John Gardner

Do the rich descriptions and narrative shapings of literature provide a valuable resource for readers, writers, philosophers, and everyday people to imagine and confront the ultimate questions of life? Do the human activities of storytelling and complex moral decision-making have a deep connection? What are the moral responsibilities of the artist,...

Convinced that what is needed in America is a serious, open, civil dialogue on racial, ethnic, and religious prejudice, William S. Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen brought together an august and varied group of individuals in July 2008. Meeting in Washington, D.C., the participants, including Douglas Blackmon, Deepak Chopra, Sam Donaldson, Louis...

Biplots are a graphical method for simultaneously displaying two kinds of information; typically, the variables and sample units described by a multivariate data matrix or the items labelling the rows and columns of a two-way table. This book aims to popularize what is now seen to be a useful and reliable method for the visualization of...

Helping Sophomores Succeed offers an in-depth, comprehensive understanding of the common challenges that arise in a student's second year of college. Sponsored by the University of South Carolina's National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, this groundbreaking book offers an examination of second-year...

A clear, practical framework for getting higher education back on track The Undergraduate Experience is a guide for significantly improving student learning and institutional performance in the rapidly changing world of higher education. Written by recognized experts in undergraduate education, this book encourages college and university...

Developing and Sustaining Successful First -Year Programs First-year programs and interventions have become critical launching pads for student success and retention in higher education. However, these programs often flounder not because of what they are trying to do, but because of the ways in which they are implemented. Developing and...

In 2002, the Policy Center on the First Year of College (supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Atlantic Philanthropies, and Lumina Foundation for Education) sponsored a project to recognize colleges and universities as "Institutions of Excellence" in their design and execution of the first year. Thirteen colleges and universities—representing...

The story of Gilgamesh, an ancient epic poem written on clay tablets in a cuneiform alphabet, is as fascinating and moving as it is crucial to our ability to fathom the time and the place in which it was written. Gardner's version restores the poetry of the text and the lyricism that is lost in the earlier, almost scientific renderings. The...

A Vintage Shorts selection. In this chapter from his classic instructive handbook,  The Art of Fiction , John Gardner illustrates the principles and techniques of good writing. Poor diction, confusing clauses, undue sentimentality and mannerism—these are pitfalls that plague experienced writers as well as those new to the craft....

Pressure of time means that the complex topic of special educational needs (SEN) at initial teacher training and post-graduate levels can often be covered at too swift a pace. The unfortunate result is that a newly qualified teacher faced with the pressures of today's typically inclusive classrooms can feel unprepared or lacking in knowledge about...