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Every young lady dreams of a life spent exchanging witty asides with a dashing Mr. Darcy, but how should you let him know your intentions? Seek counsel from this charming guide to Jane Austen’s world. Its step-by-step instructions reveal the practicalities of life in Regency England, including sensible advice on:

     •  How to behave at your first ball
     •  How to ride sidesaddle
     •  How to decline an unwanted marriage proposal
     •  How to improve your estate
     •  How to throw a dinner party

—and much more. Offering readers a glimpse into day-to-day life in Jane Austen’s time, The Jane Austen Handbook is the perfect companion for fans of her novels and their film adaptations, complete with detailed information on love among the social classes, currency, dress, and nuances of graceful living.

Why do the world’s most delicious foods—from grilled meats and vegetables to deep-fried pickles and corndogs—taste even better served on a stick?

This beautifully photographed cookbook answers the question with dozens of quick and easy recipes for party food, street-fair food, junk food, and more. From high-end hors d’oeuvres to humble street-cart meals, it’s all here: pizza skewers, beef teriyaki sticks, deep-fried mac ’n’ cheese, fudge puppies, cake pops, and more.

Arriving just in time for summer, On a Stick! is loaded with color photography, fun entertaining ideas, and fascinating historical trivia. There are even recipes for preparing delicious marinades, dips, and sauces. See for yourself why everything tastes better On a Stick!

MATT ARMENDARIZ is a man obsessed with food, drink, and everything in between, as evidenced by his entertaining food blog, mattbites.com (averaging 100,000 unique visitors per month). He lives in Los Angeles.

How do you keep a Dagwood from toppling over? What makes a Po’ Boy so crispy and crunchy? And who was the genius that invented the Fluffernutter? Discover these answers and more in The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches—a chunky little cookbook dedicated to everything between sliced bread.

Author Susan Russo has searched the globe to catalog every sandwich imaginable, providing tried-and-true recipes, tips and tricks, and fascinating regional and historical trivia about the best snack of all time.

Quick how-to instructions will ensure that every Panini is toasted to buttery perfection, every Sloppy Joe is deliciously sloppy, and every Dagwood is stacked to perfection! The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches is essential reading for sandwich connoisseurs everywhere.

SUSAN RUSSO writes for NPR’s Kitchen Window, posts stories, recipes, and photos on her popular food blog, Food Blogga, and is the coauthor of Recipes Every Man Should Know (Quirk, 2010). She lives in San Diego.

In May 2001, billionaire Dennis Tito made history as the first “space tourist”-he’s the guy who paid $20 million to travel to the International Space Station. Since that landmark voyage, many others have followed in his footsteps-all courtesy of Space Adventures, the first travel agency devoted exclusively to outer space.

But before you can blast off, there’s plenty to learn. In this illustrated handbook, Space Adventures CEO Eric Anderson gives would-be space tourists the exact same training program that he gives to the billionaires. Here are step-by-step instructions for liftoff, sleeping in weightless environments, using the “vacuum toilet” on the spacecraft, living in zero gravity, and much more. It’s all so informative, the instructors at Space Adventures are already integrating this handbook into their lesson plans.

With more than 25 illustrations (and a special full-color section showing popular vacation “destinations”), The Space Tourist’s Handbook is fascinating reading for amateur astronauts of all ages.

ERIC ANDERSON is the president and CEO of Space Adventures, Ltd. He resides in Washington, D.C.

JOSHUA PIVEN is coauthor of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series. He lives in Philadelphia.

In today’s business world, information is everything-and no one gathers information more effectively than spies. So why not bring real spying techniques into your workplace? The same tactics used by CIA and KGB agents can also be used at offices and corporations of any size-and these techniques will help you get ahead fast! The Spy’s Guide: Office Espionage features illustrated step-by-step instructions on tapping phones, sending anonymous e-mails, disguising your identity at a trade show, and much more. The authors also share real-life stories about how these tactics have been employed by professional spies in the CIA, KGB, Fortune 500 companies, and other settings. Advance your career with espionage!

H. KEITH MELTON is one of the world’s foremost experts on the history of spying. He serves on the board of directors for the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.

CRAIG PILIGIAN has produced several television documentaries about espionage. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI is the author of The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion and lives in Philadelphia.

They’ve been called wolf decks, stag decks, and plain old nudie playing cards. They’re older than poker, older than blackjack, and they offer a fascinating window into society’s ever-changing views of female beauty. Stacked Decks features images of hundreds of erotic playing cards from 1835 to the present, all illustrated with nude or seminude models, burlesque singers, flappers, 1950s pinup girls, and international superstars. Within these pages, you’ll discover unexpected celebrities, vintage advertisements, and fascinating cultural history (during the 1950s, these decks were sold primarily at drugstores). This lavishly illustrated hardcover volume is the perfect gift for fans of poker, magic, nostalgia, and vintage erotica.

Mark Lee Rotenberg, curator of THE ROTENBERG COLLECTION, lives in New Jersey. His book Forbidden Erotica is one of Taschen’s top 25 best sellers of all time.