From the perils of French dentistry to the eating habits of the Australian kookaburra, from the squat-style toilets of Beijing to the particular wilderness of a North Carolina Costco, we learn about the absurdity and delight of a curious traveler's experiences. Whether railing against the habits of litterers in the English countryside or marveling over a disembodied human arm in a taxidermist's shop, Sedaris takes us on side-splitting adventures that...

In the aftermath of the American Revolution a destitute young woman agrees to a marriage of convenience and becomes Mistress of Tall Acre. But when secrets from her husband's past are revealed, loyalties and ties are torn asunder.

An Amish girl describes a year in her life and the activities that fill it, from early spring through the following winter.

Provides an in-depth look at daily life and historical events in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War, including home life, work, medicine, and play.

The television journalist describes life growing up in the heart of the American Midwest and his early journalism career in the 1960s, reflecting on the people, places, culture, and values that shaped him and continue to shape him today.

"The United States is in a fifty-states-wide couples' counseling session, thinking about filing for divorce. Can a nation composed of states that are so different possibly hang together? Quinn ... calls us out state-by-state, from Connecticut to Hawaii. He identifies the hypocrisies inherent in what we claim to believe and what we actually do. Within a framework of big-picture thinking about systems of government--after all, how would you put this...

After a disappointing year in New York City, Emma Cross has returned to Newport, Rhode Island, determined to report on hard news. For now she's covering the social event of the season at Ochre Court, a coming-out ball designed to showcase Cleo Cooper-Smith, who will be on display as Cleopatra in an elaborate tableau vivant. As Cleo ascends to her throne the recently installed modern electricity goes out, plunging into room into darkness. When the...