"When David Shannon was five years old, he wrote and illustrated his first book. On every page were these words: No, David! . . . and a picture of David doing things he was not supposed to do. Now David is all grown up. But some things never change . . . "--book jacket.

"Humorous, surprising and informative, Dr. Peterson tells us why skateboarding boys and girls must be left alone, what terrible fate awaits those who criticize too easily, and why you should always pet a cat when you meet one on the street. What does the nervous system of the lowly lobster have to tell us about standing up straight (with our shoulders back) and about success in life? Why did ancient Egyptians worship the capacity to pay careful attention...

"In 12 Rules for Life, clinical psychologist and celebrated professor at Harvard and the University of Toronto Dr. Jordan B. Peterson helped millions of readers impose order on the chaos of their lives. Now, in this bold sequel, Peterson delivers twelve more lifesaving principles for resisting the exhausting toll that our desire to order the world inevitably takes. In a time when the human will increasingly imposes itself over every sphere of life—from...

"When a veteran Washington journalist moved to Kansas, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendship—and a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of...

"Every so often, you meet people who radiate joy—who seem to know why they were put on this earth, who glow with a kind of inner light. Life, for these people, has often followed what we might think of as a two-mountain shape. They get out of school, they start a career, and they begin climbing the mountain they thought they were meant to climb. Their goals on this first mountain are the ones our culture endorses: to be a success, to make your mark,...

"Etiquette, Sara Jane says, is the glue that holds society together. Humans are social creatures, after all— we need connection to survive. But with global cultures in flux and the post-pandemic digital age, the shadow epidemics of anxiety and loneliness are on the rise. Plus, the old rules of 'decorum' don't match the times. Amidst all this withdrawal and change, social growth can feel out of reach. How do we leave the comfort of our homes, step...

"Why do our interactions with strangers so often go wrong? How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? Why did Neville Chamberlain think he could trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rist? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to one another that isn't true? Talking to Strangers is a classic Gladwellian intellectual adventure, a challenging and controversial excursion through history, psychology,...

"Why do we assume romantic relationships are more important than friendships? What do we lose when we expect a spouse to meet all our needs? And what can we learn about commitment, love, and family from people who put deep friendship at the center of their lives? In The Other Significant Others, NPR's Rhaina Cohen invites us into the lives of people who have defied convention by choosing a friend as a life partner—these are friends who are home...

"Most people think of themselves as 'good,' but it’s not always easy to determine what’s 'good' or 'bad'—especially in a world filled with complicated choices and pitfalls and booby traps and bad advice. Fortunately, many smart philosophers have been pondering this conundrum for millennia and they have guidance for us. With bright wit and deep insight, How to Be Perfect explains concepts like deontology, utilitarianism, existentialism, ubuntu,...

The author looks to Amish lifestyle and values as a model on which to base calmer, more focused, more faithful lives.