An inclusive vision of mathematics—its beauty, its humanity, and its power to build virtues that help us all flourishFor mathematician Francis Su, a society without mathematical affection is like a city without concerts, parks, or museums. To miss out on mathematics is to live without experiencing some of humanity’s most beautiful ideas.In this profound book, written for a wide audience but especially for those disenchanted by their past experiences, an awa...

Can the Red and Blue extremes of America ever get along? Can men and women? Possibly...if held at gunpoint and an African leopard is involved. In one memorable night Gage Randolph steals the Confederacy's most sacred Civil War relic, gives a ride to America's dumbest domestic terrorist, and accidentally kidnaps a liberal cable TV host. This wildly incompatible group needs to lie low and a bankrupt restaurant run by Gage's friend, Bud Roy Roemer, is the perfect hideout. Extricating themselv...

FirstWorld is at the centre of the multiverse and it is under threat. If the Balance tips entirely to Chaos then time will end. A Hero is needed and the Hero needs a powerful Sword, perhaps the most powerful weapon in the multiverse. An inexperienced young man, Simon Redhead, is saved from nuclear annihilation in Melbourne 2043, and reluctantly pressed into service. Will he accept the fate that his genes dictate, retrieve his sword. and adopt the role of killing machine to aid his new frie...

This is story about life and the build up to a unique set of circumstances. Part one of the book will have you questioning the probability of unforeseen consequences. Is it chance or fate that determines our destinies?This is a story about death, one of the few things that we are all going to have in common. Part two of the book will have you thinking about the value of life and the legacies we leave behind.There is a message, or a moral if you wish, to this story. It's per...

Being a freshman can be HARD. Being a freshman who is shy, alone, and struggling with dyslexia is even HARDER. Others say he is different and Phillip feels safer in the comfort of his own company… as lonely as that may be. Yet, things start to change for the better when Phillip meets Delanie, Nick, and Tucker.With his mother unwilling to give him more freedom, Phillip refuses to let fear get in the way and gets involved with the school play: allowing him some bonding time with Dela...

Tristan Throttlethwaite is from the planet Arcadia, in the constellation of Orion. However, he doesn't know that. Tristan Throttlethwaite is his Earth name. If you think that is difficult to spell, you should see his real name. In Arcadian, his name has thirty‑five letters, with five Qs, six Xs and seven Zs. It is quite unpronounceable.Tristan was stranded on Earth as a baby when his father's company space ship crashed. His father was an intergalactic travelling salesman who sold s...

Mr. MacGregor had a new hat. It was a very expensive hat and his wife said it made him look very elegant and important. Mrs. MacGregor had given it to him as a birthday present. She had been so fed up seeing him with the old battered cap he used to wear. Mr. MacGregor's old hat was now perched on the head of a scarecrow in the bottom paddock. Most people agreed that it suited the scarecrow better than it had ever suited Mr. MacGregor.What will happen if Mr. MacGregor loses his new ...

Welcome to this anthology of the short fiction of Christopher Jackson-Ash. This collection of short stories and flash fiction represents a selection of CJA's work over the years that lead to his creation of the FirstWorld multiverse and his fantasy novels (described at the end of this book). Dip in anywhere to enjoy CJA's stories. Some may make you laugh; some may make you cry; and some may make you think.CJA was born in England and migrated to Australia almost forty years ago. He ...

Long ago, before the invention of supermarkets or even sliced bread, things were very different from the way they are today. The Wild Wood covered much of the land. People entered the Wild Wood at their own risk: the signs said so. At every pathway entering the wood there was a sign. "Enter at your own risk," it said. "Trespassers will be eaten," it continued. "Beware of the trolls," it warned.Many adventures take place in the Wild Wood. They involve children, elves, goblins, troll...

Whisper Into My Eyes is the first composition from the book series Cracked Hearts One Soul. Described as a meditative poetic journal, this first book will take you travelling to places where time and space does not always exist. It will draw out of you feelings of pain, fear, suffering and sadness but yet also those of love, peace, happiness, and harmony and afterwards your soul will have experienced this universe in a mysterious yet real way. Throughout these travels you will come across ...

Flash fiction is short short stories, generally up to 1000 words but often limited to 300 words. Drabbles are a specific form of flash fiction which are exactly 100 words. The challenge to the writer is to tell a great story in so few words. They are great writing exercises because they teach how to cut out all unnecessary words.Inside Men's Shorts is an anthology of 117 flash fiction stories (up to 1000 words) with a gay theme. You can just dip in anywhere for a reading snack. Som...

Flash fiction is short short stories, generally up to 1000 words but often limited to 300 words. The challenge to the writer is to tell a great story in so few words. They are great writing exercises because they teach how to cut out all unnecessary words. This is a collection of gay themed flash fiction, written as a weekly writing challenge for an internet writing group that I used to be a member of. We were given a prompt and had to write a quick flash fic based on whatever the prompt i...