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Math Tricks: The Surprising Wonders of Shapes and Numbers
by Alfred S. PosamentierIt is no secret that most people avoid mathematics, in large measure because elementary school teachers have never done much to motivate a love of the subject matter. In his latest book, mathematician Alfred S. Posamentier provides easily understandable, easily presentable and easily replicated tricks that one can do with mathematics. All that is required is the ability to do arithmetic, understand the very basics of algebra and geometry and have an open mind for probability. From geometrical puzzles to numerical quirks, Math Tricks will give readers that "aha!" moment they may never have received at school.
Maine Sporting Camps
by George SmithMaine has a long and rich history of involvement with outdoorsmen and women. The Great North Woods have long been the destination of choice for residents and visitors alike looking to bag a trophy buck or land a record brook trout. And there have always been sporting camps to cater to the "sports" and guide them on their excursions. However, trends come and go and the outdoor sports of hunting and fishing have had decreasing numbers of participants. As fewer and fewer people have sought game in the north woods, the sporting camps have had to adapt in order to survive. Now people head to the wilderness for biking, hiking, bird watching, kayaking, or simply to experience the tranquility. And Maine sporting camps have met the challenge, offering a wide array of services, from animal and bird watching excursions to wild flower and native plant guided walks. And the services have changed too. Today camps offer everything from gourmet meals and the finest amenities to unheated, unplumbed cabins to give you the true wilderness experience.In this guide, George Smith profiles the 50 or so sporting camps that are still in operation in Maine. He includes interviews with the staff and owners and gives his own experiences staying at each camp. Each entry also includes pertinent information on amenities, services offered, seasons and times of operation, as well as directions. If you're looking to get away from it all in Maine, this guide will help you find the road less traveled.
Understanding Boat Plumbing and Water Systems (Sheridan House Guides)
by John C. PayneFrom John C. Payne, one of the foremost international authorities on marine electrical systems and electronics, comes an easy-to-understand yet thorough treatment of boat plumbing and water systems and the technical issues facing every boat owner, whether sail or power.Concise, compact, and fully illustrated for easy reference, Understanding Boat Plumbing and Water Systems: 2nd Edition has been fully revised throughout. This guide offers a comprehensive coverage of the following major topics:Freshwater and saltwater systemsHot water systemsGalley plumbingWatermakersBilge pumpsShower (gray) water systemsSewage (black) water and MSD systems
Rocket Girl: The Story of Mary Sherman Morgan, America's First Female Rocket Scientist
by George D. MorganLIKE THE FEMALE SCIENTISTS PORTRAYED IN HIDDEN FIGURES, MARY SHERMAN MORGAN WAS ANOTHERUNSUNG HEROINE OF THE SPACE AGE-NOWHER STORY IS FINALLY TOLD. This is the extraordinary true story of America's first female rocket scientist. Told by her son, it describes Mary Sherman Morgan's crucial contribution to launching America's first satellite and the author's labyrinthine journey to uncover his mother's lost legacy--one buried deep under a lifetime of secrets political, technological, and personal. In 1938, a young German rocket enthusiast named Wernher von Braun had dreams of building a rocket that could fly him to the moon. In Ray, North Dakota, a young farm girl named Mary Sherman was attending high school. In an age when girls rarely dreamed of a career in science, Mary wanted to be a chemist. A decade later the dreams of these two disparate individuals would coalesce in ways neither could have imagined. World War II and the Cold War space race with the Russians changed the fates of both von Braun and Mary Sherman Morgan. When von Braun and other top engineers could not find a solution to the repeated failures that plagued the nascent US rocket program, North American Aviation, where Sherman Morgan then worked, was given the challenge. Recognizing her talent for chemistry, company management turned the assignment over to young Mary. In the end, America succeeded in launching rockets into space, but only because of the joint efforts of the brilliant farm girl from North Dakota and the famous German scientist. While von Braun went on to become a high-profile figure in NASA's manned space flight, Mary Sherman Morgan and her contributions fell into obscurity--until now.
Custer's Road to Disaster: The Path to Little Bighorn
by Kevin SullivanThe death of George Armstrong Custer ended the life of one of the most flamboyant, brave, careless, and fascinating characters to ever wear a United States military uniform. His dramatic rise during the Civil War to the brevet rank of brigadier general at twenty-three, and his uncanny ability to stay alive regardless of how recklessly he flung himself at the enemy, gave rise to his image as an almost mythical figure. His life was filled with such good fortune that the term &“Custer&’s Luck&” was used to refer to an unusually fortuitous event.Road to Disaster examines Custer&’s unusual mental and emotional make-up, which played out in his military career, his relationship with his wife, and in the death he and many of his men found at the end of their march into Montana. A clearer picture of the man appears, providing answers as to why military success followed him to the top of his career, and why the Battle of the Little Bighorn became such a shocking disaster in the summer of 1876.
Secret Lives of Numbers: Numerals and Their Peculiarities in Mathematics and Beyond
by Alfred S. PosamentierWe see numbers on automobile license plates, addresses, weather reports, and, of course, on our smartphones. Yet we look at these numbers for their role as descriptors, not as an entity in and unto themselves. Each number has its own history of meaning, usage, and connotation in the larger world. The Secret Lives of Numbers takes readers on a journey through integers, considering their numerological assignments as well as their significance beyond mathematics and in the realm of popular culture. Of course we all know that the number 13 carries a certain value of unluckiness with it. The phobia of the number is called Triskaidekaphobia; Franklin Delano Roosevelt was known to invite and disinvite guests to parties to avoid having 13 people in attendance; high-rise buildings often skip the 13th floor out of superstition. There are many explanations as to how the number 13 received this negative honor, but from a mathematical point of view, the number 13 is also the smallest prime number that when its digits are reversed is also a prime number. It is honored with a place among the Fibonacci numbers and integral Pythagorean triples, as well as many other interesting and lesser-known occurrences. In The Secret Lives of Numbers, popular mathematician Alfred S. Posamentier provides short and engaging mini-biographies of more than 100 numbers, starting with 1 and featuring some especially interesting numbers –like 6,174, a number with most unusual properties –to provide readers with a more comprehensive picture of the lives of numbers both mathematically and socially. ,
My Presidential Life: The Showdown at Putin's Dacha and Other Misadventures on the Diplomatic Road
by Judd Swift&“Presidents know these are the people who will drag you to safety in strange hotels and foreign countries, protect your secrets, and make the trains run on time...&”—Marlin Fitzwater, Press Secretary to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush&“Swift has tales to tell and secrets to spill, and he does it with aplomb and humor.&”—Kirkus Reviews My Presidential Life: The Showdown at Putin&’s Dacha and Other Misadventures on the Diplomatic Road is a whirlwind tour of a side of presidential history not found in presidential papers or biographies.It is a wry insider&’s look at iconic American presidents on the world stage and the unseen events that occurred off-camera. It&’s an intimate look at events the public and historians rarely, if ever, see. My Presidential Life is an entertaining and informative account that offers front-row seats to the dynamics of world leaders and events that shaped the world as we know it today.Among the tales told by Judd Swift include an obstreperous Lech Walesa threatening to disrupt George H.W. Bush&’s mission to end Soviet control of Poland; Peru&’s Shining Path guerillas setting off a car bomb outside the advance team&’s hotel; an endless number of supposedly ultra-secret meeting rooms filled with electronic eavesdropping devices; an imperious Franco loyalist who did her best to sabotage a successful summit at El Pardo Palace between Ronald Reagan and the king and president of Spain; and the day Vladimir Putin had George W. Bush trapped inside the Russian president&’s dacha without Secret Service protection and the man who carries the nuclear football; and many others.
Soul Survivors: Stories of Wounded Women Warriors and the Battles They Fight Long After They've Left the War Zone
by Kirsten HolmstedtLife is tough for veterans, especially female veterans. They have much to deal with and much to heal from: combat, physical and psychological wounds, sexual harassment and assault, trauma, stress, chains of command, the VA. Now more than ever these veterans are facing their problems head on. In this inspiring new book, Kirsten Holmstedt, trusted chronicler of women soldiers and veterans, tells the ups-and-downs stories of veterans struggling with the aftereffects of military service.
Road to Tara: The Life of Margaret Mitchell
by Anne EdwardsMargaret Mitchell was as complex and compelling as her legendary heroine, Scarlett O&’Hara, and her story is as dramatic as anything out of her own imagination—indeed, it is the basis for the legend she created. Gone With the Wind took the American reading public by storm and went on to become the most popular motion picture of all time. It was a phenomenon whose success has never been equaled—and it shattered Margaret Mitchell&’s private life. In this commemorative reprint of Road to Tara, Anne Edwards tells the real story of Margaret Mitchell and the extraordinary novel that has become part of our heritage.
Remembering Dud Dean
by Walter MacdougallA fictional Maine guide who won many friends and admirers through the pages of Field & Stream magazine in the 1920s and '30s, Dud Dean is very much a product of his creator. Arthur Macdougall was an avid outdoorsman and a minister in Bingham, Maine, a tiny town perched on the reaches of the mighty Kennebec River. The tales in this book were compiled by Macdougall's son, Walter.
Hawaii Off the Beaten Path®: A Guide to Unique Places (Off the Beaten Path Series)
by Sean Pager Carrie FrasureTired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you&’re a visitor or a local looking for something different, let Hawaii Off the Beaten Path show you the Aloha State you never knew existed. Pay respect to the 700-pound crystal shivalingam and experience a daily puja (purification ritual) at Kauai&’s Hindu Monastery. Hike through the natural splendor of Waipio Valley to reach Hiilawe Falls. Dropping more than 1,200 feet in free fall, the waters of Hiilawe make the longest unbroken descent in Hawaii. Follow Jack London&’s trail on Kalae Stables&’ &“world-famous Moloka`i mule ride&” to Kalaupapa Peninsula. Or dine on a &“plate lunch,&” the quintessential meal of Hilo, at Cafe 100, the city&’s first drive-in. So if you&’ve &“been there, done that&” one too many times, get off the main road and venture Off the Beaten Path.
Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing
by John VigorAimed at sailboat owners of all kinds, this reference book contains 200 entries packed with solid practical advice and valuable tips. Each entry is categorized alphabetically and prefaced by an arresting statement such as "People always lie about how fast their boats are." The reference format offers readers the opportunity to open the book at any page and browse endlessly. Cartoons by SAIL Magazine cartoonist Tom Payne enliven the text. A comprehensive appendix covers some 50 technical topics.
Imperfect Union: A Father's Search for His Son in the Aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg
by Chuck RaaschOn the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Union artillery lieutenant Bayard Wilkeson fell while bravely spurring his men to action. His father, Sam, a New York Times correspondent, was already on his way to Gettysburg when he learned of his son&’s wounding but had to wait until the guns went silent before seeking out his son, who had died at the town&’s poorhouse. Sitting next to his dead boy, Sam Wilkeson then wrote one of the greatest battlefield dispatches in American history. This vivid exploration of one of Gettysburg&’s most famous stories--the story of a father and a son, the son&’s courage under fire, and the father&’s search for his son in the bloody aftermath of battle--reconstructs Bayard Wilkeson&’s wounding and death, which have been shrouded in myth and legend, and sheds light on Civil War–era journalism, battlefield medicine, and the &“good death.&”
Best Easy Day Hikes Cincinnati (Best Easy Day Hikes Series)
by Johnny MolloyBest Easy Day Hikes Cincinnati includes concise descriptions of the best short hikes in the area, with detailed maps of the routes. The 20 hikes in this guide are generally short, easy to follow, and guaranteed to please.
Superb Maine Soups: Innovative Recipes from Simple to Sumptuous
by Cynthia Finnemore SimondsSoups warm your heart as well as your stomach. A former caterer, Simonds answers questions such as, How do you simmer a sumptuous stock? What are the essential ingredients for creamy chowder? How do you build layers of flavor in a stew? Whether you're tempted to try an old favorite or one of Simonds's trademark innovative recipes, the author stresses that soups are best when made with the freshest ingredients from local producers.
Scout's Outdoor Cookbook
by Christine Conners Tim ConnersThe Scout's Outdoor Cookbook emphasizes the best food preparation and techniques currently used in scouting. Thoroughly covered are recipes employing time-tested cooking methods using Dutch ovens, pots and pans, grills, and open fire. Many outstanding no-cook dishes are also provided.Enjoy over three hundred favorite recipes of leaders from the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the USA, such as: Flying Pigs in Sleeping Bags, Buckeye Biscuits and Gravy, Scoutcraft Meatloaf, Worm Burgers, Johnny Appleseed Pork Chops, Black Swamp Pasta, Oooey Gooey Extwa Toowy Bwownies, Black Bart&’s Salmagundi, Chicken and Varmints, Teenage Sugar Addict Orange Rolls, Barracuda Stroganoff, Jeepers Creepers Dirt Parfait, the World&’s Largest S&’mores, and hundreds more!Sometimes wacky, always practical, this book will help the new camp cookie to develop a thorough foundation of basic skills, while providing the experienced chef with plenty of new recipes and techniques to add additional dimension and enjoyment to their outdoor cooking.
Best Easy Day Hikes Mount Rainier National Park (Best Easy Day Hikes Series)
by Mary Skjelset Heidi RadlinskiBest Easy Day Hikes Mount Rainier National Park includes concise descriptions and detailed maps for thirty easy-to-follow trails, from easy low elevation loops to slightly more difficult scenic routes through Mount Rainier. Get a close-up panoramic view of Nisqually Glacier on the popular Skyline Trail; enjoy Emmons Glacier, the largest glacier in the contiguous United States or power through the hilly Rampart Ridge for unobstructed views of Mount Rainier. Look inside for:• Casual hikes to full-day adventures• After-dinner strolls to full-day hikes• Hikes for everyone, including families• Mile-by-mile directions and clear trail maps• GPS coordinates
Bad Guys in American History
by George CantorBad Guys in American History recounts the events related to our country's most compelling outlaws, from colonial times to the 1930s. Complete with photographs of the outlaws and their haunts, this book investigates some of American history's most infamous acts and informs readers where they happened and how to visit those sites today. Both a history book and a travel guide, Bad Guys in American History shines a revealing light on the dark side of America's past.
Insiders' Guide® to Hampton Roads: Virginia Beach, Norfolk & Newport News (Insiders' Guide Series)
by Anthony GermanottaA first edition, Insiders' Guide to Hampton Roads is the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information to this storied Virginia metropolitan area. Written by a local (and true insider), this guide offers a personal and practical perspective of Hampton Roadsand its surrounding environs.
The Colorado Gardener's Companion: An Insider's Guide to Gardening in the Centennial State (Gardening Series)
by Jodi TorpeyThe Colorado Gardener&’s Companion is your guide to cultivating a successful garden in the Centennial State. Whether you are an experienced green thumb or an inquiring novice, whether you live in the mountains, on the Western Slope, along the Front Range, or on the eastern plains, this easy-to-understand guide will help you grow bountiful vegetables, abundant flowers, and lush lawns. You will learn:What&’s in your Colorado soil and how to improve itHow to take advantage of the state&’s semiarid climateTechniques to maximize the short growing seasonThe best high-performance plant varieties for your climate How to landscape to conserve waterWays to deal with the challenges of Colorado&’s wild weatherLocal sources of hands-on assistance with gardening questionsIn short, how to succeed in your Rocky Mountain garden
Best Easy Day Hikes Sedona (Best Easy Day Hikes Series)
by Bruce GrubbsRenowned for the natural splendor of its red rock canyons and high-desert landscapes, Sedona, Arizona has become a quiet retreat for outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. Veteran hiker and author Bruce Grubbs has compiled a guide to 30 of the best day hikes in the Sedona area. Accurate maps and detailed directions make this conveniently pocket-sized handbook both easy to use and authoritative.
The Righteous Few: Two Who Made a Difference
by Marty BrounsteinThe Righteous Few is a remarkable true tale of courage, compassion, and rescue during the Holocaust. It is the story of a young married Christian couple, Frans and Mien Wijnakker, living in the Netherlands during World War II. When their country was under Nazi German occupation, they were firsthand witnesses to the horrific acts of violence inflicted upon thousands of innocent people, especially Jews. Refusing to sit back and do nothing, they chose to put their own lives at great risk by hiding their Jewish neighbors. By the end of the war, they had managed to save more than two dozen countrymen from certain death. Their heroism later earned them a special recognition of &“Righteous Among the Nations&” by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center.Frans and Mien were Catholics who led a simple life in the countryside of southeastern Holland. They had four small children of their own. But a simple yes in response to a call for help during a business trip to Amsterdam profoundly changed Frans&’ and his wife&’s lives. In a two-year period, they took many Jewish refugees into their own home and organized a rescue network that placed refugees in other people&’s homes, as well. As their rescue work increased, so did the many risks and dangers associated with it. They faced one of their most difficult challenges when they took in a young pregnant Jewish woman and her husband. How do you help someone who has to give birth in hiding? Through this and many other stories, The Righteous Few draws a vivid picture of two extraordinary people who shined the light of hope during one of history&’s darkest periods.
Best Easy Day Hikes Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
by Bill SchneiderExperience the dual nature of this vast wilderness area straddling the Montana-Wyoming border. Featuring a range of hikes from lake-strewn alpine country of the Beartooth Plateau to the lower, densely forested, and wildlife-rich mountains of the Absaroka Range, Best Easy Day Hikes Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is an essential hiking companion. This thoroughly revised and updated edition guides readers to the best day hiking opportunities in the Beartooth and Absaroka ranges of Montana, north and east of Yellowstone National Park. Each hike includes concise descriptions, GPS coordinates, and detailed maps.
Strong to the Hoop: 1,501 Basketball Trivia Questions, Quotes, and Factoids from Every Angle
by Kenneth A. ShoulerHow many NBA players have averaged forty points in a season? Who is the worst free-throw shooter in NBA history? Which team has won the most NBA titles since 2000? Who became the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points and 10,000 assists? Which three NBA players have scored more than 35,000 career points? (Hint: Michael Jordan is not on the list.)In Strong to the Hoop, veteran sports writer and trivia expert Ken Shouler has compiled 1,501 trivia questions, quotations, and factoids, broken into more than twenty-five categories that are designed to challenge, inform, and delight fans of pro basketball at every level. Whether you root for the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Warriors, or any other NBA franchise, Strong to the Hoop will test your knowledge of your favorite team and league.
Love in the Time of Self-Publishing: How Romance Writers Changed the Rules of Writing and Success
by Christine M. LarsonLessons in creative labor, solidarity, and inclusion under precarious economic conditionsAs writers, musicians, online content creators, and other independent workers fight for better labor terms, romance authors offer a powerful example—and a cautionary tale—about self-organization and mutual aid in the digital economy. In Love in the Time of Self-Publishing, Christine Larson traces the forty-year history of Romancelandia, a sprawling network of romance authors, readers, editors, and others, who formed a unique community based on openness and collective support. Empowered by solidarity, American romance writers—once disparaged literary outcasts—became digital publishing&’s most innovative and successful authors. Meanwhile, a new surge of social media activism called attention to Romancelandia&’s historic exclusion of romance authors of color and LGBTQ+ writers, forcing a long-overdue cultural reckoning.Drawing on the largest-known survey of any literary genre as well as interviews and archival research, Larson shows how romance writers became the only authors in America to make money from the rise of ebooks—increasing their median income by 73 percent while other authors&’ plunged by 40 percent. The success of romance writers, Larson argues, demonstrates the power of alternative forms of organizing influenced by gendered working patterns. It also shows how networks of relationships can amplify—or mute—certain voices.Romancelandia&’s experience, Larson says, offers crucial lessons about solidarity for creators and other isolated workers in an increasingly risky employment world. Romancelandia&’s rise and near-meltdown shows that gaining fair treatment from platforms depends on creator solidarity—but creator solidarity, in turn, depends on fair treatment of all members.