Non Fiction

[close] A fun book of no-time-to-lose, far out predicaments that you need to find a way out of (it's NOT a how-to book).

Each short, edge-of-your-seat story in "Outsmart the Unexpected" unfolds an unusual, no-time-to-lose, and sometimes life and death predicament, and then challenges you to come up with a solution to help one of the characters out the situation they suddenly find themselves in. They're a fun way to develop your creativity, exercise your brain, stretch your imagination, and jump start your ability to think and react quickly, especially in situations where things are happening very fast. Use them to develop the skill to creatively solve problems when they suddenly arise.

In some, you may need to suspend your disbelief to play along. Some will make your head spin. Others may make your heart pound. Still others will make you go hmmm. But all will challenge you to think outside your comfort zone, to look for solutions from different angles, and to not necessarily limit yourself to what you see and what the obvious solution could be. They will stretch your mind and help you to develop your ability to formulate best possible solution in situations where you must quickly decide upon a course of action and there's little available information to work with.

Try your hand at inventing different endings and discussing and debating the possible solutions or interesting outcomes that you came up with. Do You think that the best solutions come from asking the right questions? Get your brain buzzing thinking up what those questions would be. Do you enjoy making up your own endings? Let your imagination run wild.

Dive into the unexpected and bring your creative side along with you!
[close]

[close] End Game Burma - The Battle of Meiktila 1945, the final battle to wrest control of Burma from the Japanese, and General William Slim's tactical masterstroke.

With the Japanese occupying strong positions along the mighty Irrawaddy at Mandalay, Slim boldly decided to split his army, comprising IV and XXXIII Corps, and send IV Corps on a 300 mile march to seize vital road and rail hub at Meiktila. Complete secrecy was essential. If the Japanese discovered the move they might counter attack and defeat the Allied army in detail.
[close]

[close] ANNIE CHOI HATES MUSICAL THEATER. SHE THINKS SANDWICHES ARE BORING. She likes camping, except for the outdoors part. At fifteen, her father made her read the entire car manual before allowing her to sit in the driver’s seat. Her neighbor, who has no cur­tains, is always naked. And she once chased down a man who stole her handbag.

All this is to say that Choi is one part badass and one part curmudgeon, with a soft spot for savage bears. Mostly she wants to ask the world: WTF?!

Written in Choi’s strikingly original and indignant voice, Shut Up, You’re Welcome paints a revealing portrait of Annie in all her quirky, compelling, riotous glory. Each of Choi’s personal essays begins with an open letter to someone (babies) or something (the San Fernando Valley) she has a beef with. From the time her family ditched her on Christmas to her father’s attach­ment to the World's Ugliest Table, Choi weaves together deeply personal experiences with laugh-out-loud observations, all of which will delight and entertain you. [close]