A collection of essays by the humorist traces his offbeat travel experiences, which involve surreal encounters with everything from French dentistry and Australian kookaburras to Beijing squat toilets and a wilderness Costco in North Carolina.

Michael Pollan explores the previously uncharted territory of his own kitchen. There, he discovers the enduring power of the four classical elements — fire, water, air and earth — to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink. And he discovers that the cook occupies a special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture.

Facebook's chief operating officer shares provocative, anecdotal advice for women, urging them to take risks and seek new challenges to find work that they can love and engage in passionately.

Francesco Marciuliano, author of the comic strip Sally Forth, gives voice to the thoughts and feelings of cats in this collection of poems attributed to felines.

The celebrated author shares the intimate story of her relationship with her mother, including the events that prompted her mother to send young Angelou to Arkansas to live with her grandmother, and the complicated fallout that shaped their family life.

In this comic reimagining, Darth Vader is a dad like any other — except with all the baggage of being the Dark Lord of the Sith.

The actress offers advice based on her own practices for energy restoration and weight loss, sharing 185 recipes that avoid animal products, refined ingredients and other potential toxins.

The author of Mayflower presents a history of the Boston battle that ignited the American Revolution, tracing the experiences of rebel leader Joseph Warren, a newly recruited George Washington and British Gen. William Howe.

The author of Stiff, about corpses, and Spook, about the afterlife, now explores the living human body. Gulp follows the digestive system from the mouth to the ... south, discussing food flavors, rectum uses, flatulence and the functions of saliva, among many other alimentary topics.

Help, Thanks, Wow describes the three simple prayers — asking for assistance from a higher power, expressing gratitude and feeling awe — that help to deal with the hardships of daily life.

The first Hispanic-American on the U.S. Supreme Court shares the story of her life before becoming a judge, describing such experiences as her youth in a Bronx housing project, her relationship with a passionately spiritual grandparent, the ambition that fueled her Ivy League education, and the individuals who helped shape her career.

From beer to bourbon, and martinis to Manhattans, all the world's alcoholic drinks come from plants. Garden writer Amy Stewart explores the plants behind our favorite cocktails: the fruits and grains that become alcohol; the herbs that add flavor; and the garnishes and mixers that add the finishing touches.

The young exchange student whose conviction and acquittal on murder charges in Italy made headlines worldwide tells the full story of her ordeal.

The New York Times columnist builds on the theories of his earlier book Food Matters to outline a menu plan that eliminates meat and animal products throughout the day to promote weight loss and overall good health.

Jeffrey Brown comically reimagines the plot of Star Wars with Darth Vader as a charming father.