Ignorance is bliss, or so hopes Antoine, the lead character in Martin Page’s stinging satire, How I Became Stupid—a modern day Candide with a Darwin Award–like sensibility. A twenty-five-year-old Aramaic scholar, Antoine has had it with being brilliant and deeply self-aware in today’s culture. So tortured is he by the depth of his perception and understanding of himself and the world around him that he vows to denounce his intelligence by any means necessary—in order to become "stupid" enough to be a happy, functioning member of society. What follows is a dark and hilarious odyssey as Antoine tries everything from alcoholism to stock-trading in order to lighten the burden of his brain on his soul....

The unique foliage, aromatic flowers, and dramatic colors of citrus add an exotic touch to the garden, terrace, deck, or balcony. The delicious and nutritious fruits they harvest are a draw to an ever-increasing number of people interested in growing their own food. Martin Page charts the introduction of citrus to the western world, celebrates their unique flavors and diverse uses, and recommends the best varieties for garden cultivation. The detailed cultivation advice describes how to grow the trees in all climates, includes tips on overwintering, and shows how to tend to trees in pots, small gardens, and greenhouses. Includes oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines, clementines, and many more. Growing Citrus is the definitive guide to growing the world's most important fruit crops and will inspire the enthusiastic home gardener to grow their own.

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Peonies are virtually unrivalled in a their ability to bring impact and drama to a garden. Once established they flourish for decades, bringing large quantities of flamboyant blooms in a magical range of hues and outstanding, often finely cut foliage. This informative guide highlights the best peonies for gardeners, paying particular attention to the tree peonies, herbaceous hybrids and the latest cultivars of Paeonia lactiflora.The Chinese have been growing tree peonies for 1600 years but these exotic plants still make a novel addition to the Western garden. A full-size plant bearing dozens of flowers is an awesome sight and the selection here includes the best of the Chinese and Japanese cultivar ranges, the classic hybrids and the sought-after hybrids raised by Arthur Saunders in the 1930s that range in colour from yellow to mahogany-red. Enthusiasts of herbaceous peonies will delight in the selection of Paeonia lactiflora cultivars along with the new complex hybrids between P. lactiflora, P. wittmanniana and P. macrophylla. Over 200 photographs accompany the detailed plant descriptions to provide an invaluable reference source>Advice on buying peonies along with detailed cultivation requirements for the individual groups will ensure success in the garden, while information on the history of peonies, conservation issues, and morphology complete this authoritative review....