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Condor: To the Brink and Back--the Life and Times of One Giant Bird
by John NielsenThe California condor has been described as a bird "with one wing in the grave."Flying on wings nearly ten feet wide from tip to tip, these birds thrived on the carcasses of animals like woolly mammoths. Then, as humans began dramatically reshaping North America, the continent's largest flying land bird started disappearing. By the beginning of the twentieth century, extinction seemed inevitable.But small groups of passionate individuals refused to allow the condor to fade away, even as they fought over how and why the bird was to be saved. Scientists, farmers, developers, bird lovers, and government bureaucrats argued bitterly and often, in the process injuring one another and the species they were trying to save. In the late 1980s, the federal government made a wrenching decision -- the last remaining wild condors would be caught and taken to a pair of zoos, where they would be encouraged to breed with other captive condors. Livid critics called the plan a recipe for extinction. After the zoo-based populations soared, the condors were released in the mountains of south-central California, and then into the Grand Canyon, Big Sur, and Baja California. Today the giant birds are nowhere near extinct.The giant bird with "one wing in the grave" appears to be recovering, even as the wildlands it needs keep disappearing. But the story of this bird is more than the story of a vulture with a giant wingspan -- it is also the story of a wild and giant state that has become crowded and small, and of the behind-the-scenes dramas that have shaped the environmental movement. As told by John Nielsen, an environmental journalist and a native Californian, this is a fascinating tale of survival.
The Awful Truths: Famous Myths, Hilariously Debunked
by Brian M. Thomsenho was Mario Puzo's model for the Don Corleone character in The Godfather? Was it Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno? The infamous Salvatore Maranzano? No . . . it was Puzo's mother! Senator Joseph McCarthy was responsible for the infamous "Hollywood Blacklist," right? Well, actually . . . no, he had nothing to do with it.Perfect for the cocktail party pundit or trivia buff, the quirky tidbits in The Awful Truths turn history, culture, sports, and entertainment upside down. The book examines some of our culture's oldest, most popular myths, and tells the fascinating, hilarious, and shocking stories behind what really happened, accompanied by funny illustrations that bring the players to life. Each truth is supported with ironclad evidence that skillfully explains how and where our misconceptions originated. Sometimes the truth hurts—but with The Awful Truths, it doesn't have to.
The Art of Condolence: What to Write, What to Say, What to Do at a Time of Loss
by Leonard M. Zunin Hilary Stanton Zunin“This beautifully written guide offers specific and wise advice for confronting another’s anguish, as well as a deep understanding of grief.” —Judy Tatelbaum, author of The Courage to GrieveTime and again we stumble for words and actions that will reflect our feelings of compassion and our desire to be of comfort during a time of loss. Based on the authors' extensive research, their workshops, and their professional experience, and filled with personal stories and anecdotes, this heartfelt, practical, and accessible resource covers the three most common areas of concern: What can I write? What can I say? and What can I do?The authors address such issues as:Special circumstances—sudden death, suicide, the death of a parent or childHow to compose a letter of condolence—including a variety of sample lettersHow to be of service—from ideas for thoughtful gifts, to assisting with business affairs and funeral arrangements, to suggested ways of helping in the aftermathWhen more help is needed—the benefits of grief therapy and support groups, with a listing of recommended reading and other resources
The 24-Hour Pharmacist: Advice, Options, and Amazing Cures from America's Most Trusted Pharmacist
by Suzy CohenAs a pharmacist for almost two decades, Suzy Cohen knows that medication can often be invaluable. But she has also learned to "think outside the pill" and recommend natural options that are often just as good or better at promoting health without the risk of dangerous, drug-induced side effects. In this comprehensive, one-of-a-kind resource, she answers such questions as:How can I stop my husband/wife from snoring?Are vitamin pills worth it or worthless?Are there alternatives to antidepressants?What kind of surge protection is there for hot flashes?How can I train my body to lose fat?
If I Had a Hammer: More Than 100 Easy Fixes and Weekend Projects
by Andrea RidoutHave fun, save money, and improve your home with these easy step-by-step projectsAre you looking for a way to make your bathroom a little more beautiful? Or maybe you'd like to give your tired furniture a face-lift, improve your home's air quality, or fix a toilet. No matter your DIY needs and no matter whether you're a DIY novice or expert, home improvement guru Andrea Ridout, host of the nationally syndicated radio show Ask Andrea, has ideas, expertise, and advice to share with you. If I Had a Hammer offers easy-to-follow instructions and illustrations designed to make home improvement simpler than ever. With a little help from Andrea, you'll be able to tackle repairs, painting and decorating, bathroom and kitchen remodeling, wood care for furniture and floors, and much more with projects that often take as little as an hour. Also, you can try a few of Andrea's energy-conserving projects that can dramatically improve your utility bill—Andrea's projects are friendly on the environment and on your wallet! With If I Had a Hammer, you'll have the tools to keep your home functioning and looking as good as—or even better than—new.
Discover's 20 Things You Didn't Know About Everything: Duct Tape, Airport Security, Your Body, Sex in Space . . . and More!
by Discover MagazineHow much do you know about . . .ObesitySleepMeteorsAliensBeesSperm banks Sex in spaceDuct tapeGermsAirport securityDeathAncient weaponsRatsThe InternetBirthWeatherMilkMosquitoesYour bodySpace disastersDISCOVER'S 20 Things You Didn't Know About Everything is the first book written by the editors of the award-winning DISCOVER magazine. Based on DISCOVER'S most eagerly awaited monthly column, "20 Things You Didn't Know About," this original book looks at many popular—and sometimes unexpected—topics in science and technology, and reveals quirky, intriguing, and little-known facts.Whether you're just curious or think you already know everything, this book is guaranteed to expand your mind.
The CR Way: Using the Secrets of Calorie Restriction for a Longer, Healthier Life
by Meredith Averill Paul McGlothinWhen it comes to living longer, scientists are discovering that less is more. By following Calorie Restriction, a revolutionary diet that provides the body with fewer calories than is traditionally required, people are getting dramatic benefits. Now, with The CR Way, you too can slow the aging process; protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes; and increase your energy and mental capabilities. And, if needed, you'll lose weight and keep it off. Paul McGlothin and Meredith Averill, leaders of the Calorie Restriction Society, provide quick and easy menus and recipes so delicious that you will wonder why you ever wanted to eat more than you need. And for those who want some of the benefits without sacrificing all the calories, the authors will show you how to plan a diet that works for you. Groundbreaking and controversial, The CR Way is your key to a happier, healthier life.
Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals
by Hal HerzogIn this work, the author shows us how whimsical our attitudes toward animals, birds, and fish can be. Why do we like some animals but not others? Research has shown that the human brain is wired to think about animals and inanimate objects differently, and Herzog reveals how we can look at the exact same animal very differently given its context. This book invites us to think deeply about how we view animals, how we make inconsistent ethical choices regarding their welfare, and how we limit our empathy for their well-being.
Dancing to the Precipice: The Life of Lucie de la Tour du Pin, Eyewitness to an Era
by Caroline MooreheadA life of Lucie Dillon, Madame de la Tour du Pin by the biographer of Bertrand Russell, Freya Star, Iris Origo and Martha Gellhorn.
Don't Know Much About Anything Else: Even More Things You Need To Know But Never Learned About People, Places, Events, And More!
by Kenneth C. DavisIn this latest installment of the wildly entertaining and educational "Dont Know Much About" series, Davis creates a one-stop potpourri of intriguing information.
The Case for Civility: And Why Our Future Depends on It
by Os Guinnessfrom the book jacket: In a world torn apart by religious extremism on the one side and a strident secularism on the other, no question is more urgent than how we live with our deepest differences - especially our religious and ideological differences. The Case for Civility is a proposal for restoring civility in America as a way to foster civility around the world. Influential Christian writer and speaker Os Guinness makes a passionate plea to put an end to the polarization of American politics and culture that-rather than creating a public space for real debate-threatens to reverse the very principles our founders set into motion and that have long preserved liberty, diversity, and unity in this country. Guinness takes on the contemporary threat of the excesses of the Religious Right and the secular Left, arguing that we must find a middle ground between privileging one religion over another and attempting to make all public expression of faith illegal. If we do not do this, Guinness contends, Western civilization as we know it will die. Always provocative and deeply insightful, Guinness puts forth a vision of a new, practical "civil and cosmopolitan public square" that speaks not only to America's immediate concerns but to the long-term interests of the republic and the world.
The Best American Science Writing 2008
by Sylvia NasarEdited by Sylvia Nasar, bestselling author of A Beautiful Mind and former economics correspondent for the New York Times, The Best American Science Writing 2008 brings together the premiere science writing of the year. Distinguished by the foremost voices and publications--among them Pulitzer Prize-winner Amy Harmon, Nobel Prize-winner Al Gore, and award-winning and bestselling author Oliver Sacks--this anthology is a comprehensive overview of our most advanced and most relevant scientific inquiries.
Don't Know Much About Anything: Everything You Need To Know But Never Learned About People, Places, Events, And More!
by Kenneth C. DavisIn his wildly entertaining, winningly irreverent, New York Times bestselling Don't Know Much About... series, author Kenneth C. Davis has amused and edified us with fascinating facts about history, mythology, the Bible, the universe, geography, and the Civil War. Now, the sky's the limit in his latest irresistible installment-a grand tour of knowledge that carries us from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Berlin Wall, from the Salem Witch Trials to Watergate, from Michelangelo to Houdini. Brimming with busted myths, gripping true stories, and peculiar particulars about a plethora of people, places, and events, this captivating compendium is guaranteed to delight information lovers everywhere as it feeds our insatiable appetite to know everything!
The Dangerous Book for Boys
by Conn Iggulden Hal IgguldenEqual parts droll and gorgeous nostalgia book and heartfelt plea for a renewed sense of adventure in the lives of boys and men, Conn and Hal Iggulden's The Dangerous Book for Boys became a mammoth bestseller in the United Kingdom in 2006. Adapted, in moderation, for American customs in this edition (cricket is gone, rugby remains; conkers are out, Navajo Code Talkers in), The Dangerous Book is a guide book for dads as well as their sons, as a reminder of lore and technique that have not yet been completely lost to the digital age. Recall the adventures of Scott of the Antarctic and the Battle of the Somme, relearn how to palm a coin, tan a skin, and, most charmingly, wrap a package in brown paper and string. The book's ambitions are both modest and winningly optimistic: you get the sense that by learning how to place a splint or write in invisible ink, a boy might be prepared for anything, even girls (which warrant a small but wise chapter of their own).
Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously but Not Literally
by Marcus J. BorgOne of the vital challenges facing thoughtful people today is how to read the Bible faithfully without abandoning our sense of truth and history. Reading the Bible Again for the First Time provides a much-needed solution to the problem of how to have a fully authentic yet contemporary understanding of the scriptures. Many mistakenly believe there are no choices other than fundamentalism or simply rejecting the Bible as something that can bring meaning to our lives. Answering this modern dilemma, acclaimed author Marcus Borg reveals how it is possible to reconcile the Bible with both a scientific and critical way of thinking and our deepest spiritual needs, leading to a contemporary yet grounded experience of the sacred texts. This seminal book shows you how to read the Bible as it should be examined -- in an approach the author calls "historical-metaphorical." Borg explores what the Scriptures meant to the ancient communities that produced and lived by them. He then helps us to discover the meaning of these stories, providing the knowledge and perspective to make the wisdom of the Bible an essential part of our modern lives. The author argues that the conventional way of seeing the Bible's origin, authority, and interpretation has become unpersuasive to millions of people in our time, and that we need a fresh way of encountering the Bible that takes the texts seriously but not literally, even as it takes seriously who we have become. Borg traces his personal spiritual journey, describing for readers how he moved from an unquestioning childhood belief in the biblical stories to a more powerful and dynamic relationship with the Bible as a sacred text brimming with meaning and guidance. Using his own experience as an example, he reveals how the modern crisis of faith is itself rooted in the misinterpretation of sacred texts as historical record and divine dictation, and opens readers to a truer, more abundant perspective. This unique book invites everyone -- whatever one's religious background -- to engage the Bible, wrestle with its meaning, explore its mysteries, and understand its relevance. Borg shows us how to encounter the Bible in a fresh way that rejects the limits of simple literalism and opens up rich possibilities for our lives.
Mental Floss Presents: Condensed Knowledge
by Elizabeth Hunt Will Pearson Mangesh HattikudurCollection of fascinating facts, theories, explanations, and trivia related to a variety of different subjects. Categories include literature, music, science, religion, history, and more.
Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette (Fourth Edition)
by Peggy PostPractical advice for the contemporary wedding planner from a renown etiquette columnist. The author is Emily Post's great-granddaughter-in-law.
Red Herrings and White Elephants: The Origins of the Phrases We Use Everyday
by Albert Jack"Mad hatter . . . pie in the sky . . . egg on your face." We use these phrases every day, yet how many of us know what they really mean or where they came from? From "bringing home the bacon to leaving no stone unturned," the English language is peppered with hundreds of common idioms borrowed from ancient traditions and civilizations throughout the world. In "Red Herrings and White Elephants," Albert Jack has uncovered the amazing and sometimes downright bizarre stories behind many of our most familiar and eccentric modes of expression: If you happen to be a "bootlegger," your profession recalls the Wild West outlaws who sold illegal alcohol by concealing slender bottles of whiskey in their boots. If you're on "cloud nine," you owe a nod to the American Weather Bureau's classification of clouds, the ninth topping out all others at a mountainous 40,000 feet. If you opt for the "hair of the dog" the morning after, you're following the advice of medieval English doctors, who recommended rubbing the hair of a dog into the wound left by the animal's bite. A delightful compendium of anecdotes on everything from "minding your p's and q's to pulling out all the stops," "Red Herrings and White Elephants" is an essential handbook for language-lovers of all ages.
Civility: Manners, Morals, And The Etiquette Of Democracy
by Stephen L. CarterIn this followup toIntegrity,Yale law professor Stephen Carter continues to meditate upon the "prepolitical" qualities on which a healthy society is based.Why do people show poorer manners today than in previous ages? How did we come to confuse rudeness with self-expression and acting on our "rights"? Carter looks at these and other important questions with a combination of his personal experiences and an extremely long shelf of reading material, all the while maintaining an informal writing style that continuallybut politelyengages the reader, inviting him or her to think about these issues along with Carter.There are important messages here about generosity and trust, about respecting diversity and dissent, and about resolving conflict through dialogue rather than mandate. Stephen Carter would never be so uncivil as to demand your attention, butCivilitymost definitely compels.
The Book of Qualities
by J. Ruth GendlerFrom Beauty to Compassion, from Pleasure to Terror, from Resignation to Joy -- here is an insightful exploration of the rich diversity of human qualities. J. Ruth Gendler's evocative book has as its cast of familiar characters our own emotions, brought to life with a poet's wisdom and an artist's perceptive eye. In The Book of Qualities' magical community, Excitement wears orange socks, Faith lives in the same apartment building as Doubt, and Worry makes lists of everything that could go wrong while she is waiting for the train. In portraying the complexities of the psyche, Gendler uses the Qualities to bridge the distinctions between literature and psychology, and has created an original work that challenges us to look at our emotions in new and inspiring ways.
The 776 Nastiest Things Ever Said
by Ross Petras Kathryn PetrasA hilarious collection of malicious, crude and catty quotes taken straight from the mouths of well-known entertainers, authors, politicians and other public figures. Ross and Kathryn Petras are writers and media junkies. When not collecting other people's stupidities and nasty comments, they collect their own.
Simple and Direct
by Jacques BarzunAfter a lifetime of writing and editing prose, Jacques Barzun has set down his view of the best ways to improve one's style. His discussions of diction, syntax, tone, meaning, composition, and revision guide the reader through the technique of making the written word clear and agreeable to read. <p><p>Exercises, model passages both literary and casual, and hundreds of amusing examples of usage gone wrong show how to choose the right path to self-expression in forceful and distinctive words.
Wild Ride: Earthquakes, Sneezes, And Other Thrills
by Bia LoweA collection of personal essays on topics as diverse as the nature of allergies, a meditation on bats, and the significance of 1974, from a writer with a uniquely acute and sophisticated voice.
Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? and Other Imponderables of Everyday Life
by David FeldmanA collection of answers to those questions that millions of fans recognize immediately as 'imponderables' such as: why are gondolas black? why are peaches fuzzy? how do kangaroos clean their pouches? and many more
The Dictionary of Misinformation
by Tom BurnamA remarkable book that contains enough information to help you win bets the rest of your life.