Women often behave toward one another in sneaky, underhanded, ruthlessly competitive ways. Catfight is a remarkably researched and insightful foray into the American woman's world of aggression, rivalry, and competition. Tanenbaum draws on real-life examples and the most important studies to date in psychology, human aggression, psychoanalytic theory, and social movements to uncover the pressures that leave women regarding one another as adversaries rather than allies.

Most women highly value female approval and friendship, but the darker side of sisterhood can evoke covertly competitive behavior: A career woman quits to become a full-time mom. Although she misses her job and the income, she belittles you, a working mother, as selfishly unconcerned with your children's welfare.

You're at a party in mid-conversation with your boyfriend when an attractive woman comes over to mingle. You move closer to him, touching him and glaring at her.

A female colleague "accidentally" misplaces your files and "forgets" to e-mail you about an important upcoming meeting.

What is the state of "sisterhood" today? And how much progress have we really made?

The statistics are daunting: "Two out of five girls nationwide have had sexual rumors spread about them," reports Leora Tanenbaum. "Three out of four girls have received sexual comments or looks, and one in five has had sexual messages written about her in public areas." The 50 women interviewed for this book differ greatly in ethnic background, age, and economic status, but they share one thing in common—each of them, along with Tanenbaum herself, was labeled a "slut" in junior high or high school. (And, as recent cases involving Anita Hill and Monica Lewinsky demonstrate, a woman can face such taunts no matter what her age or professional level.) As such, they became victims of a double standard that winks at sexual promiscuity among teenage boys but insists that young women remain virginal and pure. Even worse, the slut bashing is perpetuated in nearly every case by female classmates. In addition to insisting that schools get serious about combating sexual harassment, Tanenbaum urges the development of sex education programs that acknowledge responsible alternatives to abstinence, programs that would recognize the sexual desires of young women (and men) without condemnation. Her social critique is solid, but it's the personal accounts of emotional abuse—and, thankfully, perseverance—that will thoroughly convince you that the current tolerance of slut bashing is simply unacceptable. —Ron Hogan

A collection from the world of zines, self-produced works ranging from Xeroxed manifestoes to slickly printed magazines, these essays come thundering up from the underground. Organized around such topics as "friends secrets sex," "music stars idols," and "politics anger power," the selections range from the angry to the funny to the poignant. This is a very good introduction to the world of girl zines, and it's definitely not for the old ladies in Dubuque.

A unique blending of tradition and innovation draws together classic cooking methods and traditions of France and Asia with vegetarian ingredients to create over 150 low-fat recipes. Color photos.

You'll never feel intimidated and awkward about the customs and etiquette of another country again. With the insights provided in this CULTURE SHOCK! Guide, you'll learn to see beyond the stereotypes and misinformation that often precede a visit to a foreign land. Whether you plan to stay for a week or for a year, you'll benefit from such topics as understanding the rules of driving and monetary systems, religious practices and making friends. There are tips on political traditions, building business relationships, and the particular intricacies of setting up a home or office. Great for the business traveler, the foreign exchange student, or the tourist who makes a sincere attempt to cross the bridge into a new and exciting culture.

The impending birth of a family's expected baby has everyone up in arms, especially the soon-to-be big brother, nine-year-old Charlie, who plays hockey during the day and finds himself knitting sweaters at night. Reprint. K. AB.

In this gritty, confessional memoir, Michelle Tea takes the reader back to the city of her childhood: Chelsea, Massachusetts—a place where time and hope are spent on things not getting any worse. Tea’s girlhood is shaped by the rough fabric of the neighborhood and by its characters—the soft vulnerability of her sister Madeline and her quietly brutal Polish father; the doddering, sometimes violent nuns of Our Lady of Assumption; Marisol Lewis from the projects by the creek; and Johnna Latrotta, the tough-as-nails Italian dance-school teacher who offered a slim chance for escape to every young Chelsea girl in tulle and tap shoes. Told in Tea’s trademark loose-tongued, lyrical style, this memoir both celebrates and annihilates one girl’s tightrope walk out of a working-class slum and the lessons she carries with her. With wry humor and a hard-fought wisdom, Tea limns the extravagant peril of a dramatic adolescence with the private, catastrophic secret harbored within the walls of her family’s home—a secret that threatens to destroy her family forever.

Stir your morning coffee counterclockwise to reduce negativity or clockwise to jump start your day with positive, empowering energy. Dust your shoes with charismatic cinnamon before you leave the house. Grow a pot of lavender at your desk to promote peace. Place a bay leaf under each leg of the office copier to keep it copying smoothly. These are but a few of Patricia Telesco's enchanted tips to keep your pocket brimming with magical ideas. A charming guide to taking control of your own luck, love, joy, and prosperity, Goddess in My Pocket shows you how to recognize and activate the goddess power already within you. Whether you seek a promotion potion, dream of igniting a romance, need an amulet for your asthma, or just want to keep the car mechanic away. Practricia Telesco gives you the tools to make it happen. At home, in the office, or on the road, Goddess in my Pocket is magic at your fingertips.

Thirty-two great minivacations take you away from the hustle and bustle of the city:

Be tempted to dip your toes in the numerous fountains of Columbus, see the birthplace of the man who invented Coca-Cola, and be awed by Pasquan - a four-acre complex filled with flamboyantly painted walls, pagodas, and outdoor sculptures on the Fountains, Fizz, and Fantasy escapes.

Walk across the world's longest pedestrian bridge, take a ride on the legendary Chattanooga Choo Choo, and see a 145-foot underground waterfall on the Crossroads Then and Now escape.

Visit a primitive log house built in the early nineteenth century, wander through a town that is a stunning recreation of a Bavarian village, and admire the smallest covered bridge in Georgia on the Georgia's Little Germany escape.

You will find all this as well as detailed route maps, travel directions, destination highlights, activities for morning, afternoon, and evening, information on choice restaurants, picnic sites, lodgings, special events, festivals shopping and local sources of information.

Ms., the American magazine that has reflected and whipped up feminist sentiment for a quarter of a century, is the subject of this absorbing insider account by Mary Thom, who worked her way up from researcher to executive editor. Thom dips into the feminist movement, focusing on events or trends that overlapped with the politics and interests of Ms. staffers. The magazine illuminated domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and violence against women and sparked acrimonious debates on issues where feminists disagreed, such as pornography, child rearing, and making the mainstream movement more palatable by cutting out certain groups. An undeniable partisan, Thom glosses over many fights, mistakes, and thick-headed actions, but turns in an engaging portrait of the personalities and times that shaped the magazine.

Anna Thomas, author of the '70s classic The Vegetarian Epicure, is back with a cookbook for the '90s. The New Vegetarian Epicure is another of the noteworthy titles in this summer's spate of cookbooks centered on vegetables and vegetarian cuisine (Fresh From the Garden: Cooking and Gardening Throughout the Year by Perla Meyers and Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters are two others). There are more than 300 recipes—everything from a Relaxed Summer Dinner Party of Tapenade, Cold Melon Soup, and Risotto with Zucchini Flowers to A Rustic Autumn Dinner of Roasted Vegetables, Rice Pilaf, and Plum and Walnut Galette. Thomas' approach is healthy and light, with a distinctive Mediterranean touch based on the use of olive oil, if oil is called for at all.

A friendly informal tone and some splendid recipes have made this a perennial bestseller. For all who love the fruits of the earth and the art of cooking. A classic with almost a million copies sold to date.

A friendly informal tone and some splendid recipes have made this a perennial bestseller. For all who love the fruits of the earth and the art of cooking. A classic with almost a million copies sold to date.