Funny Birds

Perfect for the anti-aviary (or bird fanatic with a sense of humor), this snarky illustrated handbook is equal parts profane, funny, and—let's face it—true. Featuring 50 common North American birds, such as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose (or White-Breasted Nuthatch and Canada Goose for the layperson), Kracht identifies all the idiots in your backyard and details exactly why they suck with humorous, yet angry, ink drawings. Each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird's (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more. With migratory maps and tips for birding, plus musings on the avian population and the ethics of birdwatching, this is the essential guide to all things wings. No need to wonder what all that racket is anymore!

A citizen of the Veneto in her sixties. Three stories of "love in the country": a pseudo Don Giovanni confesses his impotence to the doctor in confidence but he becomes betrayed by him - the medic speaks about his patient with some befriend gossips; a bank employee, after a tormented affair with the young waitress of a bar, returns to be single - disappointed and made bitter; some boys exploit the gratitude of an ingenuous girl from the vicinity. Her father denunciates them but withdraws all efforts after getting a compensation and saves them from jail.