Reading The World : Ideas That Matter

The only great ideas reader with a global perspective

Reading the World invites students to explore connections across history and culture through 73 readings—14 of which are visual texts—organized around enduring themes such as art and beauty, law and government, language and rhetoric, and more. With a stronger balance than ever between Western and global, classic and contemporary, and longer and shorter texts, the Fifth Edition contextualizes topics such as today’s artificial intelligence alongside the first use of “robot” in literature and ancient automaton stories. Expanded resources, scaffolded readings, and 100 pages of substantial, flexible writing advice prepare students to understand and discuss great ideas. Highlights of this edition’s new content:New chapter of readings on “Machines, the Mind, and Human Nature” explores non-human “created” intelligence throughout time—from the Argonauts and the Mechanical Turk to Frankenstein—alongside contemporary debates about what we know as generative AI and human intelligence. 21 new readings keep the selections fresh and timely, bringing in contemporary writers such as N. K. Jemisin, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Ada Limón, as well as classic authors like Mary Shelley, Plato, and Immanuel Kant.frSupport for writing with generative AI is covered in a new Chapter 17 and throughout the writing guide in Part 2, while an updated plagiarism tutorial addresses using AI-generated text. An increased emphasis on personal narrative is added throughout: new classic and contemporary examples added to the reader are supported by new advice about personal narrative assignments in Part 2. The Fifth Edition includes more short selections that can be read and responded to in class—as well as readings that explore how and why to pay close attention. The writing, research, and editing activities in InQuizitive for Writers have been revised with new examples and advice. Covering topics from rhetorical situations to elements of argument, the activities are supported by the fully revised Fifth Edition of The Little Seagull Handbook ebook. One year of access to both InQuizitive and the handbook are included with all new copies from Norton. A new collection of over 30 animated videos—many embedded in the ebook—bring to life essential topics ranging from using AI as a resource in the writing process to peer review, understanding academic argument, evaluating sources, and more. New and revised instructor resources on Norton Teaching Tools cover book-specific advice—written by Michael Austin himself—as well as general first-year writing teaching strategies, available in downloadable and customizable files.