This novel tells the story of Hank Morgan, the quintessential self-reliant New Englander who brings to King Arthur’s Age of Chivalry the “great and beneficent” miracles of nineteenth-century engineering and American ingenuity. Through the collision of past and present, Twain exposes the insubstantiality of both utopias, destroying the myth of the romantic ideal as well as his own era’s faith in scientific and social progress.

A central document in American intellectual history, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is at once a hilarious comedy of anachronisms and incongruities, a romantic fantasy, a utopian vision, and a savage, anarchic social satire that only one of America’s greatest writers could pen.

Between 1932 and 1953, Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, of Oxford, England, translated four volumes compiled by the renowned Hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, written during the Third Age of Middle Earth, far longer ago than the Celtic, Germanic and Icelandic manuscripts Professor Tolkien was used to deciphering. The result was The Hobbit, and readers have never been the same since.

In 1954, seventeen years after The Hobbit first appeared, its sequel, The Lord of the Rings was published, and it became the centerpiece of Tolkien's work. The Ring Epic covers approximately ten thousand years, and contains a vast amount of information as well as a huge variety of words and names which Tolkien translated from the Elvish and Mannish tongues. The Tolkien Companion is an impressive endeavor to guide one through the world of Middle Earth, compiling every fact, name, word, and date from all the works into one comprehensive and accessible volume.

Here, in one source, is the High History of the Elven peoples. The origins of Morgoth the Enemy is clarified, as is his Fall, and the subsequent rise to power of Sauron the Great, Lord of the Rings. The heroic epic of how the Free Peoples—Elves, Men, Ents, Dwarves, and Hobbits—survived against the Peril of the Ancient World is meticulously detailed. And a guide to the various Elvish writing systems, together with explanatory maps, charts, even genealogical tables, bring the remarkable genius of Tolkien and the unforgettable world and wonder of Middle Earth to life with focus and accuracy. Presented in alphabetical order for quick and easy reference, The Tolkien Companion is an indispensable accompaniment for anyone who embarks on the reading journey of a lifetime.

By the same authors as Home Buying for Dummies, the new House Selling for Dummies shares all of the companion volume's virtues and likewise qualifies as the overall best choice on its topic. It provides clear and wise counsel on preparing a house for sale, setting the asking price, and negotiating with buyers. House Selling for Dummies discusses the pros and cons of selling a house without a listing agent, but authors Tyson and Brown seem to believe that most "dummies" need the professional help of a Realtor. The book offers extensive and good advice on selecting and working with an agent. —Barry Mitzman

For many of us, the single biggest financial transaction is buying a house. Even more significant than the hefty down payment we fork over is the 15- to 30-year mortgage that needs feeding every month. If you have this much at stake, a little knowledge can go a long way, which is where Eric Tyson and Ray Brown come in. In Mortgages for Dummies, Tyson and Brown (who also wrote Home Buying for Dummies and House Selling for Dummies) provide a comprehensive introduction for anyone who is contemplating a mortgage. The book tells you how to evaluate your creditworthiness, determine your borrowing power, and shop for a lender, as well as covering the various types of loans. The authors also devote a section to refinancing and discuss what you should consider when prepaying a loan. They include amortization and remaining-balance tables, and a useful glossary. Whether you're a first-time home buyer or are just looking to refinance, you'll find this a valuable, easy-to-use guide. —Harry C. Edwards

The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of military theory—pop out a different tool for any situation. Folded into this small package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive, flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility, and practicality. Thomas Cleary's translation keeps the package tight, with crisp language and short sections. Commentaries from the Chinese tradition trail Sun-tzu's words, elaborating and picking up on puzzling lines. Take the solitary passage: "Do not eat food for their soldiers." Elsewhere, Sun-tzu has told us to plunder the enemy's stores, but now we're not supposed to eat the food? The Tang dynasty commentator Du Mu solves the puzzle nicely, "If the enemy suddenly abandons their food supplies, they should be tested first before eating, lest they be poisoned." Most passages, however, are the pinnacle of succinct clarity: "Lure them in with the prospect of gain, take them by confusion" or "Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability is in the opponent." Sun-tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond the military because they speak directly to the exigencies of survival. Your new tools will serve you well, but don't flaunt them. Remember Sun-tzu's advice: "Though effective, appear to be ineffective." —Brian Bruya

All-new stories from the masters of military fiction! The first anthology of its kind!

New York Times bestselling authors:

Stephen Coonts
James H. Cobb
Harry Turtledove
H. Jay Riker
and many others

For the first time in print, here are seven short stories by the best combat novelists of our time. Experience all the drama and action of war from the frozen plains of Russia, to the vast expanse of the skies above, to the cutthroat world of international espionage in this one-of-a-kind collection by the masters of military fiction!

* A brilliant concept—the first military anthology for techno-thriller fans

* A killer line-up—including bestselling authors Stephen Coonts, James H. Cobb, H. Jay Riker, Jim DeFelice, and sci-fi/military crossovers Harry Turtledove and William C. Dietz

* An all-out attack—from every branch of the military, from submarines and fighter planes to armored tanks and armed assassins

From Pixar Animation Studios, the Academy Award®-winning studio that brought us such blockbusters as Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo, comes The Incredibles, a hilarious, action-packed story of a family of superheroes living an underground suburban existence. The sleekly designed settings and characters were conceptualized and developed by writer/director Brad Bird and Pixar's creative team of artists, illustrators, and designers, resulting in a celluloid sensation rich with detail. The Art of The Incredibles celebrates their talent, featuring concept and character sketches, storyboards, and lighting studies, and invites readers into the elaborate creative process of animation through interviews with all the key players at Pixar. With an 8-page gatefold and fabulous color art, this stunning book — the only movie tie-in book for adults — will delight film-goers, artists, and animation fans alike.

Over 200 recipes ranging from traditional to festive. Illustrated with over 600 color photographs, step-bystep instructions and the glorious finished results.

INTRODUCTION

The islands of Hawaii poke from the Pacific more than two thousand miles off the west coast of America. In total, there are well over a hundred of them, the weather-beaten summits of a chain of submarine volcanoes that stretches almost to Japan. Most, however, are no more than tiny atolls. Only the seven largest, lying south of the Tropic of Cancer at the southeast end of the archipelago, are inhabited, and only six welcome visitors. Those are Oahu (the site of the state capital Honolulu and its resort annex of Waikiki), Hawaii itself (more commonly known as the Big Island in a vain attempt to avoid confusion), Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kauai.

All the islands share a similar topography, having been formed in the same way and exposed to the same winds and rains. Each is much wetter on its north and east – windward – coasts, which are characterized by stupendous sea cliffs, verdant stream-cut valleys and dense tropical vegetation. The south and west – leeward or "Kona" – coasts are much drier, often virtually barren, and make ideal locations for big resorts.

With its majestic volcanoes and palm-fringed beaches, Hawaii holds some of the most superb scenery on earth. Firmly established among the world’s greatest vacation playgrounds, it combines top-quality hotels and restaurants with almost unlimited opportunities not only for sheer self-indulgence, but also for activities such as surfing, diving, golf and hiking. Visiting Hawaii does not, however, have to be expensive; budget facilities on all the islands are listed throughout this book, together with advice on making the most of your money.

Despite the crowds, the islands have not been ruined by tourism. Resort development is concentrated into surprisingly small regions – Waikiki is the classic example, holding half the state’s hotel rooms in just two square miles – and it’s always possible to venture off into pristine wilderness, or to camp on the seashore or mountainside.

Seventeen short stories and every one of them as different as the people who sit in Row 22, Seats A & B. This is the highly acclaimed series of short stories which first appeared in United Airlines' HEMISPHERES magazine, now published together for the first time

Alice Waters's Chez Panisse is one of America's great restaurants. Dedicated to serving French country food made from the finest American ingredients (and furthering the cause of local, conscientiously produced foods of all kinds), the restaurant is also responsible for a remarkable series of cookbooks, including Chez Panisse Vegetables and the Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook. Chez Panisse Fruit, coauthored by Waters, proceeds in the innovative spirit of its predecessors, offering 200 exquisite sweet and savory fruit recipes, plus essays that attune readers to growing and marketing issues so they can make wise seasonal selections. Conceived with utmost simplicity, recipes like Spit-Roasted Pork with Onion-and-Apple Marmalade, Caramelized Red Banana Tartlets, and Grilled Cured Duck Breasts with Pickled Peaches truly celebrate the fruits they feature. Though not difficult to prepare, the recipes demand a cook's full attention—at the market as well as in the kitchen. The reward is memorable eating.

Arranged alphabetically from apples to strawberries, the book treats familiar and less familiar fruit, including citron (in dishes like Sautéed Scallops with Citron), loquats (used in Catherine's Loquat Sauce, a delicious accompaniment to grilled meats), and mulberries (delightful in ice cream and sherbet). There are also superb versions of raspberry ice cream, cranberry relish, and blueberry buttermilk pancakes, as well as must-try "original" fare like Rocket Salad with Pomegranates and Toasted Hazelnuts, Tangerine and Chocolate Semifreddo, and Moroccan Chicken with Dates. A section of basics also provides exemplary formulas for the likes of pie dough, biscuits, and pastry cream. Illustrated in the Chez Panisse tradition with relief prints of the fruit, the book is an appreciation of one of our most glorious resources and, tacitly, a call to consciousness about the need to preserve it at its best. —Arthur Boehm