Documents a high school student's year-long attempt to change her social status from that of a misfit to a member of the "in" crowd by following advice in a 1950s popularity guide, an experiment that triggered embarrassment, humor and unexpected surprises.

'Vintage Geek is Marshall Julius's super-fun trivia treasure-chest for nerds of all ages. Essential reading.' Mark Hamill The ultimate quiz book for old school nerds, Vintage Geek celebrates a splendid selection of 20th-century fandoms, from Fifties' sci fi cinema, Sixties' Star Trek and Seventies' Stephen King to Eighties' actioners, Nineties' Batman 'toons and more. What does the sign say on the gate of Kananga's crocodile farm? What's the first Thing Mary Jane Watson ever said to Peter Parker? Why does Robby the Robot rarely partake of Altair IV's high oxygen content? No matter what we're into, geeks of the world share a few common traits: intense and unconditional enthusiasm and the relentless urge to know, and then prove we know, every last thing about the objects of our affection. With a foreword from Simpsons writer Mike Reiss, Vintage Geek additionally features a fabulous fifty celebrity-penned questions from the likes of Mark Hamill, John Carpenter, George Takei, Sam Neill, Mark Millar, Tom Savini, Pat Mills, Yeardley Smith and Sam J. Jones. Vintage Geek is here to chew bubblegum and assess the limits of your trivia knowledge and it's all out of bubblegum!

Vintage Geek will not only test your trivia chops, but also celebrates a varied selection of 20th century fandoms, from fifties Sci-Fi cinema, sixties Star Trek, Tom Baker's Doctor Who and eighties Action Classics to Hanna-Barbera, 2000 AD, Star Wars, Spielberg, Disney, Marvel, Atari, The Twilight Zone and much more besides. With a foreword from Emmy Award-winning Simpsons writer and producer Mike Reiss, Vintage Geek also features a fabulous fifty celebrity questions from the likes of John Carpenter, George Takei, Sam Neill, Mark Millar, Tom Savini, Mark Hamill, Pat Mills, Yeardley Smith and Sam J. Jones.

National Book Award Finalist • Here is the unforgettable story of the Binewskis, a circus-geek family whose matriarch and patriarch have bred their own exhibit of human oddities—with the help of amphetamines, arsenic, and radioisotopes. One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years Their offspring include Arturo the Aquaboy, who has flippers for limbs and a megalomaniac ambition worthy of Genghis Khan . . . Iphy and Elly, the lissome Siamese twins . . . albino hunchback Oly, and the outwardly normal Chick, whose mysterious gifts make him the family’s most precious—and dangerous—asset. As the Binewskis take their act across the backwaters of the U.S., inspiring fanatical devotion and murderous revulsion; as its members conduct their own Machiavellian version of sibling rivalry, Geek Love throws its sulfurous light on our notions of the freakish and the normal, the beautiful and the ugly, the holy and the obscene. Family values will never be the same.

New York Times Bestseller A breakout teen author explores the true meaning of popularity and how to survive middle school in this hysterically funny, touchingly honest contemporary memoir. “I was inspired by [Maya's] journey and made a point of saving a copy of ‘Popular’ for my sister, who starts middle school this fall. Maybe if I had read it when I was her age, it could have saved me from a world of hurt, or at least put that world in perspective.” —Maude Apatow, New York Times Book Review Can curlers, girdles, Vaseline, and a strand of pearls help a shy girl become popular? Maya Van Wagenen is about to find out. Stuck near the bottom of the social ladder at “pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya has never been popular. But before starting eighth grade, she decides to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. The real-life results are hilarious, painful, and filled with unexpected surprises. Told with humor and grace, Maya’s journey offers readers of all ages a thoroughly contemporary example of kindness and self-confidence, along with a better understanding of what it means to be popular.

What would today’s technology look like with Victorian-era design and materials? That’s the world steampunk envisions: a mad-inventor collection of 21st century-inspired contraptions powered by steam and driven by gears. In this book, futurist Brian David Johnson and cultural historian James Carrott explore steampunk, a cultural movement that’s captivated thousands of artists, designers, makers, hackers, and writers throughout the world. Just like today, the late 19th century was an age of rapid technological change, and writers such as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells commented on their time with fantastic stories that jumpstarted science fiction. Through interviews with experts such as William Gibson, Cory Doctorow, Bruce Sterling, James Gleick, and Margaret Atwood, this book looks into steampunk’s vision of old-world craftsmen making beautiful hand-tooled gadgets, and what it says about our age of disposable technology. Steampunk is everywhere—as gadget prototypes at Maker Faire, novels and comic books, paintings and photography, sculptures, fashion design, and music. Discover how this elaborate view of a history that never existed can help us reimagine our future.

Capture the spirit of the sixties and seventies with these 35 patterns for scarves, skirts, tank tops, turbans, and more. Do you have a passion for vintage fashion? If so, you're guaranteed to love the 35 patterns in Geek Chic Crochet . With a combination of cute, quirky and cosy items, you will find clothes suitable for any occasion, all inspired by retro designs. If you're meeting for coffee with friends, the tank top in orange and black is perfect teamed with jeans and flats. Heading out to see a band? Opt for the crocheted skirt and brogues. And for a winter walk, wrap up in the granny-squares scarf. For the summer months there's a cute crop top to wear to the beach and cool cover-ups to put on when the sun goes down. You'll also find accessories to complete an ensemble - the collar is perfect for giving a new lease of life to last year's favourite dress or adding detail to a coat. Finally, there are brightly coloured pillows for your bedroom and an oversized hoodie that's perfect to relax in the day after the night before. Making your own clothes is also fun and rewarding. Even if you have never crocheted before, you'll find easy patterns to stitch, plus an extensive techniques section explaining everything you need to know.Nicki Trench is one of the leading figures in the revival and promotion of home crafts. She is the founder of Laughing Hens , the UK's leading online yarn store, and Rooster Yarns . Some of her books include Cute & Easy Crocheted Baby Clothes , A Passion for Quilting and Super Scary Crochet . Visit her website at www.nickitrench.com and blog at nickitrench.blogspot.com.