Catherine is a hula-hooping performance artist, a talented and independent individual. Columbine is a feisty female clown in a 16th century Italian commedia dell'arte commissioned to perform before the King of France. As Catherine and Columbine struggle to make sense of a nonsensical world, their lives, as if by magic, seem to interact.

A spunky African American girl has a hula-hooping competition with her friends in Harlem, and soon everyone in the neighborhood--young and old alike--joins in on the fun.

Presents lighthearted explanations of the chemistry behind sixty-seven everyday objects and processes, from foods and shampoos to flatulence and anesthetics.

An outstanding collection of short fiction from a bold new voice in contemporary literature. The 13 stories in Karen Hitchcock's debut collection Little White Slips showcase a formidable new talent. One of the most exciting recruits to the Australian Picador list in years, Karen's writing is deeply personal, strikingly feminine, heart-breakingly beautiful, at times fearless and confronting, and frequently hilarious. Whether tackling a troubled marriage using an action figure of Sigmund Freud, celebrating the apparent triumph of weight loss, or coping with the stresses of balancing a career with motherhood, the joys and frustrations of our lives are laid bare. Hitchcock's often painfully honest observations are balanced by a wry humour and sharp wit. And with stories encompassing growing up, love, betrayal, sex, marriage, self-image, and our relationships with family, friends and food, there are few women (and the odd man) who will not recognise themselves in these tales. 'Darkly funny and original.' The Sunday Telegraph 'Compulsively readable ... Hitchcock has such a distinctive voice and sensibility, clever without being obnoxious, warm, and earthy ... she is quite a find.' The Australian 'Short stories are making a comeback -- and thank goodness; otherwise readers might have been denied the challenge and pleasure of Little White Slips.' The Sydney Morning Herald

"A nostalgic celebration of the most beloved toys of decades past - like Twister, LEGOs, My Little Ponies, Lite Brite, Viewmaster, Transformers ... and much more. Attractive, gifty, and fully illustrated with photos of vintage toy packaging, advertisements, and of course the toys themselves, Toy Time! is chock full of fun facts, trivia, and memories about the toys you cherished most"--

It was a time when color television was the newest technology, the hula hoop was the latest fad and the evening news typically began with coverage of the Vietnam War. At 116 Nevada Street in Dubuque, Iowa, life was reasonably good. In this memoir, author Roger Neuhaus reminisces about his life in this time period, growing up as one of eight children in a strict Catholic family. Nostalgic and often humorous, (Mostly) True Confessions of a Recovering Catholic tells of a neighborhood filled with youthful adventures and an array of Catholic grade school and church experiences, including a colorful cast of mischievous characters. This anthology of anecdotes takes place from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s, addressing the changing times of the era. Neuhaus narrates tales of a simpler time and place, one filled with the wonder, excitement, and playfulness of youth. (Mostly) True Confessions of a Recovering Catholic shows how the teachings of the Catholic Church and his familys core values worked to shape the future of one young man.

Make workplace conflict resolution a game that EVERYBODY wins! Recent studies show that typical managers devote more than a quarter of their time to resolving coworker disputes. The Big Book of Conflict-Resolution Games offers a wealth of activities and exercises for groups of any size that let you manage your business (instead of managing personalities). Part of the acclaimed, bestselling Big Books series, this guide offers step-by-step directions and customizable tools that empower you to heal rifts arising from ineffective communication, cultural/personality clashes, and other specific problem areas—before they affect your organization's bottom line. Let The Big Book of Conflict-Resolution Games help you to: Build trust Foster morale Improve processes Overcome diversity issues And more Dozens of physical and verbal activities help create a safe environment for teams to explore several common forms of conflict—and their resolution. Inexpensive, easy-to-implement, and proved effective at Fortune 500 corporations and mom-and-pop businesses alike, the exercises in The Big Book of Conflict-Resolution Games delivers everything you need to make your workplace more efficient, effective, and engaged.