A collection of 64 literary tidbits about such diverse subjects as poisonous fish, sex habits of chimps, why dogs like skunks, father-son relationships, silliness of escargot, Teddy Roosevelt's jungle prowess and other odd topics that take a minute to read. Author Mike Lubow learned to condense ideas into 160 words-a minute's worth-as a writer of TV spots. The pieces in this collection, some zany, some profound, all appeared in the Chicago Tribune.

Wild Notes chronicles several year's worth of daily observations written in a logbook style by a regular guy who happens to be a bird watcher, among other things. In the tradition of wilderness junkies like Ed Abbey, Annie Dillard and even that odd old hermit, Thoreau, the author is hooked on the elemental kick that starts with an easy-going interest in birds and goes beyond to an interest in all fleeting things. Bird watching, once considered a gentle hobby, is now known to be a wilderness adventure enjoyed by rough and ready men and women of all ages. Hard-muscled, hard-bitten, bug-bitten...

A collection of ten short stories that have been published in popular and literary magazines in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. One story, though uniquely American, was translated into three other languages. With brevity and momentum each exposes the dramatic interior responses and emotions that occur when we face unanticipated, thought-provoking challenges or insights. There's a story about the effects of a deadly accident on a seemingly self-centered office drone. Another story is about a man, who like the character "Bottom" in Midsummer Night's Dream, accepts the fact that his...