The Must-Have Guide for Songwriters Writing Better Lyrics has been a staple for songwriters for nearly two decades. Now this revised and updated 2nd Edition provides effective tools for everything from generating ideas, to understanding the form and function of a song, to fine-tuning lyrics. Perfect for new and experienced songwriters alike, this time-tested classic covers the basics in addition to more advanced techniques.Songwriters will discover: • How to use sense-bound imagery to enhance a song's emotional impact on listeners • Techniques for avoiding clichés and creating imaginative metaphors and similes • Ways to use repetition as an asset • How to successfully manipulate meter • Instruction for matching lyrics with music • Ways to build on ideas and generate effective titles • Advice for working with a co-writer • And much more Featuring updated and expanded chapters, 50 fun songwriting exercises, and examples from more than 20 chart-toppings songs, Writing Better Lyrics gives you all of the professional and creative insight you need to write powerful lyrics and put your songs in the spotlight where they belong.

Ming porcelain is widely regarded among the world's finest cultural treasures. From ordinary household items patiently refined for imperial use, porcelain became a dynamic force in domestic consumption in China and a valuable commodity in export trade. In the modern era, it has reached unprecedented heights in art auctions and other avenues of global commerce. This book examines the impact of consumption on the evolution of porcelain and its transformation into a foreign cultural icon. The book begins with an examination of ways in which porcelain was appreciated in Ming China, followed by a discussion of encounters with Ming porcelain in several global regions including Europe and the Americas. The book also looks at the invention of the phrase and concept of 'the Ming vase' in English-speaking cultures and concludes with a history of the transformation of Ming porcelain into works of art.

A scientist offers compelling visions and potential pitfalls of the future—in “a journey through time, space, and the human experience” (Dr. Tanya Harrison, coauthor of For All Humankind). Humanity has gained the ability not only to imagine the future, but to design and engineer it. At times entertaining, and at others profound, Future Rising provides an original perspective on our relationship with the future. As a species, we’ve become talented architects of our future—yet we often struggle to come to terms with what this means. As innovation and rapidly shifting norms and expectations drive our world at breakneck speed, we sometimes need to find a still, quiet place to pause and think. Future Rising creates such a place, where we can take advantage of our species’ knowledge of world history and the importance of science to piece together a positive future. To create a good future, we must rediscover the past. Our relationship with the future is inextricably intertwined with where we’ve come from, who we are, and what we aspire to. Future Rising starts at the beginning of all things with the Big Bang and traces a pathway along the emergence of intelligent life, through what makes humans uniquely capable of imagining and creating different futures. In a series of sixty short reflections, Andrew Maynard, a former physicist and nationally recognized expert in technology and society, will take you on a journey into: What “the future” actually is How it molds and guides our lives How we can use the history of the world to change our future “A thoughtful and thought-provoking response to the moment we’re in, chronicling how we got here, where we’re going, and what role we have in that journey.” —Ramona Pringle, Director of Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor, Ryerson University

Object Thinking blends historical perspective, experience, and visionary insight - exploring how developers can work less like the computers they program and more like problem solvers.

Object technology pioneer Wirfs-Brock teams with expert McKean to present a thoroughly updated, modern, and proven method for the design of software. The book is packed with practical design techniques that enable the practitioner to get the job done.

From the former director of the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, a timely and passionate case for the role of the well-designed object in the digital age. Curator and scholar Glenn Adamson opens Fewer, Better Things by contrasting his beloved childhood teddy bear to the smartphones and digital tablets children have today. He laments that many children and adults are losing touch with the material objects that have nurtured human development for thousands of years. The objects are still here, but we seem to care less and know less about them. In his presentations to groups, he often asks an audience member what he or she knows about the chair the person is sitting in. Few people know much more than whether it's made of wood, plastic, or metal. If we know little about how things are made, it's hard to remain connected to the world around us. Fewer, Better Things explores the history of craft in its many forms, explaining how raw materials, tools, design, and technique come together to produce beauty and utility in handmade or manufactured items. Whether describing the implements used in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, the use of woodworking tools, or the use of new fabrication technologies, Adamson writes expertly and lovingly about the aesthetics of objects, and the care and attention that goes into producing them. Reading this wise and elegant book is a truly transformative experience.

”Demystifies object-oriented programming, and lays out how to use it to design truly secure and performant applications.” —Charles Soetan, Plum.io Key Features Dozens of techniques for writing object-oriented code that’s easy to read, reuse, and maintain Write code that other programmers will instantly understand Design rules for constructing objects, changing and exposing state, and more Examples written in an instantly familiar pseudocode that’s easy to apply to Java, Python, C#, and any object-oriented language Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About The Book Well-written object-oriented code is easy to read, modify, and debug. Elevate your coding style by mastering the universal best practices for object design presented in this book. These clearly presented rules, which apply to any OO language, maximize the clarity and durability of your codebase and increase productivity for you and your team. In Object Design Style Guide, veteran developer Matthias Noback lays out design rules for constructing objects, defining methods, and much more. All examples use instantly familiar pseudocode, so you can follow along in the language you prefer. You’ll go case by case through important scenarios and challenges for object design and then walk through a simple web application that demonstrates how different types of objects can work together effectively. What You Will Learn Universal design rules for a wide range of objects Best practices for testing objects A catalog of common object types Changing and exposing state Test your object design skills with exercises This Book Is Written For For readers familiar with an object-oriented language and basic application architecture. About the Author Matthias Noback is a professional web developer with nearly two decades of experience. He runs his own web development, training, and consultancy company called “Noback’s Office.” Table of Contents: 1 ¦ Programming with objects: A primer 2 ¦ Creating services 3 ¦ Creating other objects 4 ¦ Manipulating objects 5 ¦ Using objects 6 ¦ Retrieving information 7 ¦ Performing tasks 8 ¦ Dividing responsibilities 9 ¦ Changing the behavior of services 10 ¦ A field guide to objects 11 ¦ Epilogue