Reference - General

What's the hippest way to be green? Making your own hair conditioner, mouth rinse, lip gloss, and hand cream would be a start. Natural beauty maven Lauren Cox is bringing bath and body into the twenty-first century with easy, economical, and eco-friendly projects, featuring au courant ingredients-hemp oil, red tea, soy milk, flax seed oil, and goat's milk - that are increasingly easy to find. Recycled bottling and green gift-giving ideas round out this stylish how-to manual for the DIY generation. So whether you're a crafty chica r... read more

For all fans of Homework for Grown-ups, a fiendishly entertaining quiz book for all the family.
Whether your idea of fun is an evening spent with friends and family basking in the glow of twinkly Christmas tree lights while you take the opportunity to probe the most cob-webbed corners of your intellect, or if the joy of good, old fashioned competitive spirit is what sets your pulse racing, then welcome to your perfect fix. The Homework for Grow-Ups Quiz Book will test your knowledge and prove once and for all who knows best. ... read more

Acupuncture in Latin means A"sticking with the needle.A" Each of the 409 important acupuncture points is presented with an anatomical graphic, an overview of the meridian and a photo showing the needle placement. The combination of Chinese sources and the authors' therapeutic experiences provides a sensible balance between the most important indications and practical needs. The names, properties, and applications of the individual acupuncture points have been revised on this basis. Far-Eastern healing methods and Western observatio... read more

202 Incredible Things to Make and Do on the Weekend delivers exactly what the title suggests: over 200 fun and creative projects and activities. The entries range in difficulty and complexity, and will fill anything from a wet afternoon to a whole weekend. Full of classic projects and traditional crafts, it makes an ideal gift for a father or grandfather, but is equally useful as a sourcebook of activities for families.

Being given yet another pointless 'man manual' that told him fifty ways to tie a bow tie in under 30 seconds made James May certain there was a need for another kind of book. This book, in fact. He reckons there are nine vital things that a chap should be able to do. Not stuff you can download from the internet, but really important things. You never know when you might need to land an A330 Airbus, or deliver twins. And there may well be a moment when being able to play a bit of classical music on the piano is absolutely crucial ... read more

With more than 3,000 quotations on fashion, family, science, art, history, love, laughter and more, this massive compilation proves once and for all that women know everything!
It's full of wit, wisdom, and inspiration from a host of legendary women - everyone from Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt to Oprah Winfrey, Donna Karan, Tina Fey, Margaret Cho, Debbie Stoller and others.

Where would humanity be without fire, farming or wine? A great idea changes the path of human civilization. But which is the greatest of them all?
In The World's Greatest Idea, John Farndon has set out to find the answer with help from a panel of experts in the fields of science, the arts and philosophy.

From our earliest years we have heard proverbs, and many of them are repeated without much thought. Yes, 'birds of a feather flock together' and 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', but these sayings are so familiar that we are scarcely aware they are proverbs. It has been so for thousands of years, in every culture. It is only when someone like Max Cryer takes the time to look at them that we can see how these 'pearls of wisdom' have played such a key role in the moral guidance of every society. Sometimes the wisdom is distinctl... read more

David Crystal's How Language Works is a fascinating tour through the world of language from one of today's most renowned experts. It ranges over everything from how children learn to read to what makes words rude or polite, from eyebrow flashes to whistling languages. Unlocking the secrets of communication in an accessible, entertaining way, this exhilarating book sheds light on the endless mysteries of the language we speak, write and read every day.

What does it mean to call yourself British in the 21st Century? If Obama was raised by his white mother, why is he the first black president? Why do Muslims feel more at home in America, which invaded Iraq, than in France, which opposed the invasion? Who are we, and why does it matter?

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Water is essential for life and its conservation is a fundamental concern for us all. This compelling series examines what we need to know and what we can do about preserving the world's water. It presents vital information on: the different ways we use water ways to manage our limited water supply what affects the supply of good quality water ways we can recycle water

The art of being a good wife is not an easy one. This little guide was written for the middle classes of the 1930s who were reading one of the first modern self-help books. Illustrated with contemporary line-drawings, it contains advice by turns delightfully arcane and timelessly true, for example: it is a wife's duty to look her best - if you don't tidy yourself up, when you have done the bulk of the day's work, don't be surprised if your husband begins to compare you unfavourably with the typist at the office; don't forget that a... read more

Bike riding is booming. The reasons are simple, like bike riding itself: it's healthy, sociable, makes you feel good, you can discover beautiful places at your own pace, and it can save you time and money. Little Bike Bible provides 365 simple tips to help keep you riding, every day of the year.

The Times Crossword is the most famous in the world. Test your wordpower with this classic collection of 80 cryptic puzzles compiled by the Editor of The Times Crossword.

Being a writer is good because you get paid to write stuff up, you can stay home and work in your pajamas and you get to travel because it's research. Being a writer is bad when you're sitting all by yourself staring at a blank page. Brigid Lowry knows the highs and lows of being a writer, but she still thinks it's a joy. In this book she takes you on a journey to discover yourself and what you really want to say AND how to make it juicy and original. So, what do you need to begin? Where can you find ideas? How can you make your wr... read more

Lets face it we all lead hectic lives. When was the last time you felt like you had spare time to yourself? The most important place in our lives is our home. This is our castle where we spend the most valuable time of the day with our family and ourselves. So when our home is disorganised, we too become disorganised. The simplest and fastest ways to organise your home and office have been laid out in Home Sorted, and covers each room of your home individually, including your office, and offers simple organising methods to be appli... read more

The perfect answer to the question 'what's been said about this?' This fully revised and updated edition of an Oxford classic is a truly unique reference book which brings together phrases, proverbs, and quotations in a single thematic volume. Apt and memorable sayings are arranged under a wide range of subjects, giving explanations and origins of the expressions and tracing the links between them. Oxford's unique language research highlights sayings from languages around the world which have become popular in English. Here you can... read more

Learning to ride a bike is easy, but getting back on one if you're over the age of 12 - and have developed a penchant for high heels - can be a daunting task. In Heels on Wheels Katie Dailey offers sage advice to the modern gal who would like to get back in the saddle after a short (or very long) hiatus. Find out how to choose your trusty steed, stay safe on the road, fix a puncture and select the best lock for your bicycle. As well as this, more pressing issues are covered, including how to combat helmet hair, wearing a skirt... read more

This is the fifth title in the Fiendish series - the latest volume of quality previously unpublished puzzles from the puzzle providers to the Times.