"Having arrived at a certain age (her prime), Ann Leary casts a wry backward glance at a life spent trying--and often failing--to be nice. With wit and surprising candor, Leary recounts the bedlam of home bat invasions, an obsession with online personality tests, and the mortification of taking ballroom dance lessons with her actor husband. She describes hilarious red-carpet fiascos and other observations from the sidelines of fame, while also touching...

"The 72 columns selected here by editor Dan Barry, more than half of which have not been reprinted since initial publication, reveal Breslin at his best, addressing stories of national and global importance but more often uncovering tales of ordinary New Yorkers, by turns tragic or absurd but always gripping to read. Gathered here are the highlights of his consummate deadline artistry: his celebrated interview with the man who dug the grave for John...

"Our society is obsessed with achievement. Young people are pushed toward the next test or the "best" grammar school, high school, or college they can get into. Adults push themselves toward the highest-paying, most prestigious jobs, seeking promotions and public recognition. As Adam Gopnik points out, the result is not so much a rat race as a rat maze, with no way out. Except one: to choose accomplishment over achievement. Achievement, Gopnik argues,...

"This beautifully illustrated guide to roadtripping through New England spans from Connecticut to Maine and explores inland destinations in Vermont, New Hampshire, weekend trips to the Berkshires, and even crosses over the Canadian border to Nova Scotia. All across New England, there's so much to see and do. Mystic, Providence, Salem, Portland, must-visit museums, bookstores, fooderies, and more. Go antiquing in Stonington, CT. Take a quick ferry...