This hilarious, whip-smart collection of essays from a top writer and producer of Six Feet Under crisscrosses from the highly personal (conflating her own loss of virginity and the Kobe Bryant accusations), to the political (what she has in common with Monica and Chandra), to the outrageously Los Angelean (why women wear huge diamonds and what they must do to get them). Tiny Ladies in Shiny Pants is a genre-defying combination of personal essay and memoir, or a hilarious, unruly and unapologetic evaluation of society, religion, sex, love, and — best of all — Jill Soloway.

Filled with passionate speeches and sensitive probing of moral and philosophical issues, this powerful drama reveals the grim fate that befalls the children of Oedipus. When Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, chooses to obey the law of the gods rather than an unconscionable command from Creon, ruler of Thebes, she is condemned to death. How the gods take their revenge on Creon provides the gripping denouement to this compelling tragedy, still one of the most frequently performed of classical Greek dramas. Footnotes.

New parents are often overwhelmed-and befuddled-when it comes to caring for their bundle of joy. Luckily Safe Baby Handling Tips saves the day with its hilarious "do's and don'ts" on baby care. Now incompetent parents everywhere can benefit from this indispensable guide, which also includes a unique Wheel of Responsibility to help moms and dads negotiate baby chores (and shirk diaper duty!) whenever they can. Makes baby-rearing a blast!

A collection of short prose pieces by the author of A Summer Life describes the author's boyhood growing up in the barrio in the 1950s and 1960s, his experience on the Little League team, and his parochial school life. Reprint.

Gary Soto writes that when he was five "what I knew best was at ground level." In this lively collection of short essays, Soto takes his reader to a ground-level perspective, resreating in vivid detail the sights, sounds, smells, and textures he knew growing up in his Fresno, California, neighborhood. The "things" of his boyhood tie it all together: his Buddha "splotched with gold," the taps of his shoes and the "engines of sparks that lived beneath my soles," his worn tennies smelling of "summer grass, asphalt, the moist sock breathing the defeat of basesall." The child's world is made up of small things—small, very important things.

Meet Cinderella Skeleton, as sweetly foul as only a ghoul can be. Poor Cinderella has no one to help her hang the cobwebs and arrange dead flowers—certainly not her evil stepsisters. But the Halloween Ball is just around the corner. . . . Will Cinderella find happiness at last?

A practical, step-by-step guide for today's parents-parents who wonder if breastfeeding will work in their busy lives. Friendly, personal, and honest, BREASTFEEDING, A PARENT'S GUIDE separates breastfeeding facts from myths. It answers the breastfeeding questions most often asked about breastfeeding and discusses the realities of breastfeeding for today's parents. Detailed drawings, clear instructions, and helpful advice make this the breastfeeding book parents refer to over and over again.

It is a well-known fact (wink, wink) that no woman can survive the pregnancy experience without her own copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting. Truth is, most first-time mommies-to-be end up with two or three copies of this highly regarded guide to pregnancy, labor, and newborn care. Yet despite all of its helpful information about nutrition, bodily changes, and fetal development, it glosses over vital questions that enter every pregnant woman's mind: "How should I tell my husband, my family, my boss that I'm expecting?" and "Can I park in the handicapped spot?" or even "Can I cut in line at the public restroom?" Author Paula Spencer expertly faces the challenge of answering these and many other serious and comical questions that pop up during pregnancy in this equally smart and entertaining look at etiquette for the new mom—and does so with plenty of sense and sensibility.

Spencer focuses on a great variety of touchy situations in chapters that include "Spreading the News," "Busybodies," "At Work, Birth Ceremonies," and "Life with Baby." What can be done about a doctor who constantly keeps the pregnant mom waiting? Spencer offers four different suggestions, starting with "Ask why this is the case." How can a pregnant mom voice a complaint without being rude (to smokers, for instance)? While Spencer does furnish a nicely worded request, she also suggests the mom simply find "a more hospitable place to eat with a pleasanter air." Along with providing hundreds of thoughtful, reasonable answers to many such questions, she also includes wonderful lists covering do's and don'ts for grandparents, naming traditions from a wide variety of cultures, contemporary baby shower themes, and a thorough chapter of smart gift suggestions. —Liane Thomas

MAUS was the first half of the tale of survival of the author's parents, charting their desperate progress from prewar Poland Auschwitz. Here is the continuation, in which the father survives the camp and is at last reunited with his wife.

Now anyone can knit not only for themselves, friends, and family—but also for a good cause. This collection of quick-to-make projects includes ideas ranging from simple gifts to high-volume charity projects. More than 15 designs include a patchwork blanket, ruffled-edged hats, scarves, socks, and even a pet bed. Eleven national national charities that welcome donations are listed.

What can we say? This weighty tome is the essential reference for all who work with words—writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, publishers, and students. Discover who Ibid is, how to deftly avoid the split infinitive, and how to format your manuscripts to impress any professor or editor (no, putting it in a blue plastic folder is just not enough).

Companion book to "CDB!", presenting more visual brainteasers from the author of "Shrek".