In the tradition of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods and A. J. Jacobs's The Know-It-All, Craig J. Heimbuch takes a wry look at some of our most deeply cherished cultural beliefsCraig J. Heimbuch had never even thought of owning a gun when, in his early thirties, he was given a twelve-gauge Winchester over-under shotgun by his father. The black sheep, so to speak, of his Midwestern family, Craig was possibly the only male Heimbuch never to have taken an animal. But now that he had a shotgun, he figured he might as well try it out, and in so doing, explore the meaning of manhood while getting closer to his hunting-enthusiast dad.And Now We Shall Do Manly Things is the witty, moving, and insightful story of one man's quest to free himself from the shackles of his domesticated suburban lifestyle by immersing himself for one year in the hunting culture his family has always cherished. Along the way Heimbuch learns what putting food on the table once entailed and what it means to be a man in America and discovers that it's possible to be a committed father, a loving spouse, and a hunter without being mistaken for a gun-toting lunatic.

The team that refused to give up their manager in his final season A comeback that changed baseball After thirty-three seasons managing in Major League Baseball, Tony La Russa thought he had seen it all that is, until the 2011 Cardinals. Down ten and a half games with little more than a month to play, the Cardinals had long been ruled out as serious postseason contenders. Yet in the face of those steep odds, this team mounted one of the most dramatic and impressive comebacks in baseball history, making the playoffs on the night of the final game of the season and going on to win the World Series despite being down to their last strike twice.Now La Russa gives the inside story behind this astonishing comeback and his remarkable career, explaining how a team with so much against it was able to succeed on baseball's biggest stage. Opening up about the devastating injuries, the bullpen struggles, the crucial games, and the players who made it all possible, he reveals how the team's character shaped its accomplishments, demonstrating how this group came together in good times and in bad to become that rarest of things: a team that actually enjoyed it when the odds were against them. But this story is much more than that of a single season. As La Russa, the third-winningest manager in baseball history, explains, their season was the culmination of a lifetime spent studying the game. Laying bare his often scrutinized and frequently misunderstood approach to managing, he explains his counterintuitive belief in process over result, present moments over statistics, and team unity over individual talent. Along the way he shares the stories from throughout his career that shaped his outlook from his first days managing the Chicago White Sox to his championship years with the Oakland A's, to his triumphant tenure as St. Louis's longest-serving manager. Setting the record straight on his famously intense style, he explores the vital yet overlooked role that his personal relationships with his players have contributed to his victories, ultimately showing how, in a sport often governed by cold, hard numbers, the secret to his success has been surprisingly human. Speaking candidly about his decision to retire, La Russa discusses the changes that he'd observed both in the game and in himself that told him, despite his success, it was time to hang up his spikes. The end result is a passionate, insightful, and remarkable look at our national pastime that takes you behind the scenes of the comeback that no one thought possible and inside the mind of one of the game's greatest managers.

Every winter, 8,000 feet above sea level in the Utah snow, the hopes and dreams of young moviemakers are put on display at the Sundance Film Festival--the haven for independent films where you can show up a kid and go home a star. In barely twenty years of existence, the festival--now overseen by Robert Redford's Sundance Institute--has assumed tremendous importance for today's film culture: during the annual ten-day event, tiny Park City is so overrun by agents, publicists, studio executives, and other Hollywood types that in 1988 they blew out the town's cell-phone relay system.

Are you the type of person who stays up nights wondering how they get the paper tag into Hershey's KissesOr why portholes are roundEven if you don't lose sleep over such matters, you have to admit that such questions are, well, worthy of consideration. Here, from David Feldman, creator of the Imponderables series, are the latest questions on the minds of his devoted readers and fans. No question from his readers is too small or obscure for Feldman to tackle. From the return of red Ms (they are back, if you've missed it) to new-car smell, the answers to life's little mysteries are dissected in these pages. Although it's all done in great fun, there is also an educational edge to the answers, as Feldman ferrets out top experts in diverse fields to come up with his entertaining answers. And their answers may surprise you from the detailed physics involved in why cans of Diet Coke float but regular Coke doesn't, all the way to why they put crinkly paper into pairs of men's socks (but only one sock, not both).Complete with drawings by longtime Imponderables illustrator Kassie Schwan, and a special section updating answers to questions in previous books in the series, this eleventh book of Imponderables is sure to entertain the thousands of Feldman fans who have purchased over 2 million copies to date. Prepare to be delighted!

Journalist and poker fanatic Andy Bellin takes readers on a raucous journey into the shut-up-and-deal world of professional poker. From basement games to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, you'll look over his shoulder as he learns to count cards, read a legendary player's body language, hang in there when the chips are down, and take his beatings like a man. Even if you don't know the difference between a flop and a river card, Bellin keeps you in the game with his portraits of the colorful players, dreamers, hustlers, and eccentrics who populate this strange subculture. Along with learning what goes on behind the scenes in illegal poker clubs, you'll get great advice on how to play Texas Hold'em, today's game of choice for big-money players.

Parents have it tough. Kids have it tough, too. And few people are in a better position to guide readers through these tough times than Judge Glenda Hatchett. As chief presiding judge of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the country, she gained a front-row perspective on the hot-button social issues of our time -- including drug and alcohol abuse, truancy, date rape, and school violence. As presiding judge on the hit television series Judge Hatchett, she continues to build bridges between parents and their lost, angry, and alienated teens. And, as a parent, she's turned her professional experiences to personal advantage, helping her own children navigate through some of the more difficult dilemmas facing young people today.Using her experiences as a judge and a parent, Judge Hatchett shares with readers seven simple strategies to becoming more involved in a child's life and maintaining a strong relationship. Including concrete examples and illuminating anecdotes, Judge Hatchett says what she means and means what she says in this essential guide to raising safe, smart, and successful children ... even in the tough times.

Conceived in a storytelling workshop given by Spalding Gray, Old Man In a Baseball Cap is not your typical story of World War II. Rochlin recounts in gritty detail how he--an ordinary young man--was thrust into outrageous circumstances during an extraordinary time. Whether he's bumping up against the army's bigotry because he's Jewish, aiding in the delivery of a baby by cesarean section, being ordered to obliterate a Hungarian village, or parachuting from his plane in the middle of Yugoslavia and then walking 400 kilometers to safety with an amorous guide, Rochlin captures the Intensely powerful experience of a teenager away from home for the first time. Old Man In a Baseball Cap is an astonishingly fresh, candid look at "the last good war." At once naive, candid, and wise, Fred Rochlin's voice is unforgettable.

A successful businesswoman and single mom, Aimee has everything she wants in life–especially her little boy. But Toby is sick, and Aimee now needs the one person she thought she'd never see again–Toby's father, Jed. When Jed left Aimee five years ago he thought he was doing the right thing. But he hadn't realized Aimee was pregnant–or how much it would hurt when he walked away. Now that Jed has found his family he's determined to make up for lost time. He wants to prove to Aimee that he can be the father Toby needs and the husband she deserves.

When Lorna Farrell finds herself caught up in a pretend engagement with handsome oil tycoon Mitch Ellery, she knows she's playing with fire. Mitch is the key to Lorna being reunited with her real family. He's also the only man she's ever loved–and the one man she can't have! Mitch must never guess Lorna's true feelings, but pretending to be in love leads to complications. If Lorna walks away, she loses everything. But as the attraction between them intensifies, should she take a risk and confess her secrets?

ALL HE WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS… was to get away from the hustle and bustle of another lonely holiday season. But when Tucker Maddock stopped at what he thought was a quaint country inn, he found himself at a reunion of the big, boisterous Marsh family–who instantly welcomed their "long-lost cousin" with open arms…. It was tempting to pretend, just for a little while, that this close, loving family was his own. But there was one small problem–a woman named Ruth Marsh. She was suspicious of him from the start–and so beautiful, he definitely didn't want her to think they were related! And suddenly Tucker could think of something he'd really like to unwrap come Christmas morning….

Brian Kemp didn't put much faith in happy endings, but when his orphaned niece's puppy got sick, the hard-nosed cop turned to the one woman capable of performing miracles…. Back in the day, Jessica Moran had been plain, plump and unpopular–and very much in love with golden-boy Brian. Now she was all grown up, hauntingly beautiful and doing just fine…. Until her high school heartthrob showed up on her doorstep with his sad-eyed niece and injured pup in tow. But Jessica knew better than to give her heart to the man who'd made her stop believing in happily-ever-after long ago…. Didn't she? He'd asked her to heal the pooch, but maybe she would heal his brooding heart, as well!

She didn't believe in love or marriage–for herself at least. For others, wedding consultant Kelsey Armstrong Waters planned the most perfect weddings–and hoped for the best. But her much-married parents made her vow never to step down the aisle. Until she met Will Addison. He'd come to beg Kelsey's help in planning his flighty sister's wedding, and against her instincts she'd agreed. He was handsome, sexy, a romantic who believed in love–and a man who stirred dreams she'd thought long gone. Now Kelsey was even forgetting the most basic rule: Remember–you're not the bride! Or would she be?

She'd run from her fairy-tale wedding and with the help of a stranger she was now holed up in a remote location, trying to catch her breath. But Carly Albright knew it was only a matter of time before her past caught up with her…. ^Mysterious women with secrets were tempting, but Devon Brannigan planned on resisting the urge to get closer to Carly. He'd done his good deed in rescuing her and had offered his protection. There were plenty of things in his past that gave him no pright to get closer to Carly. No reason to care for her. And still, how could he 'resist her?

Practical Rachel Palmer's aversion to risk-taking led to a marriage that just didn't fit. Now single again, she's embracing her newfound independence–and the first step is taking her jewelry business worldwide! For that she needs expert help from Italian Antonio Salerno… His business help soon turns personal. And being in close-enough-to-kiss proximity to a sexy playboy makes Rachel feel she's taking a flying leap into deliciously risky territory. It's everything she's been craving…but this is a man famous for loving and leaving. Surely falling for him would be a step too far?

FROM THE DESK OF LUC DUMONT, HEAD OF SECURITY ST. MICHEL APRIL 2002 DAY30 While a missing heir remains at large, Princess Ariane has offered to go undercover at the palace in Rhineland and learn more about the rumored faction hoping to control St. Michel. Her quick mind and devotion to her country–not to mention her intoxicating beauty–make Ariane the perfect person for the job. But it seems as though love has bloomed early this spring, for Ariane and the irresistible Prince Etienne have been practically inseparable. Does this mean the prince has finally found his bride? And if so, what will happen when he learns Ariane's been stripped of her royal title?

When Jack met Molly again on vacation with their respective children in tow, it brought home two things–the fun and fiasco of their last meeting and just how much they wanted each other! Their holiday certainly brought them closer. But what woman would want to take Jack on with four children–especially when she already had two of her own? But those children realized something their parents didn't–that five plus three equals the ideal family!

The Cat Rules Rule #1: Cats have nine lives. Catherine Wyndham had used up her first eight avoiding mishaps and romantic misadventures. Now she had only one more left…and one last chance to find true love. Rule #2: Cats always land on their feet. Catherine usually did too, until she was waylaid one night by a purrfectly irresistible veterinarian, Garrett McAllister. He was so kind to her that soon her finicky heart began to melt, even though her inner feline told her she might be headed for a romantic crash landing! Rule #3: Good little kittens grow up, get rescued by the tom of their dreams and live happily ever after. Is that really a rule…or is it just another romantic furry tail?

SHE GOT UNDER HIS SKIN… [And besides, Dr. Connor Forbes didn't want a r partner. Even if Sunny Williams was the most beautiful blonde he'd ever seen, the uptight physician knew Sunny's crazy New Age ideas–and her irresistible lips–would only wreak havoc on his practical, wellordered life. i But with her sweet smile and luxurious deep ^tissue massages, the spunky siren had made it impossible for him to turn her away without risking the wrath of the entire town of Oak Valley…and his traitorous heart. Maybe having Sunny as a partner was just what the doctor ordered…

When Major Cole Standen retired from the Canadian Armed Forces, he figured he'd quit the rescuing business for good. Then five irresistible tykes turned up on his doorstep in the middle of the night, desperate for his help But he hadn't counted on sharing child-care duties with their auntie, Brooke Callan–a wide-eyed beauty who seemed as if she could use a little rescuing herself. Knee-deep in diapers and baby bottles, Cole soon realized there was far more to Brooke than just her vulnerable eyes and kissable lips. Perhaps it was being around a ready-made family, but this soldier was suddenly picturing himself with a brood of his own…and beautiful Brooke as his not-so-temporary second-in-command!

Lawyer Romy Bridgeport is used to demanding clients–but millionaire Sebastian Fox wins hands down! All he's ever wanted is a happy marriage and kids–so he's asked Romy to make him into marriage material! Does such a project require all Romy's legal training? Er, no–yet as a valued client, Romy has to take him on… Only, when her work is done, Romy can think of only one suitable wife: herself!

HONEYMOON IN VEGAS… The last thing Gina Martin expected when she bumped into the chief of operations of her father's company at a bar was that they'd end up naked together in a Las Vegas hotel room two days later! If the ring on her finger, the rumpled satin sheets and sizzling good-morning kiss were any clues, she was now Mrs. Gerrick Green. Gerrick couldn't blame Gina for having second thoughts about their hasty nuptials. He'd never thought of himself as the marrying kind, either. But the powerful executive also always went after what he wanted most. Still, after an unforgettable night of passion, was he willing to risk his heart and win a happily-ever-after with the boss's daughter?