Washoe County Library System

"A beautifully designed guidebook to the unnoticed yet essential elements of our cities, from the creators of the wildly popular 99% Invisible podcast."--

"Douglas Preston, the #1 bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God, presents jaw-dropping true stories of Egyptian burial chambers, prehistoric ruins, pirate treasure, bizarre crimes, and more... What's it like to be the first to enter an Egyptian burial chamber that's been sealed for thousands of years? What horrifying secret was found among the prehistoric ruins of the American Southwest? Who really was the infamous the Monster of...

In this fascinating collection of historical vignettes, author Martin W. Sandler restores to memory important events, people, and developments that have been lost to time. Though barely known today, these are major historical stories, from Ziryab, an eighth-century black slave whose influence on music, cuisine, fashion, and manners still reverberates, to Cahokia, a 12th century city north of the Rio Grande, which at its zenith contained a population...

"The millions of people around the world who read and loved What If? still have questions, and those questions are getting stranger. Thank goodness xkcd creator Randall Munroe is here to help. Planning to ride a fire pole from the Moon back to Earth? The hardest part is sticking the landing. Hoping to cool the atmosphere by opening everyone’s freezer door at the same time? Maybe it’s time for a brief introduction to thermodynamics. Want to know...

"In this diverting collection of essays, Gerald Weissmann looks back at the past few decades of his long career working at the intersection of the arts and sciences. The Fevers of Reason features some of his best and most representative works, alongside eleven new essays that have never before been published in book form. Masterfully drawing from an array of subject areas and time periods, he tackles everything from Ebola to Eisenhower, Zika to Zola,...

Highlights the most popular freshwater game fish and the best places where they can be found, along with a practical collection of helpful tips and techniques for reeling in the biggest catch of the day. "Ten percent of all anglers catch 90 percent of the fish taken. It’s really true, and shows that as much as it is enjoyable, fishing can be frustrating when it comes to results. 1001 Fishing Tips is the book that will help any angler crack into...

Offers facts about reptiles, discusses the differences between mammals and reptiles, and describes characteristics all reptiles have. Meet reptiles that run, swim, climb, and even fly. Incredible blue tongues, blood-shooting eyes, and poisoned-filled hinged, fangs are just a few of the features these amazing animals possess.

“Wolke, longtime professor of chemistry and author of the Washington Post column Food 101, turns his hand to a Cecil Adams style compendium of questions and answers on food chemistry. Is there really a difference between supermarket and sea salt? How is sugar made? Should cooks avoid aluminum pans? Interspersed throughout Wolkes accessible and humorous answers to these and other mysteries are recipes demonstrating scientific principles. There is...

"This entertaining companion to the massively popular history podcast tackles everything from Alexander the Great to Agatha Christie, the Wars of the Roses to Watergate--with a unique blend of wit, wisdom, and good old-fashioned banter The Rest Is History podcast brilliantly distills major moments in human history, covering everything from the Trojan War to a historical ranking of the greatest dogs. Now, this official tie-in book brings the chart-topping...