In A Sideways Look at Clouds, Maria attempts to understand the science behind clouds, blending history and wonder as she revelas the complexity and beauty of those "visible masses of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the earth." Whether taking a painting class, swimming into fogbanks, or visiting a "Sky Factory," her investigations are terrifically funny yet deeply informative--and her newfound appreciation for the clouds...

"In Victorian London, where traveling sideshows are the very pinnacle of entertainment, there is no more coveted ticket than Ashe and Pretorius' Carnivale of Curiosities. Each performance is a limited engagement, and London's elite boldly dare the dangerous streets of Southwark to witness the Carnivale's astounding assemblage of marvels. For a select few, however, the real show begins behind the curtain. Rumors abound that the show's proprietor, Aurelius...

"This is a riotous romp taking the reader from the turbulent frontier culture of the pampas deep into indigenous territories. It charts the adventures of Mrs. China Iron, Martín Fierro's abandoned wife, in her travels across the pampas in a covered wagon with her new-found friend, soon to become lover, a Scottish woman named Liz. While Liz provides China with a sentimental education and schools her in the nefarious ways of the British Empire, their...

"Like the smoky haze of a '70s arena show, a cloud of mystery and intrigue surrounds music's infamous 27 Club. Its members -- including Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse, to name just an few -- revolutionized music in their youth, only to die at the age of 27. Is it a conspiracy or merely a coincidence? A rocking crew of fifty-four comics artists were challenged to use their favorite member of the club as inspiration...