More than a third of the houses in the world are made of clay. Clay vessels were instrumental in the invention of cooking, wine and beer making, and international trade. Our toilets are made of clay. The first spark plugs were thrown on the potter's wheel. Clay has played a vital role in the health and beauty fields. Indeed, this humble material was key to many advances in civilization, including the development of agriculture and the invention of baking, architecture, religion, and even the space program.
In Clay, Suzanne Staubach takes a lively look at the startling history of the mud beneath our feet. Told with verve and erudition, this story will ensure you won't see the world around you in quite the same way after reading the book.

Gardens across the globe come in many sizes and styles, but for the most part they share a remarkable number of similar components. Suzanne Staubach revels in this interconnectivity in A Garden Miscellany. In short essays meant to be dipped in and out of, Staubach shares the history, evolution, and contemporary use of all the parts and pieces that make up a home garden - from borders, compost bins, and decks to pergolas, roof gardens, statues, and troughs. Readers will learn that fairy gardens have their roots in the Tang Dynasty, the difference between an arbor and a pergola, how geometry plays a role in garden design, what a ha-ha is (a ditch deep enough to be a barrier that doesn't interrupt a view), and much more. Featuring bold and whimsical illustrations by Julia Yellow and filled with interesting facts and anecdotes, A Garden Miscellany is a fun and informative gift book for gardeners, plant lovers, and the naturally curious everywhere.