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Are You My Mother?

Are You My Mother?

A Comic Drama

by Alison Bechdel

Hardcover, 286 pages, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $22, published May 1 2012 | purchase
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  • Are You My Mother?
  • A Comic Drama
  • Alison Bechdel

Depicts the author's mother as a voracious reader, music lover and passionate amateur actress who quietly suffers as the wife of a closeted gay artist and withdraws from her young daughter, who searches for answers to the separation later in life.NPR Bestseller

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The Story of English in 100 Words

The Story of English in 100 Words

by David Crystal

Hardcover, 260 pages, St Martins Pr, $22.99, published March 27 2012 | purchase
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  • The Story of English in 100 Words
  • David Crystal

Demonstrates how the history of English vernacular is reflected in 100 words with sources in key influences and events, from "roe" and "loaf" to "fopdoodle" and "twittersphere."

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The Mark Inside

The Mark Inside

A Perfect Swindle, A Cunning Revenge, And A Small History Of The Big Con

by Amy Reading

Hardcover, 290 pages, Random House Inc, $26.95, published March 6 2012 | purchase
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  • The Mark Inside
  • A Perfect Swindle, A Cunning Revenge, And A Small History Of The Big Con
  • Amy Reading

A narrative history of con artistry in America documents the early twentieth-century efforts of J. Frank Norfleet to track down a gang of confidence men who swindled him out of everything he had.

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The Storytelling Animal

The Storytelling Animal

How Stories Make Us Human

by Jonathan Gottschall

Hardcover, 248 pages, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $24, published April 10 2012 | purchase
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  • The Storytelling Animal
  • How Stories Make Us Human
  • Jonathan Gottschall

Explores the latest beliefs about why people tell stories and what stories reveal about human nature, offering insights into such related topics as universal themes and what it means to have a storytelling brain.

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Hole in My Life

Hole in My Life

by Jack Gantos

Paperback, 199 pages, Feiwel & Friends, $9.99, published April 24 2012 | purchase
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  • Hole in My Life
  • Jack Gantos

The author relates how, as a young adult, he became a drug user and smuggler, was arrested, did time in prison, and eventually got out and went to college, all the while hoping to become a writer.

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Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

by Jeanette Winterson

Hardcover, 230 pages, Pgw, $25, published March 6 2012 | purchase
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  • Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
  • Jeanette Winterson

Traces the author's lifelong search for happiness as the adopted daughter of Pentecostal parents who raised her through practices of fierce control and paranoia, an experience that prompted her to search for her biological mother.NPR Bestseller

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Hit Lit

Hit Lit

Cracking The Code Of The Twentieth Century's Biggest Bestsellers

by James W. Hall

Paperback, 294 pages, Random House Inc, $16, published April 10 2012 | purchase
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  • Hit Lit
  • Cracking The Code Of The Twentieth Century's Biggest Bestsellers
  • James W. Hall

Identifying common themes shared by many of the 20th century's favorite novels, an analysis of what made them best-sellers recounts the experiences and discoveries the author shared with students in his popular modern literature college courses.

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In the Garden of Beasts

In the Garden Of Beasts

Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

by Erik Larson

Paperback, 448 pages, Random House Inc, $16, published May 1 2012 | purchase
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  • In the Garden Of Beasts
  • Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
  • Erik Larson

The best-selling author of Devil in the White City documents the efforts of William E. Dodd, the first American ambassador to Hitler's Germany, to acclimate to a residence in an increasingly violent city where he is forced to associate with the Nazis while his daughter pursues a relationship with Gestapo chief Rudolf Diels.NPR Bestseller

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Bossypants

Bossypants

by Tina Fey

Paperback, 275 pages, Little Brown & Co, $15.99, published January 3 2012 | purchase
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  • Bossypants
  • Tina Fey

The breakout star of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock gives a humorous account of her life, as well as behind-the-scenes stories from her hit shows.NPR Bestseller

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Turn Right at Machu Picchu

Turn Right at Machu Picchu

Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time

by Mark Adams

Paperback, 333 pages, Penguin Group USA, $16, published April 24 2012 | purchase
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  • Turn Right at Machu Picchu
  • Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time
  • Mark Adams

A re-creation of Hiram Bingham III's discovery of the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Describes Bingham's struggles with rudimentary survival tools and his experiences at the sides of local guides.NPR Bestseller

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

by Rebecca Skloot

Hardcover, 369 pages, Random House Inc, $26, published February 2 2010 | purchase
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  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
  • Rebecca Skloot

Documents the story of how scientists took cells from an unsuspecting descendant of freed slaves and created a human cell line that has been kept alive indefinitely, enabling numerous medical and scientific discoveries.NPR Bestseller

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F in Exams

F in Exams

The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers

by Richard Benson

Paperback, 0 pages, Chronicle Books Llc, $9.95, published February 23 2011 | purchase
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  • F in Exams
  • The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers
  • Richard Benson

Humor writer Richard Benson collects hilariously wrong test answers.NPR Bestseller

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The Greater Journey

The Greater Journey

Americans in Paris

by David McCullough

Paperback, 558 pages, Simon & Schuster, $20, published May 15 2012 | purchase
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  • The Greater Journey
  • Americans in Paris
  • David McCullough

The best-selling author of 1776 tells the story of the generations of American artists, writers and doctors who traveled to Paris — the intellectual, scientific and artistic capital of the Western world — fell in love with the city and its people, and changed America through what they learned there.NPR Bestseller

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Nothing Daunted

Nothing Daunted

The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West

by Dorothy Wickenden

Paperback, 286 pages, Simon & Schuster, $15, published April 24 2012 | purchase
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  • Nothing Daunted
  • The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West
  • Dorothy Wickenden

A full-length account based on an admired New Yorker article that traces the experiences of classmates Dorothy Woodruff and Rosamond Underwood, who in 1916 left their affluent New York lives to teach school on the Western frontier.NPR Bestseller

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The Psychopath Test

The Psychopath Test

A Journey Through the Madness Industry

by Jon Ronson

Paperback, 275 pages, Penguin Group USA, $16, published May 1 2012 | purchase
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  • The Psychopath Test
  • A Journey Through the Madness Industry
  • Jon Ronson

Traces how the author's investigation into an alleged hoax unexpectedly drew him into the mental-health industry, explaining how an influential psychologist revealed the psychopathic profiles of top CEOs and politicians while imparting strategies for recognizing psychopathic behavior. By the author of The Men Who Stare at Goats.NPR Bestseller

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Moonwalking With Einstein

Moonwalking With Einstein

The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

by Joshua Foer

Paperback, 307 pages, Penguin Group USA, $16, published February 28 2012 | purchase
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  • Moonwalking With Einstein
  • The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
  • Joshua Foer

Having achieved the seemingly unachievable — becoming a U.S. memory champion — Foer shows how anyone with enough training and determination can achieve mastery of his memory.NPR Bestseller

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Outliers

Outliers

The Story of Success

by Malcolm Gladwell

Paperback, 309 pages, Little Brown & Co, $16.99, published June 7 2011 | purchase
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  • Outliers
  • The Story of Success
  • Malcolm Gladwell

The author of Blink identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about the cultural, family and idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a resource that covers such topics as the secrets of software billionaires, why certain cultures are associated with better academic performance, and why The Beatles earned their fame.NPR Bestseller

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The Hare With Amber Eyes

The Hare With Amber Eyes

A Hidden Inheritance

by Edmund De Waal

Paperback, 354 pages, St Martins Pr, $16, published August 2 2011 | purchase
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  • The Hare With Amber Eyes
  • A Hidden Inheritance
  • Edmund De Waal

Traces the parallel stories of 19th century art patron Charles Ephrussi and his unique collection of 264 miniature netsuke — Japanese ivory carvings — documenting Ephrussi's relationship with Marcel Proust and the impact of the Holocaust on his cosmopolitan family.NPR Bestseller

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Just Kids

Just Kids

by Patti Smith

Paperback, 288 pages, Harpercollins, $16, published November 2 2010 | purchase
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  • Just Kids
  • Patti Smith

Artist and musician Patti Smith recounts her romance, lifetime friendship and shared love of art with Robert Mapplethorpe in an illustrated memoir, with a colorful cast of characters including Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, Andy Warhol and William Burroughs.NPR Bestseller, Literary Award Winner

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The Happiness Project

The Happiness Project

Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun

by Gretchen Rubin

Paperback, 315 pages, Harpercollins, $14.99, published March 1 2011 | purchase
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  • The Happiness Project
  • Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
  • Gretchen Rubin

Chronicles the author's year spent testing the edicts of conventional wisdom to assess their potential for improving life, describing various activities ranging from getting more sleep and singing to her children to starting a blog and imitating a spiritual master.NPR Bestseller

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What a Plant Knows

What a Plant Knows

A Field Guide to the Senses

by Daniel Chamovitz

Hardcover, 177 pages, Farrar Straus & Giroux, $23, published May 22 2012 | purchase
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  • What a Plant Knows
  • A Field Guide to the Senses
  • Daniel Chamovitz

Paralleling the human senses, the author explores the secret lives of various plants, from the colors they see to whether or not they really like classical music to their ability to sense nearby danger.

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The Passage of Power

The Passage Of Power

The Years Of Lyndon Johnson

by Robert A. Caro

Hardcover, 712 pages, Random House Inc, $35, published May 1 2012 | purchase
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  • The Passage Of Power
  • The Years Of Lyndon Johnson
  • Robert A. Caro

Examines Lyndon Johnson's volatile relationships with John and Robert Kennedy, describes JFK's assassination from Johnson's viewpoint and recounts his accomplishments as president before they were overshadowed by the Vietnam War.NPR Bestseller

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Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake

Lots Of Candles, Plenty Of Cake

by Anna Quindlen

Hardcover, 182 pages, Random House Inc, $26, published April 24 2012 | purchase
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  • Lots Of Candles, Plenty Of Cake
  • Anna Quindlen

The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author of A Short Guide to a Happy Life presents a candid and whimsical personal account that explores what matters to middle-aged women and how they regard life stages.NPR Bestseller

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Drift

Drift

The Unmooring Of American Military Power

by Rachel Maddow

Hardcover, 304 pages, Random House Inc, $25, published March 27 2012 | purchase
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  • Drift
  • The Unmooring Of American Military Power
  • Rachel Maddow

Identifying what the author believes to be a battle between the priorities of civilian life and war, the host of the critically acclaimed The Rachel Maddow Show explains that today's focus on national security is actually compromising national stability and traces the historical events and contributing factors that have promoted a deeply militarized American culture.NPR Bestseller

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Wild

Wild

From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

by Cheryl Strayed

Hardcover, 315 pages, Random House Inc, $25.95, published March 20 2012 | purchase
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  • Wild
  • From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
  • Cheryl Strayed

Traces the personal crisis the author endured after the death of her mother and a painful divorce, which prompted her ambition to undertake a dangerous 1,100-mile solo hike that both drove her to rock bottom and helped her to heal.NPR Bestseller

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Imagine

Imagine

How Creativity Works

by Jonah Lehrer

Hardcover, 256 pages, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26, published March 19 2012 | purchase
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  • Imagine
  • How Creativity Works
  • Jonah Lehrer

An examination of the new science of creativity explains how it involves distinct thought processes that can be tapped by anyone, revealing the practices of successful companies and creative individuals while considering how to use scientific principles to increase creativity.NPR Bestseller

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Prague Winter

Prague Winter

A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948

by Madeleine Korbel Albright and Bill Woodward

Hardcover, 467 pages, HarperCollins, $29.99, published April 24 2012 | purchase
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  • Prague Winter
  • A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948
  • Madeleine Korbel Albright and Bill Woodward

The former secretary of state paints a portrait of her early life from 1937 to 1948 during which she witnessed the Nazi invasion of her native Prague, the Holocaust, the defeat of fascism, the rise of communism, and the onset of the Cold War.NPR Bestseller

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Unbroken

Unbroken

A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand

Hardcover, 473 pages, Random House Inc, $27, published November 16 2010 | purchase
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  • Unbroken
  • A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
  • Laura Hillenbrand

Tells the gripping true story of a U.S. airman who was the sole survivor when his bomber crashed into the sea during World War II. He faced thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. By the author of Seabiscuit.NPR Bestseller

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End This Depression Now!

End This Depression Now!

by Paul Krugman

Hardcover, p. cm., W.W. Norton & Co. Inc, $24.95, published April 30 2012 | purchase
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  • End This Depression Now!
  • Paul Krugman

With the Great Recession well into its fourth year, New York Times economics columnist Paul Krugman asks what makes this slump so intractable. He argues that recovery could take root if politicians simply mustered the will to end this depression now.NPR Bestseller

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Quiet

Quiet

The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

by Susan Cain

Hardcover, 333 pages, Random House Inc, $26, published January 24 2012 | purchase
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  • Quiet
  • The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
  • Susan Cain

Susan Cain demonstrates how introverted people are misunderstood and undervalued in modern culture, charting the rise of extrovert ideology while sharing anecdotal examples of how to use introvert talents to adapt to various situations.NPR Bestseller

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Talking Back to Facebook

Talking Back to Facebook

The Common Sense Guide to Raising Kids in the Digital Age

by James P. Steyer

Paperback, 206 pages, Simon & Schuster, $15, published May 8 2012 | purchase
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  • Talking Back to Facebook
  • The Common Sense Guide to Raising Kids in the Digital Age
  • James P. Steyer

The founder of Common Sense Media counsels parents and teachers on how to protect children from vulnerabilities in today's online and social technology outlets, providing coverage of such topics as content filters, unhealthy media messages, ADD and privacy.

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Hotels, Hospitals, and Jails

Hotels, Hospitals, and Jails

A Memoir

by Anthony Swofford

Hardcover, 276 pages, Grand Central Pub, $26.99, published June 5 2012 | purchase
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  • Hotels, Hospitals, and Jails
  • A Memoir
  • Anthony Swofford

The author of Jarhead describes how he found redemption from a life of drugs, alcohol, fast cars and bad relationships by taking a series of RV trips with his ailing, Vietnam veteran father and the chance encounter with his future wife.

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Barack Obama

Barack Obama

The Story

by David Maraniss

Hardcover, 448 pages, Simon & Schuster, $32.50, published June 19 2012 | purchase
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  • Barack Obama
  • The Story
  • David Maraniss

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of They Marched Into Sunlight draws on hundreds of interviews and written sources to present a richly textured account of the 44th President and the forces that shaped his character and beliefs, tracing the experiences of family members before his birth through his entry into politics.

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The Violinist's Thumb

The Violinist's Thumb

And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

Hardcover, 400 pages, Little Brown & Co, $25.99, published July 17 2012 | purchase
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  • The Violinist's Thumb
  • And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code
  • Sam Kean

The best-selling author of The Disappearing Spoon discusses DNA, the building block of life, describing how genes can explain why JFK's skill was bronze, Einstein was a genius and why people with exceptional thumb flexibility can become world-class violinists.

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A Wilderness of Error

A Wilderness of Error

The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald

by Errol Morris

Hardcover, 352 pages, Penguin Group USA, $29.95, published September 4 2012 | purchase
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  • A Wilderness of Error
  • The Trials of Jeffrey MacDonald
  • Errol Morris

Writer, filmmaker and former private detective Errol Morris suggests that Jeffrey MacDonald, the Army doctor and infamous "Green Beret killer," might not be guilty after all. MacDonald was convicted more than 30 years ago of murdering his family, despite his claim that his loved ones were slaughtered by four hippies.

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This Life Is in Your Hands

This Life Is In Your Hands

One Dream, Sixty Acres, and a Family Undone

by Melissa Coleman

Paperback, 326 pages, HarperCollins, $15.99, published April 10 2012 | purchase
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  • This Life Is In Your Hands
  • One Dream, Sixty Acres, and a Family Undone
  • Melissa Coleman

With urban farming and backyard chicken flocks becoming increasingly popular, Coleman has written this timely and honest portrait of her own childhood experience in Maine with her two homesteading parents during the turbulent 1970s. A luminous, evocative memoir that explores the hope and struggle behind one family's search for a self-sufficient life.

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Johnny Appleseed

Johnny Appleseed

The Man, the Myth, the American Story

by Howard Means

Paperback, 320 pages, Simon & Schuster, $16, published April 17 2012 | purchase
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  • Johnny Appleseed
  • The Man, the Myth, the American Story
  • Howard Means

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The First 20 Minutes

The First 20 Minutes

Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer

by Gretchen Reynolds

Hardcover, 266 pages, Penguin Group USA, $25.95, published April 26 2012 | purchase
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  • The First 20 Minutes
  • Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer
  • Gretchen Reynolds

The New York Times "Phys Ed" columnist counsels casual and serious exercisers on the latest understandings about the mental and physical aspects of a fitness program, sharing recommendations for current "best practices for a range of goals."

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The Fresh & Green Table

The Fresh & Green Table

Delicious Ideas for Bringing Fresh & Green Into Your Day

by Susie Middleton

Paperback, 224 pages, Chronicle Books Llc, $24.95, published June 20 2012 | purchase
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  • The Fresh & Green Table
  • Delicious Ideas for Bringing Fresh & Green Into Your Day
  • Susie Middleton

Susie Middleton follows up 2010's Fast, Fresh & Green with an array of recipes that put vegetables at the front and center of meals.

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Asian Tofu

Asian Tofu

Discover the Best, Make Your Own, and Cook It at Home

by Andrea Nguyen and Maren Caruso

Hardcover, 231 pages, Random House Inc, $30, published February 28 2012 | purchase
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  • Asian Tofu
  • Discover the Best, Make Your Own, and Cook It at Home
  • Andrea Nguyen and Maren Caruso

Presents a guide to making and cooking tofu, with nearly 100 recipes from one of the country's leading voices on Asian cuisine.

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Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook

Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook

Fresh, Healthy Cooking from the Garden

by Sunset

Paperback, 288 pages, Little Brown & Co, $24.95, published April 3 2012 | purchase
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  • Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook
  • Fresh, Healthy Cooking from the Garden
  • Sunset

Provides more than 150 quickly prepared recipes using home-grown vegetables, herbs, and fruits, with suggestions for cultivating an edible garden and preserving harvested produce.

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Ripe

Ripe

A Cook in the Orchard

by Nigel Slater and Jonathan Lovekin

Hardcover, 591 pages, Random House Inc, $40, published April 10 2012 | purchase
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  • Ripe
  • A Cook in the Orchard
  • Nigel Slater and Jonathan Lovekin

The popular British food writer behind the vegetable guide Tender now explores the wonderful world of fruit, in a book that includes such recipes as Apricot and Pistachio Crumble, Baked Rhubarb With Blueberries and Crisp Pork Belly with Sweet Peach Salsa.

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Ripe

Ripe

A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables

by Cheryl Sternman Rule and Paulette Phlipot

Hardcover, 312 pages, Perseus Books Group, $25, published March 27 2012 | purchase
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  • Ripe
  • A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables
  • Cheryl Sternman Rule and Paulette Phlipot

Citing the numerous health and environmental benefits of consuming fresh produce, a color-organized reference combines sumptuous photographs with narrative essays and dozens of recipes for enjoying a strategic diet of common fruits and vegetables.

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The Fresh Egg Cookbook

The Fresh Egg Cookbook

From Chicken to Kitchen, Recipes for Using Eggs from Farmers' Markets, Local Farms, and Your Own Backyard

by Jennifer Trainer Thompson

Paperback, 182 pages, Workman Pub Co, $14.95, published January 31 2012 | purchase
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  • The Fresh Egg Cookbook
  • From Chicken to Kitchen, Recipes for Using Eggs from Farmers' Markets, Local Farms, and Your Own Backyard
  • Jennifer Trainer Thompson

With more and more home cooks opting for fresh eggs — from farmers' markets or backyard chicken pens — Jennifer Trainer Thompson guides readers through a series of creative, delicious egg-based recipes.

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Herbivoracious

Herbivoracious

A Flavor Revolution, with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes

by Michael Natkin

Hardcover, 367 pages, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $24.95, published May 1 2012 | purchase
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  • Herbivoracious
  • A Flavor Revolution, with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes
  • Michael Natkin

Presents more than 150 recipes for vegetarian dishes which contain a multitude of ingredients and take their inspiration from Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian cuisine.

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United States of Pie

United States of Pie

Regional Favorites from East to West and North to South

by Adrienne Kane

Paperback, 288 pages, HarperCollins, $24.99, published May 22 2012 | purchase
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  • United States of Pie
  • Regional Favorites from East to West and North to South
  • Adrienne Kane

Paying tribute to the regional heirloom American pies, this cookbook, accompanied by baking tips and techniques, features recipes, gathered from housekeeping guides and booklets from church groups and community associations, that have been tested and updated for contemporary palates.

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Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Book

Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Book

by Jake Godby, Sean Vahey, Paolo Lucchesi and Frankie Frankeny

Paperback, 143 pages, Chronicle Books Llc, $19.95, published April 25 2012 | purchase
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  • Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Book
  • Jake Godby, Sean Vahey, et al

Jake Godby and Sean Vahey — the proprieters of oddball San Francisco ice cream shop Humphry Slocombe — share their secrets for concocting strangely delicious ice cream.

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Pasta Italiano

Pasta Italiana

100 Recipes from Fettuccine to Conchiglie

by Gino D'acampo and Kate Whitaker

Hardcover, 208 pages, Natl Book Network, $24.95, published January 16 2012 | purchase
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  • Pasta Italiana
  • 100 Recipes from Fettuccine to Conchiglie
  • Gino D'acampo and Kate Whitaker

More authentic Italian recipes from Gino D'Acampo, whose first cookbook, Fantastico!, won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Best Italian Cookbook.

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Our Divided Political Heart

Our Divided Political Heart

The Battle for the American Idea in an Age of Discontent

by E. J. Dionne Jr.

Hardcover, 325 pages, St Martins Press, $27, published May 22 2012 | purchase
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  • Our Divided Political Heart
  • The Battle for the American Idea in an Age of Discontent
  • E. J. Dionne Jr.

Noted political commentator E.J. Dionne offers a passionate argument about American identity, what is tearing the United States apart and what can be done to restore Americans' confidence.

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It Worked for Me

It Worked for Me

In Life and Leadership

by Colin Powell and Tony Koltz

Hardcover, 283 pages, HarperCollins, $27.99, published May 22 2012 | purchase
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  • It Worked for Me
  • In Life and Leadership
  • Colin Powell and Tony Koltz

Collecting lessons and personal anecdotes that have shaped the four-star general and former Secretary of State's legendary career in public service, this blueprint for leadership offers wise advice for succeeding in the workplace and beyond.

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The Map of My Dead Pilots

The Map of My Dead Pilots

The Dangerous Game of Flying in Alaska

by Colleen Catherine Mondor

Hardcover, 242 pages, Globe Pequot Pr, $22.95, published November 22 2011 | purchase
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  • The Map of My Dead Pilots
  • The Dangerous Game of Flying in Alaska
  • Colleen Catherine Mondor

Explores the history of Alaskan aviation, discussing small plane piloting in the wildest territory of the United States.

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Bunch of Amateurs

Bunch of Amateurs

A Search for the American Character

by Jack Hitt

Hardcover, 280 pages, Crown Publishing Group, $26, published May 15 2012 | purchase
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  • Bunch of Amateurs
  • A Search for the American Character
  • Jack Hitt

Journalist Jack Hitt examines how the amateur status of everyday Americans is helping to drive the nation's success and sense of identity, documenting his visits to garages throughout the country where he has surveyed promising innovations.

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Birdseye

Birdseye

The Adventures Of A Curious Man

by Mark Kurlansky

Hardcover, 251 pages, Random House Inc, $25.95, published May 8 2012 | purchase
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  • Birdseye
  • The Adventures Of A Curious Man
  • Mark Kurlansky

A profile of eccentric genius inventor Clarence Birdseye chronicles how his innovative fast-freezing process revolutionized the food industry and American agriculture.

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Just Ride

Just Ride

A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike

by Grant Petersen and Retsu Takahashi

Paperback, 212 pages, Workman Pub Co, $13.95, published May 8 2012 | purchase
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  • Just Ride
  • A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike
  • Grant Petersen and Retsu Takahashi
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China Airborne

China Airborne

by James Fallows

Hardcover, 268 pages, Random House Inc, $25.95, published May 15 2012 | purchase
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  • China Airborne
  • James Fallows

Evaluates China's plan to rival America as a leading aerospace power, revealing the nation's considerable investments in airports and airplane construction while making recommendations for how the United States should respond.

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Then Again

Then Again

by Diane Keaton

Paperback, 299 pages, Random House Inc, $16, published May 1 2012 | purchase
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  • Then Again
  • Diane Keaton

The award-winning actress documents her rise from everyday girl to acclaimed performer while exploring her defining relationship with her mother and how their shared and separate dreams influenced their experiences.NPR Bestseller

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Heaven is for Real

Heaven Is for Real

A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent

Paperback, 163 pages, Thomas Nelson Inc, $16.99, published November 2 2010 | purchase
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  • Heaven Is for Real
  • A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
  • Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent

The story of a Nebraska pastor's 4-year-old son, who loses consciousness during surgery, sees a vision of heaven and meets Jesus' special horse.NPR Bestseller

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Born to Run

Born To Run

A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

by Christopher McDougall

Hardcover, 287 pages, Random House Inc, $24.95, published May 5 2009 | purchase
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  • Born To Run
  • A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
  • Christopher McDougall

Recounts the author's experiences with the reclusive Tarahumara Indians, whose techniques allow them to run long distances with ease, and describes his training for a 50-mile race with the tribe and a number of ultramarathoners.NPR Bestseller

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A Natural Woman

A Natural Woman

A Memoir

by Carole King

Hardcover, 488 pages, Grand Central Pub, $27.99, published April 10 2012 | purchase
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  • A Natural Woman
  • A Memoir
  • Carole King

The legendary, award-winning singer, songwriter and pianist tells her life story — beginning with her childhood in Brooklyn, through her marriage to co-writer Gerry Goffin, her experiences as a mother, and what it was like to write and record Tapestry.NPR Bestseller

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Alphabetter Juice

Alphabetter Juice

Or, the Joy of Text

by Roy Blount Jr.

Paperback, 283 pages, Farrar Straus & Giroux, $15, published May 8 2012 | purchase
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  • Alphabetter Juice
  • Or, the Joy of Text
  • Roy Blount Jr.

The NPR panelist and humorist presents a second helping of dexterous and lighthearted vocabulary factoids, fripperies, and phenomena compiled to raise awareness about the relationship between words and their various definitions.

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The Wizard of Lies

The Wizard of Lies

Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust

by Diana B. Henriques

Paperback, 437 pages, St Martins Pr, $15.99, published May 8 2012 | purchase
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  • The Wizard of Lies
  • Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust
  • Diana B. Henriques

Examines the life, career, and notorious multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme of the formerly prominent New York financier, as well as the tragic consequences of his criminal activity.

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Popular Crime

Popular Crime

Reflections on the Celebration of Violence

by Bill James

Paperback, 496 pages, Simon & Schuster, $17, published May 8 2012 | purchase
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  • Popular Crime
  • Reflections on the Celebration of Violence
  • Bill James

The author of Baseball Abstracts presents a cultural analysis of sensational crime in America that profiles such infamous cases as the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the Black Dahlia murder and O.J. Simpson's trial to offer insight into topics ranging from crime rats and evidence practices to prison reform and radicalism. 100,000 first printing.

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Breasts

Breasts

A Natural and Unnatural History

by Florence Williams

Hardcover, 338 pages, W W Norton & Co Inc, $25.95, published May 7 2012 | purchase
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  • Breasts
  • A Natural and Unnatural History
  • Florence Williams

Draws from the fields of anthropology, biology, and medicine to describe the life cycle of the human female breast, from puberty to pregnancy to menopause, and discusses the organ's modern susceptibility to toxins and disease.

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