Canny Bites


Book Description

'Canny Bites: 52 bites of business wisdom for leaders and entrepreneurs' is a toolkit for changing your professional life. It is designed to share with busy business people know-how, wisdom, and advice in a way that is memorable and practical.




The Golden State


Book Description

NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION 5 UNDER 35 PICK. FINALIST FOR THE VCU CABELL FIRST NOVELIST AWARD. LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION'S FIRST NOVEL PRIZE. Named one of the Best Books of 2018 by NPR, Bookforum and Bustle. One of Entertainment Weekly's 10 Best Debut Novels of 2018. An Amazon Best Book of the Month and named a fall read by Buzzfeed, Nylon, Entertainment Weekly, Elle, Vanity Fair, Vulture, Refinery29 and Mind Body Green A gorgeous, raw debut novel about a young woman braving the ups and downs of motherhood in a fractured America In Lydia Kiesling’s razor-sharp debut novel, The Golden State, we accompany Daphne, a young mother on the edge of a breakdown, as she flees her sensible but strained life in San Francisco for the high desert of Altavista with her toddler, Honey. Bucking under the weight of being a single parent—her Turkish husband is unable to return to the United States because of a “processing error”—Daphne takes refuge in a mobile home left to her by her grandparents in hopes that the quiet will bring clarity. But clarity proves elusive. Over the next ten days Daphne is anxious, she behaves a little erratically, she drinks too much. She wanders the town looking for anyone and anything to punctuate the long hours alone with the baby. Among others, she meets Cindy, a neighbor who is active in a secessionist movement, and befriends the elderly Alice, who has traveled to Altavista as she approaches the end of her life. When her relationships with these women culminate in a dangerous standoff, Daphne must reconcile her inner narrative with the reality of a deeply divided world. Keenly observed, bristling with humor, and set against the beauty of a little-known part of California, The Golden State is about class and cultural breakdowns, and desperate attempts to bridge old and new worlds. But more than anything, it is about motherhood: its voracious worry, frequent tedium, and enthralling, wondrous love.




Carmen Dog


Book Description

“Combines the cruel humor of Candide with the allegorical panache of Animal Farm.”—Entertainment Weekly "Carol is the most unappreciated great writer we've got. Carmen Dog ought to be a classic in the colleges by now . . . It's so funny, and it's so keen." —Ursula K. Le Guin “A rollicking outre satire.... full of comic leaps and absurdist genius.”—Bitch “A wise and funny book.”—The New York Times "This trenchant feminist fantasy-satire mixes elements of Animal Farm, Rhinoceros and The Handmaid's Tale.... Imagination and absurdist humor mark [Carmen Dog] throughout, and Emshwiller is engaging even when most savage about male-female relationships."—Booklist "Her fantastic premise allows Emshwiller canny and frequently hilarious insights into the damaging sex-role stereotypes both men and women perpetuate." —Publishers Weekly The debut title in our Peapod Classics line, Carol Emshwiller’s genre-jumping debut novel is a dangerous, sharp-eyed look at men, women, and the world we live in. Everything is changing: women are turning into animals, and animals are turning into women. Pooch, a golden setter, is turning into a beautiful woman—although she still has some of her canine traits: she just can't shuck that loyalty thing—and her former owner has turned into a snapping turtle. When the turtle tries to take a bite of her own baby, Pooch snatches the baby and runs. Meanwhile, there's a dangerous wolverine on the loose, men are desperately trying to figure out what's going on, and Pooch discovers what she really wants: to sing Carmen. Carmen Dog is the funny feminist classic that inspired writers Pat Murphy and Karen Joy Fowler to create the James Tiptree Jr. Memorial Award.




A Very Punchable Face


Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In these hilarious essays, the Saturday Night Live head writer and Weekend Update co-anchor learns how to take a beating. “I always wanted to punch his face before I read this book. Now I just want to kick him in the balls.”—Larry David NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Cosmopolitan • Vulture • Parade If there’s one trait that makes someone well suited to comedy, it’s being able to take a punch—metaphorically and, occasionally, physically. From growing up in a family of firefighters on Staten Island to commuting three hours a day to high school and “seeing the sights” (like watching a Russian woman throw a stroller off the back of a ferry), to attending Harvard while Facebook was created, Jost shares how he has navigated the world like a slightly smarter Forrest Gump. You’ll also discover things about Jost that will surprise and confuse you, like how Jimmy Buffett saved his life, how Czech teenagers attacked him with potato salad, how an insect laid eggs inside his legs, and how he competed in a twenty-five-man match at WrestleMania (and almost won). You'll go behind the scenes at SNL and Weekend Update (where he's written some of the most memorable sketches and jokes of the past fifteen years). And you’ll experience the life of a touring stand-up comedian—from performing in rural college cafeterias at noon to opening for Dave Chappelle at Radio City Music Hall. For every accomplishment (hosting the Emmys), there is a setback (hosting the Emmys). And for every absurd moment (watching paramedics give CPR to a raccoon), there is an honest, emotional one (recounting his mother’s experience on the scene of the Twin Towers’ collapse on 9/11). Told with a healthy dose of self-deprecation, A Very Punchable Face reveals the brilliant mind behind some of the dumbest sketches on television, and lays bare the heart and humor of a hardworking guy—with a face you can’t help but want to punch.




Masala Lab


Book Description

Ever wondered why your grandmother threw a teabag into the pressure cooker while boiling chickpeas, or why she measured using the knuckle of her index finger? Why does a counter-intuitive pinch of salt make your kheer more intensely flavourful? What is the Maillard reaction and what does it have to do with fenugreek? What does your high-school chemistry knowledge, or what you remember of it, have to do with perfectly browning your onions? Masala Lab by Krish Ashok is a science nerd's exploration of Indian cooking with the ultimate aim of making the reader a better cook and turning the kitchen into a joyful, creative playground for culinary experimentation. Just like memorizing an equation might have helped you pass an exam but not become a chemist, following a recipe without knowing its rationale can be a sub-optimal way of learning how to cook. Exhaustively tested and researched, and with a curious and engaging approach to food, Krish Ashok puts together the one book the Indian kitchen definitely needs, proving along the way that your grandmother was right all along.




The Right Hand


Book Description

Meet Austin Clay, the CIA's best-kept secret. There has always been a need in the spy game for operations outside the realm of legality-covert missions so black no one in the American government, and almost no one in intelligence itself, is aware of their existence. The left hand can't know what the right hand is doing. Austin Clay is that right hand, executing missions that would be disavowed by his own government were he ever to be compromised. His team consists of only his trusted handler and himself. His missions are among the most important and dangerous in U.S. history. Clay is sent to track down a missing American operative, a man who was captured outside of Moscow, in the Russian countryside. Soon he discovers the missing officer is only the beginning of the mission, and finds himself protecting a desperate woman who believes a mole has penetrated the top levels of the U.S. government, throwing the international balance of power into jeopardy. With blistering pace, international intrigue, and a high-stakes plot that spans continents, THE RIGHT HAND introduces a new hero, from the novelist whose work the New York Times Book Review has proclaimed "devastatingly cool."




Fewer, Bigger, Bolder


Book Description

“When it comes to growing revenues, not all dollars are equal.” In company after company that Sanjay Khosla and Mohanbir Sawhney worked for or researched, they saw businesses taking on more products, more markets, more people, more acquisitions—adding more of everything except what really mattered: sustainable and profitable growth. And in many of these companies — large or small, from America to Europe to Asia — every quarter became a mad dash to find yet another short-term revenue boost. There had to be a better way — an alternative to the scramble for mindless expansion. The answer lies in Fewer, Bigger, Bolder, a market-proven, step-by-step program to achieve sustained growth with rising profits and lower costs. The authors prove that given the right incentives, managers using this program can produce astonishing results in amazingly short time frames. That’s exactly what Khosla accomplished as President of Kraft’s developing markets, which enjoyed eye-popping revenue growth from $5 billion to $16 billion in just six years, while profitability increased 50%. Sawhney, a professor at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, discovered a similar formula for stellar results when advising a portfolio of businesses, from Fortune 500 giants to technology start-ups. No matter how big the company or how difficult the economic environment, managers who use this seven-step program (“Focus7”) will learn how to make fewer but bigger bets and to create a virtuous cycle of growth. Fewer, Bigger, Bolder crosses the usual boundaries of strategy, execution, people and organization. Its framework shows how you can drive growth by targeting resources against priorities, simplifying your operations, and unleashing the potential of your people. By challenging the conventional wisdom about growth, Fewer, Bigger, Bolder is likely to ignite a vigorous debate throughout the business community. It’s a game-changing book that couldn’t be more timely. Or more needed.




The Rice Queen Diaries


Book Description

In this moving autobiography, Daniel Gawthrop writes about the politics and pleasures of being a self-identified ''rice queen''; a gay man who is attracted to Asians. Navigating through the urban jungles of Western cities like Vancouver and London, as well as the humid streets of Bangkok and Saigon, Daniel explores the multicultural minefields of sexuality and culture as he articulates the manners and contradictions of his desires. The politics of race, and the unspoken rules of gay Asian culture in both Western and Eastern settings, underscore Daniel's personal journey in which he recalls his teen years spent idolizing Bruce Lee and his fixation on an Asian schoolmate whose hazing becomes a sexual spectacle for him. As he enters adulthood, his desires become manifest as he explores the subcultures of Long Yang Clubs (where gay Asians and ''their admirers'' can meet) before departing for Asia, where his encounters often become transactions, and he learns the hard way that sexual desire has a human and emotional cost. Evoking the themes of Edward Said's Orientalism, The Rice Queen Diaries is as much a personal statement about culture and otherness as it is about gay desire. Traversing three continents, these diaries are a personal reckoning, a bold coming to terms with the nuances of sexuality that has relevance for all of us.




Dieting Insights


Book Description

Chapter 1: The Foundations of Dieting (Scene: Jammy, the expert in dieting, sits across from Canny, the enthusiastic learner, at a cozy cafe.) Jammy: Welcome, Canny! I'm thrilled to share the foundations of dieting with you today. Before we dive in, I want to emphasize that dieting is not just about restricting food; it's about nourishing our bodies with the right nutrients. So, where should we start? Canny: Hi, Jammy! I'm excited to learn from you. Let's start with the basics. What exactly is a diet? Jammy: Excellent question, Canny! A diet is simply the food and beverages we consume regularly. It's not about going on a temporary fad diet, but rather adopting a balanced and sustainable eating pattern. The key is to focus on nourishing our bodies with a variety of nutrients to support overall health. Canny: That makes sense. But with so many diets out there, how do I know which one is right for me? Jammy: It can be overwhelming, I agree. The best approach is to focus on a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Listen to your body and adjust your diet based on your specific needs and goals. Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all diet. Canny: Got it! But how do I manage portion sizes? I tend to overeat sometimes. Jammy: Portion control is crucial for weight management. Start by being mindful of your hunger and fullness cues. Eat slowly and stop when you feel satisfied, not overly full. Also, be aware of your plate size and aim for smaller portions of high-calorie foods. Canny: That's helpful advice. What about counting calories or tracking everything I eat? Jammy: Calorie counting can be beneficial for some people, but it's not necessary for everyone. Instead, focus on the quality of your food choices rather than getting obsessed with numbers. Eat nutrient-dense foods that fuel your body and be mindful of unnecessary snacking. Canny: I see. What role does exercise play in dieting? Jammy: Exercise is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle, and it complements a balanced diet. It helps burn calories, build muscle, and improve overall fitness. Find activities you enjoy, whether it's dancing, walking, or playing a sport, and make exercise a regular part of your routine. Canny: That sounds doable! But what if I slip on my diet? Jammy: Slip-ups are normal and happen to everyone. Don't be too hard on yourself. Instead, learn from the experience and get back on track. Remember, it's about progress, not perfection. Stay committed to your goals and be patient with yourself. Canny: Thanks for the encouragement, Jammy. Before we wrap up, do you have any other essential tips for a successful dieting journey? Jammy: Absolutely! Stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and manage stress as it can affect your eating habits. Surround yourself with a supportive community, and don't be afraid to seek help from professionals like dietitians or nutritionists if needed. Canny: These insights are invaluable, Jammy! I feel more confident about starting my dieting journey now. Jammy: I'm glad to hear that, Canny! Remember, it's all about making sustainable changes and taking care of yourself. Be kind to yourself throughout the process, and you'll achieve your goals. Key Takeaways: Dieting is about adopting a balanced and sustainable eating pattern, not quick fixes. Focus on nourishing your body with a variety of nutrients through whole foods. Practice portion control and be mindful of hunger and fullness cues. Exercise is essential for overall health and complements a balanced diet. Embrace progress, learn from slip-ups, and be patient with yourself. Stay hydrated, get enough sleep, manage stress, and seek support if needed.




Lila (Oprah's Book Club)


Book Description

Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award National Book Award Finalist A new American classic from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gilead and Housekeeping Marilynne Robinson, one of the greatest novelists of our time, returns to the town of Gilead in an unforgettable story of a girlhood lived on the fringes of society in fear, awe, and wonder. Lila, homeless and alone after years of roaming the countryside, steps inside a small-town Iowa church-the only available shelter from the rain-and ignites a romance and a debate that will reshape her life. She becomes the wife of a minister, John Ames, and begins a new existence while trying to make sense of the life that preceded her newfound security. Neglected as a toddler, Lila was rescued by Doll, a canny young drifter, and brought up by her in a hardscrabble childhood. Together they crafted a life on the run, living hand to mouth with nothing but their sisterly bond and a ragged blade to protect them. Despite bouts of petty violence and moments of desperation, their shared life was laced with moments of joy and love. When Lila arrives in Gilead, she struggles to reconcile the life of her makeshift family and their days of hardship with the gentle Christian worldview of her husband which paradoxically judges those she loves. Revisiting the beloved characters and setting of Robinson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead and Home, a National Book Award finalist, Lila is a moving expression of the mysteries of existence that is destined to become an American classic.