My Kaboodle

Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds,...

Fine turns the popular science book formula on its head. Chapter-by-chapter, she introduces ideas about innate...

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(05/19/12) Fine turns the popular science book formula on its head. Chapter-by-chapter, she introduces ideas about innate differences between the sexes… and then tartly smacks around studies supposedly supporting them. (Dan Vergano - USA Today ) Cordelia Fine’s thorough (and funny!) Delusions of Gender punches a giant hole in the idea that women's brains are somehow ‘hardwired’ for nurturing and domesticity. (Anna North - Jezebel.com ) Forceful, funny. . . . These are the right questions to be asking. (Boston Globe ) [Fine] effectively blows the lid off of old tropes… Weaving together anecdotes, dense research and quotes from numerous experts, she offers a well-balanced testament to the many ways in which cultural rules inform behaviors often mistaken as organic to our brains, as opposed to learned… [An] informative and often surprising study. (Kirkus Reviews ) Starred Review, Pick of the Week. A fabulous combination of wit, passion, and scholarship. . . . This marvelous and important book will...See less

Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy...

Praise for the author's tiny structures "For ingenuity, thrift, and charm, Mr. Diedricksen’s tiny structures are hard to...

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(05/15/12) Praise for the author's tiny structures "For ingenuity, thrift, and charm, Mr. Diedricksen’s tiny structures are hard to beat.” —New York Times Praise for Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts "Using salvaged materials and power tools, Diedricksen creates cozy living spaces filled with artistic touches that you would never expect to see in an average trailer or treehouse. He’ll create colorful patterns of blue and green glass circles on a wall by sawing wine bottles in half. He’s been known to incorporate pickle jars into his designs. That round window that looks like a portal on a ship? That used to be the window on a front-loading washing machine. It's Mad Magazine, meets This Old House." --Emily Sweeney, The Boston Globe "If you like little houses as much as I do, then your friends probably think you're weird. The images and ideas in Deek's book are not only great porn for tiny house freaks like us, but they also serve to show your friends that...See less

Making It: Radical Home Ec for a...

KELLY COYNE and ERIK KNUTZEN grow food, keep chickens, brew, bike, bake, and plot revolution from their 1/12-acre farm...

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(05/15/12) KELLY COYNE and ERIK KNUTZEN grow food, keep chickens, brew, bike, bake, and plot revolution from their 1/12-acre farm in the heart of Los Angeles. They are the keepers of the popular DIY blog, Root Simple, and the authors of The Urban Homestead, which the New York Times describes as "home economics as our greatgrandparents knew it...the contemporary bible on the subject."See less

City Bountiful: A Century of...

"The social history of American cities would not be complete without a full account of the rise of community open...

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(05/15/12) "The social history of American cities would not be complete without a full account of the rise of community open spaces. Lawson does exactly this by providing a compelling and poetic account of the history and making of urban gardens. Combining solid scholarship with engaging images of the gardens and stories of their makers, this book sheds new light on the value of urban open space. More important, it explains why community gardens need to stand alongside city parks as permanent open spaces. Essential reading for community developers and landscape architects as well as anyone who ventures outside, enthusiasm and shovel in hand, to improve their local environment.--Mark Francis, author of Urban Open Space and Village Homes "The definitive history of the past hundred years of America's experience with community gardens. A labor of love by a garden activist, the book appears at a most appropriate time--today our city dwellers and suburbanites are retreating onto carpets of passive open...See less

Tales From the Sustainable...

Tales From the Sustainable Underground is packed with the stories of just some of these pioneers—who care more for the...

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(05/15/12) Tales From the Sustainable Underground is packed with the stories of just some of these pioneers—who care more for the planet than the rules—whether they're engaged in natural building, permaculture, community development, or ecologically based art. Ride along and meet courageous and inspiring individuals such as: Solar guru Ed Eaton Radical urban permaculturists Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew Artist, eco-architect, and intuitive builder Matt Bua Equally entertaining and informative, the profiles in this highly original book provide a unique lens through which to view deeper questions about the societal structures that are preventing us from attaining a more sustainable world. By examining such issues as the nature of property rights and the function of art in society, the author raises profound questions about how our social attitudes and mores have contributed to our current destructive paradigm.See less

Chomsky On MisEducation

The first book to systematically present Chomsky's influential writings on education. The changing role of schools, and...

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(05/06/12) The first book to systematically present Chomsky's influential writings on education. The changing role of schools, and what forms of education a truly democratic society would take. "Schools are institutions for indoctrination and for imposing obedience. Far from creating independent thinkers, schools have always, throughout history, played an institutional role in systems of control and coercion."See less

Walking On Water

Jensen draws on his experiences as a teacher in both a university and a maximum security prison to argue for a new model...

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(05/06/12) Jensen draws on his experiences as a teacher in both a university and a maximum security prison to argue for a new model of education. He paints a grim picture of a system that teaches students to mistrust their own experience and prepare for a 9–5 life of unrelenting monotony. He offers a new vision of education as the ultimate liberation—joyful, fun, an experience leading back to self, and a direct experience of the world. A startling and provocative look at teaching, writing, creativity, and life. "The clarity and force of these ideas cult like a scalpel in the hands of a surgeon, preserving the vital, removing the diseased. Mr. Jensen burns sharp holes in the dark places of those rituals we have been tricked into believing are education. We owe him a debt of gratitude for these transformational insights. Read this book!" —John Taylor Gatto, author of Dumbing Us Down "A superb commentary on learning, for both teachers and students—practical and visionary at the same time." —Howard...See less

What is a p-value anyway? 34...

Andrew Vickers, PhD, is an Associate Attending Research Methodologist in the Department of Epidemiology and...

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(05/06/12) Andrew Vickers, PhD, is an Associate Attending Research Methodologist in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He is active in a variety of fields of cancer research, and also conducts original research in statistical methods, particularly with respect to the evaluation of prediction models. Dr. Vickers has been course leader for the biostatistics course at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center since 2001, and has taught biostatistics to medical students at Cornell Medical School since 2000. Dr. Vickers received a First Class BA in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Clinical Medicine from the University of Oxford.See less

Cadillac Desert: The American West...

In this stunning work of history and investigative journalism, Reisner tells the story of conflicts over water policy in...

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(04/30/12) In this stunning work of history and investigative journalism, Reisner tells the story of conflicts over water policy in the West and the resulting damage to the land, wildlife and Indians. PW stated that this "timely and important book should be required reading for all citizens." Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. See all Editorial ReviewsSee less

Vegan Food Gifts: Spread the Vegan...

Joni Marie Newman is the author of The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet as well as the co-author of 500 Vegan Recipes,...

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(04/20/12) Joni Marie Newman is the author of The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet as well as the co-author of 500 Vegan Recipes, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, and Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites. A Southern California native, she lives in Orange County with her husband, three dogs, and cat. Visit her online at http://www.justthefood.com. Celine Steen is the founder of the award-winning blog Have Cake, Will Travel (http://www.havecakewilltravel.com). After over a decade of vegetarian eating, she decided to switch to a vegan lifestyle. Fearing it might mean the end of all good desserts, she decided to start making her own, for lack of ready-made and affordable options offered in her hometown. She lives in Bakersfield, CA.See less

The Automatic Millionaire : A...

Some of what Dave Bach talks about here is not new. And that should not be news to anyone who has actually read the...

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(04/08/12) Some of what Dave Bach talks about here is not new. And that should not be news to anyone who has actually read the book, not just the free stuff on the internet and wanted to write a review and state their opinion. I had an uncle who sold insurance and he always taught us to save 10% of our money. He taught this to his kids and he taught it to his nephews and nieces too. Guess how many did it? In The Automatic Millionaire, Bach's core principle is to pay yourself first. Stanley and Danko talk about this in The Millionaire Next Door. Givens taught this in More Wealth Without Risk and George Clason is perhaps the best known for teaching this in The Richest Man in Bablyon. Once again, it's not news, but how many people do it? Bach suggests using pretax retirement accounts like your 401 (k), IRA, SEP-IRA, ROTH IRA, SOLO 401 (k) to set aside a fixed monthly sum of money before considering what is left for living expences. By taking advantage of payroll deductions, money can be invested...See less

The Beer Trials

Robin Goldstein (Author) : Robin Goldstein is author of The Wine Trials and co-author of The Wine Trials 2010 and The...

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(04/08/12) Robin Goldstein (Author) : Robin Goldstein is author of The Wine Trials and co-author of The Wine Trials 2010 and The Beer Trials. He is a contributor to the New York Times' Freakonomics blog, and has written for more than 30 Fodor's travel guides, from Italy to Argentina to Hong Kong. He has an A.B. in neuroscience and philosophy from Harvard University, a J.D. from the Yale Law School, a certificate in cooking from the French Culinary Institute in New York City, and a WSET advanced wine and spirits certificate.See less

The Last Lecture [Deluxe Edition]...

When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to...

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(04/08/12) When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.See less

Shakespeare On Toast : Getting A...

Who's afraid of William Shakespeare? Just about everyone. He wrote too much and what he did write is inaccessible and...

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(03/26/12) Who's afraid of William Shakespeare? Just about everyone. He wrote too much and what he did write is inaccessible and elitist. Right? Wrong. Shakespeare on Toast knocks the stuffing from the staid old myth of Shakespeare, revealing the man and his plays for what they really are: modern, thrilling and uplifting drama.Actor and author Ben Crystal brings the bright words and colourful characters of the world s greatest hack writer brilliantly to life, handing over the key to Shakespeare s plays, unlocking the so-called difficult bits and, astonishingly, finding Shakespeare s own voice in among the poetry. Told in five fascinating Acts, Shakespeare on Toast sweeps the cobwebs from the Bard from his language, his life, his time revealing both the man and his work to be relevant, accessible and full of beans. This is a book for everyone, whether you re reading Shakespeare for the first time, occasionally find him troublesome, think you know him backwards, or have never set foot near one of hSee less

Kama Pootra: 52 Mind-Blowing Ways...

The only known translation of an ancient manual instructing readers in the art of enlightened bathroom experience, the...

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(03/08/12) The only known translation of an ancient manual instructing readers in the art of enlightened bathroom experience, the Kama Pootra offers a thrilling rediscovery of the tiled path to porcelain nirvana. Willing seekers will find fifty-two progressive positions designed to maximize how you do number two. Every time the bathroom door closes, a new experience awaits.See less

Let There Be Night: Testimony on...

The development of the modern world has brought with it rampant light pollution, destroying the ancient mystery of night...

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(02/27/12) The development of the modern world has brought with it rampant light pollution, destroying the ancient mystery of night and exacting a terrible price--wasted energy, damage to human health, and the sometimes fatal interruption of the life patterns of many wildlife species. Artificial light blocks our view of the stars and mirrors a lack of appreciation for night’s gifts of quiet and repose, and it negatively affects ecosystems in ways we are only beginning to understand. In Let There Be Night twenty-nine writers, scientists, poets, and scholars share their personal experiences of night and help us to understand what we are losing as dark skies and nocturnal wildness disappear. Their testimonies speak of the emotional and spiritual comforts of night; the awe we experience in the presence of vast, starlit skies; the scientific complexity of earth's diurnal rhythms; and the thrill of witnessing children's discovery of the magic of nighttime. These writers examine the folklore of night anSee less

At Day's Close: Night in Times Past...

Engrossing, leisurely paced and richly researched, this history finds Ekirch reminding us of how preindustrial...

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(02/27/12) Engrossing, leisurely paced and richly researched, this history finds Ekirch reminding us of how preindustrial Westerners lived during the nocturnal hours, when most were plunged into almost total darkness. By describing how that darkness spelled heightened risk—of stumbles, drowning, fires and other dangers—Ekirch accounts for the traditional association of nighttime with fear and suspicion, illuminating the foundations of popular beliefs in satanic forces and the occult. He also describes how the night literally provided a cloak of darkness for crimes and insurrections, and how fear of the night sometimes led to racist blame and accusation. A professor of history at Virginia Tech, Ekirch ranges across the archives of Europe and early colonial America to paint a portrait of how the forces of law and order operated at night, and he provides fascinating insight into nocturnal labor—of masons, carpenters, bakers, glassmakers and iron smelters, among many others. The hardest nocturnal...See less

The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized...

This is a fascinating examination of the changing notions of what it means to be clean, and how those concepts fit into...

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(02/27/12) This is a fascinating examination of the changing notions of what it means to be clean, and how those concepts fit into the worldview of different societies. The book is especially valuable for exploring the daily lives of people in past societies, but also for providing perspective on our attitudes toward ourselves, our bodies, and our world. It begins with the communal baths of the Greeks and Romans and explores the religious and ritual aspects of bathing, including Christian baptism. The public bath returned with the Crusaders, who brought the custom back to Europe in the form of the Turkish bath. With the plague and fears of communicable diseases, people avoided water-which they feared made the body vulnerable-in favor of linen cloth, which could be changed regularly, in lieu of bathing. Fear of immersing the body in water continued into the 20th century. Ashenburg, who uses interesting quotes from contemporaries to illustrate her history, speculates that in the future, when water See less

Knocking on Heaven's Door: How...

Lisa Randall is Professor of Physics at Harvard University. She is one of today's most influential and highly cited...

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(02/22/12) Lisa Randall is Professor of Physics at Harvard University. She is one of today's most influential and highly cited theoretical physicists, and has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions. Her work has been featured in Time magazine, the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vogue, the Economist, Scientific American, and elsewhere. Randall is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Physical Society, and is the recipient of several honorary degrees. When not solving the problems of the universe, she can be found rock climbing, skiing, or contributing to art-science connections. Hypermusic Prologue, a small opera for which she wrote the libretto, premiered in the Pompidou Center in 2009, and Measure for Measure, an art exhibit she co-curated, opened in Los Angeles in 2010.See less

The Magic of Reality: How We Know...

Magic takes many forms. Supernatural magic is what our ancestors used in order to explain the world before they...

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(01/20/12) Magic takes many forms. Supernatural magic is what our ancestors used in order to explain the world before they developed the scientific method. The ancient Egyptians explained the night by suggesting the goddess Nut swallowed the sun. The Vikings believed a rainbow was the gods’ bridge to earth. The Japanese used to explain earthquakes by conjuring a gigantic catfish that carried the world on its back—earthquakes occurred each time it flipped its tail. These are magical, extraordinary tales. But there is another kind of magic, and it lies in the exhilaration of discovering the real answers to these questions. It is the magic of reality—science. Packed with clever thought experiments, dazzling illustrations and jaw-dropping facts, The Magic of Reality explains a stunningly wide range of natural phenomena. What is stuff made of? How old is the universe? Why do the continents look like disconnected pieces of a puzzle? What causes tsunamis? Why are there so many kinds of plants and...See less

Please Understand Me: Character and...

Does your spouse's need to alphabetically organize books on the shelves puzzle you? Do your boss's tsunami-like moods...

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(12/27/11) Does your spouse's need to alphabetically organize books on the shelves puzzle you? Do your boss's tsunami-like moods leave you exasperated? Do your child's constant questions make you batty? If you've ever wanted to change your mate, your coworkers, or a family member, then "Put down your chisel," advise David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates in this book of personality types. We are different for a reason, and that reason is probably more good than bad. Keirsey and Bates believe that not only is it impossible to truly change others (which they call embarking on a "Pygmalion project"), it's much more important to understand and affirm differences. Sounds easier than it is, you might say. Well, this book is a guide for putting an end to the Pygmalion projects in your life and starting on the path to acceptance. For anyone acquainted with the ubiquitous Myers-Briggs personality test, Please Understand Me will be familiar territory--but gone over with a fine-toothed comb. And for the...See less

Can't Buy My Love: How Advertising...

Susan Faludi author of Backlash Jean Kilbourne's work is pioneering and crucial to the dialogue of one of the most...

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(12/26/11) Susan Faludi author of Backlash Jean Kilbourne's work is pioneering and crucial to the dialogue of one of the most underexplored, yet most powerful, realms of American culture: advertising. We owe her a great debt. Self magazine Backlash meets The Beauty Myth....a scathing attack on the powers that tell us what, how much, when and why to buy.See less

The Nature Principle: Human...

In this sanguine, wide-ranging study of how humans can thrive through the "renaturing of everyday life," Louv takes...

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(12/26/11) In this sanguine, wide-ranging study of how humans can thrive through the "renaturing of everyday life," Louv takes nature deficit disorder, introduced in his seminal Last Child in the Woods, a step further, to argue that adults need nature, too. "A reconnection to the natural world is fundamental to human health," he writes, asking, "What would our lives be like if our days and nights were as immersed in nature as they are in electronics?" Louv's "Nature Principle" consists of seven precepts, including balancing technology excess with time in nature; a mind/body/nature connection, which Louv calls "vitamin N," that enhances physical and mental health; expanding our sense of community to include all living things; and purposefully developing a spiritual, psychological, physical attachment to a region and its natural history. The book presents examples of these precepts, from studies of how exposure to a common soil bacteria increases production of serotonin in the brain to designing...See less

First Aid Reference Guide :...

Symptoms, treatment and tips for wide range of medical emergencies. Great for home use or the professional as a quick...

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(12/18/11) Symptoms, treatment and tips for wide range of medical emergencies. Great for home use or the professional as a quick reference or refresher. 6-page laminated guide includes: • calling for help • broken/dislocated/fractured bones • common ailments • lyme disease • wounds • shock • sprains & strains • burns & scalds • drug overdose • food poisoning • convulsions • heart attack • internal bleeding • loss of a body part • stroke • the elements • poisoning • carbon monoxide poisoning • insects, snakes, spiders & sea creatures • plants - poison ivy, oak & sumac • head neck & back injury • choking maneuver • electrocution • hyperventilation, concussion & faintingSee less

Capitol Punishment: The Hard Truth...

The name Jack Abramoff is synonymous with Washington scandal, but the fascinating facts of his case are either largely...

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(12/14/11) The name Jack Abramoff is synonymous with Washington scandal, but the fascinating facts of his case are either largely unknown or wildly misunderstood. His memoir will serve as a corrective - an engrossing, informative work of political nonfiction that is also a gripping real-life thriller. The biggest surprise twist comes in the form of Abramoff himself, a smart, funny, charming, clear-eyed narrator who confounds every expectation of the media's villainous portrait. He's a perfect bundle of contradictions: an Orthodox Jew and upstanding family man with a staunch moral streak, caught in multiple scandals of bribery and corruption with an undercurrent of murder. Abramoff represented Indian tribes whose lucrative casinos were constantly under threat from proposed changes in law; though he charged the tribes many millions, he saved them billions by ensuring votes to support the livelihoods of their reservations. Much of Jack's share was funneled not into his own coffers, but to charities....See less

Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts...

Lawrence Lessig is the director of the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard University, and a...

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(12/14/11) Lawrence Lessig is the director of the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard University, and a professor of law at Harvard Law School. Previously, he was a professor of law at Stanford Law School (where he founded Stanford's Center for Internet and Society) and the University of Chicago Law School. Lessig clerked for Judge Richard Posner on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court. Lessig is the author of five books on the law and technology, including Remix, Code 2.0, Free Culture, The Future of Ideas, and Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, and has served as lead counsel in a number of important cases marking the boundaries of copyright law in a digital age, including Eldred v. Ashcroft and Golan v. Holder.See less

Bicycling & The Law: Your Rights as...

Home Comforts: The Art & Science of...

This appears to be a book of tips for housekeeping, but it is as much about housekeeping as Moby Dick is about fishing....

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(11/18/11) This appears to be a book of tips for housekeeping, but it is as much about housekeeping as Moby Dick is about fishing. It's about doing mindless chores mindfully. If you cook, clean, and dress, why not do it with full knowledge of what the most scientific method is? There is something attractively nerdy about Mendelson's obsession with getting to a deep technical understanding of whatever needs to be done.See less

Susie Bright's Erotic Screen: The...

Susie Bright, “The Pauline Kael of Porn,” (SFChronicle) rips open the history of erotic cinema before the Internet— from...

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(11/15/11) Susie Bright, “The Pauline Kael of Porn,” (SFChronicle) rips open the history of erotic cinema before the Internet— from the Golden Age of lavish 35mm hardcore, to the video-inspired “Porno Spring,” initiated by none other than punk, feminist, and lesbian video-makers. In this first volume of The Erotic Screen, covering 1967-1989, you’ll find Bright’s ground-breaking “X-Rated Advisor” columns from Penthouse Forum, her shocking “killed story” about the history of racism in the Adult Industry, and truly intimate interviews with legendary artists like Russ Meyer, John Leslie, Sharon Mitchell, Jeannie Pepper, and Christopher Rage. Chapters include: the bizarre beginnings of How-To Sex Videos, the secrets of Erotic Foreign Cinema, The Last of Traci Lords, The Eve of John Holmes’ Departure, the last word on “What Women Want” in erotica, Susie’s blue movie favorites, (both X and R-rated), the never-spoken realities behind a porn shoot, the invention of the “Blatant Lesbian Image”— plus dozens...See less

When I Was a Slave: Memoirs from...

More than 2,000 interviews with former slaves, who, in blunt, simple language, provide often-startling first-person...

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(11/06/11) More than 2,000 interviews with former slaves, who, in blunt, simple language, provide often-startling first-person accounts of their lives in bondage. Includes some of the most detailed, compelling, and engrossing life histories in the Slave Narrative Collection, a project funded by the U.S. Government. An illuminating source of information.See less