**"Deeply researched and crisply written." —Margaret Talbot,?The New YorkerThe surprising, often fiercely feminist, always fascinating, yet barely known, history of home economics.**The term “home economics” may conjure traumatic memories of lopsided hand-sewn pillows or sunken muffins. But common conception obscures the story of the revolutionary science of better living. The field exploded opportunities for women in the twentieth century by reducing domestic work...

The triumphant true story of the native Hawaiian cowboys who crossed the Pacific to shock America at the 1908 world rodeo championshipsOregon Book Award winner * An NPR Best Book of the Year * Pacific Northwest Book Award finalist * A Reading the West Book Awards finalist"Groundbreaking. … A must-read. ... An essential addition." —True WestIn August 1908, three unknown riders arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, their hats...

“A wonderfully rich, witty, insightful, and wide-ranging portrait of the two Plinys and their world.”—Sarah Bakewell, author of How to LiveWhen Pliny the Elder perished at Stabiae during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, he left behind an enormous compendium of knowledge, his thirty-seven-volume Natural History, and a teenaged nephew who revered him as a father. Grieving his loss, Pliny the Younger inherited the Elder’s notebooks—filled with pearls of wis...

After rising from poverty to earn two Ivy League degrees, an Appalachian lawyer pays tribute to the strong “hill women” who raised and inspired her, and whose values have the potential to rejuvenate a struggling region.“Destined to be compared to Hillbilly Elegy and Educated.”—BookPage (starred review)“A gritty, warm love letter to Appalachian communities and the resourceful women who lead them.”—Slate...

Finalist for the IACP Cookbook AwardA Washington Post Notable Book of the YearA Smithsonian Best Food Book of the YearLonglisted for the Art of Eating PrizeFeaturing a new chapter on ten restaurants changing America today, a “fascinating . . . sweep through centuries of food culture” (Washington Post).Combining an historian’s rigor with a food enthusiast’s palate, Paul Freedman’s seminal and h...

" [The] book makes you care what happens to its main protagonist, the U.S. Postal Service itself. And, as such, it leaves you at the end in suspense." — USA TodayFounded by Benjamin Franklin, the United States Postal Service was the information network that bound far-flung Americans together, and yet, it is slowly vanishing. Critics say it is slow and archaic. Mail volume is down. The workforce is shrinking. Post offices a...

The unmatched guide—and perfect gift—for stymied scribes and working wordsmiths everywhere, now expanded and updated.A singular and indispensable reference tool, The Describer's Dictionary—now expanded and updated—has served for over twenty years as the go-to resource for writers who are determined to capture the world in just the right words.The dictionary uses a unique reverse definition-to-term format that makes it easy to zero in on the term yo...

Embark on a surprising journey from A to Z in this “passionate and funny” history of the alphabet perfect for linguistics enthusiasts and history nerds (Boston Globe)!“Fascinating tidbits of information . . . It’s like Oliver Jeffers’ Once Upon an Alphabet for grown–ups.” —Library JournalHow on Earth did we fix upon our 26 letters, what do they really mean, and how did we come to write them down in the first place...

Math's infinite mysteries unfold in this updated edition of the award-winning The Math Book. Beginning millions of years ago with ancient “ant odometers,” and moving through time to our modern-day quest for higher dimensions, prolific polymath Clifford Pickover covers major milestones in mathematical history. Among the numerous concepts readers will encounter as they dip into this inviting anthology: cicada-generated prime numbers, magic squares, and the butterfly effect. Each top...

"A detailed, insightful survey of Greek warfare" with illustrations and "many well-informed and highly perceptive observations" ( Choice).In this book, historian and archaeologist Simon Elliott considers the different fighting styles of Greek armies and discusses how Greek battles unfolded. Covering every aspect of warfare in the Ancient Greek world from the beginnings of Greek civilization to its assimilation into the ever-expanding world of Rome, it begi...

From the “deliriously clever” (Boston Globe) Simon Garfield, New York Times bestselling author of Just My Type, comesthe wild and fascinating story of the encyclopedia, from Ancient Greece to the present day.New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice"A brilliant book about knowledge itself.” —Deirdre Mask, author of The Address Book**“Garfield’s witty history captures the...

Longlisted for the Cundill History PrizeProfiled in The New YorkerNew York Times Book Review • Editors’ ChoiceVivid and magisterial, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen reconfigures the rise of a modern world through the advent and spread of written constitutions.A work of extraordinary range and striking originality, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen traces the global history of written constitutio...