In "The Discoveries of John Lederer," the author chronicles his ambitious explorations through the uncharted territories of Virginia, North Carolina, and beyond during the late 17th century. The narrative is rich with vivid descriptions, capturing the geographical diversity and the cultural encounters he experienced, particularly with Indigenous peoples. Lederer's literary style combines meticulous observation and adventurous spirit, providing a unique blend of travelogue and scientific in...

"A clear, entertaining, and just plain helpful guide to the American rules of punctuation." —Lynne Truss, #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Eats, Shoots & LeavesAre you confounded by commas, addled by apostrophes, or queasy about quotation marks? Do you believe a bracket is just a support for a wall shelf, a dash is something you make for the bathroom, and a colon and semicolon are large and small intestines? If so, language humorists Richard...

Helen Lederer reads John Esmonde & Bob Larbey’s novelisation of the adored BBC TV series following the fortunes of the Goods and the Leadbeaters.As Tom Good turns forty he is bored with the drudgery of a nine-to-five job. Selling the idea of self-sufficiency to Barbara, his practical yet devoted wife, he sets about transforming not only their garden but also their whole way of life.As they tear up the front lawn, build a generator and introduce pigs to The ...

"There are countless books that can teach you the alphabet, but almost none that focus on the tiny designs that run interference among the letterforms: those easily overlooked punctuation and typographic symbols. These symbols, as Michael Arndt proves in this beautiful and endlessly fascinating book, are absolutely indispensable to communication: punctuation turns words into sentences and language into meaning... From commas to semicolons, from slashes to asterisks, from guillemets...

In this compendium of literary wisdom, celebrated authors share insights and anecdotes on the art of turning good stories into bestsellers.Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, hosts of the renowned podcast Always Take Notes, have spent years delving into the lives and minds of literary luminaries. Now they share the most illuminating and unforgettable interview moments, as writers from Irvine Welsh to Tracy Chevalier and Marlon James reveal the secrets to their su...

A psycholinguist explores the use and misuse of the words “irony” and “sarcasm” throughout history!Isn’t it ironic? Or is it? Never mind, I'm just being sarcastic (or am I?).Irony and sarcasm are two of the most misused, misapplied, and misunderstood words in our conversational lexicon. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, psycholinguist Roger Kreuz offers an enlightening and concise overview of the life and ...

**Get a science-based introduction to cultural and human evolution—and discover a blueprint for a better future—in this fascinating book for fans of Sapiens and Guns, Germs, and Steel.Who are we, and what makes us different from other species?**Playing on the phrase “a theory of everything” from physics, Michael Muthukrishna’s ambitious, original, and deeply hopeful book A Theory of Everyone draws on the most recent research from across t...

PHILOSOPHY HAS NEVER BEEN THIS FUN: Explore “consciousness, the multiverse, [and] what it all means” in this essay collection of “58 bite-sized gems from a leading philosopher” (Susan Schneider, NASA Chair).Have you ever wondered about why some people are jerks? Asked whether your driverless car should kill you so that others may live? Found a robot adorable? Considered the ethics of professional ethicists? Reflected on the philosophy of hair? In this engaging, ent...

Scandinavian Folktales — Where Magic and Reality Converge!Step into a world of enchantment, danger, and mystique as you meet the Vættir of Scandinavia. They are the Hidden Folk, the creatures of Scandinavian folklore, come alive in this collection of tales that brings together well-known beings like trolls, giants, and elves, as well as lesser-known figures such as the enigmatic Creaky Cart.Within the pages of this volume lie traditional Scandinavian short ...

"Matloff assesses major threats with careful authority and good humor, then gives us the logistical and emotional tools necessary to cope with them." —Ada Calhoun, New York Times–bestselling author of Why We Can't SleepIn an age of anxiety, we yearn for some control. We want to make sensible decisions to keep us on track when everything seems to be going off the rails. As a seasoned war correspondent with over thirty years of experience in crisis z...

NEW & NOTEWORTHY ~ THE NEW YORK TIMESWith a Foreword by Susan Orlean, twenty-three of today's living literary legends, including Donna Tartt, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Andrew Sean Greer, Laila Lalami, and Michael Chabon, reveal the books that made them think, brought them joy, and changed their lives in this intimate, moving, and insightful collection from "American's Librarian" and recipient of the National Book Foundation's Literarian Award for...

The thinkers who built the Western mind—and still shape your own.This is the best book on philosophy I have ever read. —Philip van Heusen for Readers' FavoriteThree men. Three rival visions of reality. And together, the hidden framework behind how you think about truth, morality, happiness, and meaning.Much of Western philosophy can be traced back to Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle—figures whose ideas continue to shape not o...