Book picks similar to
Chance, Luck, & Destiny by Peter Dickinson


non-fiction
nonfiction
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Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers


Jessica Roux - 2020
    The book explores the coded significances associated with various blooms, from flowers for a lover to flowers for an enemy.The language of flowers was historically used as a means of secret communication. It soared in popularity during the 19th century, especially in Victorian England and the U.S., when proper etiquette discouraged open displays of emotion. Mysterious and playful, the language of flowers has roots in everything from the characteristics of the plant to its presence in folklore and history. Researched and illustrated by popular artist Jessica Roux, this book makes a stunning display piece, conversation-starter, or thoughtful gift.

Behind the Secret Window


Nelly S. Toll - 1993
    Just eight years old when she went into hiding in 1943, Nelly began keeping the diary that would inspire this powerful and moving memoir of her childhood. In her small black journal Nelly wrote about the heartbreaking events she experienced in Lwow and her grief over the tragic losses of family members, as well as the day-to-day fears of life in hiding. In contrast, the exuberant, vividly colored paintings that Nelly also produced while in hiding transformed her grim reality into an enchanting fantasy world filled with school friends, bright skies, and happy families. Twenty-nine of these paintings are reproduced in Behind the Secret Window; captions help readers to trace the fascinating process of their creation. Together, text and art tell the story of a lovable, imaginative child beset with terrifying uncertainties, and of the courageous mother who nurtured her daughter's unswerving belief in brighter days ahead.

Mia Culpa


Mia Freedman - 2011
    It's a lot like asking a woman who's just come home from a girls' dinner 'What did you talk about?'  The short answer?  Everything! When Mia Freedman talks, people listen. Perhaps not her husband. Or her children. But other people. Women. Mia has a knack for putting into words the dilemmas, delights and dramas of women everywhere. The new rules for dating in the internet-romance age? Yep, tricky stuff. Things are not what they used to be. And sex talk at the dinner table? Appropriate or not? Perhaps not, unless in an educational capacity and even then some things are best left unsaid . . . With intrepid curiosity and a delicious sense of humour, Mia navigates her way through the topics – great and small – of modern life.

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World


Rachel Ignotofsky - 2016
    Full of striking, singular art, this collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

The Sallie House Haunting: A True Story


Debra Lyn Pickman - 2010
    The story of the Sallie House and the fire-starting ghost girl who haunted it has sparked endless rumors and theories of murder, cover-ups, racism, and abuse. But the Pickmans know the real story because they lived it--and barely made it out alive.Now, for the first time, Tony and Debra reveal untold stories from their ordeal. They describe Sallie's seemingly protective fascination with their baby, and tell what it was like to live with menacing entities that scratched, bit, and terrorized their family. Along with historical research, the Pickmans share personal photographs and journal entries from their time spent living in the nightmare house that still haunts them today.

Tip O'Neill and the Democratic Century


John A. Farrell - 2001
    To read this book is to revisit many of the greatest moments of late 20th-century American politics: its most colorful characters, its grandest triumphs, its most bitter ideological wars and crises.

The Girlfriends' Guide to Baby Gear: What to Buy, What to Borrow, and What to Blow Off!


Vicki Iovine - 2003
    You're pregnant. Get used to the fact that life is never going to be the same. And break out the credit card, because that little bundle of joy is going to cost you. The list seems endless--from car seats to changing pads. But don't despair. The Girlfriends are here to take some of the guesswork out of shopping for baby-to-be. We'll tell you when to skimp and when to splurge, and which hand-me-downs are safe and which are sorry. You'll get advice on...Where to get what you needCrib and car seat do's and don'tsWardrobe musts and misses--for mother and childStocking the nursery and the rest of the houseWhat every new mom should have on hand for herselfThe Master Shopping List--don't leave home without it!Plus the Top 10 Things to Do for Yourself Before the Baby Arrives, the Top 10 Baby Items You Won't Find at a Baby Store, the Top 10 Best--and Worst--Things to Borrow, the Top 10 Signs of a First-Time Mom, and more...

Amazinger Face


Zoë Foster Blake - 2016
    And there's no reason she shouldn't know which foundation or mascara is best for her, either.All the answers are here, in this top-to-toe beauty extravaganza. Former Cosmopolitan and Harper's BAZAAR beauty director, and the founder of Go-To skin care, Zoë Foster (Blake) suggests makeup colours and brands for every occasion, useful, practical skin care routines and products for every age, and step-by-step instructions for winged eyeliner, arresting red lips, foolproof tanning, simple up-dos, sexy second-day hair, and much, much more . . .

Abandoned Places


Kieron Connolly - 2016
    Arranged thematically from industrial to military sites, from ghosts towns to recreational sites, the book explains through extended captions the story of how each place came to be abandoned - natural or chemical disaster, war, economic collapse, changing attitudes and tastes. Often it's because the world has moved on and these places are no longer of use or interest in the march of progress. Throughout, though, emerges a picture not of what has been lost, but of what remains. Left to the elements but also ignored by humanity, the photographs of these ghost towns, crumbling structures and vessels illuminate worlds for us that we thought were lost. Through these, we gain a glimpse into the past. With more than 150 outstanding colour photographs exploring hauntingly beautiful places over one or two spreads, Abandoned Places is an excellent pictorial examination of worlds that we've left behind.

Fascinating Facts for the Whole Family


Nayden Kostov - 2017
    This book will entice them into reading and learning new stuff while having fun.I created the popular trivia website RaiseYourBrain and wrote two trivia books so far. As I was new to writing for kids, my son Pavel (aged 8) helped me very much. He reads a lot and really loves learning new things every day. Pavel proudly illustrated the book and helped me to handpick and order the facts.The book contains 600+ pieces of trivia and is covering topics that kids love: cute animals and human body. The lack of explicit sexuality, foul language or gore makes it a good read for anyone in the age range 8-18 years (and their parents too ;) ).A life hack if your child is NOT an avid reader: when you are preparing his/her lunch box, slip inside a couple of those facts. You could print out three facts every day to create some lunchtime fun for your kids and provoke their intellectual curiosity.

No Place for the Weak: A True Story of Deviance, Torture and Social Cleansing (Ryan Green's True Crime)


Ryan Green - 2021
    

It's Easy To Cry


Subhas Anandan - 2015
    In the first volume of his autobiography The Best I Could (first published in 2008), Subhas Anandan covered many sensational cases, such as those of Anthony Ler, Took Leng How and Ah Long San, and espoused his views on the mandatory death sentence and police entrapment. In this second volume It’s Easy to Cry, this foremost champion of pro bono work moves away from depicting gruesome murders and delves instead into the emotions behind the crimes. He writes about cases where deep and complex emotions are displayed, like the mother who lied and pleaded guilty to save her son. He also shares his thoughts on the many people, including Singapore’s Chief Justices and Attorney-Generals, who have affected him in one way of the other. It is also a searing and honest account of his life, career and friendships — dictated to his wife in 2014 while undergoing kidney dialysis.

We have now begun our descent: How to Stop South Africa losing its way


Justice Malala - 2015
    I am furious. Because I never thought it would happen to us. Not us, the rainbow nation that defied doomsayers and suckled and nurtured a fragile democracy into life for its children. I never thought it would happen to us, this relentless decline, the flirtation with a leap over the cliff.” In a searing, honest paean to his country, renowned political journalist and commentator Justice Malala forces South Africa to come face to face with the country it has become: corrupt, crime-ridden, compromised, its institutions captured by a selfish political elite bent on enriching itself at the expense of everyone else. In this deeply personal reflection, Malala’s diagnosis is devastating: South Africa is on the brink of ruin. He does not stop there. Malala believes that we have the wherewithal to turn things around: our lauded Constitution, the wealth of talent that exists, our history of activism and a democratic trajectory can all be used to stop the rot. But he has a warning: South Africans of all walks of life need to wake up and act, or else they will soon find their country has been stolen.

Reasons to Stay Alive


Matt Haig - 2015
    Reasons to Stay Alive is Matt’s inspiring account of how, minute by minute and day by day, he overcame the disease with the help of reading, writing, and the love of his parents and his girlfriend (and now-wife), Andrea. And eventually, he learned to appreciate life all the more for it. Everyone’s lives are touched by mental illness: if we do not suffer from it ourselves, then we have a friend or loved one who does. Matt’s frankness about his experiences is both inspiring to those who feel daunted by depression and illuminating to those who are mystified by it. Above all, his humor and encouragement never let us lose sight of hope. Speaking as his present self to his former self in the depths of depression, Matt is adamant that the oldest cliché is the truest—there is light at the end of the tunnel. He teaches us to celebrate the small joys and moments of peace that life brings, and reminds us that there are always reasons to stay alive.

Seuss-isms


Dr. Seuss - 1997
    Seuss have helped many a child (and grownup) along the complicated road of life. For those who need reminders, here is a collection of some of the good doctor's wisest and wittiest sayings, on subjects as varied as "Equality and Justice" and "Facing Up to Adversity" to "The Art of Eating" and "The First Nerd"! A perfect gift for all occasions, ideal for sharing among generations--now with a "gift tag" on the jacket flap for consumers to personalize!