144 pp. Ages 14 and up. Pub: 3/98.

    Each entry presents a trope from video games, books, movies, or TV—such as saving the princess or training a wizard—as a problem for you to solve, as if you were the hero of your own fantasy quest. Through facts sourced from a rich foundation of medieval sources, you will learn how your magical problems were solved by people in the actual Middle Ages. Divided into thematic subsections based on typical stages in a fantastical epic, and inclusive of race, gender, and continent, How to Slay a Dragon is perfect if you’re curious to learn more about the time period that inspired some of your favorite magical worlds or longing to know what it would be like to be the hero of your own mythical adventure.

    Founded by Jerry Dammers, their fusion of punk, reggae, and ska created a new musical fashion—spearheaded by their own Two Tone record label—that stood for unity and racial harmony in a polarized society. This musical odyssey with The Specials moves from their early days on Coventry's punk circuit, to their chart-storming success with singles like Too Much Too Young and the eerily prescient Ghost Town, released as the race riots of 1982 saw Toxteth and Brixton go up in flames. Written with wry humor, this affectionate look at a band whose sublime music remains influential today is a must for all fans of The Specials.

    Now, twenty years later, Queen Elizabeth II is in her mid-nineties, Prince Charles is in his seventies, and all eyes are turned increasingly toward William and Harry again. Andersen picks up where he left off, covering everything that has happened to the brothers as they have grown up, gotten married to two remarkable women, and had children—all while facing continual waves of controversy and questions about the ways their relationship has shifted.Andersen examines how the Queen’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering to mold her grandsons in the Windsor image after Diana’s death, and her expectations of William as the future king, played out. He questions whether the brothers’ famously close relationship can survive Harry’s departure from the Royal Family—the first time this has happened since their great-great-uncle King Edward abdicated the throne to marry a divorcée. He delves into the impact sisters-in-law Kate and Meghan have had on each other as well as on their princes, and how marriage and fatherhood have changed the brothers and in some ways also driven a wedge between them. Andersen also looks with an honest eye at how the princes and their wives have been continuously buffeted by scandal—including headline-making allegations of bullying, racism, betrayal, and emotional abuse that pushed more than one royal to the brink of self-destruction.Based on in-depth research and with his “fascinating and insightful” (The Christian Science Monitor) writing, Christopher Andersen leaves no stone unturned in this intimate and riveting look into the private lives of the world’s most famous princes.

    Following the adventures of two brothers who investigate deeply strange and paranormal mysteries in their never-ending road trip, the TV show Supernatural has many fans eager to better understand the psychology behind the series’ themes and characters. Through 20 essays, this collection examines such issues asThe role grief and trauma play in the protagonists’ livesThe importance of music to the narrativeWhat motivates someone to hunt monsters and why we want to believe in magicThe various archangels and archetypes depictedHow people can cope with tragedy, loss, addiction, and fear to become heroes who do the right thingThe dynamics of fandom: how fans relate to the narrative, characters, and actors, and continue to engage with series through fanfic, social media, and other practices

    Whether she’s trying to impress her parents with a perfect GPA, undergoing an exorcism to save her toxic marriage, or baking a 3D excavator cake for her son’s birthday, Salie is the ultimate approval seeker—an “approval junkie,” if you will. In this collection of daring, honest essays, Salie shares stories from her lifelong quest for gold stars, recounting her strategy for winning (very Southern) high school beauty pageant; her struggle to pick the perfect outfit to wear to her divorce; and her difficulty falling in love again, and then conceiving, in the years following her mother’s death. With thoughtful irreverence, Salie reflects on why she tries so hard to please others, and herself, highlighting a phenomenon that many people—especially women—experience at home and in the workplace. Equal parts laugh-out loud funny and poignant, Approval Junkie is one woman’s journey to realizing that seeking approval from others is more than just getting them to like you—it's challenging yourself to achieve, and survive, more than you ever thought you could.

    What does “Give them Lala” mean? It means giving the truest, most honest version of yourself to the world. It means being authentic, bold, adventurous, and having an unapologetic approach to life. Hollywood is where Lauren Burningham, aspiring actress from Utah, fully embraced her alter-ego Lala Kent, entrepreneur, entertainer, and film and television star. Some say she’s rude; Lala says she claps back. Some say she’s spontaneous; Lala says “eat up the drama.” Some say she’s too bold; Lala knows she’s reality TV gold. Truth is, without giving them Lala, Lauren could never have become the woman she is today. In her debut collection of essays, Lala shares how you, too, can embrace the best version of yourself and never feel guilty for deserving more. As she leads us on her bumpy journey from suburban boredom to Hollywood glamour, she’ll explain how women can—and should—feel just as free as men when it comes to sex, how sobriety saved her life and relationship, and how we should treasure every day we have with those we love.

    Enter Aunt Marie’s Trailer and view her mysterious artifacts. Read the pages from the family journal passed down by generations of Grimms. Navigate through the Creature Gallery. See behind-the-scenes photos from the filming of the television series. Be one of the first to see the terrifying new creature, Mauvais Dentes. Meet the cast and so much more!Both die-hard fans (aka Grimmsters) and curious newcomers will discover the ancient secrets of the supernatural Wesens that live among us in Grimm: The Essential Guide.Get it now before it’s too late!20277 KB

    This is a kaleidoscope of human events to be enjoyed by everyone but especially by those who have little or no background in world history and would like to appreciate and understand how the fragments of major events form a unified whole. Read the high reviews on Amazon.

    What is our future? Will the human race exist in a 1,000 years time? In 10,000 years? In a 100,000 years time? If so, what will we look like and how will we behave? How will we have developed or adapted,, and why? What will be the effect of that change on other animals? Man After Man is an illustrated anthropology of the future. It shows how the human race might evolve naturally or be adapted to face life under the sea or in space. And how the descendants of Homo sapiens might meet the harsh challenge of a new ice age or the adverse conditions imposed by the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion or magnetic reversal.

    Reinvented for television with scripts by Neil himself, and featuring a stellar cast including David Tennant, Michael Sheen, Jon Hamm, Jack Whitehall and Miranda Richardson, to name but a few, this major TV show will be shown first on Amazon Prime Video and then on the BBC later in the year.Keep calm, because The Nice and Accurate Good Omens TV Companion is your ultimate guide to the upcoming apocalypse, which is scheduled to happen on a Saturday, just after tea. The series sees an angel (Sheen) and a demon (Tennant) team up in order to try and sabotage the end of the world...Featuring incredible photographs, stunning location shots, costume boards, set designs and fascinating character profiles and in-depth interviews with the stars and crew, this behind-the-scenes look into the making of Good Omens is an absolute must for fans old and new - and will shatter coffee tables around the world.

    In her trademark bossy, witty, and authoritative way, Miss Manners gives advice that will make the big day more pleasant for one and all, including the bride. 15 line drawings.

    It has a history that goes back over a thousand years, and there is some evidence that perhaps it is even older than that. The Rules of Chess is a free book, in electronic format, that will teach young and old how to play the “Royal Game." Written by one of the great instructors of the modern era, Bruce Pandolfini, it is in fact a small excerpt from his extremely popular book Let’s Play Chess (2nd edition). After the material is presented, there is a section listing and describing the chess books published by Russell Enterprises, Inc. which are also available in electronic format. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy The Rules of Chess by Bruce Pandolfini...

     “A pleasure. Ellie Kemper is the kind of stable, intelligent, funny, healthy woman that usually only exists in yogurt commercials. But she’s real and she’s all ours!” —Tina Fey “Ellie is a hilarious and talented writer, although we’ll never know how much of this book the squirrel wrote.”—Mindy KalingMeet Ellie, the best-intentioned redhead next door. You’ll laugh right alongside her as she shares tales of her childhood in St. Louis, whether directing and also starring in her family holiday pageant, washing her dad’s car with a Brillo pad, failing to become friends with a plump squirrel in her backyard, eating her feelings while watching PG-13 movies, or becoming a “sports monster” who ends up warming the bench of her Division 1 field hockey team in college. You’ll learn how she found her comedic calling in the world of improv, became a wife, mother and New Yorker, and landed the role of a bridesmaid (while simultaneously being a bridesmaid) in Bridesmaids. You’ll get to know and love the comic, upbeat, perpetually polite actress playing Erin Hannon on The Office, and the exuberant, pink-pants-wearing star of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. If you’ve ever been curious about what happens behind the scenes of your favorite shows, what it really takes to be a soul cycle “warrior,” how to recover if you accidentally fall on Doris Kearns Goodwin or tell Tina Fey on meeting her for the first time that she has “great hair—really strong and thick,” this is your chance to find out. But it’s also a laugh-out-loud primer on how to keep a positive outlook in a world gone mad and how not to give up on your dreams. Ellie “dives fully into each role—as actor, comedian, writer, and also wife and new mom—with an electric dedication, by which one learns to reframe the picture, and if not exactly become a glass-half-full sort of person, at least become able to appreciate them” (Vogue.com).

    These are the portraits of today's tongue-in-cheek masculinity, as conceived by Emmy Award-winning director and photographer Robert Trachtenberg. Red-Blooded American Male presents 100 of his most imaginative, striking, and unconventionally sexy portraits of both celebrities and regular guys going about their thoroughly modern lives. No longer do men have to be serious businessmen or hunky firefighters to be deemed attractive--they can also ride tricycles and get pedicures. Revealing a surprising (and often self-deprecating) side to Mel Brooks, Seth Rogan, Jimmy Fallon, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Hamm, Conan O'Brien, and more, this gorgeous coffee-table book features an introduction about male images and stereotypes plus pithy captions about each photo's shoot, giving readers a peek behind the curtain of a famed portrait photographer's creative process.