H.G. Wells has been branded as a novelist who betrayed his vocation. But Wells saw himself as what we would today call a public intellectual. How credible is this claim? And what happens when we look at him in this way? So typecast has Wells’s reputation become that neither of these questions has been previously asked, but when we look at Wells as a thinker we find a whole new quality to his later works, which have invariably been dismissed by literary scholars as of low quality or even not worth reading. In particular, Wells’s prescience as a prophet of our current environmental problems stands out - for example, he foresaw anthropogenic climate change as early as 1931. Popular conceptions of Wells as racist, imperialist and eugenicist are also challenged. What emerges is a new perspective on a significant public intellectual and- pioneering prophet of the twenty-first century.

'Bill Cooke is to be congratulated on his extensive and knowledgeable account of Warrington's history.' - Harry Wells, author of Medieval Warrington In 2015 Warrington was named by the Royal Society of Arts as the 'least culturally alive town in England'. But was this a fair evaluation? In his new book, Bill Cooke offers a dramatic reexamination of the town. Looking back on its fascinating history dating back to the Romans, The Story of Warrington demonstrates an extensive and diverse cultural history. Should Warrington apologise for the person who supported Richard III against the Princes in the Tower? Why was Warrington thought of as the Athens of the North? What role did the town play in the Industrial Revolution and the slave trade? How did Warrington help win the Cold War? With insights into these questions and more, readers are presented with the other side of the argument and learn key facts about the history of this British town.

Sam Slade didn't believe in Gorgo until he saw the monster's hideous scaly face, its slimy green talons and the massive mouth that could swallow a killer whale. If this was not enough he was to have even bigger problems in his future. The story mixes familiarity with a couple of neat plot twists; the special effects are ambitious and oftentimes stunning; and the use of a man in a rubber dinosaur suit, a technique usually met with derision, is undoubtedly one of the best on record. But perhaps the reason that supersedes them all is that Gorgo is the rare city-stomping monster spectacle with heart. Released by MGM in 1961, Gorgo is that oft-told cinematic fable of the giant beast that threatens humanity This volume contains the shooting script and the original tie-in novel by Carson Bingham and a production background by Bill Cooke.

The Colorado Trail wends its way through the Rocky Mountains of the Centennial State, traversing a landscape as changing and diverse as the swirling afternoon clouds presaging the daily summer thunderstorms. Shades of Gray, Splashes of Color narrates Bill Cooke's 2011 hike of this 486-mile trail, the length of which was a personal high for him in 35 years of backpacking. A common expression among long distance backpackers is "no pain equals no gain." In this book, you'll read of the "pain" manifested in the struggle of acclimating to high elevations, of hiking long and steep ascents, of coping with a wide range of climatic conditions from freezing cold mornings to hot baking afternoons to near daily thunderstorms to long stretches of limited water. And you'll read of the "gains," the triumphs as Bill and his hiking companion Keith "Northern Harrier" Bance savor the many rewards of this enchanting trail: alpine meadows whose wildflowers covered every range of the spectrum, bewitching groves of aspen trees resplendent with the morning glow of the sun, the glistening of snowy peaks, stately conifers including the massive Douglas firs, high mountain passes, dry foothills, sparkling mountain streams, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets where both the skies and the rocks shine like beacons from the low sun alpenglow, and much more. Along the way, you'll read of the delight bestowed by such simple pleasures as a refreshing swig of Rocky Mountain water or a wildlife spotting. You'll hear of fascinating near-daily cloud formations with their myriad shades of gray and ever changing patterns. You'll meet "Trail Angels" who emerge at the right place and time, unplanned and unexpected, to assist hikers on the basic needs such as rides to towns for re-supplying or offers of water and snacks. And you'll visit communities along the trail corridor, meeting the people in them, and enjoying the amenities that we all take for granted such a hot shower, bed with linens, and meals of "real" food, all of which are appreciated especially by hot, dusty hikers. While experienced hikers will enjoy this book, Bill explains much of the terminology and peculiar habits of long-distance backpackers such that even those whose experience is confined to short strolls in the park will sense the challenges and the rewards of a trek in the Rocky Mountains.

After a life filled with destruction and loss during WWII in France, Anne La Fleur and son Matthew go the America. In northern Michigan, Anne endures the pain brought on by the cruelty of her second husband, And Matthew deals with his emotional problems before going on to become a classical musician.
In BOOK ONE, Matthew has a difficult time adjusting. He hates his mother's husband and feels lost. However, he manages to graduate from college with honors and fall in love with another talented musician. Unfortunately, the young woman dies, and once again he's left feeling alone and lost. He goes to Salzburg and studies at the Mozarteum. During this time he falls in love with the daughter of the man who killed his father during the war.
In BOOK TWO, Anne talks about her first husband, who was killed fighting with the French Resistance. After his death, Anne, in an effort to survive and care for her son, takes a thief for a lover. Then, after meeting an American arm major, she sees a way out of her sorry relationship with the French thief. After lying that he is a wealthy man, the major asks her to marry him. For her son's future, she agrees to marry. After pressure from the major, who is with Criminal Investigation, she tells him that the thief's ill-begotten money is hidden in her house. Jealous and drunk, the thief threatens her with a knife, but the major comes in and kills the thief - and then tells the authorities that Anne killed him in self-defense. Taking the money and marrying Anne, the major takes her and Matthew to northern Michigan, where he invests the stolen money, becomes a millionaire, the mayor of Point Stevens, and a womanizer. After he dies of a heart attack, Anne moves to Paris, where she gets involved in saving her niece's life, with the help of a friend who is a CIA agent. After saving the kidnapped young woman, she goes on to save other young women, having decided by now to devote her life to the prevention of international kidnappings.

Gathering of Infidels
In 1899, a small group of men under the leadership of Charles Albert Watts founded the Rationalist Press Association (RPA) in London. Its mission was, among other goals, to promote rationalism and secular education as well as to publish freethought books at affordable prices. For more than a century the RPA has served as a bastion of reason in an often-irrational world. Its Honorary Associates have included such luminaries of the 20th century as Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, J. B. S. Haldane, Julian Huxley, Somerset Maugham, Bertrand Russell, H. G. Wells, and others.
Now experienced freethought historian Bill Cooke has written the first history of the RPA, delving deeply into its archives to tell a fascinating and illuminating story. Cooke discusses the association's achievements and ideas, and profiles the key people involved in its development. At the same time, he does not shy away from its difficulties and controversies, offering a critical perspective that rationalists will certainly appreciate. He covers the historical background of the RPA's formation, the crucial role played by Charles Albert Watts, its enormous publishing successes, the vicissitudes of war and peace, and the evolution of rationalist ideas. Full bibliographies and appendices are also included.
This scholarly yet highly readable and witty history of the Rationalist Press Association will be welcomed by all who value reason as humanity's best hope for the future.

This book shows how participatory government can lead to the unjust and illegitimate exercise of power.

It addresses the gulf between the almost universally fashionable rhetoric of participation, promising empowerment and appropriate development. Looking at what actually happens when consultants and activists promote and practice participatory development, this book offers a sharp challenge to the advocates of participatory development.

Some contributors look at particular examples of failed participatory practice; others present more conceptually-oriented analyses. Together they provide a new, rigorous, and provocative understanding of participatory development.