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Rose Alley maps the creation of a blue movie about Restoration poet John Wilmot (Second Earl of Rochester), a movie filmed during the May 68 Paris riots. It is a behind-the-scenes cataloging of actors and filmmakers, yet it is also a fantastical and venomous love letter to French film and literature, the Restoration, obsessive collectors, pornography, language, revolution, the joys of cross-cultural misunderstanding, and other more or less disparate objects of affection. As Harry Mathews writes: you have no excuse not to read this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Review
When writing a review, I am forced to consider the criteria I use to judge a book. I am forced to boil down, evaporate perhaps, concentrate into a few hundred words my reaction to a work. And because I understand that every reader will have a very different experience and judgment of the same book, I present my review in the most selfish light--not making determinations based on popular criteria of what makes good or bad fiction, but primarily on my own experience of the book.

There are some readers who prefer to read books that are like major motion pictures, ones that require little thought, that paint the picture entirely for the reader. I happen to prefer books that resemble an art gallery. Disparate, each chapter is akin to viewing a portrait. But when viewed together, the connections appear:here you notice the same building (although executed somewhat differently in each), or the profile of a character showing a new feature.From the underbelly, the under-story, the reader creates the connections, the sinews which hold it together.

There is a moment when I fall in love with a book (although I do admit once I did experience love at first page). It happens sometimes on a page, or in a paragraph, or from a sentence (but mostly, not at all). In this book, this occurred on page 77 and continued into page 78.

So often, upon picking up a work of great literature, I have hoped (futilely) that upon perusal, that I would find, tucked deeply within, folded and unexpected, a page or two torn from a dirty magazine, perhaps so faded that one is not even sure of the exact nature of the image, as if the mag had been thrown into the woods for awhile, and in this book, unexpectedly, a few were there.

I judge a book, in part, by how much I linger in the sentences, not just the clauses and phrases, but the wit, by how likely it is that I would pick the book up again just to read a few sentences, as if dissolving a very small piece of chocolate on the tongue...and then, on the likelihood that I would read the book again. On both counts, the book passes, more than passes, succeeds.

Subtlety? No not that!

Rose Alley is an intersection where at least three things meet: the infamous street in London, the novel I'm reviewing, and the fictional film with which the novel's narrator is obsessed. What's Rose Alley's claim to infamy? Back in the days when poets had patrons and court intrigues weren't merely the stuff of historical novels, the Earl of Rochester hired a passel of lowlifes to ambush John Dryden (artistic jealousy and dueling patrons seemed to have set the event in motion). Though he survived, the Poet Laureate reputedly took a fair beating.

Davies's novel, set in Paris during the 1968 student riots, reminds me of nothing so much as the prologue to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales ... at least the way it's arranged. Except that each character sketch (13 in all) is also the tale. Each one is great fun, and Davies is astonishingly adept at concocting thoroughly unique histories full of delightfully quirky details for each portrait. There's no plot racing toward some climax at breakneck speed; there is a skein of observations, events, and connections that will stimulate the literary palate that has a penchant for subtlety. It's a triumph of voice and wit, of wonderfully formed sentences and sure-footed rhythms. Take a look at the following phrase: "a bird whose hateful call was akin to a reel-to-reel rewound at speed ..." Perfectly balanced syllabically, it "comes beautifully to the ear" (as the Turks say ... kula'a hosh geliyor). Do note: assonance abounds but it's so deft you hardly notice that it is assonance until you go back to see what tickled your ear. There are dozens and dozens of sentences of this ilk. Oh ... and Davies is funny in his understated way. Often very funny.

I can't tell you what a welcome alternative Rose Alley is to say ... Preston Falls by David Gates, which I am at the moment being forced to read by an insistent friend. Gates, a critic whom critics like to praise, is heavy-handed when making his points, has a gift for choosing just the word to ruin an otherwise perfectly good sentence, his humor is over the top or forced or both, and his novel of domestic ennui hardly qualifies as a novel; it's a long-winded complaint by a posturing narrator that one gets the impression is basically a slightly cruder alter ego for the author. So, while mediocre writers such as Gates get a lot of hype and attention and hefty advances, really superb authors like Davies have to rely on discerning readers (that's you!).

If you love language, if you don't need a linear this-happened-then-that-happened plot, if you don't want to be bored by another Oprah panoply of domestic issues, pick up Rose Alley. You won't be disappointed.

A verbal bounce house
Jeremy M Davies Rose Alley reconstructs the shooting of the film Rose Alley, filmed in the midst of the Paris student revolutions of 1969, each chapter (but two) telling us the movements and gestures, erotic, literary, personal, of one person connected with the film--starlet-cum-ingenue-cum-nudie-cutie Evelyn Nevers to cinematographer-gone-recluse Selwyn Wexler. These are very funny people, and their antic adventures only underscore the level of almost indescribable verbal play in the novel, which really is a phantasmagoric riot of sound.Here's a sample sentence, genuinely culled at random, throwing the book open with as much deliberateness as the I ching: "Big Michael Krause took the maestro out of the piano and put his thumbs into the Russian's Adam's apple" (39). The whole book is like this, clotted with words you can chew and sounds you'll want to sing. Leaving aside the erudition of the novel, fill as it is with English Restoration history and that of the French student revolutions, or film making, this novel serves a feast of readerly pleasure. ... Read more

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"Buying Property Abroad" is a comprehensive guide to negotiating the foreign property ladder. This book explains the whole buying process, covering contracts, searches, surveys and deeds. Mortgages, currency deals, taxes, fees and duties are assessed and calculated and the role of estate agents, lawyers, letting agents, surveyors, builders and architects is examined in depth. Enthusiastic but grounded in common sense, the book offers essential support at every stage. Key sources of further information are provided, with website addresses and suggestions for further reading. This must-have guide: examines best buys for investment, holiday and retirement; explains the buying process from start to finish; covers main destinations and emerging markets; and, exposes scams, rip-offs and schemes to avoid. The true cost of buying and owning a property abroad is revealed. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A hidden gem of a book
It's easy to forget that science has a sacred duty, and that is to seek truth.As James P. Hogan has written, author of Kicking the Sacred Cow, "Science is concerned with objective reality: the way things are, that lie beyond the power of human desires or action to change. The purpose is to discover what's true, which means accepting that the answers will remain what they are regardless of how passionately we might wish them to be otherwise or how many others we might persuade to share our convictions. Preconceptions are discarded as far as is humanly possible. Facts alone determine what is believed, and whether the consequences are considered socially, politically, ethically, or otherwise good or bad falls where it may."I think that science must challenge "conventional wisdom" if it is to make progress.Sadly, we are in a period where authoritarian, dogmatic interests seem to control.

For example, Einstein himself expressed doubts as to the validity of the "black hole" as it is presented today; the published paper, "On the gravitational field of a mass point according to Einstein's theory" by by K. Schwarzschild as translated and posted on [...] by S. Antoci and A. Loinger "contains the ORIGINAL form of the solution of Schwarzschild's problem.The solution is regular in the whole space-time, with the only exception of the origin of the spatial co-ordinates; consequently, it leaves no room for the science fiction of the black holes".But black holes have become a major industry.Dunning-Davies book should neither be controversial nor ignored.Dr. Dunning-Davies critique is highly detailed, specific and employs mathematics that are clear and comprehensible; in fact, an unbiased reader should see that it is merely good reasoning and common sense. Yet the current environment evidently does not allow such absolutely essential criticism.His mathematics and reasoning are impeccable; any criticism of this book, such as on the Amazon.co.uk site, where I purchased it, does not address the mathematics, references in this instance to Einstein's own writing and words, or the validity of Dr. Dunning-Davies' meticulous reasoning.

(Please note that Dr. Dunning-Davies himself has numerous papers published on arXiv; one recent paper addresses the necessity for dark matter, its title "Does Physics Need 'Dark Matter'?".)

There are also chapters on Einstein's theories and one on the "Big Bang"; he rightly points out the parallels to the Hebrew Bible's account of Creation, which most likely influenced Georges Lemaître, who was a BelgianRoman Catholic priest, and astronomer at the Catholic University of Leuven; his idea of "the Cosmic Egg exploding at the moment of the creation" has in fact been the "cosmic egg" of the "Big Bang theory," a term, somewhat pejorative, innovated by Fred Hoyle, whose writing includes Home Is Where the Wind Blows: Chapters from a Cosmologist's Life

Of course, there are alternative theories, which Dr. Dunning-Davies does not address in this book.I can recommend The Electric Sky by Dr. Don Scott; by Dr. Anthony Peratt, who is at Los Alamos Physics of the Plasma Universe and also The Big Bang Never Happened: A Startling Refutation of the Dominant Theory of the Origin of the UniverseandEvolution of the Solar System and last but not leastThe Electric Universe also sold by [...], the publisher

Please do not dismiss challengers to conventional wisdom as cranks; that modern physicists think over 95% of the universe is unobservable, i.e., dark matter and dark energy indicates a theory in crisis; 99% of the universe is in fact plasma.See the work of Hannes Alfvén, himself a Nobel Laureate who did propose electric star and galaxy models, subsequently modified by Scott and Thornhill.To quote James P. Hogan again, on the problems with using the weakest force in the universe to explain astronomical phenomena:


"Gravity is the weakest force known to physics. A tiny magnet can snap a nail up effortlessly against the gravitational pull of the entire Earth. If the Sun were reduced to the size of a dust grain, the next nearest star would be about four miles away. The gravitational attraction between two specks of dust four miles apart isn't much. On the same scale of distance, the galaxy would be a disk 100,000 miles across made up of 200 billion specks of dust, all miles apart. Present theory looks to a force spread this diffusely to account not only for the structure and behavior of our galaxy, but also the events observed across all the other countless galaxies scattered over immensely greater distances.

"The law of gravitation that emerged from the work of Newton and his predecessors works well enough to describe the motions of bodies in our own back yard of the Solar System at the present time. Its success was so great that early astronomers were confident that they had discovered principles that could be extended indefinitely and universally. But when attempts were made to explain some of the phenomena revealed by more recent observations, such as the way galaxies as a whole rotate, or motions and events occurring at the largest scales of existence, the amount of matter in the universe - and hence the gravitational effects that it was capable of producing - turned out to be woefully inadequate. But the commitment to a gravity-only model had become so ingrained that the response, instead of a willingness to re-examine the theory, has been to postulate the presence of invisible "dark matter" to make up the difference - later extended to the notion of "dark energy" to account for enormous forces evidently at work that the observed amount of matter can't account for. Things have now reached the bizarre point where, according to the prevailing belief system, no less than 96 percent of the universe has to be there in forms unseen in order to explain the behavior of the 4 percent that is seen."


However, Dr. Dunning-Davies' goal is more modest than introducing an alternative to gravity based astronomy; he does not discuss or present the alternative theories, i.e., plasma cosmology or its variant, the Electric Cosmos (see Don Scott's book above).However, he does challenge conventional wisdom, which is something that is an act of courage that should be honored and commended, not ignored or vilified.

Finally, most people, I would think, in 2010 are concerned about the economy.Who has not been affected?Conventional dogma is The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008, written by a Nobel Laureate. This is the dominant economic theory, based on Keynes.However, Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse explains what happened; the Austrian school predicted the crisis.Much as Plasma Cosmology is marginalized, yet can explain the galaxy rotation rates without resorting to dark matter and dark energy, Austrian economics explains the current crisis.I make this point because the minority view of economics appears to have the answers and I suspect the minority view on physics, questioning establishment dogma as Dr. Dunning-Davies does, is correct as well.

Yet at this book points out, entrenched attitudes are problematic in finding answers and yes, solutions to major problems. I believe cant and dogma have no place in science.

On the title page of the book, there is a quote form the late J. Robert Oppenheimer.""There must be no barriers to freedom of inquiry. There is no place for dogma in science. The scientist is free, and must be free to ask any question, to doubt any assertion, to seek for any evidence, to correct any errors." [J. Robert Oppenheimer, quoted in Life, October 10, 1949.]

Also keep in mind the words of Herbert Dingle: "It is ironical that, in the very field in which Science has claimed superiority to Theology, for example - in the abandoning of dogma and the granting of absolute freedom to criticism - the positions are now reversed. Science will not tolerate criticism of special relativity, while Theology talks freely about the death of God, religionless Christianity, and so on."Herbert Dingle, Science at the Crossroads, 1972

Bravo, Dr. Dunning-Davies, for your wisdom and courage.I express my heartfelt thanks and admiration.

Disproved -Theoretical Basis for The Big Bang and Black Holes
Professor Myron W Evans writes about this book:

"This is a readable, well presented, and scientifically accuratebook which
gives a fair minded account of the errors in the theory of relativitywhich
have led to the myths of Big Bang and black holes. It is nowknown from papers
93 ff on www.aias.us that the Einstein field equation
is self inconsistent, so there can be notheoretical basis for either
concept. It is well known now that they aredogma propagated by an unscientific
minority with vested interest in publicfunding. Jeremy Dunning-Davies presents
a well balanced summary of thesituation in 2007, prior to the discovery in
paper 93 that the Einsteinfield equation is itself incorrect because of its
neglect ofspacetime torsion. Therefore the author is perfectly correct in
pointingout the numerous flaws in Big Bang theory and black hole theory. In
particular he shows that there is no singularity that can lead to blackholes.
The notion of Big Bang was proven to be mathematically incorrect inpaper 93
ff. of _[...] ([...]). It wasfound that the Robertson
Walker metric does not obey fundamental geometrywhen torsion is properly
accounted for. The author correctly and interestinglypoints out that several
distinguished scientists have proven thatthere is no singularity in the
original work by Schwarzschild in 1916. Theseinclude Schwarzschild himself, Albert
Einstein (Ann. Math., 40, 922 (1939)),Paul Dirac ("General Theory of
Relativity" (Princeton Univ Press, reprinted1996) and Brillouin. Crothers has also
given an interesting history of thefallacies in Big Bang and black hole
theory, and the work in paper 93 ff. isdefinitive, it should dispel these myths
once and for all. Dr Dunning-Davies hasbeen very courageous in his attempts
to expose the continued claimsfor public funding for what should be dead in
the water concepts.Istrongly recommend this book to any reader truly
interested in truth andthought, not empty dogma."

Prof. Myron W. Evans
Civil List Scientist.
... Read more

Product Description

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Integrated Formal Methods, IFM 2007, held in Oxford, UK in July 2007.

The 32 revised full papers presented together with 1 invited paper were carefully reviewed and selected from 85 submissions. The papers address all aspects of formal methods integration, including of a process of analysis or design application of formal methods to analysis or design, extension of one method, based upon the inclusion of ideas or concepts from others, informal or semi-formal modelling languages, tools, or techniques, and semantic integration or practical application.

Customer Reviews (1)

Thermodynamics at the Forefront of Science
Not only does this volume provide a concise summary of the classical lawsof thermodynamics, itoffers a critical appraisal of some of the modernapplications of thermodynamics.Definitionsof thermodynamic quantitiesand processes are clearly introduced. Long and complicated derivations arereduced to their bare essentials. A case in point is the reduction ofKelvin's derivation of the relationship of heat and entropy. The book alsoincludes more modern and controversal topics such as the thermodynamics ofblack holes, negative heat capacities in cosmological systems, and negativetemperatures in systems with a limited number of degrees of freedom. Theproperty of the concavity of the entropy is highlighted and is shown to bein contradiction with the Bekenstein-Hawking expression for the entropy ofa black hole.There are even answers and solutions to problems, and aglossary for easy reference. ... Read more

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Three of the finest contemporary hymnwriters and church musicians have set new words to familiar tunes and also offer a selection of brand new hymns. A supplement to those seasons in the Christian year, such as Christmas and harvest when new material is especially appreciated, "Sing!" is a resource that can be put into immediate use by choirs and congregations. Over 50 new hymns thematically arranged for use throughout the year. Themes include: Creation, Christmas, Holy Week, Easter, The Holy Spirit, Harvest, Life and Death, Faith, Hope and Love. ... Read more

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This updated fundamental text introduces the basic principles of thermodynamics and considers a variety of applications in science and engineering. The book has now been revisedto include a fuller discussion of the van der Waals' gas, together with more coverage of phase transitions and new examples and problems . There is also an entirely new chapter concerned with the world's energy problems, future requirements and possible solutions, including discussion of a controversial potentially new safe method of disposing of nuclear waste.

The modern coverage is compact yet self-contained and holistic in a concise and economically priced book. Designed as a one-semester course, this is suitable for advanced undergraduates and postgraduates reading for first and higher degrees, and also for professionals in research and industry. ... Read more

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The Underground map, bright red buses, the bull's-eye symbol on station signs - for almost a century, features such as these have given the transport system in London an unmistakable identity. During the 1920s and 1930s, London Transport, and its predecessor the Underground Group, developed a co-ordinated design policy which encompassed not only vehicles but also architecture, posters, signage and typography. London's buses and Underground were among the most sophisticated in the world; stations, notably those designed by Charles Holden, provided some of the best examples of modern architecture in Britain, and the most exciting avant-garde designers were commissioned to publicize the transport system through posters, turning tube stations into art galleries. This book tells the story of London Transport design, from the innovations of Frank Pick to present-day vehicles, station modernization and publicity. It is illustrated with material from the London Transport Museum's archives and the photographs were specially commissioned by London Transport. Jeremy Rewse-Davies is Design Director for London Transport; Oliver Green is also the author of "Underground Art". ... Read more

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In this new book, Jacqueline Davies and Jeremy Kourdi argue that organizations are failing to realize the simple truth about talent: they are misunderstanding their people, making flawed choices and allowing the true potential of their workforce to go unused and unfulfilled. Understanding the truth about talent in all its forms is a vital step in developing an organization and ensuring long-term, sustainable success.

A core part of their thesis is that organizations should recognize that people at different stages of their career and with different experiences and aspirations need to developed and engaged in different ways. The book provides a practical guide explaining how to segment the workforce, why, what to expect when you do, and how to ensure that this approach succeeds. ... Read more

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Audio Cassette based on the play The Life & Death of Sherlock Holmes by David Stuart Davies. Reverse side contains Sherlock Holmes's Favorite Music! ... Read more

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Charles Widmore is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost, which chronicles the lives of over forty people after their plane crashes on a remote island somewhere in the south Pacific. He is portrayed primarily by Alan Dale as an old man; Tom Connolly and David S. Lee portray him as a young and middle-aged man, respectively. Charles is a member of the island's native population, the Others, and serves as their leader until he is banished from the island. He is the father of Penelope Widmore (Sonya Walger) and Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies), although he is estranged from both of them. The character is first introduced in the second season finale as a wealthy industrialist, who disapproves of the relationship between his daughter and Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick). After being mostly depicted in Desmond's flashbacks, his role expanded throughout the fourth season, where he was introduced as one of the primary antagonists of the show. Alan Dale has received praise for his performance, and critics have also responded positively to the mystery surrounding the character. ... Read more

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Chapters: People From Rockford, Iowa, George Nelson, Jeremy Davies, Carrie Chapman Catt, Charles Walter Hart, Robert James Waller. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 24. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: George Driver "Pinky" Nelson (born July 13, 1950) is a former NASA astronaut. Nelson was born in Charles City, Iowa, but considers Willmar, Minnesota, to be his hometown. His wife Susie is from Alhambra, California. They have two daughters, Aimee and Marti. Nelson graduated from Willmar Senior High School, Willmar, Minnesota, in 1968. He received a B.S. degree in Physics from Harvey Mudd College in 1972 and a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Washington in 1974 and 1978, respectively. NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, 3 NASA Space Flight Medals, AIAA Haley Space Flight Award, Federation Aeronautique Internationale's V. M. Komarov Diploma, Western Washington University Faculty Outstanding Service Award. In 2009, Nelson was inducted into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. Dr. Nelson performed astronomical research at the Sacramento Peak Solar Observatory, Sunspot, New Mexico; the Astronomical Institute at Utrecht (Utrecht, Netherlands) and the University of Göttingen Observatory, (Göttingen, West Germany), and at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (Boulder, Colorado). His current research is in systemic education reform and the preparation of science teachers. George was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978. He flew as a scientific equipment operator in the WB 57-F earth resources aircraft and served as the Astronaut Office representative in the Space Shuttle Extravehicular Mobility Unit (space suit) development effort. During STS-1 he was the photographer in the prime chase plane....More: http://booksllc.net/?id=547187 ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! JeremyDavies (born October 8, 1969) is an Americanfilm and television actor. He is known for his roles inThe Million Dollar Hotel and Saving Private Ryan and forportraying Daniel Faraday on the television seriesLost. ... Read more

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"THE RITUAL" Autumn 1995. 65 page paperback put out by the Northern Musgraves Sherlock Holmes Society. This is the Jeremy Brett memorial issue. Contains tributes from David Burke, Michael Hardwicke, Michael Cox, and more. Also contains one of Brett's last interviews. ... Read more

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Read by Jeremy Davies
4 hours, 24 mins.
3 cassettes

Civilization has been destroyed, except for the forbidden place called Eden. There are no longer books in this world, but one old man named Ryter is writing one—even though he knows the possible terrible result of his actions.

Both chilling and inspiring, the story is ultimately about those who have the courage to become conscious in a world that instead invites us to choose illusion and denial.

... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Progress in Physics, published by Thomson Gale on October 1, 2007. The length of the article is 943 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Charles Kenneth Thornhill (1917-2007).(LETTERS TO PROGRESS IN PHYSICS)(Obituary)
Author: Jeremy Dunning-Davies
Publication: Progress in Physics (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 2007Issue: 4Page: 115(2)

Article Type: Obituary

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Thomson Gale on June 22, 2006. The length of the article is 405 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Gilbert Sorrentino. A Strange Commonplace.(Book review)
Author: Jeremy M. Davies
Publication: The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 26Issue: 2Page: 90(1)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more