In this marvelously original book, three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Leslie Savan offers fascinating insights into why we’re all talking the talk—Duh; Bring it on!; Bling; Whatever!—and what this reveals about America today. Savan traces the paths that phrases like these travel from obscure slang to pop stardom, selling everything from cars (ads for VWs, Mitsubishis, and Mercurys all pitch them as “no-brainer”s) to wars (finding WMD in Iraq was to be a “slam dunk”). Real people create these catchy phrases, but once media, politics, and businesses broadcast them, they burst out of our mouths as celebrity words, newly glamorous and powerful. Witty, fun, and full of thought-provoking stories about the origins of popular expressions, Slam Dunks and No-Brainers is for everyone who loves the mysteries of language.

A twenty-first–century sales philosophy that “gets straight to the point about what works, and what doesn’t work in today’s marketplace” (Kevin Kruse, New York Times-bestselling author of 15 SecretsSuccessful People Know About Time Management, Founder and CEO of LeadX). Being successful at sales has nothing to do with “selling.” The best salespeople are the ones who are always curious—not always closing. Succeed Without Selling contains everything a small business owner or sales professional needs to know about what it takes to be successful. From prospecting to discovery to referrals and strategic alliances, it’s all covered. There are even chapters for sales managers, direct sellers, and service providers. Succeed Without Selling also includes resources like sample scripts and proposal templates. Anyone who wants to grow their business will find actionable, easy-to-follow information to help them embrace the value of being more interested in others than in making the sale. Succeed Without Selling changes the way readers look at the sales process forever—and stops them from engaging in behaviors that just don’t work.

A Message from Mike Rowe, the Dirty Jobs Guy: Just to be clear, About My Mother is a book about my grandmother, written by my mother. That’s not to say it’s not about my mother—it is. In fact, About My Mother is as much about my mother as it is about my grandmother. In that sense, it’s really a book about “mothers.” …It is not, however, a book written by me. True, I did write the foreword. But it doesn’t mean I’ve written a book about my mother. I haven’t. Nor does it mean my mother’s book is about her son. It isn’t. It’s about my grandmother. And my mother. Just to be clear.—Mike A love letter to mothers everywhere, About My Mother will make you laugh and cry—and see yourself in its reflection. Peggy Rowe’s story of growing up as the daughter of Thelma Knobel is filled with warmth and humor. But Thelma could be your mother—there’s a Thelma in everyone’s life. She’s the person taking charge—the one who knows instinctively how things should be. Today, Thelma would be described as an alpha personality, but while growing up, her daughter Peggy saw her as a dictator—albeit a benevolent, loving one. They clashed from the beginning—Peggy, the horse-crazy tomboy, and Thelma, the genteel-yet-still-controlling mother, committed to raising two refined, ladylike daughters. Good luck. When major league baseball came to town in the early 1950s and turned sophisticated Thelma into a crazed Baltimore Orioles groupie, nobody was more surprised and embarrassed than Peggy. Life became a series of compromises—Thelma tolerating a daughter who pitched manure and galloped the countryside, while Peggy learned to tolerate the whacky Orioles fan who threw her underwear at the television, shouted insults at umpires, and lived by the orange-and-black schedule taped to the refrigerator door. Sometimes it takes a little distance to appreciate the people we love.

Born as a Germanic tongue with the arrival in Britain of the Anglo-Saxons in the early medieval period, heavily influenced by Norman French from the 11th century, and finally emerging as modern English from the late Middle Ages, the English language has grown to become the linguistic equivalent of a superpower, and is now sometimes described as the world's lingua franca. Worldwide, some 380 million people speak English as a first language and some 600 million as a second language. A staggering one billion people are believed to be learning it. English is the premier international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, and diplomacy and also on the Internet. It has been one of the official languages of the United Nations since its founding in 1945. It is considered by many good judges to be well on the way to becoming the world's first universal language Author Philip Gooden tells the story of the English language in all its richness and variety. From the intriguing origins and changing definitions of common words such as OK, berserk, curfew, cabal, and pow-wow, to the massive transformations wrought in the vocabulary and structure of the language by Anglo-Saxon and Norman conquest, through to the literary triumphs of Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales and the works of Shakespeare. The Story of English is a fascinating tale of linguistic, social and cultural transformation, and one that is accessibly and authoritatively told by an author in perfect command of his material.

Some people seem to be born with a mental makeup that predestines them for success. But anyone can master their mindset. Dave Anderson shows you how. In Intentional Mindset, LearnToLead founder Dave Anderson shows you how to purposefully develop both killer instinct and mental toughness by cultivating and strengthening ten specific traits. The author of 15 books and host of the popular podcast The Game Changer Life, Dave's guidance has impacted readers and listeners in more than 145 countries. Now, he shares a unique blueprint for developing the mindset you need to succeed, presenting foundational strategies for intentionally developing and strengthening what he calls the ACCREDITED traits: attitude, competitiveness, character, rigor, effort, discipline, intelligence, tenacity, energy, and drive. Throughout the book, readers will follow the progress of three "case studies." The frustrations, progress, and victories of "Fred," "Frank," and "Frances" will replace the sterile or academic approach so common in personal development books with a more readable, personal, and actionable experience. What's more, Anderson provides an optional 70-day follow-up course to integrate the book's lessons into one's daily routine and accelerate results. All materials for this course, including a downloadable workbook and 70 supporting videos—one for each day—are provided at no cost on the LearnToLead website. Intentional Mindset is a true game changer—a book that gives you the tools to shape your future by shaping your mind.

A complete guide to the healthiest foods you can eat and how to cook them!

Lemons and limes are easily overlooked when discussing recipes and ingredients. Often thought of as garnishment or an “optional” ingredient by many, these little citrus wonders pack a nice vitamin C punch and are more versatile then you think. This book contains 14 recipes for tasty dishes featuring limes. There are recipes for every meal of the day. Included are: Appetizers Main dishes Side dishes Desserts Beverages

"Roger Axtell is an internationalist Emily Post." --The New Yorker International business and leisure travel etiquette expert Roger Axtell's bestselling Do's and Taboos books have helped hundreds of thousands of business travelers and tourists avoid the missteps and misunderstandings the world traveler can encounter. In Essential Do's and Taboos, Axtell shares the wisdom he has compiled over a lifetime of international experience. Whether you need to know the best time of year to set up a business meeting in Germany or why the O.K. sign is not O.K. in Brazil, you'll find practical, fascinating, culture-savvy, up-to-date advice to help you steer clear of faux pas and face the world with confidence. Essential Do's and Taboos features: * Information on customs, protocol, etiquette, hand gestures, and body language * Fresh advice regarding Internet business and communication options * Country-specific chapters on eleven popular locations--from old favorites like England, France, Japan, and Germany to hot tourist destinations and emerging economies like India, China, Russia, and Mexico * Guidance on hosting international visitors * Important tips on using English around the world * Special do's and taboos for women traveling abroad

Every year, Reader’s Digest readers send in tens of thousands of jokes and funny anecdotes, in their quest for a $100 check and, as an extra benefit, eternal glory: to have their joke published in the world’s best-read magazine. One man is stopping them from their quest. Andy Simmons. It takes a sense of humor. And Andy certainly has that. Not only is he the arbiter of all things funny in Reader’s Digest; he is their Mark Twain, Bill Cosby, and even their David Sedaris. In other words, Andy is the guy Reader’s Digest turns to whenever they need a funny story all of America can appreciate. He’s perfect for the job. Andy takes great delight in the funny and oddball side of everyday life. In Now That’s Funny!, Andy presents his most popular, funniest writings on all things America, some exclusive and all-new, some taken from the award-winning pages of Reader’s Digest. You’ll discover the Andy that goes out and tries things. His first-person tales of taking dance lessons, participating in a Revolutionary War reenactment, and even taking stand-up comedy lessons are some of the funniest articles to ever appear in Reader’s Digest. Then you discover the Andy that observes America. His roundups of dumb criminals, crazy lawsuits, ridiculous excuses and out-of-touch scientific research will have you roaring with laughter -- and feeling much better about yourself. Then there’s Andy, the family man. You’ll laugh out loud as he goes in search of his inner macho --or for the next stop on his vacation, if only he can find the directions. And Andy’s observations on marriage and fatherhood are as accurate as they are funny. Finally, there’s Andy the jokester. Here are tales from the job of trying to think, act, and be funny every workday, no matter what the dog did this morning on the rug. Tales of his sit-downs with comic legends from Robin Williams to Woody Allen will have you in stitches. Andy also shares his favorite jokes -- many of them too edgy for printing in Reader’s Digest! Add it up, and it’s a book filled with hundreds of feel-good, laugh-out-loud moments about life in these United States -- exactly the type of reading we need today!

The first comprehensive encyclopedia for the growing fields of media and communication studies, the Encyclopedia of Media and Communication is an essential resource for beginners and seasoned academics alike. Contributions from over fifty experts and practitioners provide an accessible introduction to these disciplines' most important concepts, figures, and schools of thought – from Jean Baudrillard to Tim Berners Lee, and podcasting to Peircean semiotics. Detailed and up-to-date, the Encyclopedia of Media and Communication synthesizes a wide array of works and perspectives on the making of meaning. The appendix includes timelines covering the whole historical record for each medium, from either antiquity or their inception to the present day. Each entry also features a bibliography linking readers to relevant resources for further reading. The most coherent treatment yet of these fields, the Encyclopedia of Media and Communication promises to be the standard reference text for the next generation of media and communication students and scholars.