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Quirk Owner’s Manuals have taught readers how to “repair” and “maintain” babies, toddlers, dogs, and cats. Now we’re tackling the biggest and most complicated “appliance” of all-your home!

Through step-by-step instructions and techy schematic diagrams, The Home Owner’s Manual explores hundreds of frequently asked questions: How can I drain the sludge out of my water heater? What makes my radiators “hiss” at night? Is there any easy way to unstop a toilet? How can I fill a crack in my wall? And when should I seek professional help?

You’ll also find advice on inspecting a new home, moving in, redecorating, emergency maintenance, and much more. With plenty of helpful illustrations to guide you along, The Home Owner’s Manual makes household maintenance a breeze.

DAN RAMSEY, a licensed building and home improvement contractor, has taught thousands of homeowners how to fix things through his Web site, fixitclub.com (hosted by BobVila.com). He lives in Willets, California.

Field Guide to Herbs & Spices will forever change the way you cook. With this practical guide—including full-color photographs of more than 200 different herbs, spices, and spice mixtures—you’ll never again be intimidated or confused by the vast array of spices available.

Learn to discern the differences between the varieties of basil, the various colors of sesame seeds, the diverse types of sugar and salt, and even how to identify spice pastes like zhoug, harissa, and achiote. Each entry features a basic history of the herb or spice (saffron used to be worth more than gold!), its season (if applicable), selection and preparation tips, a recipe featuring the seasoning, and some suggested flavor pairings. Complete with more than one hundred recipes, Field Guide to Herbs & Spices is a must-have resource for every home cook.

Meals will never be the same again!

Just like people, plants search far and wide for perfect companions—their soil mates are special plants who bring out their best traits and keep bad influences away. And it’s our job as gardeners to help these lovelorn veggies find each other.

In this charming guide to companion planting for all your vegetable-garden favorites, you’ll learn why Broccoli ❤ Rosemary and whether Potato + Corn = friends with benefits. (Just watch out for Celery! “Leggy and leafy, she is notoriously easy-going and will happily settle down with just about anyone, raising a ruckus in your raised beds.”) Complete with 20 pairings, full plant information, tasty recipes, and more, Soil Mates is the perfect partner for your horticultural matchmaker.

SARA ALWAY is a graphic designer who believes in sustainable agriculture. She lives in Ohio, where she tends her own garden of happy soil mates. A former farm specialist at Seeds of Change, KELLE CARTER manages her own market garden and CSA in Colorado.