"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 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...

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...

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).

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 ...

"The dazzling clutch of scientific minds caught in mid-thought here makes for a read that provokes thought in its turn. Delights abound." —Nature"What distinguishes scientists, in your eyes?" —Stefan Klein"First and foremost, curiosity." —Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Prize–winning chemistWhen Stefan Klein, an acclaimed journalist, sits down to talk with 18 of the world's leading scientists, he finds they're driven by, above all, curiosity. When they talk abou...

A wildly entertaining Q&A collection filled with fun facts on everything from science to sports to late-night infomercials.Find the answers to hundreds of life's most perplexing questions in this entertaining collection from the team behind the multimillion-selling, award-winning Uncle John's Bathroom Readers. Do Geese Get Goose Bumps is filled with simple explanations for complex topics, everything from "Why is air transparent?" to "Why do late-night comm...

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...

**"A world-class intellectual. . . . [Colin Woodard’s] research can help Americans rediscover their common identity in spite of all the attempts to divide them." —Garry Kasparov"A powerful paradigm for understanding the defining hot button issues of contemporary America and the action we can take to bridge our cultural divisions and save the republic." —The Next Big Idea Club“A lucid exercise in political geography with tremendous—and disturbing—explanatory power.” —Kir...