YOU, THE CHOREOGRAPHER – Creating and Crafting Dance by Vladimir Angelov offers a synthesis of histories, theories, philosophies, and creative practices across diverse genres of concert dance choreography. The book is designed for readers at every stage of creative development who seek to refine their artistic sensibility. Through a review of major milestones in the field, readers will gain new perspectives on the historical development of choreography. Concise analyses of traditional fundamentals and innovative practices of dance construction, artistic research methods, and approaches to artistic collaboration offer readers new tools to build creative habits and expand their choreographic proficiencies. Get 25% off with code YTC25.
2026 TAA Institute Bookstore Featured Book, ‘Brainstorm! Practice for Unrestricted Imagination and Original Thought’
As technological advancements accelerate, a notable paradox emerges: the increase in tool sophistication is accompanied by a measurable decline in original human thought. Dr. Olga Zbarskaya, founder and president of the OZCREDO Institute of Creative Thinking, addresses this issue in her academic bestseller, Brainstorm! Practice for Unrestricted Imagination and Original Thought. This publication serves both as a scientific treatise and a practical guide, offering a research-driven framework to reestablish human creativity as an essential resource for contemporary progress. Dr. Zbarskaya reconceptualizes creativity, positioning it not as an elusive talent but as a facet of mental fitness. Drawing upon comprehensive neurological studies and insights from over 100 interviews with international experts in music, technology, and science, Brainstorm! posits that cognitive flexibility—shifting between diverse patterns of thinking—is vital for personal and professional well-being.
The Importance of Textbooks
By Charles Corbin
Any of us who have served in academia, especially those who are at research intensive universities, are aware of the many anti-text arguments. Numerous hours are spent in tenure, promotion, and salary (merit raise) meetings debating what “counts” as scholarship and what doesn’t. Often textbooks are discounted. In a journal article published in Kinesiology Review in 2022, The Importance of Textbooks in Kinesiology, my coauthors, Hyeonho Yu, Diane L. Gill, and I, offer a historical perspective on the role of textbooks in physical education and kinesiology. The historical perspective provides a base for the discussion of topics related to the value of textbooks in our field and more broadly in all fields.
2025 TAA Virtual Conference on Textbook & Academic Authoring Call for Proposals Now Open
The TAA Conference Committee invites proposals for its 2025 Textbook & Academic Authoring Conference, which will be held online June 6-7. Presenting at TAA’s 2025 Conference provides an opportunity to share your knowledge, experiences, and ideas with other textbook authors, academic authors, and industry professionals. The theme is “The Future is Now.” We welcome proposals from first-time and veteran presenters! The deadline for submitting a proposal is October 13, 2024.
TAA Announces 2024 Textbook Award Winners
Fifty-seven textbooks have been awarded 2024 Textbook Awards by the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA). Fourteen textbooks received William Holmes McGuffey Longevity Awards, 25 textbooks received Textbook Excellence Awards, and 18 textbooks received Most Promising New Textbook Awards.
The McGuffey Longevity Award recognizes textbooks and learning materials whose excellence has been demonstrated over time. The Textbook Excellence Award recognizes excellence in current textbooks and learning materials. The Most Promising New Textbook Award recognizes excellence in 1st edition textbooks and learning materials.
The awardees will be recognized during an awards ceremony on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 7:00 pm ET. Register to attend.
Considering Writing a Textbook? Questions to Ask
By Sierra Pawlak
In her November 9, 2022, TAA webinar, “Textbook Authoring Inspirations, Insights, and Innovations”, award-winning textbook author Jamie Pope shared several questions you should ask yourself before writing a textbook. Those questions include:
- What’s the book’s primary focus and level?
- Who’s your target audience?
- What are your qualifications to author the book?
- How does it differ from other books on the market?
- Why would someone adopt it over your competitors?
She used these questions to contrast what went right with her successful textbook, Nutrition for a Changing World, the recipient of a 2020 TAA Textbook Excellence Award, and what went wrong with a creative trade book proposal that was never published.