Search results for ""Author Weird"

Conjuring up a time when butchers and executioners knew more about anatomy than university-trained physicians, the phrase ‘medieval medicine’ sounds horrific to those of us with modern ideas on hygiene, instant pain relief and effective treatments. In those days no one could allay the dread of plague or the many other horrible diseases we have now forgotten. However, the medieval medical profession provided patients with everything from cosmetic procedures and dietary advice to life-saving surgeries and post-operative antibiotics. Intriguingly, alongside such expertise, some still believed that unicorns, dragons and elephants supplied vital medical ingredients and that horoscopes could predict the sex of unborn babies. This book explores the labyrinth of strange ideas and unlikely remedies that make up the weird, wonderful and occasionally beneficial world of medieval medicine.

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'Tinges of the supernatural add to the electric sense of place in a caustic and original novel' Financial TimesBilly Sloat and Lydia Lemon don't have much in common, unless you count growing up on the same (wrong) side of the tracks, the lack of a mother, and a persistent loneliness that has inspired creative coping mechanisms.When the lives of these two loners are thrust together, Lydia's cynicism is met with Billy's sincere optimism, and both begin to question their own outlook on life. On top of that, weird happenings including an impossible tornado and an all-consuming fog are cropping up around them - maybe even because of them. With a unique mix of raw emotion, humor, and heart, the surreal plotline pulls readers through an epic exploration of how caring for others makes us vulnerable - and how utterly pointless life would be if we didn't.

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This paperback edition includes a link to download a free audio version of the book read by Sir Tony Robinson.In Sir Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders World War I Tony Robinson takes you on a headlong gallop through time, pointing out all the most important, funny, strange, amazing, entertaining, smelly and disgusting bits about World War I. It's history, but not as we know it!Find out everything you ever needed to know about World War I in this brilliant action-packed, fact-filled book, including:- How to build a trench- Why dogs were such good messengers- How plastic surgery was invented- Why you needed a gas maskWhat are you waiting for? Let's get going . . .For more World War history facts in this fun series, discover World War II.

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More fun than a barrel of monkeys and the perfect gift for young explorers!Go on a wild adventure into the animal kingdom with naturalist, wildlife cameraman and winner of Strictly Come Dancing, Hamza Yassin.Did you know that kestrels can see mouse wee tracks on the ground, that dolphin mums sing lullabies or that wombats have cube-shaped poo?Do you want to imagine what it’s like to meet a cheetah, get close to a polar bear or go to sleep with an otter?Then this book is for you!Hamza Yassin brings you everything you will ever need to know about the animal kingdom in this fun, fascinating guide packed with hundreds of funny, smelly, awesome, scary, revolting, weird, cute, clever and amazing facts, and illustrations, photos and infographics.A dyslexic-friendly layout, made in consultation with Dyslexia Scotland, make this perfect for every child.

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Explore every state of the USA from Alabama to Wyoming with these 51 charmingly illustrated infographic maps! Includes an expansive guide to the state flags and US presidents.Discover more than 2,000 facts about the people, cities, nature and historic events that have helped make America what it is today. Ghost towns, swamp tours, the center of the universe… bacon donuts, brainy berries, salmon jerky… The French Fry King, The Mother of Oregon, The Queen of Blues… be inspired by the inventiveness, beauty and diversity of our great nation in this curious collection of fact-filled maps.On each weird and wonderful map, find: A welcome box with a short introduction to the state Key facts, including the capital; state bird, flower and tree; and statehood order State icons celebrating the state’s people, places and history Six inspiring people who have a connection

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Discover the natural world with LEGO® bricks! Did you know there's a plant that eats insects? And a mammal that can fly? LEGO® Super Nature is packed full of fascinating facts from the natural world, all illustrated with LEGO builds. Best of all, the book comes with bricks to make four exclusive LEGO mini-builds.From insects, flowers and trees to mammals, birds and deepwater fish, LEGO Super Nature takes you on a tour of discovery through the wonders of the natural world. You will learn all about the amazing plants and creatures we share our planet with, their homes and the weird and wonderful things they get up to.Specially commissioned plant and animal builds illustrate the lively text, giving ideas and inspiration for building your own LEGO models.©2021 The LEGO Group.

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CLAIR: We've been let loose on a book... whose bright idea was that?JAMES: We haven't got anything to say!CLAIR: Don't tell them that before they buy it...JAMES: They'll work it out eventually!CLAIR: Well, we've managed to put together some bits and pieces that might be interesting - or at least funny/weird/silly.JAMES: Probably not.CLAIR: No... probably not. Though if you like the vlogs, you might like it?JAMES: No one likes the vlogs.CLAIR: True.JAMES: Anyway, enjoy!At Home with The Buckleys is one couple's take on the wild ride that is modern marriage, parenting and adulting. Told from both sides, Clair and James share a collection of hilarious stories and comedy excursions from their early lives, years of cult TV fame, having children and setting up their YouTube channel.

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CLAIR: We've been let loose on a book... whose bright idea was that?JAMES: We haven't got anything to say!CLAIR: Don't tell them that before they buy it...JAMES: They'll work it out eventually!CLAIR: Well, we've managed to put together some bits and pieces that might be interesting - or at least funny/weird/silly.JAMES: Probably not.CLAIR: No... probably not. Though if you like the vlogs, you might like it?JAMES: No one likes the vlogs.CLAIR: True.JAMES: Anyway, enjoy!At Home with The Buckleys is one couple's take on the wild ride that is modern marriage, parenting and adulting. Told from both sides, Clair and James share a collection of hilarious stories and comedy excursions from their early lives, years of cult TV fame, having children and setting up their YouTube channel.

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Get to know more than 100 of the world''s favourite dinosaurs and animals with this bedtime books boxset for young children.This must-have box set for children aged 3-5 contains two books, The Bedtime Book of Dinosaurs, and The Bedtime Book of Animals, which have beautiful illustrations and storybook text on every page for gentle bedtime reading.The Bedtime Book of AnimalsCreatures from each of the core animal groups are featured in six dedicated chapters (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates). Turn each page to find out more about animals around the world.The Bedtime Book of DinosaursExplore the earliest life that appeared in the ocean, the giant dinosaurs and the wonderfully weird creatures that followed them. Features well-known favourites, such as Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, as well as lesser-known discoveries, including Yi and Changmiania.This children's bedtime boxset

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The Suburbs is an incredibly sentimental and nostalgic album, which generally moved critics but was jarring to others. But it also made a heavy impact on fans and – to the surprise of many – won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards. This immensely visceral album triggers a sincere celebration of not formative years spent in a cookie-cutter development, but of feeling self-important, immortal, and desperate to escape. It examines youth and amplifies an innate sense of longing and remembrance. Eric Eidelstein’s The Suburbs explores this weird, utopic recollection of youth by comparing the album to suburban scenes in film and television, such as Blue Velvet, Mad Men, The Americans, and Spike Jonze’s Scenes from the Suburbs. Through the close examination of film and televised depictions of the suburbs, both past and present, Eidelstein delves into the societal factors and artistic depictions that make the suburbs such a fascinating cultural construct, and uncovers why the album creates such a relatable and universal sense of reminiscence.

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How the otherworldly worlds created by the author of the Southern Reach Trilogy speak to—and even affect—our own If ever a moment and a writer were made for each other, that time is now and Jeff VanderMeer is that writer. Reaching more and more readers as his fantastic fiction delves deeper and deeper into the true weirdness of our day, VanderMeer presents a unique opportunity to explore the cultural frictions and fault lines in today’s—and tomorrow’s— literary landscape. In the first book-length study of this provocative writer, Benjamin J. Robertson focuses on the three major series that have propelled VanderMeer to prominence (his Vennis fictions, Ambergris novels, and Southern Reach Trilogy) as well as his recent stand-alone novel Borne. Most salient for Robertson is how VanderMeer grapples with the transformation of human meaning and being in the contemporary moment. None of This Is Normal reveals how VanderMeer creates fictions that directly address our Anthropocene epoch, in which humanity must reckon with the unprecedented nature of its impact on the environment and with the consequent obsolescence of its methods of representing itself in this altered world. In Robertson’s reading it becomes startlingly clear that certain fiction, especially when willing to abandon humanist assumptions about history, has the power to not simply show us a world “out there” but to actively participate in that world. As realist fiction and even science fiction conventionally reduce the scale and complexity of the Anthropocene to human-sized dimensions, None of This Is Normal shows how VanderMeer’s work conjures what Robertson calls a “fantastic materiality”: a reality that stands apart from us as a model of thinking, irreducible to our own.

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An in-depth look at one of the film industry's most audacious working actors In 1982, a gangly teenager named Nicolas Coppola made his film debut and changed his name to Nicolas Cage, determined to distance himself from his famous family. Once he achieved stardom as the rebel hunk of 1983's Valley Girl, Cage began a career defined by unorthodox risks and left turns that put him at odds with the stars of the Brat Pack era. How Coppola Became Cage takes readers behind the scenes of the beloved cult movies that transformed this unknown actor into an eccentric and uncompromising screen icon with a wild-eyed gift for portraying weirdos, outsiders, criminals-and even a romantic capable of seducing Cher. Author Zach Schonfeld traces Cage's rise through the world of independent cinema and chronicles the stories behind his career-making early performances, from the method masochism of Birdy to the operatic torment of Moonstruck and abrasive expressionism of Vampire's Kiss, culminating with the astonishing pathos of Leaving Las Vegas. Drawing on more than 100 new interviews with Cage's key collaborators--including David Lynch, Martha Coolidge, John Patrick Shanley, and Mike Figgis--How Coppola Became Cage offers a revealing portrait of Cage's wildly intense devotion to his performances behind the scenes and his creative self-discovery as he drew on influences as far-flung as silent cinema and German Expressionism. These were all crucial ingredients in the creation of a singular acting style that rejects the limits of realism. Brimming with previously untold stories and insights, How Coppola Became Cage both revels in and demystifies Cage's onscreen eccentricities. No other modern actor has explored such profound creative extremes while bending the boundaries of good taste. Here is the origin story of an actor who truly is wild at heart and weird on top.

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Nothing ever happens on the Otter Lake reservation. But when 16-year-old Tiffany discovers her father is renting out her room, she's deeply upset. Sure, their guest is polite and keeps to himself, but he's also a little creepy. Little do Tiffany, her father, or even her astute Granny Ruth suspect the truth. The mysterious Pierre L'Errant is actually a vampire, returning to his tribal home after centuries spent in Europe. But Tiffany has other things on her mind: her new boyfriend is acting weird, disputes with her father are escalating, and her estranged mother is starting a new life with somebody else. Fed up and heartsick, Tiffany threatens drastic measures and flees into the bush. There, in the midnight woods, a chilling encounter with L'Errant changes everything ...for both of them. A mesmerizing blend of Gothic thriller and modern coming-of-age novel, The Night Wanderer is unlike any other vampire story.

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‘An entertaining look at foods of the past.’ – Wall Street Journal Guess what people ate throughout history in this deliciously informative introduction to culinary history In this first book of culinary history for children, readers will discover the fascinating dishes eaten by 10 high-interest historical peoples – from prehistoric humans to children of the future. Whether munching on mud-baked hedgehogs like the ancient Egyptians, or nibbling tacos topped with chillis grown in space like the astronauts of today, readers will be immersed in the diverse, tasty, weird, and wonderful food history of the world. Packed with guess-what challenges, unbelievable facts, and interactive guessing game, 4 real recipes from different eras, and delicious reveals, this fact-filled read-aloud encourages an interest in food (and perhaps a bit of subtle encouragement to taste something new!), and is perfect for history-lovers and food-enthusiasts alike. Ages 6 - 9

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Mindful Cute Animal Drawings With Words of EncouragementKate Allan’s You Can Do All Things combines wisdom, humor, and beautiful, whimsical artwork that can be your daily companion when you feel anxious, inadequate, and overwhelmed.” ―Susyn Reeve, Author of Heart Healing#1 Best Seller in Mental Health, Depression, and Women ArtistsYou Can Do All Things is a collection of knowing-yet-supportive cute animal drawings from The Latest Kate. This woman artist’s thoughtful words of encouragement and unique drawings help you to be mindful, to take care of yourself, and to nurture your self-esteem.Daily meditations to bring encouragement to get you through the day. Mental health, depression and anxiety are all topics that affect everyone. Calming and supportive, the cute animal illustrations in You Can Do All Things are also candidly personal about the internal problems many of us face in this world.Inspirational, gentle drawings that sparkle with comfort. The Latest Kate's inventive pairing of whimsical colors and friendly, smiling cute animals is the spoonful of sugar that makes the heavy subject matter approachable and non-threatening. You Can Do All Things is a welcome addition to any bookshelf or art wall, and its messages are equally applicable to adults and children. Anxiety sucks, but you don’t! This book will show you how to get through the worst of it.In this book you’ll find: Beautiful, whimsical, and colorful art with cute animals Kind words of encouragement A how-to guide to dealing with anxiety and depression Tips for times you feel inadequate, overwhelmed, or down on yourself If you loved Loading Penguin Hugs, Gmorning, Gnight!, 365 Days of Art, or Affirmators!, then you’ll love You Can Do All Things. Don’t miss Kate’s bestselling card deck Thera-pets and other books by this gifted artist; It’s Your Weirdness that Makes Your Wonderful;You're Smart, Strong and You Got This; and I Like You.  

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Unusual Stories, Unusually Told celebrates some of the boldest contemporary American voices with seven plays from Clubbed Thumb's Summerworks. Spanning 2001 to 2019 and accompanied by artist interviews and reflections on the work, this anthology presents a vital survey of formally inventive 21st century playwriting, and is a perfect collection for study and performance. U.S. Drag by Gina Gionfriddo A serial killer named Ed stalks the city, luring his victims by asking for help. To protect themselves, a group of New Yorkers form SAFE, “Stay Away From Ed.” The first rule: don’t help anyone. It’s a matter of urban survival. Slavey by Sigrid Gilmer In which Robert and Nora, a couple on the rise, get a big promotion, a bigger house, and a brand new slave. Dot by Kate E. Ryan In which old Dot and the weird kid from the neighborhood become friends. Set in that kind of Florida town that makes you wonder: is this TV, a book, or maybe even a cabaret? Baby Screams Miracle by Clare Barron In which a freak storm knocks down all the trees in town and a prodigal daughter is taught a new way to pray. But the weird weather’s not over yet. Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus Ten explorers. Four boats. One Grand Canyon. Men On Boats is the true(ish) history of an 1869 expedition, when a one-armed captain and a crew of insane yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River. Of Government by Agnes Borinsky The adventures of Barb the Teacher, Deb the Seeker, Heidi the Helper, Tawny the Addict and a host of others. With songs! Presented by Miss Marjorie Blain, her students, and members of the community. Light refreshments will be provided. Plano by Will Arbery Tonight, and later, and earlier, three sisters (no, not those ones) are stricken with a series of strange plagues. Let’s talk about family nightmares. I mean, uh, memories.

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EVERY GENERATION HAS A LEGEND ... Sara didn't start out expecting to change the world. She inherited it from her dad and grandad. But she didn't expect it. For much of her early years, Sara thought her family was pretty weird, and there seemed to be plenty of evidence to prove it. Her late grandfather Pete Stevenson, maybe the weirdest of all, was an automotive engineer whose hobby was trying to chase down proof of aliens and time travel all over the world. Incidents throughout the years showed that granddad didn't do his artifact gathering by the book or entirely lawful. He was determined to take what scientists called informed speculation regarding alien presence to replace it with irrefutable evidence. For the longest time Sara didn't think she had inherited the family weirdness gene, but boy, was she wrong. The existence of alien life on planet Earth has been discussed and argued for centuries. The ancient alien theory phenomenon is now well established as one of the fiercest debates known today, joining politics and religion, with both sides enjoying their "sell" from classrooms to family barbecues. The complex issue of "are there or aren't there" cannot be answered in simple yes or no terms. The only recourse left is to gather the facts and evidence and draw your own conclusion. As more documentation, artifacts, research technology, and global structural similarities turn up, the number of believers grows. Alien theorist conventions and their attendance are growing as well. This book is the first of a five-book series that will provide a journey into the unknown cosmos and to a mental and physical labor of debating or debunking truth versus myth. It involves three generations of one family that begins an adventure that none could have imagined with results that defied accepted logic and belief. It is not just about the presence of aliens on Earth, but what would be their intentions if and when they were here... SHATTERED TRUTH, as well as the other four books in the STARGATE EARTH SERIES, will deal strongly with unity. That is family unity, team unity, country unity, and the unity of conviction and hope. If humanity doesn't take control of the issues we now face, the answers we week will always be outside of our reach.

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Two centuries, two children, one house Beth didn’t want to move to Dublin – she misses her old life and her friends back in London. New home and new school is hard enough, but to make matters worse someone keeps messing up her room … At first, Beth blames her annoying brother, Cormac, but when she discovers a boy called Robbie, from the 1950's, is slipping through time and into her room, then things start to get REALLY weird! The two create havoc together, learn about each other’s worlds and manage to help each other when they’re down. But the 1950s and the present day sometimes seem very far apart … Can their friendship stand the test of time? A mischief-maker from the 1950’s – a shy girl from today and a time-slip adventure like no other

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Dive into the most mysterious waters around the world (if you dare) in Spooky Lakes, an illustrated nonfiction book from TikTok star and educator Geo Rutherford From Geo Rutherford—the creator of the hit series Spooky Lake Month (over 65 million likes!)—comes this thrilling nonfiction book that plumbs the depths of 25 unusual lakes around the world. Backed by extensive research and packed with all-new content—including eerie and eye-popping watercolor illustrations in full color—Spooky Lakes takes readers on an adventure through weird and wild waters. Some of Earth’s strangest—and creepiest—wonders lie deep below the surface... There’s Lake Natron, a Tanzanian lake so briny that its waters can mummify any creature that touches its surface; Lake Maracaibo, a Venezuelan tidal bay where a constantly brewing storm sends an average of 28 lightning bolts per second into t

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Blast off into space with this awesome books from Adam Frost. Be amazed by hilarious, mind-fizzing, weird and wonderful facts about space! Winner of the Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards 2019. Do you know how long it would take you to drive to the sun? Or whether you’d like to go on a space vacation? Be truly amazed by these awesome facts about our planet, our solar system, and our universe! Find out: · How long it would take you to drive to Pluto? · What the weather is like on Neptune? · How many tonnes of litter humans have left on the moon? And did you know that next time you look up to the sky and see a shooting start it could actually be a pair of pants? On the ISS undies are ejected into space, burning up in the Earth's atmosphere! Find out more hilarious, intriguing and ridiculous facts with this awesome book. Ready, set, BLAST OFF!

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In The Miserable Lives of Fabulous Artists, Chris Orr turns his humorous gaze on some of the most famous - and fabulous - artists of the past. With over 30 new works, accompanied by Orr's captions, artists from Edward Hopper to Pablo Picasso find themselves in weird and wonderful situations. Edvard Munch holidays at the seaside, John Constable RA is disturbed at his easel by frolicking nudists and there's an unfortunate incident in Barbara Hepworth's studio... No one can escape Orr's imagination: Walter Sickert is distracted from a spreadeagled model by a fly in his soup, Dame Laura Knight RA is caught shoplifting, and Frida Kahlo enjoys a fry-up. Each image is packed with detail to pore over, and the book concludes with notes from the artist, accompanied by preparatory drawings for the finished work. This new collection, published to coincide with an exhibition of Orr's works at the Royal Academy of Arts, is a charming romp which affectionately pokes fun at well-loved artists.

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Gabriel is being chased by monsters! His friend is one, and so is his uncle, his grandma … even the cat! But who will catch him? A brand new picture book from the award-winning Lucy Cousins.Come on everybody, Gabriel wants to PLAY! You be a monster, and he'll run away...Gabriel is being chased by terrible monsters with sharp pointy teeth, spikes on their back, and smelly feet! But it's all right, they can't catch him ... or can they? Let's play monsters!In this riotously funny new story from the award-winning Lucy Cousins, we follow our brave hero Gabriel as he runs away from a host of fantastically weird and wonderful monsters, played by everyone at home from his grandma to a potted plant. Inspired by Cousins' playtime with her own grandson, Let's Play Monsters is a delightful tale celebrating family and the power of imagination – featuring some truly magnificent monster creations!

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A weird western, a gun-toting, cigarillo-chewing fantasy built from hangman’s rope and spent bullets.Wormwood has appeared, and with it a doorway to the afterlife. But what use is a door if you can’t step through it?Hundreds have battled unimaginable odds to reach this place, including the blind shooter Henry Jones; the drunk and liar Roderick Quartershaft; that most holy, yet enigmatic of orders, the Brotherhood of Ruth; the inventor Lord Forset and his daughter Elisabeth; the fragile messiah Soldier Joe and his nurse Hope Lane.Of them all, Elwyn Wallace, a young man who only wanted to travel west for a job, would have happily forgone the experience. But he finds himself abroad in Hell, a nameless, aged gunslinger by his side. He had thought nothing could match the terror of his journey thus far, but time will prove him wrong.On the road to Hell, good intentions don’t mean a damn.

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A 2015 ReLit finalist A 2014 Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize finalist Shortlisted for the 2015 Pat Lowther Memorial Award 'It offers wit, precision of speech, weird connections, odd juxtapositions, jarring images, & a variety of moods in a swirl of sentences that refuse to stay still but argue with each other & with their readers. This School is well worth attending.'--Eclectic Ruckus "Her poetry is a subversion of the dominant paradigms in this country ...one ride that will leave you gripping both sides of the canoe."--Lambda Literary Review At times a call to action and at others an intimate conversation between friends, Jen Currin's sensual and surreal poems speak to the political upheavals and environmental catastrophes of our time. School is an instruction manual for igniting transformation through a collective effort of love and community. Jen Currin's books of poetry include Hagiography and The Inquisition Yours, which won the Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry and was shortlisted for a Lambda Award.

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This is a lively and thought-provoking book about how to do creativity, unlock your potential, and make a difference. The artists, musicians, and writers we think of as ’very creative’ are just like us, except that they have spent time developing and realising ideas, and have found the confidence to share them with the world. None of this comes naturally. This wide-ranging book offers research, advice, and philosophy to fuel your understanding and passion for creativity. David Gauntlett draws on his own experiences of making music and experimenting with digital media alongside 25 years of researching creativity. Including insights from a diverse array of creators, this book highlights the vitality of the individual creative voice in a world where social media offers a weird mix of inspiration and suffocation, and our struggles for social justice are equally hopeful and upsetting. Creativity shows how vulnerability, experimentation, and courage can enable us to become bold and engaging creators.

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Although Woody Allen is best known for his cult movies, he is also a writer of outstanding wit and skill. Dip into this collection of fifty-two pieces for hilarity, deadpan weirdness, and some extremely outlandish ideas. Do you want to hear about the time Hitler went for a haircut? Or why Woody reveres Socrates? Have you ever wondered what would have happened if the Impressionists had actually been dentists? You can learn much about history – the piece on the invention of sandwiches is eye-opening – or modern life in this laugh-out-loud collection of thoughts, observations, diaries and stories from one of the most original minds and wonderfully comic voices of our time. ‘It’s no secret that Allen’s short stories are just as entertaining and accomplished as his films . . . Allen’s witty stories satirise contemporary society and classic modern literature in a style that is characteristically breathless, off the cuff and brilliant’ Observer

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Chocolate has beguiled us for centuries. From the spiced drinks sipped by the nobility in ancient Mexico to the artisan bars filled with weird and wonderful flavor combinations we devour today, chocolate has always had a magical pull on our senses. Exotic, indulgent, hedonistic and sensual, its power over us somehow exceeds the sum of its parts. This ground-breaking exploration of chocolate, by award-winning writer and lifelong cocoa enthusiast Sue Quinn, will intrigue, inspire, surprise and fascinate you in equal measure. In these pages is a wealth of cultural, historical, and culinary information about the story of chocolate through the ages and across the world, illustrated with vintage packaging, iconic advertisements, and stunning illustrations. Interspersed throughout the book are 80 sweet and savory recipes to tantalize the taste buds, such as Salted Caramel and Lime Chocolate Sauce; Triple Chocolate and Liquorice Cake with Treacle Praline; Spelt, Chocolate and Cranberry Cracker

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Did you know that 32 pigeons have received medals for wartime valor? And a dog named Laika was the very first creature in space? Did you know that there is an island in Japan entirely overrun by bunnies? And -- for a brief time -- rats adorned with ribbons were a popular lap pet in upper-class London?In Andy Warner's Oddball Histories: Pests and Pets, you can find out more than you ever thought possible about creatures both cute and weird, both large and small, while discovering new stories about human history from the perspective of our animal companions.Did you know that bees communicate with each other using special dances? Or that a popular anime called Rascal the Racoon may be largely responsible for Japan's huge raccoon population? Packed with incredible facts and charming stories like these, this is the perfect book for curious readers.

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Adventures with Natural Wondersis an immersive encounter with more than 20 natural phenomena that deserve special mention. Which is the world's largest living feline? Where are the most impressive waterfalls on Earth? What makes the oceans glow in the dark? Climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Follow the trail of a mythical Irish giant. And glide over Cappadocia in a hot-air balloon. From animal oddities to weird weather effects, and tiny grains of sand to towering geographical landforms, experience the breathtaking natural world as never before!The World of Science comics series engages, educates and entertains children, imparting scientific facts, while nurturing the love of Science through dynamic, full-colour comics. All topics covered are in line with the Singapore primary Science syllabus and the Cambridge primary Science curriculum, and also offer beyond-the-syllabus insights designed to stretch inquiring young minds.This book aligns with the following syllabi:

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Species evolve over time to become perfectly adapted to their environments, right?Well, sometimes.Consider that an elephant will not grow a seventh set of teeth, even though wearing down the sixth will condemn it to starvation; that hosts of the European cuckoo seem unable to tell that the overgrown monster in their nest is not their own chick; and that whales are fully aquatic mammals who, millions of years after first abandoning the land, still cannot breathe underwater.This book is about evolution, but not its greatest hits. Instead, it explores everything in the animal kingdom that is self-defeating, ill-made, uneconomical, or downright weird – and explains how natural selection has favoured it. In the grand struggle for survival, some surprising patterns emerge: animals are always slightly out-of-date; inefficiency tends to increase over time; predators usually lose, and parasites usually win. With equal parts humour and scientific insight, Andy Dobson is here to explain the how and why of evolution’s limits and liabilities.

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From the Caldecott Honor–winning creator of Home and Du Iz Tak? comes a gorgeous and quirky tale of an extraordinary room where everything is a half.The half room is full of half things. A half chair, a half cat, even half shoes – all just as nice and weird and friendly as whole things. When half a knock comes on half a door, who in the world could it be? With her trademark touch of magic and whimsy, Caldecott Honor winner Carson Ellis explores halves and wholes in an ingenious and thought-provoking picture book. The lightly rhyming text is soothing yet spirited, revealing the many absurdities and possibilities to be discovered in this irresistibly fanciful home. Ink and gouache illustrations featuring wry detail and velvety textures conjure a dreamlike mood while leaving space for imagining. A celebration of the surreal and the serendipitous, and the beauty of the two together, this brilliant picture book will have readers seeing the joys of halves with whole new eyes.

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Take a walk on the weird side as Lonely Planet Kids reveals 100 of the world's strangest animals. From glass frogs and mole lizards to umbrella birds and fishing spiders, discover crazy creatures and rare species you've never heard of before from all corners of the globe! Meet the egg-eating snake and satanic leaf-tailed gecko from Africa; the chinstrap penguin and narwhal from the Arctic Circle; the Bornean bearded pig and snub-nosed monkey from Asia; the frilled dragon and superb bird-of-paradise from Australia; the hoopoe and Etruscan shrew from Europe; the ghost-faced bat and magnificent frigatebird from North America; the Brazilian horned frog and red-lipped batfish from South America; and lots more! You'll then plunge into the dark depths of the oceans to meet fish and deep sea marine life, like the hairy frogfish, immortal jellyfish, crown-of-thorns starfish and the mimic octopus. Who will you crown the world's wackiest? About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids - an imprint of the world's leading travel authority Lonely Planet - published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travellers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explore!

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Andrea Hoffman is an overeducated, underemployed, and unmotivated recent college graduate—until an unexpected robbery blasts her out of her funk and into a job in the finance world of early-1980s Chicago. At first, it seems like a bad fit. But the world of finance has its own weird charm, and she grows increasingly fascinated by the strange language of trading, the complexity of the stock market, and her colleagues, who navigate it all with a ruthless confidence. Even though she has two strikes against her—Jewish and female—Andrea’s quick wit and strong work ethic propel her into an actual sales job and her career takes off. But this is the Wall Street of the eighties, and along with making a lot more money, Andrea adopts a new, fast life of cocktails, cocaine, and casual sex. Drunk on her achievements, she gradually realizes that at some point, she’s going to have to decide what success really means to her.

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Wakeful Children is a collection of highly imaginative and inventive short stories. The oak sways gently, a shiver shimmers its way from roots to tip. A branch creaks as if in resistance. A small, fresh leaf strains to curl into life, shows promise for an instant, then withers and dies. A sigh, just beyond human hearing, vibrates the night. All else is still. You will be unwittingly taken on a journey to witness the twisted brutality of Joe Gallows, the weird dream-scape of The Sandman, the ice-cold grasp of The Face of the Gale, the elemental horror of an ancient, evil entity in Devil’s Drop. You will visit some of the residents down a darkly troubled street in Absorption; watched over by a beautiful, malignant presence all the while. These and other tales make Wakeful Children an extremely unusual, compelling and refreshingly different read in this genre. One that will leave you thinking of it long after you have turned the last page...

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Staring into the night sky, the inhabitants of Jeroun call the glittering string of objects they see stretching before the moon the Needle. It’s actually a collection of iron spheres made by the god Adrash, his threatening ultimatum to the people on the planet below:Prove yourselves worthy, or be destroyed.Vedas is a member of the Black Suits, an order of men and women who show their opposition to Adrash by staging battles in the streets. After witnessing the death of a child in his care and knowing himself to be responsible, he sets off on a journey to the decennial fighting tournament in Danoor.Traveling with him across the continent are Churls, a mercenary haunted by the ghost of her daughter, and Berun, a constructed man made of modular spheres possessed by the soul of his creator. Both come to understand that Vedas's victory would start an all-out religious war.Unbeknownst to these three travelers, the aristocratic outbound mage Ebn and her protégé Pol are using powerful alchemy to travel into space, with plans to engage Adrash in ways that threaten to bring the god’s wrath down upon the world.No Return combines the mythic inventiveness of early Roger Zelazny and Samuel R. Delany, the dark weirdness of China Mieville, and the epic scope of George R. R. Martin, creating a literary science fiction novel that defies easy categorization and resulting in one of the most critically acclaimed debuts of 2013.Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

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"A gripping, heart-wrenching coming-of-age story" - GuardianIn her first YA novel, Costa-shortlisted Kit de Waal responds to classic Moby Dick by tearing the power away from obsessive Captain Ahab and giving it to a teenage girl.Dinah's whole world is upside down, dead things and angry men and cuts all over her head that are beginning to sting....Seventeen-year-old Dinah needs to leave her home, the weird commune where she grew up. She needs a whole new identity, starting with how she looks, starting with shaving off her hair, her 'crowning glory'. She has to do it quickly, because she has to go now.Dinah was going to go alone and hitch a ride down south. Except, she ends up being persuaded to illegally drive a VW campervan for hundreds of miles, accompanied by a grumpy man with one leg. This wasn't the plan.But while she's driving, Dinah will be forced to confront everything that led her here, everything that will finally show her which direction to turn...In her first YA novel, Costa-shortlisted author Kit de Waal responds to the classic Moby Dick with entirely new characters, a VW campervan, and by tearing the power away from obsessive Captain Ahab and giving it to a teenage girl who's determined to find a new life, far away from her unconventional upbringing."An emotionally charged book" - Daily Mail"Fresh and defiantly original ... what a beautiful book" - Sarah Moore Fitzgerald"An emotional coming of age tale of escape, mission, and ultimately, self-knowledge" - The Big Issue

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Growing Up with God is the story of Maria and Lucas, two best friends who are on the journey of discovering themselves in the very normal, but also epic journey of hearing from God’s heart. Maria has a life-changing moment at Summer Camp when she hears from God for the first time. He tells her something beyond belief, that she is going to be an actor! And not in 20 years as an adult, she can pursue her acting career now! The problem is, with every step, something seems to stand in her way. Lucas is a boy with a one-track mind: Soccer is life. The only thing more important than that is his relationship with God. Lucas is learning to listen to God’s heart, even if that means befriending the weird new kid in school. Maria and Lucas find themselves on a true adventure that causes them to grow in their connection to God, each other, and make new friends along the way. It’s a journey of doubt and frustration followed by joy in the very real pursuit of learning what it is to walk in relationship with Jesus. From Shawn Bolz, author of Translating God, comes an emotionally intelligent and spiritually relevant story that equips youth of all ages to tap into God’s heart and hear His voice in their lives. Shawn has taken his gift of teaching on the prophetic and presents it in a way that children of all ages can experience how God is not limited by our age. When He speaks, everyone gets to hear Him and see powerful and wonderful things happen through their faith. This book was created to work alongside the Growing Up with God Workbook, which can be used by individuals or Sunday school groups.

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In 1947, Bill Gaines inherited EC Comics, a new venture founded by his legendary father M. C. Gaines, who was responsible for midwifing the birth of the comic book as we know it during his tenure at All-American Comics, bringing the likes of Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to the world. Over the next eight years, Bill Gaines and a “who’s who” of the era including Al Feldstein, Harvey Kurtzman, and Wally Wood would reinvent the very notion of the comic book with titles like Tales from the Crypt, Crime SuspenStories, Weird Science, and MAD. EC delighted in publishing gory, morbid horror and crime comics that had snap, ironic endings—but they also pioneered the first true-to-life war comics, the first “real” science-fiction stories, and a series of tales about such then-taboo subjects as racism, bigotry, vigilantism, drug addiction, police corruption, and anti-Semitism. Too good to last, they were eventually caught up by various 1950s guardians of morality, who were convinced that EC’s often over-the-top content was causing juvenile delinquency. A year or so after a full inquiry investigating horror and crime comics, the incredible EC Comics were no more. TASCHEN presents the full, fascinating story of this fabled company, written and expertly curated by EC-authority Grant Geissman. Even the most die-hard EC Fan-Addicts will find something new within these pages, with the Gaines family archives providing more than 100 rarities that have never seen print. Many of the cover images are reproduced from Gaines File Copies, which are widely regarded as the best surviving copies of the EC Comics. Gathering more than 1,000 illustrations that include the rarest and most notorious covers, interior pages and panels, photos, vintage original artwork, and some of the most celebrated stories ever to be printed in four colors for a dime, this is the ultimate EC Comics compendium and a must-have for any comics enthusiast or pop culture historian.

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'Perfect if you loved THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB' - reader review'An entertaining romp and a fascinating insight into the weird and wonderful ways of the British aristocracy' S.J. Bennett, author of The Windsor KnotIt's the 1930s and a mysterious illness is spreading over Scotland. But the noble and ancient family of Inverkillen, residents of Loch Down Abbey, are much more concerned with dwindling toilet roll supplies and who will look after the children now that Nanny has regretfully (and most inconveniently) departed this life.Then Lord Inverkillen, Earl and head of the family, is found dead in mysterious circumstances. The inspector declares it an accident but Mrs MacBain, the head housekeeper, isn't so convinced. As no one is allowed in or out because of the illness, the residents of the house - both upstairs and downstairs - are the only suspects. With the Earl's own family too busy doing what can only be described as nothing, she decides to do some digging - in between chores, of course - and in doing so uncovers a whole host of long-hidden secrets, lies and betrayals that will alter the dynamics of the household for ever.Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey, Agatha Christie and Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club, LOCH DOWN ABBEY is a playful, humorous mystery that will keep you glued to the page!READERS LOVE LOCH DOWN ABBEY!'Beautifully written . . . this is a joyous read that will stay with me for a long time' - 5 STARS'The ending took me completely by surprise but in the best way' - 5 STARS'If you want to escape for a while, this is definitely a good book for that' - 5 STARSTthis very funny and unputdownable novel is a sure winner from start to finish! To be enjoyed without moderation.' - 5 STARS'It's amazing what secrets are hidden . . . Excellent :)' - 5 STARS

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'A smart, thrilling, utterly unnerving novel' GILLIAN FLYNN on Andrew Pyper's The Demonologist EVERY FAMILY HAS SECRETS. It is only after their father dies that Aaron, Bridge and Franny learn how wealthy he was. But they must fulfil a request in his will to get any inheritance: spend a month in a cabin, deep in the mountains, with no contact with the outside world. Despite their concerns, they agree. BUT SECRETS CAN BE A REAL KILLER. The isolation soon makes them question what their father was trying to tell them. And why they have memories of the cabin, though none of them have been there before. The only thing they are sure of is that something is calling to them from the darkness of the woods. And before the month is through, they will discover just how deadly secrets can be.For fans of The Haunting of Hill House, Twin Peaks and Stephen King, Andrew Pyper returns with this gripping novel about the dark side of family. *** PRAISE for ANDREW PYPER *** 'Brilliant thriller . . . readers will be invested in the thoughtfully constructed characters. Fans of Josh Malerman's Bird Box will be pleased' Publishers Weekly on The Homecoming (* Starred Review) 'One assumes the book was written beneath a full moon . . . Pyper's petrifying imagination comes through in the details. The Homecoming creates a battle between the reader's faith in what they know about their own histories and the leery possibility of treachery emerging out of nowhere . . . Pyper's craftsmanship knows no limit when it comes to making the reader confront their own inescapable fears' Globe and Mail 'Weird, wonderful, audacious . . . Brilliantly constructed and absolutely mesmerizing, this could very well be [Pyper's] best book yet' Booklist 'Genuinely terrifying, don't-read-late-at-night stuff. Thrilling, compelling and beautifully written' SJ Watson, bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep 'Pyper’s style flips back and forth from gallows humour to Grand Guignol horror…you’ll want to keep all the lights on as you read this one' Independent on Sunday on Lost Girls 'With impressive skill and confidence…Pyper has created an intricate puzzle, playing with elements of the courtroom drama, the detective story and country Gothic…As a debut novel, Lost Girls is remarkable and compelling. But more than that, it is a novel that goes some way towards reinventing the literary ghost story as a modern-day going concern' The Times on Lost Girls 'Sentence by sentence there’s little to fault: the moody unease of small-town Canada is maintained and a creeping horror revealed' Guardian on Lost Girls 'A best-seller in the author’s native Canada…it’s easy to see why…extremely compelling' Sunday Telegraph on Lost Girls 'This is an excellently written novel, brilliant in its evocation of an atmosphere which, at first mildly sinister, progressively thickens and darkens' Evening Standard on Lost Girls

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From Epic Originals comes a collection of illustrated stories serving up spooky thrills and plenty of laughs. When the lunch bell rings at Newville Elementary, you can bet that things are about to get WEIRD! Welcome to the Cafetorium! It’s a cafeteria, a gymnasium, and possibly a portal to a world where cube-shaped mashed potatoes are plotting against the almost-definitely-robotic lunch staff. Join Liz Dawson, Declan, Remy, and the rest of Newville Elementary as they learn that when you have plans in the Cafetorium, the Cafetorium has plans for you, too! Each offbeat tale focuses on a different Newville Elementary student, giving readers a chance to walk in another kid’s slightly wacky shoes. Funny, unexpected twists in each story provide readers with subtle lessons about honesty, consequences, self-acceptance, and more.

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God created the heavens and the Earth- but, little-known fact, he outsourced the animals to the office of Heaven's Design Team! This hilarious and educational manga features weird real-life animals and puts even some humdrum critters in a strange new light. On the seventh day, God rested. But it turns out He started getting tired long before... In fact, when it came time to design the animals, God contracted the whole thing out to an agency...Heaven's Design Team! They love their work-the giraffe, the koala, the ping-pong tree sponge(?!)-but their divine client's demands are often vague, and the results are sometimes wild in more ways than one. Then there's prototyping and testing to worry about, not to mention Ms. Pluto's penchant for grotesque and Mr. Saturn, who just wants to make everything look like a horse... But in the end, all creatures great and small get their due!

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In this version of our daily planner series, each day gets a full page of real estate–it's the perfect combination of a planner, journal, and that weird friend that knows the most random facts imaginable. Sure, it's technically undated–but really, it's more like 'un-yeared.' See, we did all of the hard work for you. We've already put in all of the dates, the fixed holidays, and tons of extra stuff like daily random holidays, celebrity birthdays, and other bits of trivia. Just mark what day of the week it is, and you're ready to go. Features 436 pages filled with import information like celebrity birthdays and random holidays Features a cloth bound cover with embossed, black foil artwork–and an attached ribbon bookmark Planner measures 5.125" wide by 7.5" tall (130mm x 190.5mm)

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Meet the wonderfully weird Otherhand family and their faithful guardian, Edgar the raven, and discover the dark secrets of Castle Otherhand.Edgar is alarmed when he sees a nasty looking black tail slinking under the castle walls. But his warnings to the inhabitants of the castle go unheeded: Lord Valevine Otherhand is too busy trying to invent the unthinkable and discover the unknowable; his wife, Minty, is too absorbed in her latest obsession - baking; and ten-year-old Cudweed is running riot with his infernal pet monkey. Only Solstice, the black-haired, poetry-writing Otherhand daughter, seems to pay any attention. As the lower storeys of the castle begin mysteriously to flood, and kitchen maids continue to go missing, the family come ever closer to the owner of the black tail...Dedicated website on Raven Mysteries: www.ravenmysteries.co.uk

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We went to find a woolly mammoth ... and it was NOWHERE to be found.It wasn't chilling on the snow-covered lands. Or swimming in the icy river. And it DEFINITELY wasn't hiding in the frozen forest. Everywhere we looked, we found strange creatures instead. There was a hairy scary woolly rhino rolling around in some grass (weird ... we thought it always snowed in the Ice Age). A spotty dotty sabre-tooth cat that was ready for a fight (RUN!) And a spiky feisty giant armadillo (but I crept right past him - armadillos are pretty blind you know ...). But absolutely NO mammoths.Where could such a HUGE great MAMMOOSIVE creature be hiding?Meet some of the incredible and unbelievably large creatures from the Ice Age in this laugh-out-loud picture book story that features hilarious, fascinating and slightly bizarre facts throughout. Perfect for fans of We're Going on a Bear Hunt.

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There is a wonderfully weird but real world out there, and we are a part of it. It is time for physics to take life seriously.Can we ever truly comprehend the universe before we fully understand consciousness and the wonders, and limits, of the mind? Ulf Danielsson, an acclaimed theoretical physicist who has dedicated his career to probing the deepest mysteries of nature, thinks not. As he dismantles the arguments of esteemed mathematicians and scientists, who would substitute their mathematical models for reality and equate the mind to a computer, he makes a lucid and passionate case that it is nature, full of beauty and meaning, which must compel us. In challenging established worldviews, he also takes a fresh look at major philosophical debates, including the notion of free will.Fearless, provocative, and witty, The World Itself is essential reading for anyone curious about the profound questions surrounding life, the universe, and everything.

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