guide is the simplest, most succinct and basic little style manual you can get by with. Like most writers, I have many usage and style guides on my shelves, but not everyone needs a big rig to haul their words around; a pickup truck will do the job for most people. I chose the most common problems in writing clearly, and explained them in ways that made them clearer even to me. I’d love to give a copy to every high school graduate in the country (I’ve actually sent copies to a class that a fabulous teacher wanted to thank for being such great students that year). The book is out of print but you can pick up a copy online or write me for a copy.
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How They Said It: Wise and Witty Letters from the Famous and Infamous
How They Said It: Wise and Witty Letters From the Famous and Infamous was a hugely entertaining book to put together. Divided into traditional letter themes (the thank-you letter, the apology, the sympathy note), each chapter features letters by well-known individuals from history, Hollywood, and halls of fame. I was obliged (!) to read hundreds of collections of letters now one of my favorite types of book. I’m fascinated by the relative generosity or stinginess of famous people when they wrote letters. Some seemed reluctant to write unless they were being paid by the word. Others poured out an abundance of delicious reflections, comments, and anecdotes.
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The New Beacon Book of Quotations By Women
The New Beacon Book of Quotations by Women includes thousands of women saying thousands of funny, clever, thought-provoking, and memorable things about cats and death and style and literary criticism and chocolate and weather and humor and pain and travel and almost anything you can imagine. The book is out of print, although when I see a copy online I buy it because it makes a lovely gift. When my collection of quotations grew to nearly three times the size of the book (and it’s huge) I started the free (and ad-free) quotationsbywomen.com. Check it out. In the meantime, if you see a copy of the book, pick it up because it’s great fun to browse