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The Norton Sampler: Short Essays for Composition
With 71 readings (half new to this edition), well-written writing instruction (including templates to help students get started), and new navigation features that make it very easy to use, The Norton Sampler is a rhetorically arranged reader that practices what it preaches about good writing.
Paperback, 697 pages
Published
February 1st 2013
by W. W. Norton & Company
(first published 1979)
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
You know what's funny? I thought it was cute that the cover was modeled after the Whitman's Sampler. You know, that box of candy that you always give to elderly relatives on holidays? Little did I know, however, that the "Sampler" is really a cross-stitching pattern school kids in the 19th Century used to complete to learn the alphabet and numbers.
Not only does this book teach you about that little handy piece of trivia, but it is really a great resource for an advanced high school or freshman ...more
Not only does this book teach you about that little handy piece of trivia, but it is really a great resource for an advanced high school or freshman ...more
I have decided that THIS is my new English Composition II textbook for a community college course ;) I was/ am still using the "Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction" because it was "contemporary" and cheap (under $20). However after a few semesters of using it, the same critiques come up from students: the stories are depressing, many are "boring" or "confusing," there's not enough variety, etc. "The Norton Sampler" (8th edition) is a bit more pricey and I'm aware of how even the moi
...more
Jun 16, 2007
Christian
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Teachers, Timidstone
So far, this is a fantastic collection of short essays -- everything from Junger to an excerpt from The Onion, with fairly good discussion/prompt questions after each essay. Authors are given appropriate biographies, and the selection is wide and far reaching. I've enjoyed it so far... I'll be using it for class.
The first few stories in this book are very interesting, and the writers know how to make a person feel like they are there with him or her. Each story is able to give a deep meaning that helps people understand something about themselves. I think the stories in this book are great, and I recommend it to anyone that likes meaningful short stories.
I will be using this for my English Fundamentals II course. The one essay I like in here is the "Why Batman Shouldn't Kill the Joker." Then again, the other reason why is because the other anthology I use is getting kind of old (circa 2010) so I guess it was time to move on. I hope it works out well!
This is a most worthy text on all types of essays. It includes how to construct one, provides excellent examples, and has writing prompts at the end of each chapter. The templates for each type of essay will be of particular value to the student. There is a companion website. I have adopted this for my teen scholar writing program.
I didn't quite read all of these, but I read enough to know this is a solid collection - especially (or, as it's intended) if you're using it to teach college students. It has a wide range, from David Sedaris to MLK to Ariana Huffington and Batman/Joker analysis.
I'm going with this reader for my composition class in the fall. The essays included in it are short, and there is enough of them that I like. The reader is also rather cheap, and with Norton's special promotion my students can get They Say / I Say for only $5 extra.
good
My FAVORITE source for modern and classic essays. I use this all the time.
I like this book a lot for a basic composition class. The essays are short and interesting and exigent. My students seem to like it too, as much as a student likes anything in a comp class.
For those who love to read and write, and for those who wish to improve their writing.
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