Face it. Your girlfriends can tell you what you need to know about just about everything...except men. For that, you need comedian and Essence columnist Finesse Mitchell. Eager to help his sistas out and show them how to avoid the types of men who have left them baffled, blue, or just plain bitter, Mitchell tells the truth, whether it's good, bad, or downright despicable. Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much clues women in to what men are really thinking at every stage of a relationship, from first contact through deciding to propose. Lighthearted and brutally (if hilariously) honest, Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much lets women in on the things only men know about men and, in the process, saves them from wasting weeks,

Face it. Your girlfriends can tell you what you need to know about just about everything...except men. For that, you need comedian and Essence columnist Finesse Mitchell. Eager to help his sistas out and show them how to avoid the types of men who have left them baffled, blue, or just plain bitter, Mitchell tells the truth, whether it's good, bad, or downright despicable. Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much clues women in to what men are really thinking at every stage of a relationship, from first contact through deciding to propose. Lighthearted and brutally (if hilariously) honest, Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much lets women in on the things only men know about men and, in the process, saves them from wasting weeks,

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE FAQ:EVERYTHING LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT TELEVISION'S LONGEST RUNNING COME

"This is a comprehensive ticket to learning more about every aspect of the late-night comedy staple and its storied history." - Library Journal Television history was made on October 11, 1975, when a new generation of young performers welcomed America to the first episode of a new late-night comedy and variety show. Combining cutting-edge humor with a satirical sensibility, Saturday Night Live would go on to become the longest-running series of its kind in television history, shining a light on pop culture as well as contemporary social and political issues. It also became a launching pad for many of the leading comedy performers of the last five decades, including John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Eddie Murphy, Phil Hartman, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Maya Rudolph, and Kate McKinnon Celebrating the show’s record-breaking 50 years on the air, The SNL Companion is a fun, fact-filled tribute to a television institution. From the show’s creation by Lorne Michaels through all of the seasons leading up to its golden anniversary, it provides an in-depth look at SNL’s comedic highlights and nadirs, its memorable hosts and musical guests, and its many controversies. Along with a complete episode guide, it explores the characters, sketches, politics, catchphrases, commercial parodies, and viral shorts that have made it a leader in American comedy for over five decades. Vastly revised, updated, and expanded since its original publication in 2013 and packed with photographs and rich encyclopedic detail, The SNL Companion is a one-stop resource for all things SNL.

“Irresistible is a fascinating and much needed exploration of one of the most troubling phenomena of modern times.” —Malcolm Gladwell, author of New York Times bestsellers David and Goliath and Outliers “One of the most mesmerizing and important books I’ve read in quite some time. Alter brilliantly illuminates the new obsessions that are controlling our lives and offers the tools we need to rescue our businesses, our families, and our sanity.” —Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take Welcome to the age of behavioral addiction—an age in which half of the American population is addicted to at least one behavior. We obsess over our emails, Instagram likes, and Facebook feeds; we binge on TV episodes and YouTube videos; we work longer hours each year; and we spend an average of three hours each day using our smartphones. Half of us would rather suffer a broken bone than a broken phone, and Millennial kids spend so much time in front of screens that they struggle to interact with real, live humans. In this revolutionary book, Adam Alter, a professor of psychology and marketing at NYU, tracks the rise of behavioral addiction, and explains why so many of today's products are irresistible. Though these miraculous products melt the miles that separate people across the globe, their extraordinary and sometimes damaging magnetism is no accident. The companies that design these products tweak them over time until they become almost impossible to resist. By reverse engineering behavioral addiction, Alter explains how we can harness addictive products for the good—to improve how we communicate with each other, spend and save our money, and set boundaries between work and play—and how we can mitigate their most damaging effects on our well-being, and the health and happiness of our children. Adam Alter's previous book, Drunk Tank Pink: And Other Unexpected Forces that Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave is available in paperback from Penguin.

This classic guide, from the renowned novelist and professor, has helped transform generations of aspiring writers into masterful writers—and will continue to do so for many years to come. John Gardner was almost as famous as a teacher of creative writing as he was for his own works. In this practical, instructive handbook, based on the courses and seminars that he gave, he explains, simply and cogently, the principles and techniques of good writing. Gardner’s lessons, exemplified with detailed excerpts from classic works of literature, sweep across a complete range of topics—from the nature of aesthetics to the shape of a refined sentence. Written with passion, precision, and a deep respect for the art of writing, Gardner’s book serves by turns as a critic, mentor, and friend. Anyone who has ever thought of taking the step from reader to writer should begin here.

There's more to writing a successful fantasy story than building a unique world or inventing new magic. How exactly is a plot put together? How do you know if your idea will support an entire novel? How do you grab reader attention and keep it? How do you create dynamic, multi-dimensional characters? What is viewpoint and do you handle it differently in urban fantasy than in traditional epics? What should you do if you're lost in the middle? How do you make your plot end up where you intend it to go? From the writing of strong, action-packed scenes to the handling of emotions, let award-winning fantasy author Deborah Chester guide you through the process of putting a book together. Convinced there's no need to shroud the writing process under a veil of mystery, Chester supplies tips that are both practical and proven. They are exactly what she uses in writing her own novels and what she teaches in her writing courses at the University of Oklahoma. Along with explaining story construction step-by-step, Chester illustrates each technique with examples drawn from both traditional and urban fantasy. The technique chapters include exercises to assist novices in mastering the craft of writing fantasy as well as suggestions for avoiding or solving plot problems. More experienced writers will find tips for taking their work to the next level. With an introduction by author Jim Butcher, The fantasy fiction formula provides the information you need to gain skill and proficiency in writing fantasy like a pro.