Journalist, author and former foreign correspondent (通讯员)Jane Hutcheon knows a thing or two about conversations and in Rebel Talk she draws on her rich experience in the art of guided conversations to help us begin and foster conversations. Rebel Talk looks at ways to: transform poor conversation habits; speak up about problems; generate energy, passion and optimism: stop lecturing and giving uninvited advice; and most importantly, learn by humble listening.

The makings for simple skincare and medicinal home treatments can be found in your own garden or kitchen. From Earth’s recipes employ pure and natural ingredients such as lily and rose and will inspire you to enlarge your herb knowledge. Beautifully photographed, this step-by-step guide explains how to use carrier oils, butters and dried flowers and is the perfect guide for anyone wanting to find a more comprehensive way of life.

Fans of Margaret Atwood, the creator of The Handmaid’s Tale and more than 50 other works of fiction, poetry and essays, will be interested in her collection of essays and occasional pieces from 2004 — 21. Full of wit and wisdom, Atwood focuses on subjects such as the climate crisis, freedom, debt, tech,the rise of Trump and a pandemic. Other topics include: When to offer advice to the young?( only when asked); So what if beauty is only skin deep?

If you like your fiction left-of-center, then this book is for you. Angus Mooney struggles for most of his life, until he meets his wife, marriage celebrant Gracie (whose wedding ceremonies are anything but traditional). Just when things are starting to work out, an old guy with a terminal illness breaks into their house and asks to stay until he dies. When Angus does some research on their “guest”, he wakes up the next day in the “afterlife”.

Most of the time, this column focuses on a novel or a short story. This month is a little different. For starters, it isn't a work of fiction. Instead, How to Lie with Statistics is a simple little book that teaches readers to tell the difference between good and bad statistics.

At the heart of the book is a problem. At their best, statistics provide a powerful way to strengthen an argument or point of view. Unfortunately, statistics are also both easily misunderstood and readily manipulated. That is a problem because many people are not well-equipped to understand when numbers are being used to manipulate them. The easiest way to solve this problem is to give people the ability to understand statistics.

How to Lie with Statistics seeks to do just that. Often used as a textbook for math classes, it is surprisingly easy to read and understand. It's also very useful. Each of the book's ten chapters focuses on one way statistics are commonly misused.

How to Lie with Statistics has a light and fun tone. It teaches both simple explanations and fun examples. It is a short 144 pages and includes a lot of cartoon illustrations. Written in1954, the book quickly became a classic. Despite its age, the ideas presented are practical, and the examples remain easy to follow. That said, some of the examples, especially those that use dates and money, seem dated to modern eyes.

Readers should also be aware that this book isn't really a textbook. While the book outlines important ideas about statistics, it doesn't actually teach you math. The author, Darrel Huff, wasn't a mathematician. Rather, he was a journalist. The book shows that by informing readers, but not exploring topics too deeply.

Nevertheless, the book is a wonderful resource for readers. Traditionally, it has been used as an extra text for students from many different subjects. It also provides a handy introduction to interdisciplinary studies. However, the book will prove useful for any-one who wants to develop their critical thinking.