Shortlisted for THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2017 ‘The best popular account of the lives of otters written so far’ Richard Shelton, Times Literary SupplementWhen Simon Cooper bought an abandoned water mill that straddles a small chalkstream in southern England, little did he know that he would come to share the mill with a family of wild otters. Yet move in they did, allowing him to begin to observe them, soon immersing himself in their daily rout...

The author explores the work of major thinkers and cultural movements that have grappled with the complex relationship between technology, politics and culture. Subjects such as the Internet, cloning, warfare, fascism and Virtual Reality are placed within a broad theoretical context which explores how humanity might, through technology, establish a more ethical relationship with the world. Examining the philosophy of writers such as Heidegger, Benjamin, Lyotard, Virilio, and Zizek, and cul...

This book tests critical reassessments of US radical writing of the 1930s against recent developments in theories of modernism and the avant-garde. Multidisciplinary in approach, it considers poetry, fiction, classical music, commercial art, jazz, and popular contests (such as dance marathons and bingo). Relating close readings to social and economic contexts over the period 1856–1952, it centers in on a key author or text in each chapter, providing an unfolding, chronological narrative, w...

The third in the Wild Edged Magic series by award winning writer, Simon J. Cooper, this is a story about why gods shouldn't meddle in human affairs, and, why they should!First paragraph:After a century in the constant oneness of the Universal Mind, Chuang Tzu was glad of the cold December air in Prague. Around his temporarily human form, a flood of tourists viewed the Baroque statues that lined Charles Bridge. These included, amongst others, three of St. Wenceslas, two of M...

A vampire must have blood to survive, even if that vampire is an alien shipwrecked on Earth after a secret landing to harvest human blood. But surviving on human blood comes at a high cost, both for this vampire, and her victims.Third in the Alien Science Fiction series by Simon J. Cooper, this one is not for the faint hearted.Opening:Calla floated in a sea of blood, but still she was hungry. A lone sun burned in a clear blue sky. She lifted her arms to shield her f...

Joe is just an ordinary boy until he makes a wish on a spooky Egyptian amulet… Now he's the Protector of Undead pets! Joe's latest undead visitor is a budgie who had a run-in with a window – splat! Now Buddy the budgie is dead and he needs Joe's help. Can Joe prevent his owner falling victim to a devious scheme? Only if Joe succeeds will Buddy fly on to his final destination… Undead Pets is full of animal zombies and pets with one last thing to do before they pass to the other side! Funny ...

Disaster strikes when Bonsai the pug chases Pickle the cat into the street, where she is flattened by a car. But the fact that Pickle has (almost) shuffled off her mortal coil isn’t her biggest concern; she is worried that Bonsai will pursue her sister Pebble into an early grave too, unless she and Joe teach the dog a lesson…

Joe is just starting to hope that he is free of undead pets when he is visited by Fluffy, a pet rabbit who was snapped up by a hungry fox. Fluffy’s owner lost a necklace in her back yard, and she’s going to be in big trouble if it isn’t found. Fluffy can’t bear to see her owner in distress and she demands that Joe finds the necklace—now! Can Joe do what Fluffy wants, or will the undead pet be hopping around forever?

Animals, zombies, curses, mysteries, and a whole lot of laughs, this fun illustrated chapter book series has all the right ingredients to make it perfect for all young readers, alive or undead.Frankfurter's life was cut short by a revolving door--YIP! Moments before he passed, the dachshund overheard a devious plot to rob his owner's hotel. Can the Protector of Undead Pets stop the high-stakes burglary so Frankfurter can make it to the big dog kennel in the sky?

Joe is just an ordinary boy until he makes a wish on a spooky Egyptian amulet… Now he's the Protector of Undead pets! Just when Joe thought things couldn't get any stranger, he is visited by Fizz, a zombie goldfish. Fizz was flushed down the toilet by his owner Danny's little sister, who doesn't realize that she's sent the fish to a watery grave. Fizz needs to ensure the truth is revealed before his fellow fish meet a similar fate. But how do you get a goldfish to rest in peace? Undead Pet...

Digital transformation across the public sector has stalled. After over 25 years of considerable time, money, and effort at national, state, and local levels, we’re still not 'there' yet. The reason is that successive waves of investment in digital transformation have focused largely on improving the transactional functions and activities of government. They have failed to embrace a bigger challenge - the need for governing and government to rethink a new 'theory of the business' - which t...

Story Rich Art is what happens when thirteen writers are asked to translate art into story.Writing and art have collided in an eclectic collection featuring speculative and dark short stories, flash fiction, and poems exploring Steve Graziani's artwork.A tale of a monster hunting summer settles alongside a woman on Death's door. There is fear, romance, longing, loss. Time slips, space is all there is left, and our pasts call for us.By the last page, you'll ...