The seven stories collected here showcase McCarthy's formidable powers of observation, her deliciously witty writing style, and her celebrated talent for dissecting characters with biting acuity. A young woman looks for subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways to escape her unsatisfying marriage; an innocuous single man's friends realize his companionship has an enormous price; and an Italian guide puzzles a traveling pair of Americans.

In this witty novel--originally published as Whatever Makes You Happy --that inspired Netflix's major motion picture Otherhood , three mothers try to save their grown sons from themselves. Gillian, Helen, and Carol are three suburban mothers who have known each other since their respective sons were babies, and have met in a regular coffee group for years. These days, their sons are a bunch of thirty-four-year-old slackers: they have no wives and no children, never call, and seem unlikely to outgrow their post-adolescent lifestyles anytime soon. After yet another fruitless Mother's Day, Carol has an outlandish but irresistible idea: each woman will go drop in on her son for an unexpected weeklong visit and find out what's really keeping him from responsible adult life. Together, and with mixed success, the mothers set out to whip their sons into shape. Laugh-out-loud funny and remarkably insightful about family life, Otherhood will appeal to parents who yearn for a closer relationship with their adult children, and for the younger generation who seem to want the opposite, but will never quite relinquish the hope that their parents will swoop in and make everything better.

New York Times bestselling author and host of the podcast Nurture vs Nurture Dr. Wendy Mogel “ teaches parents the dialect needed to converse with their daughters and sons at every stage of life” ( Chicago Tribune). Dr. Wendy Mogel, “one of the most astute psychologists on the planet (Angela Duckworth, New York Times bestselling author of Grit ) observed a pattern in her practice: when parents speak to their children their pitch tends to rise, and they come across as pleading, indignant, wounded, outraged. Their tone and body language signal, I can’t handle it when you act like a child. In response, Dr. Mogel developed a remarkably effective series of “voice lessons,” for parents who were struggling to communicate. The results were immediate: a shift in vocal style led to calmer kids, who listened more attentively and responded with warmth, respect, and sincerity. In Voice Lessons for Parents , Mogel elaborates on her novel clinical approach, revealing how each age and stage of a child’s life brings new opportunities to connect . Drawing from a range of sources including neuroscience, fairy tales, and anthropology, Mogel offers specific guidance for talking to children across the expanse of childhood and adolescence. She also explains the best ways to talk about your child to partners, exes, and grandparents, as well as to teachers, coaches, and caretakers. And she addresses the distraction of digital devices—how they impact our interactions with our families, and what we can do about it.

THE REALITY BEHIND REALITY TV—HOLLYWOOD’S FAVORITE MOM-STAR TELLS IT LIKE IT IS Tori Spelling is the first to admit that the “reality” behind her popular television show, Tori & Dean, isn’t always real. Not even Star Magazine could invent the true chaos that happens behind the scenes. Luckily, Tori is famously honest and self-deprecatingly funny when it comes to her personal life. She’s always Spelling It Like It Is… Life is never boring at Tori’s house, but since her New York Times bestselling memoirs sTORI Telling, Mommywood, and Uncharted terriTORI, things have been especially unpredictable: Finding out she was pregnant with her third baby after nearly vomiting live on the Home Shopping Network; trying to hide her fourth pregnancy so soon after giving birth (as her stylist said, “who would be that crazy?”); being rescued from a paparazzo by a mom lynch mob; stalking her celebrity neighbor; and allowing cameras to film every personal detail of her life—from the most challenging time in her marriage to the only time in six years when she really felt as though those cameras invaded her privacy. Tori shares these stories and many more with the usual humor, candor, and down-to-earth charm that her fans love. She also writes openly about her biggest challenges: the terrifying health problems surrounding her high-risk pregnancy with youngest son Finn, her guilt over missing baby Hattie’s early months because she was in the hospital on bed rest, her struggles (and failures) to live within her means after growing up in opulence, discovering how much she has in common with her late mega-producer father, Aaron Spelling, and falling in love with Dean all over again (hint: it didn’t happen at their vow renewal ceremony). After years of intimately revealing her everyday antics onscreen, Tori’s life is still full of surprises. Slowing down long enough to enjoy them? Now that’s another sTORI.

Originally published in two volumes in paperback for $15.95 each, this classic book that first taught women how to triumph over compulsive eating is now available in a new, complete one-volume hardcover edition for only $8.99.

In the style of The Recovering, and Educated: A Memoir, Stephanie Wittels Wachs delves into the dark world of loss, grief, and addiction in a heartbreaking but hopeful memoir With a captivating foreward by Aziz Ansari One phone call was all it took to change Stephanie Wittels Wachs's life forever... Her younger brother, Harris, a comedy star known for his work on Parks and Recreation and for introducing the world to the art of the humblebrag, died of a heroin overdose. How do you make sense of such a tragic end to a life full of so much hilarious brilliance? In beautiful, unsentimental, and surprisingly funny prose, Stephanie Wittels Wachs alternates between her brother's struggle with addiction, which she learned about three days before her wedding, and the first year after his death, in all its emotional devastation. This compelling portrait of a comedic genius and a profound exploration of the love between siblings is A Year of Magical Thinking for a new generation of readers. Everything is Horrible and Wonderful will make you laugh, cry, and wonder if that possum on the fence is really your brother's spirit animal. A touching memoir that delves into addiction, grief recovery, and healing after loss, this poignant story ultimately showcases the enduring love we have for those we lose too soon.

For baby lovers.baby owners and baby makers.Here is sound,loving,hilarious advice from American's number one baby authorities ,Stan and the Berenstains help you learn everything you need to know before and after baby arrives.

In this book, the author, a playwright and social critic explores the family, the first place where all people, straight, gay, and bisexual, learn homophobia. For it is within the family that homophobia begins to control people's lives, whether as perpetrators or recipients. Written in the tradition of Susan Brownmiller's Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape, which reconceptualized rape and transformed it from a private problem into an internationally recognized cultural crisis that is now punishable in the International Criminal Court, this book uncovers the hidden crime of "familial homophobia" and moves it into the open for social and political scrutiny. The author illustrates how societal homophobia is rooted in the family but reaches into all levels of social interaction, including how gay people treat each other. She probes the complex issues involved and prescribes third party interventions on the part of both individuals and institutions of authority so that we can all live a better life together on truly equal terms. This work attempts to change our understanding of homophobia and redefine the political landscape not just for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people but for us all.

Guide to building a lasting relationship--from choosing a mate to raising children together.

A hilarious book by Richard M. Cohen, the New York Times bestselling author of Blindsided and Strong at the Broken Places , about living with his wife, Meredith Vieira, and her band of difficult dogs. “Has a couple ever gone to war or a spouse moved to another country because a pet came between them? Have two people other than my wife and me ever had such opposing feelings when it comes to domestic animals?” So wonders Richard M. Cohen, who has endured the beasts his wife, Meredith Vieira, has brought into the house to enrich their lives. Despite her unshakable affection for these furry creatures, the various animals have destroyed the serenity of a once calm household. Friends watch in stunned silence as the family frantically struggles to keep peace in this lawless land. Delivery people have fled in fear. Guests have cowered or simply laughed at the hideous shrieks, the current mutt’s stab at intimidation. Then there are the cats that think they are ferocious jungle creatures. Weary of having animals run the show, Richard is fed up. These animals are destroying a home, and the life of one simple soul who seeks only peace and quiet. The King has been overthrown. The Queen and her court have taken over. That would be Meredith and her minions. I Want to Kill the Dog is more than a countercultural ode to those weary of the pet pedestal. It is a portrait of a marriage and of the redemptive power of humor and family when banishing the beast is not an option.

Holzman has seen all the great ones in action, and here he discusses the unique contributions of such superstars as Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Bob Cousy, Julius Erving, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and others. These are the names that changed the way the game is played today. The heart of the book is Holzman's appraisal of the great matchups, those individual rivalries that have often decided championship series. The model here is Russell, who brought back the concept of defense, against Chamberlain, the greatest offensive force the game has known and virtual owner of the record book. Other matchups such as Bradley vs. Havlicek are chosen to illustrate Holzman's concept of team play. In each case he breaks down the matchup into its physical and psychological aspects, with plenty of anecdotal spinoffs that reflect the intensity of the rivalry. Reading this book is like sitting beside Red Holzman on the bench. His uncensored observations give a whole new perspective on how the game is played by the pros and what to watch for.

New York Dram Critc's Circle Award for Best Foreign Play Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy London Critics' Circle Award for Best Play Time Out Award for Best West End Play The award-winning play of love and betrayal that was the inspiration for Mike Nichols' acclaimed film of the same name and starring Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Own. In Closer , Patrick Marber has created a brilliant exploration into the brutal anatomy of modern romance, where a quartet of strangers meet, fall in love, and become caught up in a web of sexual desire and betrayal. Closer is being hailed as one of the best new plays of the nineties, and as the London Observer noted, it "has wired itself into the cultural vocabulary in a way that few plays have ever done."

When her beloved Ginger, a piano-playing socialite and very snappy dresser, makes a last-minute trip to London not knowing her housesitter has cancelled, Petunia the pig does more than fend for herself, she becomes Ginger.

“Vivid and moving. I loved it.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery-winning author of When You Reach Me Julia and Eliza are best friends, so when Julia’s mom is sent to serve in Iraq, it makes perfect sense for her to spend the summer with Eliza and her parents. Any other time, Julia would be thrilled to be there. But on top of worrying about her mom, Julia develops her first real crush. The gap between Julia and Eliza keeps widening—until Eliza does something drastic to win back her best friend. In her follow-up to the award-winning Anything But Typical , Nora Baskin Raleigh has written a powerful, touching story about friendship, first love, and how the people who are farthest away from us are sometimes the ones we need the most.

Michael Savage has been sounding the alarm on America's liberal maladies for years, gaining a nationwide audience of over ten million. Now, the brilliant best-selling author and sharp, sagacious prophet of the airwaves Michael Savage releases the definitive collection of his written work: all three of his New York Times best-selling books in one spectacular box set. The perfect gift set for Savage's legions of fans, this box set includes his hugely successful The Savage Nation: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Borders, Language, and Culture; his popular follow-up The Enemy Within: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Schools, Faith, and Military; and his most recent triumph Liberalism Is a Mental Disorder: Savage Solutions, This stylish set also includes a bonus CD with a message of encouragement and empowerment from Michael Savage himself.

"In the tradition of The Year of Magical Thinking comes a legendary editor's unflinching love song about his radiant wife, Margaret, and her battle with cancer. It was a warm April in Pleasant Valley when Margaret Korda, normally a fearless horsewoman, dropped her horsewhip while she was riding. Such a mild slip was easy to ignore, but when other troubling symptoms accumulated, she confided to her husband, 'Michael, I think something serious is wrong with me.' Within a few rapid weeks, the fiercely independent, former fashion model was diagnosed with brain cancer, while Michael, once reliant on her steeliness, became her caregiver, deciphering bewildering medical reports and packing her beloved toiletries for the hospital. An operation performed by a renowned surgeon allowed Margaret to ride her favorite competition horse Logan go Bragh a few more times, but Margaret's tumors quickly returned-leaving her to grapple with the reality of impending death. In rapturous prose, Korda, a modern- day Orpheus, braids her heroic story with heartrending details of their final year together. Passing, a tender memoir, is a testament to the transcendent possibilities of love"--

Although prostate cancer is a disease that strikes nearly 200,000 men every year, it is a disease that has been shrouded in silence, in part because it strikes at the very core of masculine identity. But in Man to Man, bestselling author Michael Korda breaks that silence, turning the story of his illness and recovery into a candid and instructive book that speaks not only to every man and woman whose life has been touched by prostate cancer but to everyone who lives in fear of it. With unsparing frankness, Korda describes how he survived the ordeal of prostate surgery and its painful and humiliating aftereffects. He tells us how tumors are graded, evaluates different treatments, and makes sense of prostate cancer's mystifying "numbers." Practical, immensely readable, filled with information, and, above all, hopeful, Man to Man is literally a life-saver. From the Trade Paperback edition.

An exciting new talent, shortlisted for the 1997 Booker Prize, hailed as ‘a triumph’ by The Times, and a poignant observer of human hearts, foibles and follies. ‘’There isn’t a false note in the book, nothing but ravishing grace, wit and tender feelings.’ Mail on Sunday

The ""chances grow smaller every year that you will die in childbirth"" is only one of many amusing reasons why people should look on the bright side of getting older in this amusing book about aging and the later years in one's life. Original. 60,000 first printing."

Today's definition of family is completely unrecognizable from what it was forty, thirty, even twenty years ago. Into the chaos that has become typical of the modern American family, judge Judy Sheindlin attempts to bring some order. With Keep It Simple, Stupid, Judge Judy addresses how convoluted family life has become. The traditional nuclear family has expanded to include exes and parents of exes, merging families, stepchildren, lovers, adopted children, in-laws the list goes on and on. Complex issues naturally arise from the enlarged families into which we're born. There is the ex-wife who wants more child support from husband number one so she can stay home with new baby by husband number two. There are the parents who gave their daughter thirty thousand dollars as a wedding gift only to watch the marriage quickly crumble and their former son-in-law claim half the money. How about the adult son who runs out on his kids, leaving his parents to pay his child support? When it comes to families, Judge Judy has seen it all in her courtroom, and she knows stupidity when she sees it. Tackling all the explosive issues that drive families crazy -- and into court -- Judge Judy shares her on-target, brutally honest thoughts on the chaos that is characteristic of today's American family and gives no-holds-barred advice on how to resolve conflicts and repair relationships.