BARNEY and BONES, about one Irish Wolfhound and one cadaver dog, comprise another Helen A. Bemis doggie double-header, two novels in one book: Irish Wolfhounds are big, among the largest of breeds. The American Kennel Club (akc.org) describes Irish Wolfhound dogs as follows: “The calm, dignified, and kindly Irish Wolfhound is the tallest of all AKC breeds. “Once fearless big-game hunters capable of dispatching a wolf in single combat, Wolfhounds today are the most serene and agreeable companions. “The amiable Irish Wolfhound is an immense, muscular hound gracefully built along classic Greyhound lines, capable of great speed at a gallop. A male might stand nearly 3 feet at the shoulder and weigh up to 180 pounds. Females will run smaller but are still a whole lot of hound…. “IWs are too serene to be fierce guard dogs, but just the sight of them is enough to deter intruders. IWs are characteristically patient with kids….” If you want an even-tempered giant dog that no one will want to test by bothering you, and if you can care for it, an Irish Wolfhound may be exactly right. Your food bills are likely to be gigantic, though. Barney’s story combines many of the endearing qualities of these gentle giants. Bones, not quite as big as Barney, has a bigger job: cadaver dog. His sensitive nose and training made him a canine Sherlock Holmes, a solver of mysteries, one somewhat more lovable than Dr. Watson’s wizard. What does Bones smell? You’ll discover it in this second novel in Helen A. Bemis’s two-for. Helen Bemis has enjoyed working with dogs all her life. She is grateful for the opportunity to help others understand these loving companions. She grew up on a dairy farm in Upper New York State. She obtained a college degree at SUNY Adirondack, earned the Certified Professional Dog Trainer international certification, and has a successful business, K-9 Karing. Helen has published over a dozen novels in her UNDERSTANDING… series. She loves to hear people say, “Helen has gone to the dogs.”

“Out!” Who said that? Einstein, a brilliant Border Collie (aren’t all of them very smart?),has told his family he wants to go outside. He hit a prominent button with his paw that triggered this recorded message. The button is one of many buttons on a board that he can use to communicate and talk. “Food,” “water,” “come,” “dog,” “cat,” “fire,” ”yes,” “no,” “help!” and many more are in different sizes and shapes, giving him a limited, but valuable vocabulary after laborious training, as described by Christine Hunger in her ground-breaking documentary book, How Stella Learned to Talk. Einstein becomes a working dog -- a Therapy Dog --- having an important job and a knack for making himself understood even in a crisis. A crisis does arise. There is no romance for Einstein, but some humans seem likely to pair off once they get over some initial misunderstandings. A firebug generates too much warmth. Much happens in Riverview! Christine Hunger’s path-breaking work on training her dog, Stella, to communicate by hitting buttons on small recording devices opens the way to improved understanding between us and our dogs, many of whom have the intellectual abilities of young children. Border Collies, Shepherds, Poodles, and Retrievers are among the brightest breeds. Helen Bemis has enjoyed working with dogs all her life. She is grateful for the opportunity to help others understand these loving companions. Helen Bemis has enjoyed working with dogs all her life. She is grateful for the opportunity to help others understand these loving companions. She grew up on a dairy farm in Upper New York State. She obtained a college degree at SUNY Adirondack, earned the Certified Professional Dog Trainer international certification, and has a successful business, K-9 Karing. Helen has published almost twenty novels in her UNDERSTANDING… series. She loves to hear people say, “Helen has gone to the dogs.”

In the great tradition of the American almanac, The Areas of My Expertise is a brilliant and hilarious compendium of handy reference tables, fascinating trivia, and sage wisdom on all topics large and small. Although bestsellers such as Poor Richard’s Almanack and The Book of Lists were certainly valuable, they also were largely true. Here is a different kind of handy desk reference, one in which all of the historical oddities and amazing true facts are sifted through the singular, illuminating imagination of John Hodgman—which is the nice way of saying: He made it all up. John Hodgman brings his considerable expertise to bear in answering all of the questions book buyers have been asking: -What are the mottoes of the 51 United States? THE ANSWER IS PROVIDED -Who were the U.S. presidents who had hooks for hands? THE ANSWER IS PROVIDED -What role does the Yale secret society “Skull and Bones” play in the secret world government? THERE IS NO SECRET WORLD GOVERNMENT -What was the menu at the first Thanksgiving, and did it include eels? Technically, that is two questions, but do not apologize, for John Hodgman shall answer them both . . . LATER. -Aside from a compendium of fake trivia, what is the best kind of book to write? A SIMPLE TABLE OF THE 55 MOST DRAMATIC LITERARY SITUATIONS PROVIDES THE ANSWER, and John Hodgman is the author of that table. Imagine if The Book of Lists had been rewritten by Peter Cook and Jorge Luis Borges under the pseudonym of “John Hodgman” and then renamed The Areas of My Expertise, and you will only begin to have a sense of the dizzying, uproarious, sublimely weird, and strangely wise journey that is contained within this book (along with all the pages and words). Perfect for anyone who thirsts for knowledge, and especially for collectors of books of fake trivia, The Areas of My Expertise offers through absurdity a better understanding of the world we share—and recognizes that while the truth may be stranger than fiction, it is never as strange as lies . . . or as true. Look out for John Hodgman's latest book, Vacationland, available from Viking in Fall 2017.

Varied snippets of information, from babies' names to types of aeroplanes, stories, poems, drawings, lists, riddles and morality tales. Didactic literature of the late 19th century.

Forever Faith: The Abe Cruze Story, Mindset of Champions"Forever Faith saved my life. If it can do that for me, believe me it can save you too!"Like a scene from a movie, Abe Cruz was living a life of luxury, cars, clubs, and women one day and the next was busted, broken, and facing a thirty-year prison sentence. Raised by a single mother in a drug-and-gang infested neighborhood of Los Angeles, Abe found his ticket out in competitive sports. All-American by his teens, he believed in his destiny to become a professional athlete. When an injury ended that dream, a downward spiral of events led to the worst decision of his life.But hitting rock-bottom on the hard concrete of a prison cell proved the ultimate blessing. Flat on his back, all Abe could see was up. There he discovered the true mindset of champions -- faith. Not just faith in your own strengths, smarts, and talents, but faith that puts God first and self second. In Forever Faith, Abe Cruz shares his journey to zero and back to let readers know there is a way through the tough times, tragedies, disasters, even their own mistakes and failures, to an incredible God-blessed future. That's living the Mindset-of-Champions.That's Forever Faith!