You've upgraded your house, your wardrobe, even your partner. Now it's time to upgrade your vocabulary. This is a unique, visual guide to doing just that.

Final words and heartfelt remembrances from bestselling author Pat Conroy take center stage in this winning nonfiction collection, supplemented by touching pieces from Conroy’s many friends. This new volume of Pat Conroy’s nonfiction brings together some of the most charming interviews, magazine articles, speeches, and letters from his long literary career, many of them addressed directly to his readers with his habitual greeting, “Hey, out there.” Ranging across diverse subjects, such as favorite recent reads, the challenge of staying motivated to exercise, and processing the loss of dear friends, Conroy’s eminently memorable pieces offer a unique window into the life of a true titan of Southern writing. With a beautiful introduction from his widow, novelist Cassandra King, A Lowcountry Heart also honors Conroy’s legacy and the innumerable lives he touched. Finally, the collection turns to remembrances of “The Great Conroy,” as he is lovingly titled by friends, and concludes with a eulogy. The inarguable power of Conroy’s work resonates throughout A Lowcountry Heart, and his influence promises to endure. This moving tribute is sure to be a cherished keepsake for any true Conroy fan and remain a lasting monument to one of the best-loved masters of contemporary American letters. Praise for A Lowcountry Heart “A fascinating look into the mind of one of the South’s greatest authors . . . something to remember him by and cherish for years to come.”—The Clarion-Ledger “Fans of Conroy . . . will relish the chance to spend more time with him in this glowing valedictory to his life and writing . . . Eloquent, folksy, and sometimes brutally honest.”—Publishers Weekly “A moving and proper tribute to a true Southern icon.”—The Florida Times-Union “Elegant essays [that] will not disappoint.”—The Washington Post “Resplendent . . . As always, his storytelling, word choice and rhythm are gorgeous, almost lyrical.”—USA Today

The ultimate word book for aspiring intellectuals! The most compendious collection of words for aspiring scholars, this book helps you hold your own in intellectual discourse. Featuring 2,400 sophisticated, obscure, and obtuse terms, each page provides you with the definitions you need to know to lock academic horns with the clerisy. From antebellum and eleemosynary to impasto and putative, you will quickly master hundreds of erudite phrases that will improve your conversational elegance. Complete with definitions and sample sentences for each entry, The Big Book of Words You Should Know to Sound Smart will elevate your lexicon as you impress the susurration out of the perfervid hoi polloi.

Whatever you are, be a good one' ... 'I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends' ... 'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough' ... 'Beware the barrenness of a busy life' ... This collection of philosophical quotes is designed to delight and inspire you. Ranging from ancient Greek and Chinese philosophers, through American presidents, to artists, inventors and modern writers, the people cited here offer calm, insightful thoughts about the larger issues and deeper meanings of the nature of life and reality. We hope that you find this collection both enjoyable and thought-provoking.

This collection of inspirational quotes is designed to uplift and enchant you. Ranging from the Greek philosopher Aristotle to modern leaders such as Winston Churchill and literary wits such as Oscar Wilde, the people cited here offer gentle, wise, humorous or insightful encouragement and wisdom on the subject of happiness and making the most of life.

Faith: - A complete trust or confidence in someone or something - A strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof - A belief that is not based on proof - A belief in anything as a code of ethics or standards of merit - An allegiance to duty of a person - Being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see... However you wish to define 'faith', it is a very personal thing; the force of life, as Tolstoy said. Faith offers with it the comforts of optimism and hope, goodness and light. It's still believing the best in everyone even when you've seen the worst in some. This collection of faith quotes is designed to uplift and inspire you.