A gripping first-hand account of life in space and the making of an astronaut. What is it like to fly the space shuttle and work on and in the International Space Station? Veteran NASA astronaut Tom Jones is uniquely qualified to give the details: he flew four shuttle missions and led three space walks to deliver the US Lab to the Station. . From B-52 pilot during the Cold War, to a PhD in planetary science, to the unbelievable rigors of astronaut training, his career inevitably pointed him toward the space shuttle. Until the Challenger exploded. Jones's story is the first to candidly explain the professional and personal hardships faced by the astronauts in the aftermath of that 1986 tragedy. He certainly has 'The Right Stuff' but also found himself wondering if the risks he undertook were worth the toll on his family. Liftoffs were especially nerve-wracking (his mother, who refuses to even get on a plane, cannot watch) but his 53 days in space were unforgettable adventures. Jones uses his background as a scientist to explain the practical applications of many of the shuttle's scientific missions, and describes what it's like to work with the international crews building and living aboard the space station. Tom Jones returned from his space station voyage to assess the impact of the 2003 Columbia tragedy, and prescribes a successful course for the U.S. in space. Stunning photographs, many taken in space, illustrate his amazing journey.

Documentary about former professional boxer Muhammad Ali directed by film-maker Clare Lewins. With access to Ali's personal audio journals as well as his friends and family members, the film explores how he became an internationally recognised celebrity and countercultural figure due to a provocative and entertaining nature, and also examines how he was with those closest to him while at the top of his game.

Wetlands are vital and valuable resources, both as rich and unique wildlife habitats, and for the functions they fulfil - providing flood and sediment control and coastal protection, as carbon sinks and pollution buffers, for their role in storing and recycling nutrients, as well as for their recreational value. Too often, however, their true value has been overlooked or underestimated and they have been mismanaged or destroyed as a result. This volume, commissioned by the OECD presents four case studies of the management policies of wetland environments in the UK, USA, France and Spain. They show how both markets and direct intervention have resulted in failure, severely reducing the amount of wetland and jeopardizing the remainder ,and they set out measures that will mitigate damage in the future .Turner and Jones have produced an essential work in the growing area of environmental economics. Originally published in 1991

The economic value of forest. has long been recognized, but the ways in which that value is calculated and the management policies adopted in consequence have all too often resulted in overuse and irreversible destruction. This is spectacularly obvious around the Mediterranean basin, but it is also true in northern Europe. These five case studies, commissioned by the OECD, examine failures of forest management in Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany and Sweden. They look at both market and intervention policies and show how each can further the destruction of the forests, and they set out ways in which future policies can evade the mistakes of the past. Originally published in 1992

The fourth in the James Bond series, with Sean Connery once again in the title role. Global criminal organisation SPECTRE has stolen two nuclear bombs and is threatening to blow up the world. Bond infiltrates the terrorists' underwater base off the Bahamas in order to foil their plan. 'Thunderball' was remade in 1983 when Sean Connery returned to the role of 007 in 'Never Say Never Again'.

Ever wondered what space is really like? Thanks to his 25 years of training for, flying in, consulting on and writing and speaking about space, astronaut and spacewalker Tom Jones can answer that question and many others. What do you feel on lift-off? What is weightlessness? Where do you sleep in space? Can you see the Great Wall of China? Jones answers every question you have ever had about space in Ask the Astronaut. His entertaining blend of wit, personal experience and technical expertise shines in each answer and together all the answers illuminate the true space experience from start to finish. His engaging and informative responses remind readers of historic space achievements, acquaint them with exciting new ambitions, make them feel like they have experienced space first-hand and even inspire an urge to explore space themselves. Jones covers everything from the training process for new astronaut candidates and the physical sensations and challenges of rocketing into orbit to what it's like to live, work and walk in space. Jones also explores the future of spaceflight, both professional and commercial, in the years to come.

(Applause Libretto Library). "Richly illustrated, it is ideal for fans of the show, as well as admirers of musical theatre." Variety * "Anybody who has seen the show (who hasn't?) should read the book" Entertainment Today * "The perfect present for any Fantasticks fans." Cleveland Plain Dealer * "A valuable resource. Recommended for all collections." Choice

Animated comedy featuring the voice of David Spade as Inca Emperor Kuzco, a rich, vain man who takes delight in other people's misfortunes. His former-advisor Yzma (Eartha Kitt) would like to get rid of him and hatches a plan to poison him. But when this is botched by Yzma's assistant and instead the potion turns Kuczo into a lowly (but talking) llama, Kuzco finds that he has to learn what life is like for the people at the bottom. Kuzco enlists the help of a poor farmer (voiced by John Goodman) to get him back to the palace and find a sorcerer that can reverse the spell whilst dodging Yzma and her assistant who are still trying to finish off their evil plan. The film features songs by Sting, one of which was nominated for an Oscar.

The lyricist/librettist of The Fantasticks, the longest-running show in the history of the American theatre, here takes on a new role as guide through the magical world of the stage musical. He begins his tour with a brief history, tracing the musical's origins to the variety shows and operettas of the early 1900s, from which gradually emerged the works of such masters as Kern, Berlin, Gershwin and Porter, and a tradition best exemplified by the mid-century classics of Rodgers and Hammerstein. A break-up of that tradition, reflecting the immense changes in every aspect of postwar American life, was inevitable. So, gradually new forms evolved, and today we have the "Dance Musical", the "Concept Musical", the "Rock Musical" and the "Sung-Through Musical", all running alongside shows, some hugely successful, that revive or try to reinvent the past. How to create a musical, whatever its style, is Tom Jones's concern in the longer second part of this book. He draws generously upon his own experiences, with composer Harvey Schmidt, in creating not only The Fantasticks but all their other shows. Together these musicals become a constant frame of reference as Jones explains how to get started, how to work with composers, set designers and other collaborators, how to find the spark for an effective lyric, how to create a musical rather than a play with music and how to go about getting produced.

A comprehensive intellectual biography of the Enlightenment philosopher In George Berkeley: A Philosophical Life, Tom Jones provides a comprehensive account of the life and work of the preeminent Irish philosopher of the Enlightenment. From his early brilliance as a student and fellow at Trinity College Dublin to his later years as Bishop of Cloyne, Berkeley brought his searching and powerful intellect to bear on the full range of eighteenth-century thought and experience. Jones brings vividly to life the complexities and contradictions of Berkeley's life and ideas. He advanced a radical immaterialism, holding that the only reality was minds, their thoughts, and their perceptions, without any physical substance underlying them. But he put forward this counterintuitive philosophy in support of the existence and ultimate sovereignty of God. Berkeley was an energetic social reformer, deeply interested in educational and economic improvement, including for the indigenous peoples of North America, yet he believed strongly in obedience to hierarchy and defended slavery. And although he spent much of his life in Ireland, he followed his time at Trinity with years of travel that took him to London, Italy, and New England, where he spent two years trying to establish a university for Bermuda, before returning to Ireland to take up an Anglican bishopric in a predominantly Catholic country. Jones draws on the full range of Berkeley's writings, from philosophical treatises to personal letters and journals, to probe the deep connections between his life and work. The result is a richly detailed and rounded portrait of a major Enlightenment thinker and the world in which he lived.

A definitive new edition of one of the greatest philosophical poems in the English language Voltaire called it "the most sublime didactic poem ever written in any language." Rousseau rhapsodized about its intellectual consolations. Kant recited long passages of it from memory during his lectures. And Adam Smith and David Hume drew inspiration from it in their writings. This was Alexander Pope's Essay on Man (1733-34), a masterpiece of philosophical poetry, one of the most important and controversial works of the Enlightenment, and one of the most widely read, imitated, and discussed poems of eighteenth-century Europe and America. This volume, which presents the first major new edition of the poem in more than fifty years, introduces this essential work to a new generation of readers, recapturing the excitement and illuminating the debates it provoked from the moment of its publication. Echoing Milton's purpose in Paradise Lost, Pope says his aim in An Essay on Man is to "vindicate the ways of God to man"-to explain the existence of evil and explore man's place in the universe. In a comprehensive introduction, Tom Jones describes the poem as an investigation of the fundamental question of how people should behave in a world they experience as chaotic, but which they suspect to be orderly from some higher point of view. The introduction provides a thorough discussion of the poem's attitudes, themes, composition, context, and reception, and reassesses the work's place in history. Extensive annotations to the text explain references and allusions. The result is the most accessible, informative, and reader-friendly edition of the poem in decades and an invaluable book for students and scholars of eighteenth-century literature and thought.

This is the first study of poetic language from a historical and philosophical perspective. In a series of 12 chapters, exemplary poems - by Walter Ralegh, William Cowper, William Wordsworth, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Wallace Stevens, Frank O'Hara, Robert Creeley, W. S. Graham, Tom Raworth, Denise Riley and Thomas A. Clark - are read alongside theoretical discussions of poetic language. The discussions provide a jargon-free account of a wide range of historical and contemporary schools of thought about poetic language, and an organised, coherent critique of those schools. It surveys a variety of linguistic and philosophical approaches to poetic language: analytical, cognitive, post-structuralist, and pragmatic. It provides readings of complete poems and places those readings within the wider context of each poet's work. It combines theory and practicelncludes a Glossary of Terms, Biographical Notes on Poets and Suggested Further Reading and Further Reading (by Theoretical School).

Discover the remarkably honest and captivating story of one of the world's greatest ever singing talents, Sir Tom Jones 'Brilliantly told' SUNDAY TIMES 'A terrific, star-studded journey' DAILY EXPRESS ______ 'For a lot of years, I've answered a lot of questions, but have never told my story before . . .' In a business where dreams are often short-lived, Sir Tom Jones has maintained his sensational career across six decades. But how did a boy from a Welsh coal-mining family attain success across the globe over the course of decades? In this, his first ever autobiography, Tom revisits his past and tells the tale of his journey from wartime Pontypridd to LA and beyond. He reveals the stories behind the ups and downs of his fascinating and remarkable life, from the early heydays to the subsequent fallow years to his later period of artistic renaissance. It's the story nobody else knows or understands, told by the man who lived it, and written the only way he knows how: simply and from the heart. Raw, honest, funny and powerful, this is a memoir like no other from one of the world's greatest ever singing talents. ______ 'Packed with the kind of showbiz tales you don't get any more' Daily Express 'Hugely enjoyable' Daily Mail 'A book that gets to Jones's core' Daily Mirror 'This lively, thoughtful and entertaining account does justice to a remarkable life and career' Sunday Express 'A brilliant read full of charm' Woman & Home

A seasonal snapshot of things to do in England at any time of the year, come rain or shine (or more likely just rain!). Beautifully illustrated with bitesize entries, this is the perfect gift for anyone wanting to discover all of the gems England has to offer... 'Excellent and unusual book - a wonderful way of discovering and planning things to do and places to visit you would never have thought of' -- ***** Reader review 'A travel guide with humour' -- ***** Reader review 'Good fun and interesting' -- ***** Reader review 'A great gift for all ages' -- ***** Reader review 'Must have book for anyone who's interesting in a staycation or any fans of weekend mini-breaks' -- ***** Reader review 'Takes you on a journey to places you never knew existed...' -- ***** Reader review ***************************************************************************************** Using a mixture of unique seasonal events and interesting places to visit (all presented in attractive bite-sized entries), Mad Dogs and Englishmen is a browsable gift book aimed at those who are interested in getting to know their home country better as well as tourists seeking to make the most of their stay in England. In more than 220 pages, divided into months, Tom Jones demonstrates the diversity of England as a country; presenting interesting, unusual and thought-provoking things to do which also enlighten the reader, and convey the message that England is a great place to live and explore all year round. Go to a tree cathedral, collect glass on the beach, pretend to be a spy, visit a pub with no beer, go curling and canoeing, walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs - the possibilities are endless! 'England is a country which requires more than a second look, an amazingly diverse place, offering almost-unlimited landscapes, culture and history, and a diversity of opportunities which is unrivalled anywhere else in the world.'

A charming and inspiring book of 365 things to do in London. Beautifully illustrated with bitesize entries ranging from the well-known to the quirky, this is the perfect gift for anyone wanting to discover all of the gems London has to offer... 'One thing to do every day that'll stop you getting tired of the big smoke.' -- The Guardian 'A great way to explore London!' -- ***** Reader review 'Great fun and great information' -- ***** Reader review 'Great book to dip into. Always find something new to do/somewhere new to go' -- ***** Reader review 'A brilliant book with fascinating ideas to do around the city' -- ***** Reader review ****************************************************************************************************** As the late great Samuel Johnson sagely observed, 'When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.' When author Tom Jones found himself doing the same things week in, week out while living in England's treasured capital, he decided to heed Johnson's words and seek out a thing to do each day in London to make him fall back in love with the city. Here, in Tired of London, Tired of Life, Tom shares the fun, diverting and imaginative things that you can do to keep yourself amused in London. With seasonally appropriate suggestions for each day of the year, you can explore East London by canoe, search for Fagin's lair in Clerkenwell, play petanque in Southwark, seek out Aphrodite in the British Museum on Valentine's Day and enjoy a host of unusual ways to enjoy the capital. So grab your A-Z and start discovering a whole other side to this majestic city!