As Jane Alison writes in the introduction to her insightful and appealing book about the craft of writing: "For centuries there's been one path through fiction we're most likely to travel -- one we're actually told to follow -- and that's the dramatic arc: a situation arises, grows tense, reaches a peak, subsides . . . But something that swells and tautens until climax, then collapses? Bit masculosexual, no? So many other patterns run through nature,...

For anyone who has been intimidated, overwhelmed, or just plain confused by what they think opera is, WHO'S AFRAID OF OPERA? offers a lively, readable guide to what author Michael Walsh describes as "the greatest art form yet invented by humankind." From opera's origins in Renaissance Italy to The Who's rock odyssey "Tommy" and Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods," Walsh explores what opera is and what it's not, what makes a great singer, and why it...

"When Steward Edmund Rounds and Sir Cumference notice that there are strangers camped nearby, Rounds II decides to investigate despite being involved with the task of learning how to make accurate counts of the castle's stores of food, supplies, and weaponry. When he reports back that an enemy is lying in wait, everyone moves quickly to defend the castle. But wait! Will Rounds II be able to figure out how many bows and arrows they have to create an...

The global financial crisis that erupted in 2008 exposed the flaws in many investment strategies. This book explores the controversies that surround the management of wealth and provides guidance on how to construct investment strategies that are appropriate for each investor. With its detailed analysis, supported by data and anecdotes, it is above all a practical guide. It shows how the insights of behavioural analysis are widely reflected in investor...

Investors are in a jam. A troubled global economy, unpredictable markets, and a bewildering number of investment choices create a dangerous landscape for individual and institutional investors alike. To meet this challenge, most of us rely on a portfolio of fund managers to take the risk on our behalves. Here, investment expert Brian Portnoy delivers a powerful framework for choosing the right ones and avoiding the losers. Leveraging the fresh insights...

Through research into the unique way women talk to one another, this validating and illuminating analysis of female friendship will help women lean into the comfort these powerful relationships offer and avoid the hurt feelings that come from common miscommunications.

Dr. Michael Mosley and botanist James Wong celebrate the physics, chemistry, and biology hidden inside every bite of a next meal. Learn how the hidden chemistry of food keeps bodies fit and healthy; take a global culinary adventure to reveal the science that makes food taste delicious; and discover how the chemistry in food affects the brain and creates the deepest cravings.

Simple experiments demonstrate the properties of light and color.

"Americans love musicals. Americans invented musicals. Americans perfected musicals. But what, exactly, is a musical? In [this book], Jack Viertel takes them apart, puts them back together, sings their praises, marvels at their unflagging inventiveness, and occasionally despairs over their more embarrassing shortcomings. In the process, he invites us to fall in love all over again by showing us how musicals happen, what makes them work, how they captivate...