The Handy Communication Answer Book traces the history, explains the concepts and examines the skills needed to master effective communication for every occasion. Providing insights and advice, this useful primer looks at how to improve verbal, non-verbal and written communications.

Hollywood. Silicon Valley. The cities, beaches and redwoods. An enlightening look at the Sunshine State, people, history, and culture! California is the country's most populous state. The home of the entertainment industry and silicon valley. It's known for its beaches, its redwood forests, and as the “land of fruit and nuts.” Its people, industries, politicians, climate, and allure captivates the world and draws millions of visitors each year. Exploring the state’s fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, The Handy California Answer Book takes an in-depth look look at this fascinating, quirky, and diverse state. Learn about the original Indigenous peoples, the Spanish explorers, the independence from Spain, the secession from Mexico, the Gold Rush, the building of the Los Angeles Aqueducts, the earthquakes, the water shortages, and much, much more. Tour landmarks from Disney Land to the Golden Gate Bridge to Yosemite National Park. Learn about famous sons and daughters, including Ronald Reagan, Jeff Bridges, Tony Hawk, and John Steinbeck. Sports (college and professional) are illuminated. The government, parks, and cultural institutions are all packed into this comprehensive guide to the state of California. Find answers to more than 1,100 questions, including: How did “Eureka!” become the state motto? Why is a grizzly bear on the state flag when no grizzlies exist in California? Was the coast of California ever attacked by pirates? How did Russians come to colonize part of what is now California? How did the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad drastically transform the state? Does the ghost of Cary Grant still roam his favorite home in Palm Springs? Is the “Big One” earthquake inevitable, and are Californians prepared for it? How did Silicon Valley become a center for the high tech industry? Can you eat the snails in your backyard in California? Why do so many Californians want to divide the state into smaller states? What is a “Valley Girl” fer shur fer shur? Why did the Brooklyn Dodgers move to Los Angeles? Did anyone ever escape the island prison on Alcatraz? When you order your fast-food burger at In & Out “animal style,” what will land on your plate? A convenient place to go to look up the basic—and fun—facts about California, its history and culture, The Handy California Answer Book illustrates the unique character of the state through a combination of facts, stats, and stories, as well as the unusual and quirky. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

The hustle. The bustle. The Big Apple, its people, history and culture! New York is the largest city in the United States. This self-proclaimed capital of the world is known as a melting pot of immigrants, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street, Broadway, bridges, bodegas, restaurants, and museums. The “city that never sleeps” is bustling with people, cultural and sporting events, world-class shopping and high fashion, and other tourist attractions that draw in millions visitors from all over the world. The Handy New York City Answer Book explores the fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, taking an in-depth look at the city so nice, they named it twice. Learn about the original Indigenous peoples, early Dutch settlers, the importance of the port, the population growth through immigration, the consolidation of the boroughs, the building of the subway system and modern skyline, and much, much more. Tour landmarks from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Rockefeller Center to the Stonewall Inn, and Central Park to the 9/11 Memorial. Learn about famous sons and daughters, including Woody Allen, Jay-Z, J.D. Salinger, and Donald Trump. The government, parks, and cultural institutions are all packed into this comprehensive guide to New York City. Find answers to more than 850 questions, including: Who were the first New Yorkers? When did the British invade New York? Why are Manhattan’s streets laid out in a grid? Why is there a windmill on the New York seal? How did New York help elect Abraham Lincoln president? What were “sweatshops”? Did the Nazis plant spies in New York? How did the Brooklyn Dodgers get their name? Who started the gossip column? What soured many New Yorkers on Giuliani? What is “stop and frisk”? How many trees are there in New York? Illustrating the unique character of the city through a combination of facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky, The Handy New York City Answer Book answers intriguing questions about people, events, government, and places of interest. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography, an appendix of the city’s mayors, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

A fascinating and fun look at the Lone Star State’s history, culture, and people Texas is the country's second-largest state by size and population. It has a unique and varied history, having been ruled by a succession of nations—from which the term “six flags over Texas” sprang—before becoming an independent republic. From its traditional oil, cattle, and cotton industries to the modern energy, electronics, computer, aerospace, and biomedical industries, Texas has become an economic powerhouse. It’s known for its low taxes, diverse population, thriving universities, and art scenes. Exploring the state’s fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, The Handy Texas Answer Book takes an in-depth look at this fascinating and diverse state with the bigger-than-life personality. Learn about the original Indigenous peoples, the Spanish, French, and Mexican colonizations, the independence from Mexico, the ties to the Confederacy and United States, devastating hurricanes, football culture, fast-growing cities and urban sprawl, food, attitude, and much, much more. Tour landmarks from the Alamo and cattle ranches to the Rio Grande and the state capital. Learn about famous sons and daughters, including Lyndon Johnson, Sam Houston, Howard Hughes, Janis Joplin, and Renée Zellweger. Sports (both college and professional) are illuminated. The government, parks, and cultural institutions are all packed into this comprehensive guide to the state of Texas. Find answers to more than 850 questions, including: • What is the origin of “Howdy?” • Where in Texas can you find all three kinds of dinosaur tracks in one place? • Where can gold be found in Texas? • How did we come to have “Dr. Pepper”? • Is it true that Texas’s annexation to the United States was never really legal? • How did Texas women get to vote a year before women in the rest of the United States? • What Texan became the most-decorated soldier in World War II? • Is it true that the only Texas governor to die in office expired in the arms of his mistress? • How did Texas transform from solidly Democratic to solidly Republican? • How did the discovery of Texas oil change the face of American business? • How did rodeos originate? • What was the University of Texas mascot before there was Bevo the Longhorn? • What was the slightly dishonest secret of UT’s early success in baseball? • What is so special about the television show Austin City Limits? • What are the “Marfa Lights”? • How many Texas convicts have been freed after proving their innocence with DNA? • What is the Cuero Turkey Trot? Illustrating the unique character of the state through a combination of facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky, The Handy Texas Answer Book answers intriguing questions about people, places, events, government, and places of interest. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

Boston. Bahston. A wicked good look at the city of Boston, it’s people, history, culture, and surrounding neighborhoods. Whether it's called Beantown, The Olde Towne, Titletown, The Cradle of Liberty, The Athens of America, The Puritan City, The City on a Hill, or any of its other obscure or oft-repeated nicknames, Boston has a long and varied history. Its universities and hospitals lead the nation, and its sports teams, politicians, and colloquialisms continue to captivate. Exploring this city’s fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, The Handy Boston Answer Book takes an in-depth look at one of America's oldest major cities. Learn about the city’s founding by Puritan settlers, the Boston Massacre, the Great Fire, the opening of the T, the busing desegregation strife, the Big Dig, and much, much more. Tour landmarks from Faneuil Hall to Fenway Park to the United States' first public school, Boston Latin School, and important institutions such as Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital. Sports (and the local sports fanatics) are illuminated (and explained). Popular neighborhoods, ethnic enclaves, and the surrounding suburbs are canvassed. The government, notable sons and daughters, parks, and cultural institutions are all packed into this comprehensive guide to the city of Boston. Find answers to 1,200 questions, including: What was the Boston revolt of 1689? Who dramatized Paul Revere's Midnight Ride? How did the Embargo Act of 1807 affect Boston? How did Protestant and Yankee Boston become the multi-ethnic metropolis of today? When did Boston's Great Fire occur? How much of the city's land was reclaimed by filling in marshes, mud flats, and gaps between wharves along the waterfront? What cities and towns comprise the “Greater Boston” region? How many college students reside in Boston? Why is the Boston Marathon always run on the third Monday of April? Who ran the Boston Marathon the most times? Were the baseball players always called the Red Sox? Why did Boston get the "Athens of America" nickname? What's “The T”? What's “The Pike”? Who designed Boston’s “Emerald Necklace”? Who was Boston's longest-serving mayor? Are “Tonics” and “Whoopie Pies” available at most “Spas”? What do the colored lights on top of the old Hancock building say about the weather? What do Samuel Adams, James Taylor, Benjamin Franklin, and Taylor Schilling have in common? A convenient place to go to look up the basic—and fun—facts about Boston, its history and culture, The Handy Boston Answer Book illustrates the unique character of the city through a combination of facts, stats, and stories, as well as the unusual and quirky. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

A practical, accessible, engaging, and comprehensive guide to how American democracy works (and how it sometimes doesn't work). The stakes have never been higher: national security, civil liberties, the economy, the future of the republic. Yet few outside Washington actually understand how our government and political system should work, much less how it actually operates. On one level, it's a complex, interlocking world veiled in power brokering, bureaucracy, and big money. On another, it's the biggest, richest, most influential organization in the world, for better or worse. Understanding how modern America is managed and governed is more vital than ever, but television, radio, newspapers, and social media frequently aim to spin, seduce, and sell product rather than serve anything resembling the truth. Filling the breach and answering basic questions about how our very complex government operates and what it promises, The Handy American Government Answer Book: How Washington, Politics, and Elections Work takes a comprehensive look at the systems, people, and policies that comprise American democracy, providing much-needed clarity to the current political drama. This informative book traces the historic development of the government, the functions of each branch of government, and how they work together. It provides clear and concise definitions of who does what and why. Written in an entertaining, reader-friendly, question-and-answer format, The Handy American Government Answer Book deciphers the news behind the headlines through well-researched answers to nearly 800 common questions. You will also read about such fascinating tidbits as Why is America's democratic system considered so precious? How are shifting demographics related to the electorate? What can Americans do to influence their government? Did the framers of the Constitution place equal weight on the concepts of liberty, equality, and democracy? What does "checks and balances" mean? What generally happens when members of Congress act inappropriately? How many presidents have been impeached? How does a case reach the U.S. Supreme Court? Which president appointed the most justices? How do civil liberties differ from civil rights? How does the Bill of Rights protect individual liberties? Is measuring public opinion a new phenomenon in politics? What does the concept ?majority rule with minority rights? mean? Why has trust in the government declined? What does it mean to lobby? How are PAC donations and political decisions linked? Where do the party symbols of the donkey and the elephant come from? What is electoral realignment? Who pays for the campaigns of candidates? Did the electoral college ever vote unanimously for a president? This handy primer also includes numerous illustrations, graphs, tables, a helpful bibliography, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. In the midst of the overheated rhetoric of the moment and the fast-changing, crisis-dominated world, a well-informed citizenry armed with The Handy American Government Answer Book is the best defense against political and corporate chicanery!

A practical, accessible and informative guide to overcoming and managing a wide spread affliction! Whether young, old, type 1, type 2, gestational, newly-diagnosed, long-time sufferer, caretaker or loved one, millions of people are afflicted and affected by diabetes. The CDC estimates 9.3% of the population in the U.S. and Canada have diabetes, with millions more with prediabetes. From scientific explanations of the affects of diabetes on the human body to monitoring, maintaining, exercising and eating right, The Handy Diabetes Answer Book provides detailed information on the research and science on the disease as well as coping with the burden. The Handy Diabetes Answer Book is the go-to guide for diabetics, prediabetics, their loved-ones and care-takers. It explains who is most at risk, and points to the differences throughout life stages. It looks at the science behind its affects on the sense, brain and the various systems of the human body. It demonstrates how to cope with—and live well—through food, exercise and life style choices. This useful resource shows how and why the disease affects the body, and provides glimpses of historical and contemporary figures with diabetes. It answers questions in plain English on all aspects of the condition. It also introduces the scientists behind breakthrough advances in care. Easy to use and informative reference, brings the complexity of the illness into focus and provides practical assistance for managing the malady through the well-researched answers to nearly 950 common questions, such as ... What were some early common treatments for patients with diabetes? What company was responsible for making the first commercial insulin? What percent of people have prediabetes in the United States? What are some ethnic, racial, or cultural groups that have more people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes? Has type 2 diabetes increased in teens and young adults? What are some other eating challenges that can affect an older person with diabetes? What are the early warning signs of type 1 diabetes? What is insulin shock? How can having pregestational diabetes affect a woman’s unborn child? Did writer Ernest Hemingway suffer from hemochromatosis? Can secondhand smoke affect a person with diabetes? Why does diabetes cause blindness? Why is it important for a person with diabetes to be aware of tooth pain? Why is there a controversy over how much salt should be eaten daily? How do “energy drinks” affect a person’s blood glucose levels? What are some tips for people with diabetes when they go shopping for food? What food additives should a person with diabetes be aware of consuming? What should a person with diabetes look for on a restaurant menu? Why is health care so costly for treating diabetes? Will type 1 diabetes ever go away? What recent study tried to find a way to reverse type 2 diabetes? What doll company is helping children cope with type 1 diabetes? What are some websites that offer a free diabetes risk assessment? Providing the facts, stats, science, and a little bit of history, The Handy Diabetes Answer Book answers important questions about managing and maintaining a healthy life. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography, glossary of terms, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

A handy resource on the fundamental facts about engineering for both engineers and non-engineers alike, whether you are exploring engineering for the first time, already have a strong background, or fall anywhere in between. Engineering impacts every aspect of our lives. Bridges, buildings, buses, electrical grids, computers, televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and virtually any everyday household item needs to be engineered to function properly. Fundamentally, engineering is about identifying a need and developing solutions that meet that need. Throughout history, engineering ideas and innovative feats have provided solutions to many challenges faced by civilizations. From the Great Wall of China to NASA's space program, The Handy Engineering Answer Book covers the history of the field, details the lives of key figures, introduces the tools engineers use to solve problems, and provides fun facts and answers to a thousand important and interesting questions, such as … What is the difference between science and engineering? What do engineers do? What are some famous engineering mistakes or failures? What is reverse engineering? What is a prototype? What types of jobs do electrical engineers do? How does a car battery work? What are the major job responsibilities of a HVAC engineer? What is a Powertrain? What is Bernoulli’s principle? What are the Laws of Thermodynamics? What’s the difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines? What is stress and strain? What is the difference between torque and power? What is automation? What is quality assurance? What is meant by outsourcing? What are the responsibilities of a construction manager? What are the types of road construction that are both durable and cost-effective? Which materials are used to build a cruise ship? What are some design elements that help structures withstand earthquakes? How does a civil engineer design water slides for theme parks? Who was W. Edwards Deming? What is ergonomics? What is biomedical engineering? Who is Grace Hopper? What is debugging? What is the difference between a web developer and a website designer? Was Leonardo da Vinci an aerospace engineer? Where do chemical engineers work? How much energy does the world use? What are the major challenges addressed by environmental engineers? What is humanitarian engineering? What is acoustical engineering? What are the required skills for fire engineers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology? With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. Whether using science and math or building prototypes for testing or the development of various subdisciplines, The Handy Engineering Answer Book looks at how fundamental engineering is to modern life and society!

An informative, easy-to-use guide to accounting fundamentals and concepts Everyone needs to budget money and manage costs, whether for groceries and everyday purchases, rent or mortgage, education, retirement, or even a business. Like it or not, accounting infuses most everything in life. From credits, debits, and basic bookkeeping to getting the most out of tax deductions and from reading or creating a business’ financial statement to better understanding accounting lingo, The Handy Accounting Answer Book can help anyone acquire the skills to start or run a business, plan for retirement, set money aside for a big purchase, establish everyday budgets, and improve their money management. Find out about the concepts and assumptions behind the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Understand tax returns and maximize write-off. Manage retirement account statements and find ways to improve their results. Learn how to create a business plan. Learn about a business’ financial ratios, cost of goods, depreciation, tax planning, recognizing revenue and expenses, financial audits, year-end closing the books, and other terms and rules. Maximize profits and improve personal or business bottom lines. Covering accounting fundamentals, concepts, and jargon, The Handy Accounting Answer Book is for everyone who wants to understand the language of money and business. It uses basic terms and simple examples to illustrate complex accounting topics and can help you make better decisions about your business or personal finances. This handy primer answers nearly 800 questions and offers fun facts covering the basics of accounting, including ... What is the earliest known form of accounting? What are the elements of financial statements? When is revenue recognized? What is accrual basis accounting? How does an accountant determine which asset account titles to use? What is goodwill? How many different types of financial statements are there? What is the basic accounting equation? How is operating income different from net income? How do you know if a company is doing well? What is the quick ratio? How is earnings per share evaluated? What is a journal entry? What is a purchase order? What is the fraud triangle? How is depreciation expense calculated and recorded? What is a franchise? What are the employer payroll taxes? What is indirect labor? How is a budget prepared? What is a revenue variance? What is contribution margin? What is the time value of money? What is one of the first things that must be done when starting a small business? What are some of the key components of a business plan? Can a business be successful if it doesn’t make a profit? What is a CPA? What happened at Enron? For anyone planning for a business, retirement, college, or life in general, this informative book also includes a glossary of commonly used terms to cut through the jargon, a helpful bibliography, appendices providing examples of accountancy practices, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. It will help anyone’s financial intelligence!

Get the most out of reading with this an engaging and fun guide to the deeper meanings in great works of literature! From the epic of Gilgamesh to Aristotle and Cicero, and from Shakespeare and the King James Bible to Wuthering Heights, War and Peace, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the Nobel-winning lyrics of Bob Dylan, the world of literature is an integral part of our lives. Great literature can shape and form thoughts and opinions as well as influence politics and predict the future. Reading can truly enrich our lives, but it can sometimes be daunting to get the most out of a great work of literature. The Handy Literature Answer Book: Understand and Enjoy Meanings, Symbolism, and Signs in Great Works is an engaging, easy-to-read look at literature basics such as themes, symbols, context, and other literary devices. Different literary forms, including novels, poems, plays, short stories, memoirs, and literary nonfiction are analyzed. Hundreds of important stories and great works are used as illustrative examples. Learn about the five basic questions for any work of literature, including “What is the significance of a title?” “What is conflict?” “What is character development?” “What is point of view?” “How does a setting affect a story?” “What are the different schools of literary criticism?” and many more. Bringing the most out of the reading experience, The Handy Literature Answer Book deciphers and analyzes stories, novels, and verses through insightful in-depth answers to nearly 400 common questions. You will also read about such fascinating tidbits as ... What are the key components of literature? How is reading literature different from other kinds of reading? Why is artful reading so hard? What do poems do? How should a poem be read for its comparisons—metaphors and similes? What, according to Poe, should be the method of the short story writer? How do you recognize the difference between story and plot in a short story? How can you recognize a symbol? What are the defining characteristics of the novel? How did the novel evolve from a popular literary entertainment to the modern novel? What is the difference between drama and theater? What is the best way to understand and appreciate Shakespearean drama? What approaches should you take in reading an essay? What are characteristics of a memoir? This handy primer from two highly regarded experts also includes a glossary of essential literary terms, a timeline, a helpful bibliography, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. Making reading more enriching, rewarding, and enjoyable, The Handy Literature Answer Book is a wonderful, eye-opening read!