Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were


Book Description

From Avalon to Zeus -- the ultimate book for fantasy lovers and myth maniacs of all ages is now in paperback, beautifully illustrated, at a siren-song priceHardcover sales of more than 70,000 copies have made the Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were a classic illustrated reference to myths and legends from all corners of the world. Here -- culled from mythology, literature, and folk tales -- is the mystical realm that has populated humanity's imagination for centuries. Over 400 entries, engagingly written and organized by type of entity, make this a complete source of information and a visual feast.Among the entries are: from "The Cosmos, ' Quetzalcoatl and Scorpio; from "The Ground and Underground", centaurs, elves, and unicorns; from "Wonderland", Atlantis and El Dorado; from "Magic, Science, and Invention", flying carpets and the Trojan horse; from "Water, Sky, and Air", Pegasus and Moby-Dick; and from "The Night", a host of shuddersome creatures from vampires to the golem. This is a wild and wondrous gift for any visionary.




Obsolete


Book Description

A cultural catalog of everyday things rapidly turning into rarities—from landlines to laugh tracks. So many things have disappeared from our day-to-day world, or are on the verge of vanishing. Some we may already think of as ancient relics, like typewriters (and their accompanying bottles of correction fluid). Others seem like they were here just yesterday, like boom boxes and CDs. We may feel fond nostalgia for certain items of yore: encyclopedias, newspapers, lighthouses. Other items, like MSG, not so much. But as the pace of change keeps accelerating, it’s worth taking a moment to mark the passing of the objects of our lives, from passbooks and pay phones to secretaries and skate keys. And to reflect on certain endangered phenomena that may be worth trying to hold on to—like privacy, or cash. This thoughtful alphabetized compendium invites us to take a look at the many things, ideas, and behaviors that have gone the way of the subway token—and to reflect on what is ephemeral, and what is truly timeless.




Encyclopedia of Mysterious Places


Book Description

Bringing to life the lore and legends of the past, this volume explores such mysteries as Stonehenge, the Aztecs, Easter Island, and the Great Wall of China. The authors examine the history and culture of each location and recount the modern discovery of these fascinating archives of human history. Full color.




Fantasy Encyclopedia


Book Description

Fantasy Encyclopedia is a superb guide to the creatures and people of folklore and fantasy. Meet the mischievous and sometimes helpful Little People, such as goblins and fairies, horrific monsters, from dragons to Dracula, and beautiful fantastical creatures, such as mermaids and unicorns. Discover how the magic of stories throughout the centuries have kept these creatures alive in traditions and cultures around the world, and how mystery and superstition still surround many of them. Detailed illustrations, contemporary and from renowned fantasy artists such as Arthur Rackham, bring these fantastic creatures to life.




Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian)


Book Description

Fiction. LGBTQIA Studies. The playful and poignant novel LITTLE BLUE ENCYCLOPEDIA (FOR VIVIAN) sifts through a queer trans woman's unrequited love for her straight trans friend who died. A queer love letter steeped in desire, grief, and delight, the story is interspersed with encyclopedia entries about a fictional TV show set on an isolated island. The experimental form functions at once as a manual for how pop culture can help soothe and mend us and as an exploration of oft-overlooked sources of pleasure, including karaoke, birding, and butt toys. Ultimately, LITTLE BLUE ENCYCLOPEDIA (FOR VIVIAN) reveals with glorious detail and emotional nuance the woman the narrator loved, why she loved her, and the depths of what she has lost.




Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life


Book Description

A memoir in bite-size chunks from the author of the viral Modern Love column “You May Want to Marry My Husband.” “[Rosenthal] shines her generous light of humanity on the seemingly humdrum moments of life and shows how delightfully precious they actually are.” —The Chicago Sun-Times How do you conjure a life? Give the truest account of what you saw, felt, learned, loved, strived for? For Amy Krouse Rosenthal, the surprising answer came in the form of an encyclopedia. In Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life she has ingeniously adapted this centuries-old format for conveying knowledge into a poignant, wise, often funny, fully realized memoir. Using mostly short entries organized from A to Z, many of which are cross-referenced, Rosenthal captures in wonderful and episodic detail the moments, observations, and emotions that comprise a contemporary life. Start anywhere—preferably at the beginning—and see how one young woman’s alphabetized existence can open up and define the world in new and unexpected ways. An ordinary life, perhaps, but an extraordinary book.




Out of this World


Book Description




Oh, Yuck!


Book Description

Kids love stuff that's gross. From the liquids, solids, and gases--especially the gases!--or their own bodies to the creepy, crawly, slimy, slithery, fetid, and feculent phenomena in the world at large, kids with a curious bent just can't get enough. Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty brings together, in one book, all the good things about some of the baddest things on Earth. Exhaustively researched and impeccably scientific, yet written with a lively lack of earnestness, Oh, Yuck! is an ants to zits encyclopedic compendium covering people, animals, insects, plants, foods, and more. Here are vampire bats, which sip blood and pee at the same time so that they'll always be light enough to fly away; and slime eels, wreathed in mucus and eating fellow fish from the inside out. Oh, Yuck! explains why vomit smells; where dandruff comes from; what pus is all about; and why maggots adore rotting meant. Other features include gross recipes, putrid projects, 10 foods that make you airborne, and more. With hundreds of cartoon illustrations and real-life photographs, Oh, Yuck! is the complete guide to the irresistible--at least to an 8-to-12 year old--underbelly of life.




Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were


Book Description

Contains over 400 entries and 200 illustrations on such topics as gnomes, vampires, elves, wizards, dragons, Atlantis, harpies, Lilliput, etc.




The Onion Book of Known Knowledge


Book Description

Are you a witless cretin with no reason to live? Would you like to know more about every piece of knowledge ever? Do you have cash? Then congratulations, because just in time for the death of the print industry as we know it comes the final book ever published, and the only one you will ever need: The Onion's compendium of all things known. Replete with an astonishing assemblage of facts, illustrations, maps, charts, threats, blood, and additional fees to edify even the most simple-minded book-buyer, The Onion Book of Known Knowledge is packed with valuable information -- such as the life stages of an Aunt; places to kill one's self in Utica, New York; and the dimensions of a female bucket, or "pail." With hundreds of entries for all 27 letters of the alphabet, The Onion Book of Known Knowledge must be purchased immediately to avoid the sting of eternal ignorance.