Why would someone wake up and claim they're Napoleon? Or believe they have been turned into a wolf and demand to be fed raw meat? For centuries, we've dismissed delusions as a problem for the shrinks to sort out in distant asylums. But delusions are more than just bizarre case studies - they tell stories of collective anxieties and traumas. In this groundbreaking history, Victoria Shepherd explores delusions from ancient times to present and implores...

Far from being a lifeless ornament in the sky, the Moon holds the answers to some of science's central questions. Silent, dry, and barren, Earth's 4.34-billion-year-old companion is essential to life on earth. Its gravity stabilized the Earth's orbit, and, as it once guided evolution, its tide stirring up nutrients that fostered complex life, it now influences everything from animal migrations and reproduction to the movements of plants' leaves. More...

"From coffee shops to rental apartments to social media posts the world round, a sleek and deceptively simple aesthetic has come to predominate. It's in the neon signs and exposed brick of an Internet cafe in Nairobi or the skeletal, modern furniture of an Airbnb in Portland. These designs are easy to identify, but even more crucially, they photograph well. In their simplicity and studied airiness, these images fit seamlessly into the Instagram grid....

"What if a getting into top four-year college is no longer the holy grail of success that it once seemed to be? What if the key to kids achieving their potential in life has less to do with grades or test scores and more with critical skills overlooked in schools? Erasing the Finish Line directly addresses those points by highlighting a reality about our education system that we seem to hear about more and more these days-college acceptance is a faulty...

Improve your manners, navigate uncomfortable social situations, and show greater kindness to others. Our world is constantly changing, but something that always remains true? Manners matter. Etiquette is about more than just knowing which fork to use at a fancy dinner or how to write a thank-you note. Modern Etiquette For Dummies shows you how to navigate tricky interpersonal scenarios and tough workplace dilemmas with ease. With the help of Dummies,...

Did you know that whales breathe air just like people do? How about that a blue whale is one of the biggest mammals that ever lived? Discover these fascinating facts and more in this updated deep-dive into the biology of whales, including the latest information on whale sizes and statistics, how and why some whales use echolocation, and stories of recent whale rescue efforts.

"On a cold day in March of 1911, officials marched twelve Black men into the heart of a forest in Maryland. Under the supervision of a doctor, the men were forced to clear the land, pour cement, lay bricks, and harvest tobacco. When construction finished, they became the first twelve patients of the state's Hospital for the Negro Insane. For centuries, Black patients have been absent from our history books. Madness transports readers behind the brick...

"From facial recognition--capable of checking people into flights or identifying undocumented residents--to automated decision systems that inform who gets loans and who receives bail, each of us moves through a world determined by data-empowered algorithms. But these technologies didn't just appear: they are part of a history that goes back centuries, from the census enshrined in the US Constitution to the birth of eugenics in Victorian Britain to...

"This visually engaging book filled with cross sections and exploded views of working boats is perfect for children--and even adults--curious about the mechanics of boats and the lives of people who work on boats. Filled with full-page spreads of cross sections of ten intriguing working boats, this book provides a glimpse into their inner workings, as well as highlights of each boat's unique engineering components that enable it to do the job it was...

"A visual and informative guide to the numerous crawly creatures on Earth, now revised and updated in the relaunched DK Eyewitness Books format. Get up close and personal and be an eyewitness to some of the most successful, adaptable, and numerous crawly creatures on the planet with DK Eyewitness Books: Insect. See how the first animals to fly actually take to the skies; discover the difference between beetles and bugs; witness a wasp building a nest;...