What’s brown, goes ‘boing’ and knocks on your bedroom window at night?A poo on a pogo stick!How do you make a cat stand still?Press paws!What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?A carrot!Laugh out loud with this hilarious collection of the funniest jokes ever from the winner of the Funniest Joke Award, the very silly comedian, Olaf Falafel.

William Olaf Stapledon (10 May 1886 – 6 September 1950) — known as Olaf Stapledon — was a British philosopher and author of several influential works of science fiction.Stapledon's writings directly influenced Arthur C. Clarke, Brian Aldiss, Stanisław Lem, John Gloag, Naomi Mitchison, C. S. Lewis, Vernor Vinge, John Maynard Smith, and indirectly influenced many others, contributing many ideas to the world of science fiction. The "supermind" composed of many individ...

This bold exploration of the cosmos ventures into intelligent star clusters and mingles among alien races for a memorable vision of infinity. Cited as a key influence by science-fiction masters such as Doris Lessing, this classic has left its mark not only in modern literature but also in the fields of social anthropology and philosophy.

Should I play only one role or should I be authentic? Should I follow adapted or should I be courageous? This book is intended to encourage you to see your own roles through the glasses of authenticity - and vice versa.

In 'Last Men in London,' Olaf Stapledon weaves a speculative narrative exploring the decline of humanity and the ascent of a new, evolved species. Set against a backdrop of a post-World War future, Stapledon crafts an intricate tapestry of interwoven philosophical themes and dystopian elements, characterized by his visionary prose and sweeping world-building. The novel delves into existential questions about the purpose of life, evolution, and the impact of socio-political forces, challeng...

In "Olaf Stapledon: Complete Novels," readers are presented with a comprehensive collection that showcases the visionary narratives and speculative thought that define Stapledon's literary prowess. This anthology includes seminal works such as "Last and First Men" and "Star Maker," where Stapledon deftly combines philosophical inquiry with imaginative storytelling. His distinctive style, marked by grand ideas and sweeping temporal perspectives, reflects the zeitgeist of the early 20th cent...

A British philosopher and author of several influential works of science fiction.contributing many ideas to the world of science fiction. The "supermind" composed of many individual consciousnesses forms a recurring theme in his work. Star Maker contains the first known description of what are now called Dyson spheres. Freeman Dyson credits the novel with giving him the idea. Last and First Men features early descriptions of genetic engineering and terraforming. Sirius de...

Syntax is the system of rules that we subconsciously follow when we build sentences. Whereas the grammar of English (or other languages) might look like a rather chaotic set of arbitrary patterns, linguistic science has revealed that these patterns can actually be understood as the result of a small number of grammatical principles. This lively introductory textbook is designed for undergraduate students in linguistics, English and modern languages with relatively little background in the ...

The book bridges the gap between fundamental physics courses (such as optics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics and solid state physics) and highly specialized literature on the spectroscopy, design, and application of optical thin film coatings. Basic knowledge from the above-mentioned courses is therefore presumed. Starting from fundamental physics, the book enables the reader derive the theory of optical coatings and to apply it to practically important spectroscopic problems. Both cla...

This book offers a didactic introduction to light–matter interactions at both the classical and semi-classical levels. Pursuing an approach that describes the essential physics behind the functionality of any optical element, it acquaints students with the broad areas of optics and photonics. Its rigorous, bottom-up approach to the subject, using model systems ranging from individual atoms and simple molecules to crystalline and amorphous solids, gradually builds up the reader’s familiarit...

This book serves as a comprehensive guide to the physics of thin-film optical spectra, bridging the gap between fundamental physics courses, such as optics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and solid-state physics, and the highly specialized literature on the spectroscopy, design, and application of optical thin film coatings. It presumes a basic understanding from these courses and builds upon it.Starting from the fundamentals of physics, the book equips the reader with the abi...

The narrator is the same member of the eighteenth and final human species who purportedly induced Stapledon to write Last and First Men. Last Men in London is the story of this being's exploration of the consciousness of a present-day Englishman named Paul, from childhood through service with an ambulance crew in the First World War (mirroring Stapledon's own personal history) to adult life as a schoolteacher faced with a "submerged superman" in his class nicknamed Humpty. The inadequacies...