reference / personal & practical guides

"A handsome, beautifully produced compilation of meditations and exercises to inspire us to find joy and expand the ways we engage with the people and places, the objects and tasks we encounter in our everyday lives. Long-time workplace advice columnist for The New York Times, Rob Walker, draws from his annual School for Visual Arts course and from interviews he conducted with men and women from a wide range of disciplines, has designed 131 exercises and meditations to encourage and guide us in rediscovering joy and creativity in our lives.      In a world ruled by distraction and increasing demands on our attention, it's never been more important to notice what matters to you. To stay eager, to connect, to find interest in the everyday, to notice what others overlook, these are skills that are both vital and delightful--and this gorgeously illustrated volume can help you acquire and hone these very skills. The short, playful entries that make up The Art of Noticing include "Look for Ghosts and Ruins," "Look Slowly," "Make It Art," "Compose a Personal Plaque." Here is a book that will provide inspiration to everyone, from the artist or designer developing an aesthetic to the techie looking to disrupt a new market. But, it will be its own joyful reward for anyone, in any walk of life, who takes a chance at noticing"--.

Buzz Aldrin reflects on the wisdom, guiding principles, and irreverent anecdotes he's gathered through his event-filled life--both in outer space and on Earth--in this inspiring guide-to-life for the next generation. He is the best known of a generation of astronauts whose achievements surged in just a few years from first man in space to first men on the Moon. He is still a non-stop traveler and impassioned advocate for space exploration, Aldrin will be 86 in 2016.

"A recipe is a snapshot, capturing place, people, and time. In the case of a family's or group's recipes, the written instructions evoke images of celebrations, of family members and friends, of menus and kitchen conversations. And they can come together as an heirloom to be treasured. In The Keepsake Cookbook, cookbook author and storyteller Belinda Hulin provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for collecting both oral and written recipes, as well as photographs and memorabilia-and then for organizing a cookbook and putting it into a format to be used and shared. In addition, Hulin gives advice on capturing family or group history, gently interviewing relatives and friends, and tapping your own memories in order to enrich the end product. She even includes basic recipe times, tips, and measures to help writers turn casual instructions into fully realized recipes. "--.

A guide to surviving extreme weather, covering the science behind weather patterns, dangerous conditions, climate, flash floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and more, and including interviews with experts from FEMA and NOAA.