Dear Santa:
I desperately need a new computer so I can talk to other cats on the Internet.
OK, it's my fault the old one doesn't work. I honestly thought the mouse was a toy so I kind of batted it around. By the time I realized the fish was a screensaver, the monitor was pretty scratched.
Sincerely,
Einstein Two, Cat

Feisty felines making very specific Christmas demands: what could be funnier or more appealing to cat lovers? Delightfully illustrated with drawings throughout, this whimsical collection of letters to Santa reveals, for the first time, what kitty just can't do without. From the pretend—innocent pleas of Screwball, who asks for a dozen playmates for the family fish whose companion has "mysteriously disappeared," to the tired scrawl of Sleepy, who wants more naptimes during the day, each note is full of fun.

Cartoon-illustrated and enhanced with language teaching puzzles, pull-out flashcards and games, this book teaches enough Japanese to enable English-speaking travelers to make themselves understood in restaurants, stores, hotels, taxis, airports, and for generally getting around in Japanese cities and countryside.

The revised edition of the home-studio owner’s bible. Up-to-date information on how to make good, clean, professional-sounding demos using affordable equipment. Covers tape decks, microphones, and midi recording; noise reduction; computers in the studio; how to mix; mastering and assembling; and more.

These pocket-size language guides from Collins Gems are clear, user-friendly references, designed to help students of all levels.

From one of America's bestselling humor writers comes a New Age take on our feline friends that is destined to become a classic. A must for cat owners who yearn to understand the feline psyche, this witty and laugh-out-loud funny book is Henry Beard at his best.

Welcome to the fabulous, mysterious world of Magical Cakes, with its witches, wizards, gnomes, dwarfs, trolls, sprites, and goblins.Successful cake decorating author Debbie Brown has used her unique talents and magical touch to create 20 fun and fantasy cakes. There are amazing party cakes to appeal to both boys and girls, including designs for children of all ages, such as a mystical castle guarded by a fiery dragon and a cute baby dragon suitable for the younger ones.With clear, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and photographs, and cake designs for all levels of expertise, this book will satisfy both beginners and more experienced cake decorators.

Since his first role in 1962 at the age of 8, Jackie Chan has appeared in more than 70 movies. For more than 20 years, he has been the biggest star in Asia, but in the West he remained a secret, his movies passed around on tape and his fame growing by word of mouth alone. In the '90s, with the success of crossover movies like Rush Hour and the support of a new generation of filmmakers who grew up watching Jackie Chan videotapes, his star finally rose in the West. But where did he come from, and how did he achieve so much?

His autobiography, I Am Jackie Chan, answers those questions in an engaging, almost novelistic style. When his father moves to Australia to take up a new job, the young Jackie is placed in Hong Kong's China Drama Academy under the tutelage of Master Yu Jim-yuen. For the next 10 years he is trained in martial arts, dance, acrobatics, singing, and comedy, while suffering extraordinary hardships, including regular beatings and near-starvation. Yet he can look back on this period of his life with considerable affection, not least because it taught him the skills, and provided him with the network of friends, that would sustain his film career for decades. Chan has always earned the respect of his fans by committing himself wholeheartedly to creating the most death-defying stunts possible. His achievements seem even more remarkable when set against the struggles described in this book. In the Drama School, as a young stuntman, in his first troubled attempts to make movies in America—Chan's personality shines through, and I Am Jackie Chan can only enhance his reputation as one of the most likable and admirable movie stars in the world. The book also includes Jackie's comments on all of his movies, lists of his favorite stunts and fights, and an astonishing catalog of all his major injuries. Can you imagine what it must feel like to dislocate your cheekbone? —Simon Leake

116 Wing Tsun Dummy Techniques is finally back in print and written by Master Yip Chun the son of Master Yip Man who taught Bruce Lee. This is an awesome book for those who study the Chinese Art of Wing Tsun. 130 pages filled with easy to follow photos and as well a poster that folds out for you to follow. The techniques are performed by the Master himself Yip Man so what you will learn is the same basics as Bruce Lee learnt fom the him.

John Lennon Unseen Archives

John Lennon was the man who founded The Beatles, and whose energy and commitment were greatly influential in taking them to the height of fame. He became more than a musician and went on to influence an entire generation. John Lennon: Unseen Archives with evocative photographs from The Daily Mail captures the impact he made upon the world; the memories of which still linger with us today.

This fully illustrated book covers gripping, flipping, stances, blocks, karate and sai similarities, movements and footwork, combinations and sparring. Demura is an expert in traditional karate weapons and an international ambassador of karate.

Not since Kliban has there been a cat book this edgy. Edgy as in Bosco, the demonic Siamese with the out-of-focus eyes, razor-sharp fangs, and his own idea of Feng Shui. Or the half-shaved freak named Mr. Fliegel, who looks like a cross between a poodle and a lion. Mr. Fliegel shrugs and says, "Chicks dig me." Or Kato, resplendent in his Three Musketeers outfit: "One for all, blah blah blah . . . now just get me out of this @#%&ing costume!" Or Clark, whose hobby is eating other cats' food. Tina, who somehow always just misses the litter box . . . sucker. And the guilty-looking Clarence, caught with a Barbie doll in flagrante delicto. Clarence's defiant defense: "She was naked when I came in. . . ."

Just as Kliban got us to think about the cat as something far more interesting than an innocuous house pet, and Suzy Becker taught us that cats possess a Buddha-like wisdom (together Cat and All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat have more than 2.6 million copies in print), Jim Edgar reveals yet another facet of the ever-mesmerizing animal. Brooding, deranged, antisocial, these are kitties with attitude and borderline personality problems—ah, but what hilarious fun it is to read about them. All 244 photographed in terrifying full color in their most unflattering moments, with a quote plus vital stats: name, breed, age, and hobby. Get to know them. Then see if you can ever forget them.

As with any new technology, buying your gear is only the first step. Understanding how to make the best use of it is another story. Wireless Hacks offers 100 industrial-strength tips about wireless networking, contributed by experts who apply what they know in the real world every day. Each Hack can be read in just a few minutes, but can save you hours of research. Inside, you will find a wealth of useful techniques for making the most out of wireless technology, including:Making sense of the alphabet soup of the 802.11 standards, and understanding which technology makes sense for your solving particular problemUsing Bluetooth, mobile radios, mobile data networks, and other exotic methods to keep you connected, no matter where you arePractical methods for detecting, analyzing, and monitoring wireless networksExtending the range of your network, and making the best possible use of the available radio spectrumDesigning and building your own antennasEngineering long distance network links that span several milesUnderstanding the security issues of wireless networking, and protecting yourself and your users from unauthorized access and eavesdropping