New Releases by Alan Baker

The dog should never have been in the Lab in the first place. Once again, the bundle of canine energy had nosed past its owner and into the lab. In its mouth was a tennis ball that he dropped on the floor in the hope someone would play fetch with him. The ball bounced, and the dog chased it, hitting it with his paw, which caused it to bounce even more. Inevitably it bounced into the screen and disappeared with a bright sparkle and a sound later described as a fizz and plop. The dog jumped after the ball and disappeared with the same fizz and plop. Thus began the fantastic discovery of Fenga. another world reached through a wormhole. At a time when the whole world was going mad, and England and the rest of the UK was joining in the madness.

Our best scientific theories explain a wide range of empirical phenomena, make accurate predictions, and are widely believed. Since many of these theories make ample use of mathematics, it is natural to see them as confirming its truth. Perhaps the use of mathematics in science even gives us reason to believe in the existence of abstract mathematical objects such as numbers and sets. These issues lie at the heart of the Indispensability Argument, to which this Element is devoted. The Element's first half traces the evolution of the Indispensability Argument from its origins in Quine and Putnam's works, taking in naturalism, confirmational holism, Field's program, and the use of idealisations in science along the way. Its second half examines the explanatory version of the Indispensability Argument, and focuses on several more recent versions of easy-road and hard-road fictionalism respectively.

As in Dante's Commedia, many different types of language - the political, the spiritual, the scientific, the commercial, the playful, the poetic - jostle up against each other in the way that language so often does in life. Like Dante, Baker refuses to isolate the poetic from the living. Yet, however fragmented, the poems work together as a compelling whole, thanks to Baker's measured and masterful use of the prose poem. The letters from the underworld represent the neo-modernist lyric at its best. Ian Seed

With an agonizing inevitability, her newborn did die in her arms. She cried and wept and pleaded, because she wanted nothing more than to keep her child with her, for all her life. . . . So. What did it mean when she got exactly what she had wished for?46 pages

One worm, two toucans, three bears - play and count with Grey Rabbit.

White Rabbit finds three pots of paint - and discovers the magic of colour!

The cute and cuddly rabbits help young children to recognise all sorts of shapes.

Cute, cuddly rabbits help young children learn the numbers 1-20.

This book had its beginnings as picture narrative to share our travel experiences with our family and friends. That way, they could follow our trip at their own pace rather than the unfashionable photo or slide night. Our adventurers are a middle aged Australian couple keen to share their travel experiences with anybody prepared to listen or more particularly, read about them. Our itinerary basically consisted of touring Switzerland, Southern France and Northern Italy. We had heard from numerous sources that Switzerland was everyones favourite place in Europe so our first flight destination was Zurich. From Zurich, we were off to beautiful Paris, onto Dijon to Chalon Sur Soanne where we travelled by river cruise boat to Arles and Avignon. From Avignon, we travelled to Nice by train where we made a ripper mistake to travel by hire car into Italy something that Id always wanted to do. We made our way to the beautiful Cinque Terre via Sestri Leventi and up north to gorgeous Bellagio on Lake Como in the foothills of the Italian Alps. From there, we went back to Milan, onto unbelievable Venice, down to Florence, Sienna and finished our adventure in Rome. The book is a light hearted diary of our trip with lots of meaningful pictures. It is also littered with travel tips and advice for the unwary traveller such as :- Dont ever again forget to take the vegemite Dont ever again forget to pack the shorts Dont ever again hire a car overseas. The train services in Europe are fantastic. A smooth comfortable and very fast ride. Dont ever again take a large suitcase Dont ever again fly long haul routes in anything smaller than an A380 Airbus I must travel by first class rail wherever possible Anyway, the book seemed to be popular with those who had read it so I thought that I would publish it professionally and share our experiences with the wider public. I hope that you enjoy reading it.

How did the universe begin and how will it end? What happens to us when we die? Do intelligent beings exist elsewhere in our galaxy and beyond? The Edge of Science addresses these and many other questions that have bewildered and perplexed humanity for centuries. Some of these enigmas have been solved through the ingenuity of their investigators; others remain a mystery and have given rise to equally bizarre speculations. From the Tunguska explosion of 1908 to the enigma of the Moon's origin, from the possibility of time travel to the search for zero-point energy, author Alan Baker examines the many theories that have been presented to account for the world's most enduring mysteries. Each chapter deals with an enigma that has caused wonder, excitement or fear to all who have pondered it, including: the discovery of strange fossils that hint at an unknown early history of humanity; anomalous structures photographed on the Moon and Mars; the mystery of dark matter and dark energy; and strange disappearances of people and objects. Join Alan Baker as he embarks on a strange, stimulating and sometimes frightening journey to The Edge of Science.

Developed from the author's popular text, A Concise Introduction to the Theory of Numbers, this book provides a comprehensive initiation to all the major branches of number theory. Beginning with the rudiments of the subject, the author proceeds to more advanced topics, including elements of cryptography and primality testing, an account of number fields in the classical vein including properties of their units, ideals and ideal classes, aspects of analytic number theory including studies of the Riemann zeta-function, the prime-number theorem and primes in arithmetical progressions, a description of the Hardy–Littlewood and sieve methods from respectively additive and multiplicative number theory and an exposition of the arithmetic of elliptic curves. The book includes many worked examples, exercises and further reading. Its wider coverage and versatility make this book suitable for courses extending from the elementary to beginning graduate studies.

A TERRIFYING MYSTERY OF THE SEA... In December 1900, three lighthouse keepers vanished without trace from the remote Scottish island of Eilean Mor. An emergency relief crew was sent to man the lighthouse. At the end of their month-long duty, they resigned from their posts and never spoke of what they had experienced on the island. The mystery of Eilean Mor has never been solved. Until now. In the present, a group of environmental researchers arrives on the island to observe the wildlife. While exploring the lighthouse, now automated and deserted, one of the team discovers a manuscript written by one of the relief keepers, a man named Alec Dalemore. As a sudden storm moves in, cutting off their escape, the researchers come to realise that Dalemore wrote the manuscript as a warning to all the lighthouse keepers who would come after him. A warning of something on Eilean Mor and in the surrounding ocean - something ancient and powerful, and strange beyond imagining...

Alan Baker weaves an extraordinary, vivid picture of Roman life as his compelling and evocative history tells the story of Rome's most notable gladiators. They were condemned and feared by emperors, slaughtered and adored by the masses and worshipped by their female fans, yet their lives were invariably violently short. Whether their enemy was a starved tiger or a battle-hardened criminal, their numbered days were dark and bloody. Yet men gave up their wealth and freedom to become gladiators and noble-women gave up their positions to be with them. The Gladiator illuminates the extraordinary lives of Spartacus, Commodus, Eppia and others - bringing the same energy and passion to the page that Ridley Scott's cinematic triumph bough to the screen.

An up-close introduction to the most admired warriors in history "They mounted their horses, grasped the lances made of fine Bordeaux Steel, closed the visors of their helmets, and made their way to their stations for the first course. Spurring their horses on, they advanced toward each other at full gallop, lowering their lances as they approached. The tip of Clifford's lance caught Boucmel high on his breastplate and was deflected off . . . directly into the young squire's mail hood, piercing his neck clean through." This tragic account of an ambitious young Frenchman's senseless death during a "friendly" joust with an English knight underscores the ever-present danger that stalked the flower of European youth in the Middle Ages. In The Knight, you'll meet John Boucmel, Nicholas Clifford, and scores of other warriors who risked their lives to fill the medieval lists and battlefields in a relentless quest for fame, glory, and victory. This vivid, fast-paced narrative whisks you from the blood-soaked fields of Normandy in the Hundred Years' War to the battered walls of Jerusalem in the first Crusade, from a sumptuous feast in an English castle to the pomp and pageantry of a spectacular thirty-day jousting tournament. You'll discover how knights were trained; how they paid for their expensive weapons, armor, and horses; and how the solemn vows they took influenced their behavior both on and off the battlefield. Discover the truth behind the countless legends of the Age of Chivalry in The Knight.

Description: Correspondence of Alan Baker, consisting chiefly of letters, postcards and telegrams to his mother, Mrs W. Custance Baker (some in French). The earlier material contains news, anecdotal accounts of experiences and activities at Oxford and in Malaya. The later letters comment chiefly on family matters and financial affairs.

As he snuggles down to sleep, William finds a hole in the wall and climbshrough. Imagine a world of rainbows, where jungles grow in an instantmagine huge sandcastles and strange stripy animals that can take you for aide. It's the start of an incredible journey.

The Little Rabbits come to help with the farm chores and visit the farm animals.

Wizards have always been powerful iconic figures. Baker focuses on various individuals - real and mythical - and their lives, powers and impact on history. He also offers wider insights into the practical uses of magic - such as spells and talismans - and the origins of secret magical societies.

Alan R.H. Baker, of the Geography Department of the University of Cambridge, has played a leading role in the development of historical geography. This book, which features twelve specially commissioned essays, recognizes his highly influential and innovative contributions. The contributors address the following topics: methodology and ideology in historical geography; historical geographies of state regulation and political discourse; the social and cultural use of public and private space; and the interpretation of images of place in relation to cultural and national identity.

Containing over 500 entries, this historical reference work provides an A-Z of alien and non-human encounters. It details the events, encounters, personalities and theories that have created this field of human experience and inquiry.

A simple introduction to the variety of animals living in the rain forest, including butterflies, tree frogs, and iguanas.

The little rabbits can''t waste any time this morning - Grey Rabbit is coming to dinner and there''s lots to do. Will they have time to clean the house, do the shopping and make a special surprise before he arrives?'

With Alan Baker's playful little rabbits as their guide, very young children will learn readily as they enjoy the colorful mix of animals, objects, vehicles and explore the interactive games on each page. Can you find the seven penguins? Who has the most strawberries? How many pairs of shoes are there? Which car came first in the race? Little Rabbit is discovering numbers mean fun and games... and numbers are everywhere. Parents and teachers who are encouraging children to learn to count, will appreciate the variety of early numeracy skills that will help to give pre-schoolers a headstart at school. Whether it is a two-year-old learning to count from one to ten, a three-year-old fascinated by numbers found in the world around them, or a four-year-old discovering simple mathematical language -- "more", "most", "fewer" and "all" -- each young child coming to this book will get an early grasp of numerical skills. Helpful notes, developed in consultation with an expert, on how to use the book make it fun and easy for parents and children to share.

As Little Rabbit eats supper and gets ready for bed, he and the reader feel various textures including crunchy toast, sticky honey, a squishy sponge, and a woolly blanket. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Help Little Rabbit search the garden for his favorite snack, carrots! Lift the flaps to reveal familiar garden animals and learn the sounds they make, together with some of the foods they eat. First let's try the doghouse... "woof, woof!" barks dog as he chews on a bone. Maybe behind the shed door?..."squeak, squeak!" It's mouse eating an apple. Each page reveals a new surprise and a new animal until Little Rabbit peeks into the vegetable patch..."Crunch! Crunch!"...there's Brown Rabbit, and it's time for a carrot lunch!

Rabbits present words and matching pictures grouped under such topics as toys, food, things that move, animals, and drawing and painting. Includes simple word and concept games.

Because a young girl imagines that spooky things make the sounds she hears in the dark at bedtime, she is relieved to find the real cause of each sound.