A compact version of one of the most popular composition readers on the market -- at a significant savings to students -- The Brief Bedford Reader provides 49 compelling readings by excellent writers and all the practical instructional material of the full-length book. The unique "Writers on Writing" feature for 40 of the selections illustrates the many ways writers create meaning from what they read and experience. More coverage of revising and editing, discussion examples of academic genres, and coverage of academic language guides students through their own academic writing.