"For language lovers, this book, with all its verbal tangles and wit, is sure to, in its own words, 'pass mustard'" ( Poets & Writers).Inspired by Daniel Menaker's tenure at the New Yorker, this collection of comical, revelatory errors foraged from the wilds of everyday English comes with commentary by the author, illustrations by Roz Chast, and a foreword from Billy Collins.During his time at the renowned magazine, Menaker happened acros...

A stylish, funny and surprising guide to the art of conversation, from one of New York's foremost literary wits.A GOOD TALK is an analysis of and guide to that most exclusively human of all activities-- conversation.Drawing on over forty years of experience in American letters, Menaker pinpoints the factors that drive and enliven every good conversation: the vagaries (and joys) of subtext; the deeper structure and meaning of conversational...

A former New Yorker editor and book publisher shares a " ruefully funny insider's tour of the publishing world" in this delightful memoir (Vogue.com).A New York Times Book Review Editors' ChoiceDaniel Menaker started as a fact checker at The New Yorker in 1969. With luck, hard work, and the support of William Maxwell, he was eventually promoted to editor. Never beloved by the magazine's legendary editor William Shaw...

Roz Chast brings her brilliant, hilarious artwork to No Fair! No Fair! and Other Jolly Poems of Childhood by Calvin Trillin and The African Svelte: Ingenious Misspellings That Make Surprising Sense by Daniel Menaker, as well as her own memoir Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?. Join us for a conversation moderated by Adam Gopnik (The New Yorker) between the artist and authors, plus readings by Jane Curtin and Reg Rogers (The Knick).

Roz Chast brings her brilliant, hilarious artwork to No Fair! No Fair! and Other Jolly Poems of Childhood by Calvin Trillin and The African Svelte: Ingenious Misspellings That Make Surprising Sense by Daniel Menaker, as well as her own memoir Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?. Join us for a conversation moderated by Adam Gopnik (The New Yorker) between the artist and authors, plus readings by Jane Curtin and Reg Rogers (The Knick).

From Abraham Lincoln to Babe Ruth, movies and music to politics and biology, New York Times bestselling author Stephen Spignesi compiles five hundred facts in this addictive bathroom reader trivia book.From history and science to sports and literature, New York Times bestselling author Stephen Spignesi offers eye-opening trivia in 500 facts inspired by the viral social media acronym TIL used on Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook. #TIL: T...

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln is a central drama of the American experience. Its impact is felt to this day, and the basic story is known to all. Anthony Pitch?s thrilling account of the Lincoln conspiracy and its aftermath transcends the mere facts of that awful night during which dashing actor John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in the head and would-be assassin Lewis Payne butchered Secretary of State William Seward in the bed of his own home. ?They Have Killed Papa Dead!? tr...

This "excellent" popular science book explores just what we—and the things around us—are made of ( Aftenposten, Norway).Some elements get all the attention: glittering gold, radioactive uranium—materials we call "precious" because they are so rare. But what could be more precious than the building blocks of life—from the oxygen in our air to the carbon in all living things?In The Elements We Live By, physicist and award-winning author Anja R...

The bestselling author of The Science of Happiness delivers a book "suffused with genuine wonder and affection for the beauty of particle physics" ( Foreword Reviews).A single rose suggests the sublime interdependence of all life. A sudden storm points to the world's unpredictability. A marble conjures the birth of the cosmos.How to Love the Universe shows us how everyday objects and events can reveal some of the deepest mysteries i...

Delve into the fascinating world of dirt in this history of culture, cleanliness, and our evolving perceptions of what is and isn't gross.In this engaging and often humorous study of life's imperfections, public health and hygiene authority Terence McLaughlin dissects our attitudes toward the filth that has accompanied society throughout human history. According to him, "dirt" is a matter of opinion.Cultural attitudes about everything from factory smoke to ...

Four books in one: The ultimate compendium of the New York Times–bestselling series filled with hilariously wrong test answers from real-life classrooms.This fun omnibus features the complete content from all four books in the popular series— F in Exams, F for Effort, F this Test, and F in Exams: Pop Quiz—plus more than one hundred brand-new, sadly real, hilariously wrong, and sometimes admirably creative student answers ...

A history of English from the age of Beowulf to the rap of Eminem, "written with real authority, enthusiasm and love for our unruly and exquisite language" ( The Washington Post).Many have written about the evolution of grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary, but only Seth Lerer situates these developments within the larger history of English, America, and literature. This edition of his "remarkable linguistic investigation" ( Booklist) features a...