Gary Montano – författare

Through the Mist and toward the Light: Grammar for the First Year College Writer offers a new approach to grammatical concepts to encourage and improve the grammar proficiency and writing skills for beginning writers. Far from a traditional handbook, the text presents innovative, engaging, practical, and accessible approaches to grammar that is often found difficult to first year college students.Section 1 of the text builds on the premise that good sentence structure is based on a student's ability to identify how each word in a sentence is being used. To that end, the section offers an in-depth look at the parts of speech and the many rules surrounding their correct usage. Section 2 fosters writing proficiency through an analysis of the most often misused punctuation symbols in the writing of first year students, offering detailed exercises to promote correct usage. Section 3 walks students through the common inhibitors to sound sentence structure and rhythm, and focuses on concepts often found challenging for multilingual student writers. The final section helps students transition to the next level of writing proficiency by introducing them to the intricacies of structural and transformational diagramming to engage their own sentence structure, build on what they have learned, and continue to develop their mastery of grammar.Through the Mist and toward the Light is an ideal and practical resource for foundational courses in writing and composition. The text can also be used to support freshmen orientation or student success courses or programs.

Designed to foster increased acumen and ability in scholarly writing, From the Light to Forever: Composition, Structure, and Academic Language provides students with a clear understanding of why academic language is important, how to expand their language use of academic language effectively, and how to improve their writing skills. Students learn a myriad of tools and approaches to academic writing to build personal competencies and master the use of scholarly language.The text is divided into two parts. In Part I, students learn how to achieve balance in academic writing, define and recognize the four sentence types, build rhythm through grammar and vocabulary, and revise to improve their writing. They develop an understanding of persuasive writing techniques and components, as well as the importance of paragraph structure in academic writing.Part II focuses on format and structure, with chapters that assist students in identifying the point of a piece of writing, crafting an opening statement, presenting and explaining necessary facts, cultivating quality support for their claim, overcoming opposing viewpoints, and finishing strong. Throughout, applied exercises and Putting It All Together sections help students test their knowledge and strengthen their skills.Included also are appendices of readings, literary synopses, and theoretical definitions to expand the emerging writer's base in writing and literature.Building upon the knowledge and tools presented in Through the Mist and toward the Light: Grammar for the First Year College Writer, also written by Dr. Montaño, From the Light to Forever is a valuable textbook for intermediate and advanced courses in writing and composition.

Est Vitae Essentia: Homer to Joyce and the Humanity in Epic provides students with an enlightening introduction to the essence and evolution of epic literature. It explores the genre from its earliest examples to modern interpretations, focusing on the human experiences that resonate across eras. The text travels from the epics of Homer, exploring traditional elements of the genre, through later literary masterpieces, culminating with the works of James Joyce. The book is organized into two main parts. The first part addresses fundamental facets of epic tales, such as the role of heroes, the significance of war and adventure, supernatural forces, underworld journeys, and the invocation of the muse. These themes are thoroughly examined with relevant examples spanning the history of epic writing. The second part shifts focus to the depiction of women in epics, providing a feminist perspective and honoring the roles women play in these stories, roles which have often been marginalized or overshadowed by their male counterparts. The inclusion of original language quotes with translations invites readers to appreciate linguistic beauty and consider broader cultural contexts. This book, with its attention to the broader narrative of humanity that epics unfold, is an invitation to explore the enduring relevance of these stories in capturing human strengths and vulnerabilities. Intertwining the scholarly with the humanistic, Est Vitae Essentia is well-suited for courses in literature, mythology, cultural studies, and women's studies.