A fact-filled, illustrated exhibit of four billion years of history in 133 objects—from Pangaea to ancient Rome to Dracula's home to the iPhone.This amazing book tells the story of our planet as you've never seen it before. The Mini Museum is a collection of treasures gathered from across space and time and shared by tens of thousands of people in more than 120 countries. Each item in the collection is inspired by a childhood dream of sharing all the wonders the uni...

"A pleasure. ... Suitable for beach reading or for mainlining before a dinner party." —Dan Piepenbring, New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)"Absorbing. ... As thoughtfully written as it is nuts." —Chicago TribuneA collection of the world’s most mind-boggling, thought-provoking, and downright hilarious theories by the co-host of the hit podcast No Such Thing as a Fish, Dan Schreiber.

The timeless stories of Greek mythology come to life in these reimagined tales written in the voices of Zeus, Oedipus, Odysseus, and many others.Though the gods are featured prominently in Greek mythology, there is nothing sacred about it. Anyone is free to bring their own interpretation to these stories, just as Homer, Sophocles, and Euripides did centuries ago. In this volume, classicist and author Robert Garland presents nearly forty Greek legends as told by the ...

"A hugely entertaining achievement." –Esquire“An engaging survey through a period of intellectual history that reveals as much about people who wear watches as the objects on their wrists." – Wall Street Journal"As impeccably crafted and precisely engineered as any of the watches on which the author has worked so lovingly over the years, this book is a joy to behold and a wonder to enjoy.” –Simon Winchester, author...

Leah Elson draws upon her wildly popular web series, 60 Seconds of Science, in this highly entertaining and visually appealing giftable book of real-world scientific questions and answers.How does DNA work?Does chicken noodle soup actually help with being sick?When cats purr, what is actually making the noise?Does singing to plants really help them grow?Is it possible to clone a woolly mammoth?In the vein of Randall Munr...

Make your portraits and character drawings even more realistic with these step-by-step instructions and tips.Grab your sketchbook, pens, and pencils, and follow along as this instructional drawing guide teaches you everything you need to know about creating true-to-life human faces. With more than 150 easy-to-follow illustrations, Drawing Faces is the perfect guide for aspiring artists looking to develop their portrait skills. Start off simple with learning...

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY ESQUIRE, THE IRISH TIMES AND THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT**SHORTLISTED FOR THE PEN HESSELL-TILTMAN PRIZEA provocative history of men who were worshipped as gods that illuminates the connection between power and religion and the role of divinity in a secular age.**Ever since 1492, when Christopher Columbus made landfall in the New World and was hailed as a heavenly being, the accidental god ...

A social history that pulls back the covers on the most intimate piece of furniture in our lives: "Entertaining . . . will keep you awake long into the night." —Paul Chrystal, author of The History of SweetsLouis XIV ruled France from his bedchamber. Winston Churchill governed Britain from his during World War II. Travelers routinely used to bed down with complete strangers, and whole families shared beds in many preindustrial households. Beds were expensi...

The noted historian offers "a compelling sociohistorical account of an often overlooked yet critical" WWII explosive twice as powerful as TNT ( Choice).During the early years of World War II, American ships crossing the Atlantic were virtually defenseless against German U-boats. Bombs and torpedoes fitted with TNT barely dented the hulls of Axis naval vessels. Then, seemingly overnight, a top-secret manufacturing plant appeared near Kingsport, Tennessee, p...

A journey to forty-five unexpected destinations near and far, with quirky histories, beautiful maps, and evocative photography: "First-class armchair travel." — South China Morning PostA New Statesman Best Book of the YearTake an armchair voyage to places both infamous and unknown that have, often by chance or by haphazard means, been destinations of discovery that shaped our world. Set foot on the aptly named Just Enough Room Isla...

A 2021 Mathical Honor Book: "One of the best math teachers on the planet. His book is as buoyant, open-hearted, and energetic as he is." —Steven Strogatz, New York Times–bestselling author of Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the UniverseWhy aren't left-handers extinct? What makes a rainbow round? How is a pancreas like a pendulum? These may not look like math questions, but they are—because they all have to do with patterns. And...

The math book for anyone who thinks they hate math, full of easy, entertaining and practical tricks for mentally solving problems in seconds.No matter how much you might try to avoid numbers, we all use math every day to calculate a tip, figure out an interest rate, or estimate the cost of the groceries in your cart. But the good news is, math can be easy—and even fun—if you know how to do it all in your head.With these simple and downright magical...