Widely praised for its superior teaching apparatus and thought-provoking readings, The Longman Reader (formerly titled The Macmillian Reader) remains the most successful rhetorically organized freshman composition reader.

The Seventh Edition offers fresh examples of professional essays that range widely in subject matter and approach, from the humorous to the informative, from personal meditation to argument. Each selection captures students' interest and clearly illustrates a specific pattern of development. The text also includes separate chapters on reading and writing, detailed introductions to the patterns of development, “before and after” student essays for each pattern, and more activities and assignments than any comparable reader.