THE BOOK OF GENERAL IGNORANCE, by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson

This book is for the people who know they don't know very much." This comment, in the introduction of The Book of General Ignorance, sets the stage and presents the authors' challenge. I started reading it with a "Who do they think they are fooling" attitude. They made me a convert. This book only gets more interesting as you continue reading it. Some of the knowledge nuggets aren't big secrets, and in fact read as "trick questions," like "What is the tallest mountain in the world?" The trick is, "tallest," not "highest." Got it? Mauna Kea in Hawaii, not Mt. Everest. Then, what is the most dangerous animal that has ever lived? Answer? A mosquito, responsible, the authors say, for the deaths of about 45 billion humans. Of course (and they know this), one mosquito isn't responsible for these deaths, there are many species of mosquitos, and mosquitos really don't (directly) kill anybody. Trick question again. Then there were the questions that didn't hold any surprise at all: "What is the main ingredient of air?" Answer: nitrogen. But it got more interesting. What man-made objects are visible from the moon? None. Many are visible from "space" (a mere 60 miles above the surface of the Earth), but the moon is too far away. What is the biggest thing that a blue whale can swallow? What are violin strings made of? There are so many questions answered, that there is something here for everybody. This is better than Trivial Pursuit, because of the explanations given. This should be an entertaining book on CD to listen to on a long trip, and can easily be turned into a game for adults and kids. So I started reading it with a chip on my shoulder, and the authors made me a believer. Interesting, indeed. The book just kept getting better. And my favorite factoid? What is the longest animal alive today?

OUR DUMB WORLD, edited by Scott Dikkers

Our Dumb World: The Onion's Atlas of The Planet Earth, 73rd Edition features incorrect statistics on all of the Earth's 168, 182, or 196 independent nations. It also features maps, including a fold-out world map at actual size. Readers will learn about every country from Afghanistan, "Allah's Cat Box," to the Ukraine, "The Bridebasket of Europe."
Today's news-parody consumer cannot possibly understand made-up current events without the context of fake world history and geography. That is why "The Onion" is publishing a world atlas: to help us.
Our Dumb World is an invaluable tool for any reader interested in overthrowing a weakened government in East Asia, exploiting a developing nation in Africa, or for directions to tonight's party at Erica's. It is a reference guide to 250,000 of the world's most important places, such as North Korea's Trench of Victory, the Great Human Pyramid of Egypt, and Saudi Arabia's superhighway, the Mohammedobahn.

CHRISTMAS WITH PAULA DEEN, by Paula Deen

This is Paula Deen at her best - the perfect mix of great recipes and the personality-filled anecdotes that we fans of hers have come to love. I've only made one recipe so far, but I'll tell you that The Best Damn Bluebery Muffin You'll Ever Eat was indeed the best damn blueberry muffin I've ever eaten. I'll be buying more copies to give to my girlfriends who all love preparing for the holidays as much as Paula and I do.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2008, edited by Craig Glenday

The 2007 edition of the world’s most popular book offers yet another awesome collection of the most incredible feats on Earth. From the greatest adventurers, athletes, medical marvels, and natural—and unnatural—wonders on the planet, to a host of new celebrity record holders in the realm of entertainment, here are thousands of new or updated records, plus countless fascinating facts in every possible area. Did you know . . .The world’s oldest mom is Adriana Emilia Iliescu of Romania. At 66 years and 230 days old, she gave birth by Caesarean section to a daughter, at the Clinical Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bucharest.George W. Bush’s second inauguration as president of the United States of America was the most costly ever. Estimated spending for the three-day event was $40 million.And that’s just a hint of what’s inside this extraordinary book. Discover which two long-standing, classic records have finally been broken—and by whom. Enjoy Guinness World Record’s exclusive interviews and stunning photos—and even learn how to become a record breaker yourself. Who knows, you might make it into next year’s book. . . .

THE SECRET, by Rhonda Byrne.

I had never watched an entire episode of Oprah until her program on The Secret. In the promo for the show, Oprah announced that the program would present "the secret" to making more money, losing weight, finding the love of your life, and achieving job success. Who could resist hearing more about such a claim, especially when it is made by the most influential woman in America and touted as the key to all her success? Apparently I wasn't alone. After the show, Oprah's website was overwhelmed, emails poured in, and within hours The Secret had become the best-selling book in the nation.
A week later, while unpacking in a hotel room, I powered up the TV. Oprah and two guests from the week before appeared on the screen, effusive about the transforming power of The Secret. Her website called the episode, "A follow-up to the show everybody is talking about!"
People are not only talking about The Secret, they are buying it. I am writing this review in a Barnes & Noble bookstore, and this particular branch has completely sold out of the book—again. Only two days ago—so I am told—a storewide announcement assured a horde of anxious shoppers that another large shipment of the book had arrived and would be brought to the sales floor momentarily. Readers quickly grabbed every copy. Almost impossibly, The Secret is even outselling (at this writing) the final Harry Potter book. And if that weren't enough, the audio edition of the book follows these two as the nation's number-three seller.
The Australian author of The Secret, Rhonda Byrne, introduces the book by admitting, "A year ago, my life had collapsed around me" (p. ix). Through searching for answers in a variety of books new and old, she began to trace what she believed was a common thread in them all. She dubbed it the "Great Secret—The Secret to Life" (p. ix).
Byrne became convinced that this was the key to explaining the success of "the greatest people in history" (p. ix). As she started practicing this secret, Byrne says that her life immediately began to change in ways nothing short of miraculous. She decided to make a video called The Secret to share her discoveries with others. In March of 2006 it was released on the Internet, but soon went to DVD. By late autumn, the phenomenal success of the video placed it on two episodes of Larry King Live. Shortly after, two of the teachers featured on The Secret were guests on Ellen Degeneres' daily TV show. Before Christmas, The Secret DVD had spun off a book by the same title which Oprah Winfrey catapulted to the top of the charts in February of 2007.
The essence of The Secret is "the law of attraction." According to Byrne and the twenty-nine co-contributors whom she quotes extensively, everything in the Universe (which is always capitalized and usually synonymous for "God") vibrates on a particular frequency. When you think in harmony with the frequency of something, you attract it to you. If you think about wealth, you will receive wealth. If you think instead about your debt, you will receive more debt. You attract what you think about; your thoughts determine your destiny.
Byrne restates the law of attraction in various ways: "Nothing [good or bad] can come into your experience unless you summon it through persistent thoughts" (p. 28). "Your thoughts are the primary cause of everything" (p. 33). "Your current reality or your current life is a result of the thoughts you have been thinking" (p. 71). According to the product description on the DVD, "This is The Secret to everything—the secret to unlimited joy, health, money, relationships, love, youth: everything you have ever wanted.
Byrne promises with ironclad certainty: "There isn't a single thing that you cannot do with this knowledge. . . . The Secret can give you whatever you want" (p. xi). By it "you will come to know how you can have, be, or do anything you want" (p. xii).
In the final analysis, The Secret is nothing more than Name It-Claim It, Positive-Confession, Prosperity Theology (without God and the Bible), built on a foundation of New Age self-deification. In other words, the book is just another version of what some TV preachers have taught for decades, namely, if you will sustain the right thoughts, words, and feelings, you will receive whatever you want. But The Secret adds this important twist: your thoughts can bring anything into your life because you are god.

1,000 PLACES TO SEE IN THE U.S.A. AND CANADA BEFORE YOU DIE, by Patricia Schultz

It's the phenomenon: 1,000 Places to See Before You Die has 2.2 million copies in print and has spent 144 weeks and counting on The New York Times bestseller list.Now, shipping in time for the tens of millions of travelers heading out for summer trips, comes 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die. Sail the Maine Windjammers out of Camden. Explore the gold-mining trails in Alaska's Denali wilderness. Collect exotic shells on the beaches of Captiva. Take a barbecue tour of Kansas City—from Arthur Bryant's to Gates to B.B.'s Lawnside to Danny Edward's to LC's to Snead's. There's the ice hotel in Quebec, the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, cowboy poetry readings, what to do in Lexington after the Derby's over, and for every city, dozens of unexpected suggestions and essential destinations.The book is organized by region, and subject-specific indices in the back sort the book by interest—wilderness, great dining, best beaches, world-class museums, sports and adventures, road trips, and more. There's also an index that breaks out the best destinations for families with children. Following each entry is the nuts and bolts: addresses, websites, phone numbers, costs, best times to visit.
Elizabeth Connor - Library Journal

BECOME A BETTER YOU, by Joel Osteen

There are few things I love to eat more than bread. I just love a good loaf of white bread. I eat it the way many people eat junk food (and, I suppose, one could argue that it is junk food). Not too long ago we bought a bread maker from a person nearby who was selling all his possessions to move back to his native Poland, having found that North American living was not to his liking. The machine worked well for five loaves but on the sixth, while the bread was being kneaded, I heard a strange grinding sound followed by a sharp crack. I opened the machine and saw that the paddle, the piece that beats against the dough, had broken. I removed the lump of dough and decided I could simply put it in a bread pan and bake it on my own. A few minutes later I pulled the loaf from the oven. It looked just perfect—golden brown on top and shaped a whole lot better than the loaves that come out of the bread maker. I eagerly cut into it, looking forward to enjoying a slice of bread. But, to my surprise, I cut into, well, nothing, really. Apparently the dough had not been properly kneaded. The loaf of bread was full of air; it was full of nothing. I had baked a crust.
As I thought about Joel Osteen’s new book, Become a Better You, I was reminded of that sad, pathetic little loaf of bread because this book, like that bread, is form without substance. This is Osteen’s second book, and the follow-up to his bestselling Your Best Life Now. Like the previous title, this one features a picture of the smiling pastor on the front cover and offers seven steps to a better life. Like Your Best Life Now much of the book follows this format: “The way to ______ is not to ______. Instead, you need to ______. You might say, ‘But Joel, I can’t do ______ and ______.’ I know it’s hard. Rise to the challenge. Don’t let yourself get beat up or knocked down. God has so much more for you.” And like his previous book, this one is maddeningly repetitive. It is a handful of his sermonettes for Christianettes expanded into 380 pages of mind-numbing repetition.
The book is divided into seven parts, which together are sure to improve your life every day. “What does it mean to become a better you? First, you must understand that God wants you to become all that He created you to be. Second, it is imperative that you realize that God will do His part, but you must do your part as well.” To become a better you, you must following the seven steps:
Keep pressing forward
Be positive toward yourself
Develop better relationships
Form better habits
Embrace the place where you are
Develop your inner life
Stay passionate about life
Each step is broken into several chapters and each part ends with a series of Action Points intended to give the reader concrete steps to tak to improve his life. It is, frankly, a lot like every other self-help book on the market today, but with one crucial difference—this one is built, supposedly, upon the Bible.
As I closed the cover on this book I began to wonder, What is it that draws people to Joel Osteen? Why do people enjoy his teaching so much? After all, tens of thousands of people attend his church each week and hundreds of thousands more watch him on television. He has become one of America’s most popular pastors, even while he teaches things that most pastors would testify are inconsistent with the Bible.
I think the secret to Osteen’s success is this: he teaches self-help but wraps it in a thin guise of Christian terminology. Thus people believe they are being taught the Bible when the reality is that they are learning mere human wisdom rather than divine wisdom. Osteen cunningly blends the wisdom of this age with language that sounds biblical. He blends the most popular aspects of New Age and self-help teaching with Christianity. And his audience is eagerly drinking this in.
And this raises an important and related question. What is Osteen’s authority? On what authority does he base what he teaches? Christians have long understood that the only authority we have when it comes to spiritual matters is authority given to us by God through the Bible. We are committed to teaching only things that are consistent with God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible. Without the Bible we have no authority. A pastor has no right to stand in front of a congregation and teach people what he believes. Rather, the pastor is to stand in front of the congregation and teaches people what God says about Himself. He bases all he does and says on this standard. In reading Joel Osteen we do not see this manner of authority. In reading Osteen we see a man who appeals to himself and to his own understanding and experience as authority. Rarely does he appeal to the Bible (66 times in 380 pages). Never will the discerning reader feel that Osteen has sought to understand the Bible first. Rather, it seems that he looks to the Bible to prove what he has already written or what he already believes. He uses the Bible, but not as a source of authority.
This is not to say that Osteen has no understanding of Christianity. Become a Better You contains some teaching that seems consistent with the Bible, and certainly there is lots of Christian terminology woven in. But Osteen teaches what is clearly a woefully inadequate theology of sin, repentance, sanctification and life. Osteen seems unable or unwilling to bring the power of the gospel to bear on life—real life. Life, he teaches, is not a meant to bring glory to God, but is meant to bring blessing and ease to the individual. He occasionally shares words that approximate the gospel, but ones that always stop short of providing the complete gospel as we find it in the Bible. “We’ve all sinned, failed, and made mistakes,” he says, “But many people don’t know they can receive God’s mercy and forgiveness.” That sounds fair, but he goes on to say, “As long as you’re doing your best and desire to do what’s right according to God’s Word, you can be assured God is pleased with you.” Is it enough to desire to do what’s right? Is God pleased with those who do their best? “That accusing voice will come to you and tell you, ‘You lost your temper last week in traffic.’ Your attitude should be, ‘That’s okay. I’m growing.’” But sin is never okay, whether we are growing or not. We can never excuse sin and can never minimize it.
My encouragement to those who intend to read this book and to those who enjoy the ministry of Joel Osteen is simply this: examine his authority. If you love Joel Osteen for who he is—a charismatic, smiling, successful, wealthy purveyor of advice—you will appreciate this book. It may change the way you live. But in that end that is all just puff. It’s like bread that is nothing but crust. If you are looking for teaching with true substance and for teaching that can really transform a life and renew a heart, look for a teacher who relies on an authority outside of himself—look for a person who humbly and faithfully teaches the Bible and who brings the wisdom of the Bible to bear on all of life.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway

Introducing a completely Revised & Updated Third Edition of America's bestselling pregnancy book, What to Expect When You're Expecting. Two years in the making, it's a cover-to-cover, chapter-by-chapter, line-by-line revision and update.
Incorporating the most recent developments in medicine, and responding to the many queries and letters received from readers, the book contains both the most accurate information available, and the most reader-friendly. The Third Edition includes more information on working while pregnant. It offers more in-depth coverage of complementary and alternative birthing. Greater attention is paid to pre-conception, alternative families, second pregnancies, HMOs, the role of the father, and lifestyle. There's a completely new look at the Best-Odds diet, which is better suited to the needs of busier women with less time. An updated cover and all-new black-and-white illustrations give the classic a fresher look.

THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS, by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden

How many other books will help you thrash someone at conkers, race your own go–cart, and identify the best quotations from Shakespeare?
The Dangerous Book for Boys gives you facts and figures at your fingertips – swot up on the solar system, learn about famous battles and read inspiring stories of incredible courage and bravery. Teach your old dog new tricks. Make a pinhole camera. Understand the laws of cricket. There's a whole world out there: with this book, anyone can get out and explore it.
The Dangerous Book for Boys is written with the verve and passion that readers of Conn Iggulden's number one bestselling novels have come to expect. This book, his first non–fiction work, has been written with his brother as a celebration of the long summers of their youth and as a compendium of information so vital to men of all ages. Lavishly designed and fully illustrated in colour and black and white throughout, it's set to be a perfect gift for Father's Day and beyond.
Chapters in The Dangerous Book for Boys include: The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, Conkers, Laws of Football, Dinosaurs, Fishing, Juggling, Timers and Tripwires, Kings and Queens, Famous Battles, Spies, Making Crystals, Insects and Spiders, Astronomy, Girls, The Golden Age of Piracy, Secret Inks, Patron Saints of Britain, Skimming Stones, Dog Tricks, Making a Periscope, Coin Tricks, Marbles, Artillery, The Origin of Words and The Solar System.

THE WORLD ALMANAC AND BOOK OF FACTS 2008, edited by C. Alan Joyce

Description A staple in homes, libraries, and offices everywhere, The World Almanac and Book of Facts delivers authoritative information you can trust. With a 140-year tradition of editorial accuracy, The World Almanac and Book of Facts contains hundreds of thousands of facts from only the most reliable sources, and each year features topical articles by well known figures such as Coretta Scott King, Wendy Wasserstein, and Mr. Fred Rodgers. Including over 1,000 pages of information compiled by a full-time team of editors and a handy quick reference index, The World Almanac and Book of Facts puts information at your fingertips.
The 2008 edition of The World Almanac and Book of Facts includes updated information on every topic, from the every day to the obscure. Whether you''re doing your taxes, watching the news, doing a crossword, or settling a discussion, The World Almanac and Book of Facts serves as a dependable desk-reference. Topical features and a ?Year In Pictures? section also make The World Almanac and Book of Facts a great scrap-book of the previous year. For students, reporters, infomaniacs, or anyone seeking accuracy, The World Almanac and Book of Facts remains the most trustworthy, easy-to-use source.
?My #1` reference work for facts.? -- Will Shortz, The New York Times Crossword Editor
?For the most information in one source, The World Almanac remains the champion.? -American Library Association
?The World Almanac is the most useful reference book known to modern man.? ?Los Angeles Times
?An institution ? The range of records and data the book collects is staggering.? Dallas Morning News
?It''s the best in the business.? ?Manchester Union Leader

THE DARING BOOK FOR GIRLS, by Andrea J. Buchanan and Miriam Peskowitz

The Daring Book for Girls is the manual for everything that girls need to know—and that doesn't mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it's female heroes in history, secret note-passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all. But it's not just a guide to giggling at sleepovers—although that's included, of course! Whether readers consider themselves tomboys, girly-girls, or a little bit of both, this book is every girl's invitation to adventure.

RACHAEL RAY: JUST IN TIME, by Rachael Ray

Many cookbook writing chefs (Rocco DiSpirito, Jacques Pepin, Charlie Palmer, to name a few) have penned books filled with recipes for the time-challenged. Quick, fast, speedy - with plenty of short-cuts for busy people who still want to cook after work for their families. Underlying these books is the fact that these chefs assume their readers are also going to enjoy more leisurely and expertly prepared meals by good cooks and chefs (like the authors themselves).Rachael Ray has built her Food Network career on 30-Minute Meals. Her latest book, Just in Time (Clarkson Potter 2007) is something like a Cooking for Dummies book. There is a little bit of practically every ethnic cuisine, simplified and American-ified. The recipes are easy to follow, and fairly fool-proof. You don't need much of a culinary background to cook them. The question is: If you use Rachael Ray's cookbook are you going to eventually step up to learning to cook authentic ethnic dishes? Though, if these are plainly everyday dinner ideas for busy people with kids – does it matter? The book's organizational principal is time: dishes that take 15, 30 or 60 minutes – following Rachael's 30-minute meals. You can search through the book either by duration or by chapter - these have amusing titles like - Chapter 3 - Using Your Noodle: Pasta, Noodle Bowls, Couscous, and Baked Pastas or Chapter 6 - Who You Callin' Chicken? You get the idea.

DECEPTIVELY DELICIOUS, by Jessica Seinfeld

As a mother of three, Jessica Seinfeld, like many busy parents, used to struggle to get her kids to eat right. In Deceptively Delicious, she shares her solutions: easy, mouthwatering recipes that even the most overwhelmed families can make — stealthily packed with unseen veggies, puréed so kids will never suspect.
Deceptively Delicious has all of Jessica's winning combinations, including cauliflower in macaroni and cheese, and spinach in brownies. She also shares tips on making healthy snacks and improving store-bought foods, as well as advice on creating a positive environment around the kitchen table. Deceptively Delicious is a godsend for all parents who want healthy kids, peaceful family meals, and never again having to say, "Eat your vegetables!"
Nutritionist Joy Bauer provides her expertise throughout!
Foreword by Dr. Roxana Mehran and Dr. Mehmet Oz
A portion of author's royalties shall be donated to Baby Buggy.

SKINNY BITCH, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

If you can't take one more day of self-loathing, you're ready to hear the truth: You cannot keep shoveling the same crap into your mouth every day and expect to lose weight.
Authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin are your new smart-mouthed girlfriends who won't mince words and will finally tell you the truth about what you're feeding yourself. And they'll guide you on making intelligent and educated decisions about food. They may be bitches, but they are skinny bitches. And you'll be one too-after you get with the program and start eating right.
Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is a self-taught know-it-all.
Kim Barnouin is a former model who holds a Masters of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition.
They have successfully counseled models, actors, athletes, and other professionals using the Skinny Bitch method. They both live in Los Angeles.

YOU: STAYING YOUNG, by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz et al.

The book arrived, and I snatched it out of the UPS man's hands. I read it cover to cover in one fell swoop, causing dinner to be late.To say I laughed, I cried, I ate an entire bag of chips while reading it would be an understatement. Just don't tell my doctor or she'll want to test my blood sugar.I will start off by saying that Dr. Oz is more engaging when he makes appearances on Oprah than in the pages of a book. This book seemed a little more elementary and juvenile compared to previous tomes, and there was some overlap from previous tomes in this book.There is one important difference between this book on aging and another that I've been working on: this book only describes the body's aging process and how to slow it down through foods, supplements, and exercise. Another book I've been reading is called Ending Aging by Aubrey deGray (Ph.D), and it's a lot more in-depth and slightly more technical than the YOU book, but it covers the aging processes and explains how to stop them cold. The only problem is that we don't possess all the tools, tests, and repair mechanisms yet--some are as yet undiscovered, and some lie on a researcher's work table still being tinkered with while awaiting FDA approval.If you know absolutely nothing about the aging process, or are just interested on a surface level as to what you can do about it, get this book. Otherwise, if you, too find this a juvenile read, then I urge you to seek out the Ending Aging book. For you super-duper-uber-science geeks, give Ray Kurzweil's book Fantastic Voyage a read--it contains all kinds of fascinating things that Ray thinks will be possible for life extension in the future, like nanobots in the bloodstream, growing replacement organs in the body right next to diseased or failing ones, and so forth. He also says that living to be 125+ will be a common occurrence.I find Dr. Oz more enjoyable when he visits Oprah onstage rather than on pages of a book--just my opinion. The only time I watch Oprah is when he's going to be on.