The dramatic, untold story of the discovery of the first wonder drug, the men who led the way, and how it changed the modern worldIn his wonderfully engaging book, acclaimed author Eric Lax tells the real story behind the discovery and why it took so long to develop the drug. He reveals the reasons why credit for penicillin was misplaced, and why this astonishing achievement garnered a Nobel Prize but no financial rewards for the doctor that discovered it and the te...

In this fascinating insight into the artistic process, longtime Woody Allen biographer Eric Lax follows the legendary director through the making of a movie—from start to finish. Charting the production of Allen’s forty-sixth directorial feature, Irrational Man—starring Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone—from inception to premier, Lax takes us onto the set and behind the scenes, revealing the intimate details of Allen’s filmmaking. We see the screenplay being shaped, the scenes being ...

From the author of the best-selling biography *Woody Allen—*the most informative, revealing, and entertaining conversations from his thirty-six years of interviewing the great comedian and filmmaker.For more than three decades, Woody Allen has been talking regularly and candidly with Eric Lax, and has given him singular and unfettered access to his film sets, his editing room, and his thoughts and observations. In discussions that begin in 1971 and continue into 2007, Allen discuss...

The essential guide to radiation: the good, the bad, and the utterly fascinating, explained with unprecedented clarity.Earth, born in a nuclear explosion, is a radioactive planet; without radiation, life would not exist. And while radiation can be dangerous, it is also deeply misunderstood and often mistakenly feared. Now Robert Peter Gale, M.D,—the doctor to whom concerned governments turned in the wake of the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters—in collaboration with medical writer ...

**A profoundly personal, deeply felt exploration of the mystery of faith—having it, losing it, hoping for its return.“Lax has written a steady, quiet love letter to a faith he has lost.... Sympathetic and engrossing.” —The New York Times Book Review**The son of an Episcopal priest, Eric Lax develops in his youth a deep religious attachment and an acute moral compass—one that he is willing to go to prison for when it leads him to resist military service in ...

A cinephile's dream: the chance to follow legendary director Woody Allen throughout the creation of a film--from inception to premiere--and to enjoy his reflections on some of the finest artists in the history of cinema.Eric Lax has been with Woody Allen almost every step of the way. He chronicled Allen's transformation from stand-up comedian to filmmaker in On Being Funny (1975). His international best seller, Woody Allen: A Biography (1991), was...

The essential guide to radiation: the good, the bad, and the utterly fascinating, explained with unprecedented clarity.Earth, born in a nuclear explosion, is a radioactive planet; without radiation, life would not exist. And while radiation can be dangerous, it is also deeply misunderstood and often mistakenly feared. Now Robert Peter Gale, M.D,—the doctor to whom concerned governments turned in the wake of the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters—in collaboration with medical writer ...

Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows—ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity—for their civilized existence. In this monumental history, Vaclav Smil p...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The book that sparked a revolution and inspired the hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo: the original guide to decluttering your home once and for all.ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE—CNNDespite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles?Japanese cleaning consultant Ma...

'Packed with trivia, filled with wit and endlessly readable, this is the biography Joss’s career deserves. We can’t recommend it enough' ***** SFXJoss Whedon is a male writer whose most famous creation is a girl-power icon; a geek who deals in classic themes of love, betrayal and redemption; and one of the first people in the entertainment industry to have harnessed the power of the internet to engage directly with his fans.Amy Pascale became one o...

Hundreds of books, long and short, have been written about the Chernobyl tragedy. Few people are left indifferent once they understand a little about the biggest technological catastrophe in history. Wladimir Tchertkoff’s book “The Crime of Chernobyl - the Nuclear Gulag” occupies a central place in this library aboutChernobyl.Many journalists, like Wladimir Tchertkoff, a documentary film maker for Swiss television”, were shocked by what they saw in the areas affected by the radioac...

Hope for spiritual refugees, church burnouts, and freedom seekers.After years of participating in a comfortable faith tradition, many find themselves in a spiritual wilderness, feeling disillusioned with church, longing for more freedom and less religion in their lives. If that describes you, you’re in good company. Countless men and women are in the middle of a shifting faith—and aren’t sure where to turn.But losing beliefs doesn’t mean you have t...