New Releases by Nicholas Allan

"The world is a finite body, and therefore has finite power." John Philoponus is remembered for using this Aristotelian premise to break ranks with Aristotle and argue that the world is not everlasting. This investigation reconsiders Philoponus’s arguments from finite power, and then explores the aftermath of this line of thinking in the works of three lesser-known Arabic intellectuals active in the generation before Avicenna (d. 1037): Abū l-Ḫayr Ibn Suwār (d. after 1017), Abū al-Ḥasan al-ʿĀmirī (d. 992), and Abū Sahl al-Masīḥī (d. after 1025). Each engaged with this dictum in unique and novel ways, and in so doing anticipated a number of central features of Avicenna’s writings. The history of this argument is of crucial importance for understanding the evolution of natural philosophy and metaphysics in this formative period, away from tedious and simplistic arguments about creation and towards a more robust modal ontology based on intrinsic and extrinsic necessity.

Adsorption plays an integral role in a variety of fundamentally and technologically important processes such as lubrication, gas separation and purification, wetting behavior, energy storage, heterogenous catalysis, biologically inspired materials, and the theory of phase transitions. As a result, adsorption phenomena are extensively studied in chemistry, physics, and biology each for uniquely different reasons. The homologous series of normal alkanes represent a class of organic molecules that are important in the fuel industry. From a fundamental perspective, the series of normal alkanes provide a route whereby physical and chemical properties relevant to adsorption can be examined with only subtle changes in molecular size and length. The alkanes also exhibit a well-known odd-even effect in some condensed phase physical properties. In the current study, the physical adsorption properties of the normal alkanes (methane-decane) on MgO, graphite, and boron nitride were investigated using volumetric adsorption isotherms and molecular dynamics simulations. This portion of the study focuses on determining the thermodynamics of adsorption as well as predicting the adsorption structures and dynamics. As a secondary study, the chemical adsorption of ethanol was examined on the surface of transition-phase aluminas using volumetric adsorption, temperature-programmed desorption, and inelastic neutron scattering. The purpose of this work was to observe the surface-catalyzed reaction of chemically bound ethanol with Lewis and Brø[oe]nsted acid sites present on the aluminas in-situ. The results of the projects described have significant implications in the design of new materials for gas separation and purification as well as heterogenous catalysis.

In this riotous rhyme from Nicholas Allan, the queue for the loo gets very long indeed, as a series of multi-coloured animals impatiently join! Count, spot colours, spot animals, and all join in to find out who''s in the loo...

Depression is associated with a tendency to recall a greater number of overgeneral memories (OGM) and fewer specific memories. The CaRFAX model (Williams, 2006) poses three mechanisms maintain OGM, but little work has investigated how these mechanisms uniquely relate to OGM beyond the variance they share with each other. There is also a substantial lack of research as to how the mechanisms of the CaRFAX model relate to OGM in typically developing youth, as much research has focused on adult and clinical samples. This study addressed these gaps in the literature by assessing a cross-sectional community youth sample (N = 658) to investigate two mechanisms of the CaRFAX model: executive control and rumination. A written version of the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) was used to measure both the number of OGMs and specific memories recalled. Depression was measured with the Child Depression Inventory-2, rumination was measured with a self-report Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire, and executive control was measured with a verbal fluency task and a self-report measure of effortful control; the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire- Revised. Depression had a positive linear relationship with OGM and a negative linear relationship with specific memories. Both relationships were weak and became non-significant after accounting for age. A non-linear cubic positive relationship was found for OGM to negative cues predicting variance in depression. Over and above the shared variance between CaRFAX mechanisms, verbal fluency and effortful control evidenced no relationship with OGM but positively correlated with memory specificity. Conversely, rumination only related to a higher number of OGMs to negative cues. No interactions were found between rumination and executive control. Findings were interpreted with caution due to the small strength of relationships found. It is suggested that the relationships between depression, OGM/memory specificity, and CaRFAX mechanisms may only be clinically meaningful at high levels of psychopathology.

From the creator of The Queenâe(tm)s Knickers comes a hilarious and charming look at what makes each dad different, and why dads are the very best! This dad can''t sing like a pop star or cook like a chef...but, he can help with tricky homework, tell amazing bedtime stories and give the best piggybacks! Find out what else makes dads the best in this special celebration of fathers everywhere! Both children and adults will love this hilarious insight into the special relationship between father and child.

A jolly escapade through the world of potties, royalty and tiny accidents in this hilarious romp from the bestselling creator of The Queen''s Knickers, Nicholas Allan. It''s time for the prince to use his potty, so it''s off to the Royal Potty Workshop! There are singing potties, potties pulled by corgis, and even super-duper flying Royal Robo-Potties! But it''s hard work finding the perfect potty for the job ... especially when disaster strikes. Can the Royal Baby find his own solution? Praise for The Royal Nappy: "Lots of fun" The Sun

Every kid''s dream to make their parents do exactly what they want is realised in the anarchic new novel from the bestselling creator of the picture book classic, The Queen''s Knickers.

Anachronistic appropriation of earlier music or musical styles creates an inherent conflict of temporalities. Ravel''s compositions based on historical dance forms present a particularly rich medium for investigating these kinds of historical tensions. Whether the minuet in Minuet antique (1895), the waltz in La valse (1919-20) and Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911), or the forlane or rigaudon in their respective movements of Le tombeau de Couperin (1914-17), these forms bring with them associations regarding historical place, and ties between musical norms and expression of temporality. The temporalities expressed in these works are not straightforward linear dramas but rather tension-laden and multifaceted. This paper selects three of these works -- Valses nobles et sentimentales, the forlane from Le tombeau de Couperin, and La valse -- to show how a complex sense of time is expressed by Ravel in different ways. While these three pieces differ greatly in execution, they are similar in impulse: each of the three takes different approaches to intertextual and intratextual problematicization of temporality. In analyzing these three works, the first framework is one of intertextuality -- to what extent does the work connect itself to a specific work, composer, and style, and what structural and aesthetic expectations are brought into play via these connections. Each of the three works treats this question in differing ways -- the "Forlane" of Le tombeau de Couperin explicitly appropriates the music of Couperin, La valse interacts not as much with a specific work or even composer but with the genre of the waltz as a whole, and Valses nobles et sentimentales creates an intentional rift between the waltzes of Ravel and those of Schubert. But while differing in the degree of influence or quotation, each of these draws in expressive and structural prototypes and creates tensions of temporality that are worked through in the context of each piece -- dialects between past and present, conflicts in both structure and meaning. Through entering into dialogical relationships with the works, forms, and genres of the past, these three works gain potentials for expression.

Father Christmas is back, and this time he''s had three helping of sprouts! As he tries to deliver the presents, his tummy rumbles, gurgles and groans, but Father Christmas knows he must keep it in - he doesn''t want to wake anyone up! Will he come up TRUMPS?

Meet the Royal Baby and of course, Nanny, who looks after the Royal Baby and the all-important Royal Nappy Cabinet! A funny, warm look at the royal nappy through history - from Henry VIII to the present day and a very special new arrival... Find out where the royal nappies are made, the different kinds for every occasion (parachuting nappies say, or shiny nappies for palace floors - whee!), and what happens when the royal nappies... run out!

Aunt Edna has created a no-nonsense nanny android to make sure Billy and Alfie don''t have any fun. But then Alfie discovers how to override Auntie Anne-Droid''s programming and nothing can stop them eating all the Cheeki Choko Cherry Cakes they like ... until the real aunt Edna is kidnapped!

Babette and Bill are joined by a ribbon of hearts. They are always together through thick and thin. But when Babette falls ill, the two friends are parted and they are both broken hearted. Until they discover that even when they can''t see the ribbon of hearts it is always there pulling them together. Warm, poignant and funny, this book is a wonderful celebration of friendship. A sensitive and beautifully told story written in association with the International Children''s Heart Foundation that will touch anyone affected by illness. The mission of the International Children''s Heart Foundation is to bring the skills, technology and knowledge to diagnose and care for children with congenital heart disease to developing countries. ''Endlessly inventive, Nicholas Allan knows just what appeals to young children.'' Parents in Touch

A big sister is horrified when she can''t fit into her swimming costume. Her BOTTOM IS SOO BIG! But her little sister has some good advice. There follows a wonderful romp through history and fairyland, as the little sister explains exactly why a big bottom can be useful. Father Christmas needs one for crash landings and, if you are a queen, a big bum is vital to keep you comfy while sitting on your throne . . . Once again Nicholas Allan combines laugh-out-loud humour with real insight that cannot fail to raise a smile.

It''s a busy year for the Queen - she has lots of important events to attend. Meanwhile, a little girl is wondering what knickers Her Majesty will choose to wear on a school visit! Will they be her ''at home'' knickers - adorned with corgis - or her ''garden party'' knickers, or perhaps her woolly Balmoral ones...? Both children and adults will love this very special and endearing insight into a child''s imagination, from the best-selling author-illustrator of Father Christmas Needs A Wee and Jesus'' Christmas Party. Recently, the Queen visited a nursery in Norfolk and enjoyed a display based on the book: "...just to make it special, there was one element that was not quite so traditional: pants. These were not just any pants, either. They were the Queen''s Knickers, and at Dersingham Infant and Nursery School, in Norfolk, they were put on special display in honour of their royal visitor" ~ Valentine Low, The Times

"First published in Great Britain by Hutchinson, an imprint of Random House Children''s Publishers UK"--Title page verso.

This rip-roaring, read-aloud delight follows a giant''s toilet roll as it goes on a crazy journey through town, leaving havoc in its wake. What will the townsfolk do with all the enormous sheets of paper? They could build a paper plane, or make 100s of pairs of pants. But will there be any paper left for the giant in his time of need?

A special new enlarged edition of the bestselling Christmas story told from the point of view of the grumpy innkeeper. When a night of angels, shepherds and bright stars keeps him from his sleep, is there anything that will cheer him up?

Never before have the facts of life been presented in such an accessible—or novel—way. Our hero is Willy, a little sperm who lives inside Mr. Browne with 300 million friends. Every day Willy practices for the Great Swimming Race. And when the day arrives, he swims faster than his 300 million friends to win the prize—a marvelous egg. Then something wonderful happens, and eventually Mr. and Mrs. Browne have a baby girl who has the same winning smile as Willy and who grows up to be a great swimmer. Hilariously funny, warm, and endearing, this is a picture book that appeals on different levels to both children and grown-ups. “Fresh, original, and imaginative. . . . Allan’s achievement is in couching fascinating facts within the construct of a gentle, direct narrative. A little knowledge is a wonderful thing, and as the rest of the facts of life fall into place, Allan’s readers will look back on this book with a mixture of fondness and wry amusement.” —The Guardian (UK)

"At every house Father Christmas eats and drinks the tasty treats that have been left for him. But when he reaches number ten he realizes that he''s forgotten to do something rather important - AND he really, really, really needs a wee ..."--Back cover.

This commentary will consider how I have developed and applied a number of compositional techniques, particularly in the area of rhythm and pulse, which I situate in relationship to postminimalism. In chapter 1 I contextualise my music by considering some manifestations of postminimalism, give the background to the development of my present aesthetic approach, and look at some definitions of postminimalism in order to clarify my own position in relation to both American and European (primarily Dutch) postminimal composition. In chapter 2 I examine the main aspects of my musical language, focussing on technical considerations in relation to the wider aesthetic context. In chapter 3, I will demonstrate how specific techniques, particularly rhythmic and permutational techniques, are applied in particular compositions, and how these techniques have developed over the last four years. Additionally, I consider how my work is informed by a social/political awareness, and how this has informed my choice of particular compositional strategies.

It''s time for Polly to open her pet shop. The first customer of the day isMax the Magician, but which pet will he choose? The friendly-looking croc, the cheeky chimp, the smiley fishie, or the white rabbit? Next comesCowgirl Kate. Is she after a porky piglet, a slithering snake, a handsome white horse, or a wise brown owl? After Kate,Pirate Petestomps in. Polly offers him a great big green octopus, a teeny little mouse, a rainbow -feathered parrot and a cat - what do you think he will do? The last customer of the day isPrincess Pam. Will she choose a cuddly brown bear, a beautiful white bird, or a slimy frog? See whether you can guess and then lift the flaps to find out whether you''re right!

Originally published: London: Hutchinson, 2006.

The Attentional Blink (AB) refers to a period of approximately 500ms when, following the correct report of a first target (T1), report of a second target (T2) is disrupted. Despite the theoretical basis of this effect remaining contentious, researchers have applied the paradigm to specific populations such as individuals with dyslexia in order to examine the temporal nature of attention within this population. The series of experiments reported in this thesis aimed to develop methods capable of controlling for individual differences in factors potentially unrelated to the AB, which may, however, be interfering with the interpretation of the applied research. This highlighted four factors which could be estimated and controlled in an AB investigation: practice effects, target duration, intertarget interval (ITI), and task foreperiod. Investigation of practice effects suggested that these could be attenuated by providing a sufficiently demanding task. Overall, it appeared that practice led to enhanced task-preparation. Under conditions of high task difficulty, as set by modifying target exposure duration, there was not a significant change in AB accuracy across a series of 700 trials. Target exposure duration was varied to establish target equality between observers. By reducing or extending the exposure duration, target accuracy could be set at a fixed level of correct report between observers. Therefore, speed of processing could be estimated and examined between observers; but most importantly, it could be factored out of the AB effect. In a similar manner to target exposure duration, ITI was estimated and controlled. This was most easily estimated using a minimalist AB design using a fixation cross, T1 and a backward mask, and T2 and a backward mask. Utilising the established target exposure duration, the temporal lag between targets could be modified so that T2 accuracy was set to a criterion level. Task foreperiod, the time between fixation offset and T1 onset, was equated in similar fashion. The AB pattern could now be estimated with inter-target lags set to fixed proportions of the value established in the step controlling for ITI. In estimating and controlling for each of these factors, a task preparatory model of the AB was necessary to adequately account for a significantly attenuated AB effect when foreperiod was held constant. Two factors were found to be critical: the development of ''task-set'', defined as opting to complete one task over another; and ''perceptual-set'', defined as preparation to receive the physical attributes of the to-be-processed stimuli including modality and intensity as well as spatial and temporal location. The conclusion of the investigation posits that in commonly applied AB methodologies, there are a number of factors unrelated to the AB effect which, when unaccounted for, contaminate the effect. If valid conclusions regarding group differences in the AB per se are going to be established, these unrelated factors should be ruled out as sources of between group differences.